mim Luxembourg Europe in a nutshell
MIM Europe magazine Destination Report Luxembourg a special edition of MIM Europe magazine October 2012 Published by Meeting Media Company (Europe) www.mimmagazine.eu press@mimmagazine.eu
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Small country, big possibilities “Luxembourg is business without stress.” says Maryline Arthkamp, Marketing Executive at the Luxembourg Convention Bureau. “You can arrive in the morning, with the airport just 6km from the city: no traffic jams, no hurrying. It’s very easy to have a meeting here. We have a ton of first-class venues and everything is close together.” Luxembourg – it shouldn’t come as a secret – is a small country, but it doesn’t feel that way when you start exploring it. The variety of landscapes, the contrast between the picturesque countryside and the vivid, modern cities, the rich culture and the ever present European spirit give it a much grander aura than its size would normally allow.
MIM Europe: What makes Luxembourg unique as a business destination? Why should people plan their meetings in your country?
nationalities, and many expatriates bringing their expertise from abroad. It’s right in the middle of four major European cities: Brussels, Strasbourg, Frankfurt and Paris, which makes it very easy to reach. In sum, the country offers all the advantages that characterize attractive meeting destinations: a wide range of high quality infrastructure, a safe environment, an exceptional quality of life, a first-class cuisine, a vibrant nightlife, and a great variety of activities in the field of leisure, culture and shopping.
Olivier Barbieux: The Grand Duchy, in my opinion, is a perfect summary of Europe, with more than 150 different
Maryline Arthkamp: Multiplicity is the key. Luxembourg City has a cosmopolitan, open atmosphere. The
Luxembourg is also a premier meeting destination. As one of the three seats of the EU and an important financial powerhouse, new projects are constantly underway. Projects we need to know about. Maryline Arthkamp and Olivier Barbieux, Director of the Luxembourg Tourist Office in Brussels will tell us all about them.
Olivier Barbieux
Luxembourg:
Maryline Arthkamp
Château de Bourglinster
main attraction is the combination of old and new. Luxembourg City is over 1000 years old, it holds a lot of impressive ramparts and escarpments as well as mysterious underground casemates wonderfully preserved for generations. But Kirchberg for example, is very modern and holds various examples of state-of-the-art architecture. It’s a city in the city. MIM Europe: Could you tell us about new projects that are just finished or on the way? Maryline Arthkamp: The new conference centre at Luxembourg Kirchberg is finished and becoming popular. The EU holds its conferences here three months each year. New in the city centre is the Cercle Cité on the Place d’Armes. The completely restored and refurbished historical Cercle building is now connected to the purpose-built Cité with its “bubble” auditorium. It houses one of the most impressive reception rooms of the country.
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Olivier Barbieux: The Grand Theatre was also completely renewed. Its Foyer can now accommodate around 1,000 guests. The Trapezoidal room of the Centre Drosbach, on the outskirts of the city has a capacity of around 500 people. Many places were renovated over the last four years. In the Moselle region, the Schengen Castle recently opened, ready to receive any type of event up to 100 persons or much larger by using for instance an exclusive looking crystal tent in the gardens. Many other castles have an already established eventmanagement experience: Bourglinster in the centre of the country or Urspelt in the North, for example. MIM Europe: What effect did the economic crisis have on Luxembourg as a business destination?
MIM Europe: How do you see the future of the meetings industry in Luxembourg? Olivier Barbieux: As stated earlier, the importance of the meeting segment in Luxembourg is undeniable. Despite the already considerable market share of business travellers, I believe that the meeting sector still has considerable growth potential for years to come. We’re actively promoting the destination: attending all the big fairs, organizing workshops and road shows, not just in Europe but worldwide. The growing importance of the emerging markets (Central Europe, the Middle East, Russia, etc.) are a big opportunity for us we need to grasp. For a small state like ours, it’s essential to maximize our visibility among decision makers and keep them informed of novelties on a regular basis.
Maryline Arthkamp: We have a very good basis indeed: excellent locations and an excellent level of service. Most of the hotels are in the 4-5 star range. For congresses of up to 300-1000 delegates, Luxembourg is ideal. The problem is that not enough people exactly know what Luxembourg is. It’s not just a boring financial centre. There’s a lot of “secret” places where you can go in to have a cocktail party or a dinner: farmhouses, castles, mills, even the casemates. All are authentic venues maintaining every bit of historical charm besides most modern conveniences. The incentive options are endless as well. It’s just a matter of promoting ourselves the right way to let people know about them.
Contact Olivier Barbieux +32 2 646 03 70 o.barbieux@visitluxembourg.be www.visitluxembourg.lu Maryline Arthkamp +352 22 75 65 convention.bureau@lcto.lu www.lcto.lu
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Olivier Barbieux: Strange as it is, there was actually an increase in spontaneous requests in the Brussels office. The proximity of destinations such as ours is becoming an advantage, mainly for reasons of cost control. The reckless spending or expensive trips to exotic countries are out of place in recent years.
Maryline Arthkamp: With the international institutions based here, we always have a good number of congresses and large events. With all the companies based in the city, we have a big source of business clients as well. Actually, we estimate that 70 percent of travellers to Luxembourg do so for business reasons.
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Teambuilding games in the city centre
The new Cercle Cité building
The Grand Theatre
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One of the Chambre de Commerce’s four large conference halls.
MEETINGS IN LUXEMBOURG Business in the heart of Europe Ideally located at the centre of Europe, Luxembourg is one of the seats of the European Union and a renowned financial centre. It’s no surprise the country offers a wide variety of conference venues and first class business hotels. The infrastructure is constantly expanding and the exciting mix of new and old, remarkable venues and quality service ensure a quality stay. We’ve selected two new venues for closer inspection.
Chambre de Commerce Most national and European institutions have their headquarters on the Kirchberg plateau overlooking the city centre. The contemporary style of the buildings here offers a sharp contrast with the classic style of the city streets below. This is one of Europe’s premier business centres, and hosting a conference in one of the many halls of the Chambre de Commerce puts you right in the middle of the Grand Duchy’s business world. In this great looking, ultramodern building, 4 large conference halls await you (biggest one: 300 pax theatre style) and 36 smaller rooms are available in the adjacent training centre. In total, there’s 6,500 m2 of space available: all rooms bathing in natural daylight and all of them with state-ofthe-art equipment. In between the conference halls is a nice, spacious, sunlit
lobby, perfect for relaxing between conferences or to organize a cocktail party or walking dinner. You can arrange your own catering or use the venue’s services. Chambre de Commerce is easily accessible by road and public transport, is close to the airport and has a big parking lot.
Park Inn Luxembourg City Just 200m from the train station and right on one of the main shopping streets, this new hotel offers a fantastic location. The area is full of bars and restaurants, and the Pont Adolphe and the historic city centre are but a 5 minute walk away. The 99 soundproofed and air-conditioned guestrooms are spacious, modern and colourful.
The 3 contemporary meeting rooms can accommodate up to 70 people, a free and fast Wi-Fi-connection is available everywhere in the building, there’s ample private parking space and the lounge-bar is the perfect place for a drink and some light snacks. In short, if you want a peaceful, quality stay at a reasonable price, close to everything Luxembourg City has to offer, Park Inn is the place to go.
Contact Park Inn by Radisson Luxembourg City +352 26 89 18-1 Info.luxembourg@rezidorparkinn.com www.parkinn.com/hotel-luxembourg
Contact Chambre de Commerce +352 42 39 39-239 events@cc.lu www.cc.lu Light & modern meeting rooms.
Colourful, soundproof guestrooms
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A WORLD OF INCENTIVES More than just business Luxembourg looks like it jumped out of a fairy tale. Lush highlands and valleys, thick forests, steep vineyards, rolling farmlands and medieval castles overlooking it all from their hilltops. It sounds like a good environment to organize an exciting incentive or a rewarding teambuilding session, and that’s exactly what it is. Being mostly known for its political and financial importance, Luxembourg might have a somewhat serious image. An image far from the truth. Just as we arrived on the Place Guillaume II, they were cleaning up what was left of Rock um Kneudler, the country’s biggest music festival. Later in the evening the various bars and clubs in the historic centre came alive, proving the city is vibrant, fun and young. But what to do if you’re planning on having an incentive here? “Well, a lot!”
e-Bikes: the best way of cycling!
would be the appropriate answer. Do you want to organize a treasure hunt or a storytelling tour in the capital? Do you prefer a cruise on the Moselle? Or do you want to join a cooking class and discover the Luxembourgian cuisine? Maybe you feel more like having a BBQ in the forest? Why not a drive through the countryside in a Ferrari, Mclaren or Lamborghini ? Or maybe you would just like to relax in the Mondorf thermal centre? It’s all possible. Here are some of our favourite options!
New Spirit: Event Designer New Spirit has been organizing events all around Luxembourg since 1991. At Le Moulin d’Altwies, a renovated mill where the agency is situated since 2005, they offer a variety of teambuilding options that are both fun, bring people together and improve team spirit. New Spirit organizes staff and
Luxembourg is heaven for adventurous types.
family days, team cooking sessions and coachings, workshops, seminars, treasure hunts in Luxembourg City as well as hot air balloon rides. A wide range of possibilities is available, concerning all kinds of company events, parties and dinners: from classic to modern to innovative. Sporty, outdoor or cultural: all of them are customized to fit your needs with style and originality. Their knowledge of the Luxembourgian market and its customs will make sure that your events will be memorable: under your budget and above your expectations.
Contact +352 40 62 71 info@newspirit.lu www.newspirit.lu www.lemoulin.lu
An impressive drive through an impressive landscape!
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Golf Clervaux: for hole-in-one events!
The Good Time Company: feel the raw power of the 2cv! Looking for a truly unique incentive experience? Why not organize a countryside rally in 2cvs and combine the beauty of the Luxembourgian landscape with the sheer fun of driving these legendary vehicles. Based in Mondorf-les-Bains and with starting points all over Luxembourg, The Good Time Company has direct access to the country roads. The activity is completely weatherproof. It’s simple, elegant and original, making boundaries between team members disappear. Thinking of a more sporty activity like a biking trail but intimidated by the country’s steep hills? The Good Time Company can help you here as well, sporting the largest collection of e-Bikes in Europe. You’ll still need to pedal, but a small engine will help you reach the top of the most daunting climbs. Feel like local legend Andy Schleck, riding for miles without breaking a sweat!
Want to have a meeting in a totally relaxed environment? Want to share your love of golf with your colleagues by giving them an initiation or clinic? Golf Clervaux is where you should be heading. Right next to the little town with the same name (it has a wonderful castle and abbey) lies one of the biggest and most beautiful golf courses in Luxembourg. Looking over the course is the 4-star Hôtel-Restaurant du Golf, recently enlarged and completely renovated, offering great views over the course and the Luxembourgian Ardennes. The 23 rooms look marvelous and are very, very spacious. Free wifi is available in the whole building. The hotel contains a very classic but beautiful bar and lounge, a lovely sunlit terrace next to the course, a sauna and a conference room for about 30 people. The sunlit restaurant offers a great Mediterranean and a traditional French cuisine. All material can be rented and a myriad of different courses and lessons can be booked. The hotel offers special arrangements with B&B, dinner and a green fee. Various events can be organized on the golf course.
If you have a very large group or you’re holding a family day, don’t worry: up to five activities can be combined at the same time in smaller groups: 2cv rallies, e-Bikes, segway riding, water-biking and miniature golf. A CSI-game, with unique scripts based on your company is being worked on to be available by this winter.
A lot of wonderful walking routes can be discovered in the area, as well as two national parks. In summertime, the abbey hosts several concerts and other activities, making Golf Clervaux and the surrounding area the perfect place for a peaceful weekend or a secluded meeting.
Contact
Contact
The Good Time Company Luxembourg +352 661 700 911 infolu@thegoodtimecompany.com www.thegoodtimecompany.com
Hotel-Restaurant du Golf de Clervaux +352 92 93 95 gcclerv@pt.lu www.hoteldugolf.lu
Golf Clervaux: one of the country’s most beautiful golf courses.
Luxembourg Cool country! Hot city!... and so close by!
Luxembourg National Tourist Office BP 1001 1010 Luxembourg T. +352 42 82 82 10 F. +352 42 82 82 38 mice@visitluxembourg.lu www.meetingpoint.lu & www.visitluxembourg.lu
Luxembourg Convention Bureau PO Box 181 2011 Luxembourg T. +352 22 75 65 F. +352 46 70 73 convention.bureau@lcto.lu www.lcb.lu