MIM122

mim Interview

David Sand Site’s ambitions for the MICE industry Special Feature Sustainable Meetings

Antwerp From Old to New

MIM Europe Magazine, the meetings and incentives magazine for European corporate planners, in exclusive partnership with EUMA, the European Association of Management Assistants, supported by ECM, European Cities Marketing

europe magazine #122 Published 4 times a year: March, May, August, September.

Edition March 2013

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Pure Incentive Travel has disappeared

Colophon MIM magazine is the european magazine for the meetings industry. It is published 4 times a year by meeting media company bvba/sarl, with a circulation of 5000 copies.

In exclusive partnership with

European Management Assistants Association.

In partnership with

European City Marketing.

Editor in Chief Marcel A.M. Vissers T. +32 (0)3 226 88 81 marcel@mimmagazine.eu Managing Director Cécile Caiati-Koch T. +32 (0)2 761 70 52 cecile@mimmagazine.eu Account Manager – International Sales Kelvin Lu T. +32 (0)2 761 70 59 kelvin@mimmagazine.eu Managing Editor J. Samuel Doveri Vesterbye T. +32 (0)2 761 70 50 - +32 (2) 471 07 23 24 samuel@mimmagazine.eu

It’s been some time since I took a critical look at incentive travel. That’s because many of my friends in incentive organising have changed direction. They have drifted towards economically safe havens and switched from being pure organisers to semi travel agents, event organisers and – when lucky – meeting planners. It was Marcel A.M. VISSERS no longer possible to make a living with the pure model Editor in Chief of incentive travel. Many of these incentive brothers and sisters will remember the time when people with different (and more travel-related) ideas were threatened with decapitation. The ‘Incentive’ idea had to be preserved in a holy shrine. I realise that times have changed very quickly and people become weak when their livelihood is threatened. I just wonder how it got this bad? This a question I would like to ask all the delegates at the SITE EMEA Conference which is being held in my city, Antwerp, this year in March. I’m also pleased with the interview I was able to have with David Sand, the new chairman of SITE. However, I would like to see more answers from the members. Is SITE just a bunch of friends who are involved in travel activities with so-called added value? This question arose after I had heard Rohit Talwar (CEO Fast Future) say during an ICCA congress that Incentive Travel no longer belongs in the meetings industry and should go back to being tourism. My goodness - I don’t know what to say and that’s why I quote his statement in full: “Incentive events may have knowledge-sharing components but their primary purposes are leisure- and reward-oriented, so clients are going mainly for the facilities - not for knowledge exchange.”

On the other hand, I was positively surprised a few months ago in a corporate discussion with Paola Capaldi, Communication & Events Line Manager at Belgacom Brussels. She told me that incentive travel is still alive and kicking, but in a different way. The luxury perks need to be packaged differently and the solution: Less money for travelling (stay in Europe) and accommodation (fewer stars, but more authenticity), while adding more resources for a genuine experience with a focus on local attractions. The social aspect during the trip should have a higher priority, while doing something together for others can be more satisfying than heavily laden tables with too many unhealthy dishes.

Editor Rose Kelleher Address 59 rue René Declercq 1150 Brussels (Belgium) T. +32 (0)2 761 70 50 F. +32 (0)2 761 70 51 www.mimmagazine.eu press@mimmagazine.eu Publisher Meeting Media Company Marcel A.M. Vissers Mechelseplein 23, bus 1 B - 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium) www.MIMmagazine.eu Design & Print Press Point Poelstraat 167 - 9820 Merelbeke T. +32 (0)9 362 52 50 - www.presspoint.be

A hearty talk with a fisherman in Marseille is more fun than a reception at city hall.

‘That’s what I call clear incentive language.’

The incentive princes and princesses of old Europe have lost their influence, while new waves of hard workers are making their mark.

» More stories on www.MIMmagazine.eu

Contents Cécile Caiati-Koch

J. Samuel Doveri Vesterbye

Kelvin Lu

Rose Kelleher

GENERAL

SPECIAL FEATURE

EUMA 4 ECM 6 Amsterdam - Dinner with a story 10 Antwerp - From Old to New 22

Sustainable Meetings

COVER INTERVIEW David Sand and SITE

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DESTINATIONS Nord Pas de Calais 29 Nice 30 Denmark 32 Hangzhou China 34 Okinawa Japan 36 London 38

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Arranging sustainable conferences and meetings A beginner’s guide Most organisations today have a policy on sustainability, but for the Management Assistant, or Conference Organiser, being asked to arrange a sustainable event or ‘green’ conference can add another strand to what is already an onerous task.

At European Management Assistants (EUMA), we encourage all our members – who are top-level Management Assistants, PAs and Executive Assistants from all over Europe – to be mindful of how they can consider the environment and sustainability in their everyday jobs. Indeed, when EUMA arrange its two main European annual events, the conference organising committees have to be aware of EUMA’s commitment to sustainability.

For the conference arranger, you’ll need to plan well ahead for your conference to have minimum impact on the environment and for an organisation to demonstrate that their conference is sustainable is becoming increasingly important in winning new business, attracting sponsors and meeting delegates’ expectations. Today, not being ‘green’ is no longer an option.

Conference environment. On the day of the conference itself, have lights and air conditioning turned off when they are not needed and the heating set properly to save keep turning it up and down.

Above all, designing, organising and

implementing a sustainable event means creating an event that minimises negative environmental and social impacts and leaves a positive legacy for the host community. Consideration needs to be paid to: minimising GHG emissions (e.g. CO2); minimising natural resource consumption (i.e. water and energy); avoiding waste generation and re-using or re-cycling residual waste; causing minimal environmental damage; fostering economic, social and environmental benefits for local communities; applying these principals to the purchase of goods and services; and increasing the awareness of participants, staff, service providers and sponsors.

For the conference organiser who is new to arranging ‘green’ conferences and meetings, here are some key practical things to consider: Conference organization. Determine if face-to-face meetings are essential for the conference organising committee.

Could they meet up by videoconferencing, webcast, or teleconference? If a face-to-face meeting is necessary, choose a location that minimizes the

distance attendees have to travel.

Above all, the conference organising committee must ‘walk the talk’, so the rules about sustainable meetings and ideas below must apply as much to them, in their conference preparation, as the main conference itself!

Online and digital conference materials. Present information electronically and digitally as much as possible. This would include a conference website, email updates, online registration and the ability download conference packs, or save conference papers to iPad or laptops rather than printing them out.

Transportation. Select a venue that is easy to get to via public transport with accommodation within walking distance. If that isn’t possible, arrange transport to and from the venue and social events with local carriers and encourage delegates to make use of public transport at low cost. For example, when EUMA arrange their European Conferences, we always ensure our delegates are given local Travel Passes, at discounted rates to make the most of public transport.

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Paper. Ensure all paper products at the conference are environmentally sound, and if the information has to be printed, print it double sided.

Re-use and re-cycle. Use catering supplies, such as napkins, crockery, cutlery and glasses that are reusable and not disposable. Have any conference catering that is left over composted and encourage delegates to put all their paper waste into recycling bins.

Local produce. Cut down on food sourced from miles away by sourcing local, seasonal dishes that support the local economy and giving attendees a great taste at the same time. At EUMA’s recent Annual Conference held in Reykjavik, Iceland in October 2012, all the food was sourced locally with fish dishes, fresh vegetables and plenty of organic ingredients. This became part of the conference experience, and reflected Iceland’s commitment to ‘green’.

Catering. Use Fair Trade tea and coffee, and avoid using individual bottles of water; refillable water jugs with spouts and stands are more environmentally friendly. They also avoid waste. Ensure that any food items are packaged in recyclable or compostable materials. If there is likely to be food left over, arrange to have it delivered to a local shelter for the homeless, or to be donated to another good cause.

This can all be arranged beforehand.

Involve the delegates. A main feature of a ‘green’ conference is getting the delegates to understand what you are attempting to do. So, let the delegates, sponsors and presenters know ‘this is a green conference’ and ask them if they can be involved and encourage them to be a sustainable partner.

REMINDER EUMA IN Madrid The 16th EUMA European Training Day on ‘Successful negotiating’ will take place in Madrid in the Foxa M30 Suites and Resorts, on Saturday 20 April 2013.

Create an environmental guidebook or policy. Create a document for the event to give to suppliers, delegates and speakers to show them the conference expectations about sustainability economically-friendly working.

• Thursday 18 April Welcome Reception and Tapas Dinner.

Suppliers need to buy into being ‘green’ too. When selecting hotels, speakers or suppliers, ask to see their sustainability policies, or ask them their views. Are they also committed to working in a green way? Are there any recent press articles that show them in a different light? What is their reputation when it comes to being ‘green’? Being ‘green’ must apply to every strand of your conference – this, linked into a targeted PR/marketing strategy will attract participants and show your organisation in a good light.

• Saturday 20 April Training Day at the Foxa M30 Suites and Resorts, Madrid.

Conference environment. On the day of the conference itself, have lights and air conditions turned off when they are not needed and the heating set properly to save keep turning it up and down.

• Friday 19 April Council Meetings and Training Day Dinner in Toledo.

Registration: see www.euma.org

About EUMA: European Management Assistants (EUMA) is the only European-wide quality network of top management assistants who focus on their selfdevelopment and professional evolution, and reflect the future of their profession. The association is a non-profit association, has no political aims and does not engage in political or trade union activities. EUMA provides a forum for management assistants, employers and educators to promote an understanding of the training, experience and career opportunities necessary for the development of its members. EUMA promotes an image of the management assistant as an essential element of the management team. EUMA was founded in 1974 and is currently represented by over 1,500 members in 26 European countries.

Contact information: Adam Fidler, European PR Officer adam.fidler@salfordcc.ac.uk

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Sustainability and the city Garry White, CEO, European Cities Marketing

Florence, Italy

For many, the word sustainability is inter-linked with the idea of the countryside not the city.

Green initiatives and eco-tourism seem to fit better with our idea of conserving and protecting the natural environment rather than our urban spaces and Governments and national institutions are often the ones charged with providing policies, platforms, agendas and legislation to steer our way through one of the most pressing challenges of our times.

Three critical factors challenge the wisdom of this approach. Firstly, the world is becoming urban very quickly.

Today 52% of the world live in cities, by 2020 75% will do so and by 2040 it is feasible that 90% of humanity will live in urban places. Secondly, city tourism has become the dominant factor in European tourism. Since 2002 growth in bed-nights to cities has grown exponentially compared to bed-nights to countries which have matured. Since 2002 bed-nights to Vienna have grown by 49 % compared to 8 % to Austria and bed-nights to Berlin have grown by a staggering 62 % compared to 18 % to Germany. The same picture is true of almost all the 110 cities in membership of ECM. Thirdly, I believe that cities are part of the solution not part of the problem. Living, working and spending leisure time in smart green cities is a more sustainable solution than living in the countryside

if only because it avoids the use of cars; reduces the need to commute to work; and makes residents and visitors more reliant on public transportation.

C40 cities, climate leadership group advocates this approach. According to their mission statement “cities have the power to change the world.

Cities are the global centers of communication, commerce and culture.

What our cities do individually and in unison can set the agenda for a sustainable future.” Powerful stuff.

There is however one glaring omission. C40 Cities doesn’t appear to have city tourism on their agenda, which means there is a gap in terms of knowledge share and expertise, which opens up an area of opportunity for European Cities Marketing.

According to a recent member survey 89% of our city members consider

sustainability to be a critical issue and 58% are working on specific sustainability projects. A further 48% consider sustainability to be a key part of their USP. Lets consider a few examples

Gothenburg Göteborg and partners are leading on a sustainable Gothenburg project together with its main stakeholders, the Swedish exhibition and congress center and the environment administration of the city of Gothenburg. It aims to increase the understanding of business-focused sustainability; develop new solutions through innovation. Gothenburg was #1 on the ICCA Scandinavian Destination Sustainability index 2012. 90% of the city hotels have third party eco-certification co-operation within the industry.

It organized a sustainable destination day last year with 500 delegates.

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Munich For more than 20 years now, the Munich Oktoberfest has been committed to keep the fair as ecological as possible. As early as 1997, the organizers have been awarded a prize by the German government for their sustainability concept. Electricity is provided by an eco-producer, a waste avoidance concept is in place, and more and more caterers offer bio-food. This year, each visitor can contribute to environment protection projects by buying a special ginger bread heart. The price for the heart is calculated to compensate for the CO2 emission that is being produced by an ‘average’ visitor!

Copenhagen, Denmark

Florence Florence Convention Bureau, in partnership with Treedom, gives you the possibility to neutralize the emissions of any event participating personally in reforestation projects: each tree planted will help to purify the air by absorbing CO2 and to combat deforestation. Treedom, on the basis of data received from the organizers, performs a calculation of CO2 produced by events, and estimate the amount of trees needed to offset these emissions.

Copenhagen Inspired by the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) that took place in Denmark’s capital in December 2009, seven innovative organizations created a coalition to further increase the sustainability of this event and other large international meetings in the future. The initiative is called the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol (CSMP). The CSMP offers a flexible, umbrella framework that can be used to organize large, complex meetings in a more sustainable way. The protocol is intended to inspire planners to strive for excellence sustainability in the management of their meetings now and in the future.

Munich, Germany

About European Cities Marketing: European Cities Marketing improves the competitiveness and performance of leading cities of Europe by providing a platform for convention, leisure and city marketing professionals to exchange knowledge, best practice and widen their network to build new business.

European Cities Marketing is promoting and linking the interests of more than 110 members from more than 100 major cities in 32 countries.

The CSMP is an advanced level guide designed to complement the many existing guides present in the market, and it will not only help corporate, government or association event organizers, but also consultants and managers of venues and large hotels. It is designed to be used in combination with its sister document, the COP15 United Nations Climate Conference, Copenhagen, Event Sustainability

Report. This report provides in depth details of the COP15 sustainability approach, initiatives and performance.

The real challenge that lies ahead is to put sustainability and the city very high up on the agenda. Cities have the ability to “turbo-charge” ideas and put real action in place on the ground very quickly working with their local stakeholders. Cities need to share strategies, knowledge and best-practice more than waiting for national strategies and policies.

And the flow of information needs to be dynamic. Larger cities can learn from best practice in smaller cities and towns where implementation is sometimes easier. And the west can learn from the new green smart cities that are emerging in South Korea, Singapore, China and the Middle East.

Contact information: Flavie Baudot flavie@europeancitiesmarketing.com T. +33 380 56 02 00

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David Sand An interview with the new president of SITE Recently elected president of SITE, David Sand is considered by many as a driving force and key player in today’s international meeting industry.

In this interview he offers an important and necessary discussion on the changing nature of meetings and investment patterns, while providing guidance and new hopes for the global MICE sector.

Interview Marcel A.M. Vissers, editor in chief

David Sand

Yes the economic crisis has changed many things, how corporations buy incentive travel, has shifted slightly, how much companies are willing to spend has tightened up considerably, how far they willing to travel has shortened, but the core reason why incentive travel continues to be used and the experience planners need to create for participants have remained fairly consistent.

Cape Town, South Africa

MIM Europe: SITE is a major name in the incentive world. How does it feel to be the first (South) African President of such a respected and professional organisation?

It is a great privilege for anyone to represent a global professional association such as its President, so I really feel very honoured to be given the responsibility that comes with the role.

SITE has early on embraced that to be a strong global organisation, it needs to transform its leadership ranks to incorporate a diverse group of leaders from all of its geographic constituencies. Our current board certainly reflects a healthy mix of cultures, a balance of gender and age profile. Being a proud South African we have had probably more experience with managing

diversity and embracing change in our recent history than most and I am very proud to represent that dynamic on the international board. Africa is showing tremendous growth in a world that is struggling and represents another exciting opportunity for Association and business expansion. Education is highly valued in Africa as in all developing economies and the quality of material, research and professional networking that SITE offers makes its professional attractiveness a strong proposition.

MIM Europe: Incentive travel has changed considerably in recent years, mainly due to the economic crisis around the world.

How would you describe incentive travel for outsiders?

Incentive travel rewards are powerful motivators that drive business results within some of the world’s best and most admired companies. Research and case studies by leading academic institutions have fully supported that the professional application of an Incentive travel opportunity will yield significant performance improvement in, sales, customer service, retention, employee engagement, quality, production, safety or innovation.

There is a much bigger service offering that Incentive Companies are expected to deliver to its corporate customer and this domain has significantly shifted in recent times where the corporate requirement is no longer the acquisition of a destination travel package, but the need to embrace the value adding services of driving the performance culture within its ranks. Today the demand for return on investment is key.

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The Incentive travel or motivational experience still needs to deliver a “wow factor� component that is unique, custom built, demographic appropriate and delivered with excellence. Our annual SITE Crystal awards showcase many of these exceptional travel experiences from around the world.

MIM Europe: Europe is suffering.

I often hear that incentive travel is experiencing problems. How does SITE react to these negative signals?

The European economy is certainly very challenging and many of our members are having to weather some very tough trading times. Incentive travel is certainly still happening into the European counties, but plans have had to be adjusted to source business from non traditional markets such as India and China for example. Some

of our members have benefited by participating in our recent events China and our growing membership community in India that has recently formed a large chapter.

Incentives out of Europe have likewise reduced in overall value and volume to long haul markets such as South Africa and the knock on effect of this obviously effects markets further afield. The silver lining however for Europe is that some of those incentives that were long haul focused are now restricted to being places in the European union.

SITE continues to respond to these trading conditions by encouraging more member to member trade, by designing better buyer supplier networking opportunities, commissioning relevant and insightful research

via our SITE research foundation that will equip decision makers with the latest pulse information and building greater relationships in new markets that are growing.

MIM Europe: The chapters are not doing very well in Europe.

It’s difficult to reach customers. How do you explain this?

Membership has decreased slightly in Europe and this has had a negative effect on some chapters as expected with the current climate. However our relationships and leadership component has been boosted. We have five international board members that represent the wider UK European geography, this year. Considerable effort will be put into assisting existing members and new members, grow, learn and connect in a more meaningful way with customers. SITE will be present at both IMEX and EIBTM in Europe adding value to the education programs of both trade shows, providing a tradeshow presence, networking events and young leadership forums. This year we also hold our EMEA event in Antwerp Belgium 11-13 March. Next year we will be bringing our SITE Global conference to Europe and believe that with all these member centric initiatives, SITE will be part of the solution to enhancing the incentive recovery in Europe.

MIM Europe: As the new President, will you provide a new impetus for the incentive world? What are your plans for the future?

Yes I am very passionate about the global incentive world and hope to make a positive difference. My own business Uwin Iwin has like all SITE

member businesses had to adjust to the times, through innovation, hard work, networking with the right people and continually being willing to learn new things. SITE provides that professional platform where many of these needs can be met and new business and personal opportunities often present themselves.

My plan during my Presidential year is to ensure that SITE keeps relevant and attentive to its membership needs. That the international board continues to be strengthened by great talent from around the world and the consistent business focused mind-set that we have started a few years back keeps the SITE association financially strong and growing.

SITE is 40 years in the making this year and we will be celebrating this milestone at our Global Conference in Orlando December 7-10. The uniqueness of SITE is also in the fun, personal, quality culture of the association, we are after all we in the business of rewarding excellence.

The products and destinations we have at our disposal to do this are some of the most exciting, exotic, ancient, breath taking, mind blowing and intriguing places on earth.

The people in our incentive world are also just and diverse, character filled, adventurers who make the world a better place and our industry an amazing profession to be in.

Contact information: SITE Global site@siteglobal.com T. +27 115 57 57 00 www.siteglobal.com

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Amsterdam A dinner with a story

Finding a venue for a dinner with a story is not an easy assignment. It’s a bit like a young couple looking for a place to hold their wedding. The room must be stylish and the food has to be special. And we haven’t even mentioned the wines and table decoration.

It happened to me last year when I wanted to invite some guests who were attending an international congress. It had to be a dinner with a story.

Text by Marcel A.M. Vissers, editor in chief

Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis, Amsterdam

The beginning

An awesome proposal

Where can I invite a select group of about 20 people to dinner in Amsterdam was the opening question.

Where was I to start? The city has many locations with a story. And that was part of the problem because I didn’t know where to start. As a professional writer for the meetings industry, I had lots of contacts with the local convention bureaus in cities: the offices and centres that help business travellers and meeting planners find their way around town and point them to the best locations and services. I immediately thought of my good friend Marc Horsmans, manager at ACB or the Amsterdam Congress Bureau. He understood my request without hesitation and within a week I received a new and original proposal: Step into history, visit the Amsterdam canal-side museums at night!

I didn’t need to think long about Marc’s proposal (www.iamsterdam.nl) The title was self-explanatory: Amsterdam, story, canal, museum ...

All I needed now was food. He told me to contact Björn Stenvers who’s in charge of marketing for a new initiative that brings together Amsterdam canal-side museums where exclusive events can be organised in the evenings. It was an exciting choice.

Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis obtained the most points for our programme. It’s a truly exquisite location. Please listen to our story.

‘The Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis is a late 17th century Amsterdam canalside mansion at Herengracht 518, with an adjoining former coach house along the Keizersgracht that houses a museum since 1991. The

museum shows how the Amsterdam upper classes lived in the period between the Golden Age and the Industrial Revolution. Highlights of this private museum are the first floor with four period rooms, and a large garden. The permanent exhibition includes furniture, porcelain, glass and objets d’art from the 17th, 18 th and 19 th century that illustrate the affluence and tastes of the Amsterdam aristocracy of the time.’

We were able to enjoy all of this on the night in question. The icing on the cake was the dinner proposal made by Huub Sleper of Catering Diner op Servies. Huub is also a great storyteller. Our guests were fascinated when he spoke about how people ate in the 17th century. We ate more or less the same dishes as they did: an authentic baroque dinner (www.dineropservies.nl).

After Hours visit to historical Amsterdam Amsterdam has more than 50 museums.

In Amsterdam the Canals are a big attraction for visitors. And it’s just inside the area enclosed by the city’s main canals (the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht - canal ring added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010 – that seven special museums have opened their doors at night for companies and associations to hold exclusive events.

The Canal side remains largerly unchanged since the 17th century when Amsterdam was known as ‘the central warehouse of the world’. Several of the historical buildings that served as warehouses and city palaces are now museums and a selection of these have been preserved or restored to their original state. Eight of Amsterdam’s famous canal-side museums have now joined forces to create a unique evening programme. Canal boats can transport clients between the museums in comfort, offering them an exclusive waterside view of Amsterdam by night. www.amsterdamheritagemuseums.org

Upon the arrival of the guests, the following canapés with a welcome drink: * Green asparagus rolled in Parma ham with chives cream * Quiche of courgette and mascarpone - gorgonzola I came up with the following menu for the dinner: * Terrine sea devil and cress with Riesling mayonnaise pomodori saffron coulis and home-made melba toast ringlets * Roasted breast of guinea fowl with pink pepper port sauce, crêpe filled with wild spinach and fresh cream, roasted miniature tomatoes * Black currant and almond tart with blackberry coulis and vanilla ice-cream * Our home-made chocolates with coffee and tea

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Eight famous canal-side museums Amsterdam Museum – Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis – Biblical Museum – Rembrandt House Museum – Museum Willet-Holthuysen – Museum Van Loon – Museum Our Lord in the Attic – Museum of Bags and Purses

Feedback from our guests Dear Headquarters and MIM magazines team Many thanks for your kind invitation to the very select Dinner with a Story.

Wonderful location, company, food, wines and stories! (Bob O’Keeffe, CEO, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre) Dear HQ fantastic team!

Michèle and I were much honored to be your guests and to experience such an exclusive and VIP dinner at the Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen with all our colleagues from around the world.

You have definitely written a new part of the fairytale.

Thank you for always surprising us!

Elodie COUDRE Manager – Marketing and Development Department - La Cité - Nantes Events Center Dear Marcel, Cecile, Remi, Once again many thanks for this great experience at this beautiful Dutch Museum/Palace. You have made such a great effort in pleasing us with an extraordinary setting, an excellent barock cuisine, but above all the very nice Cercle of people gathered. I hope to be able to reciprocate this wonderful hospitality.

With very best wishes and warm regards Mag. Renate J. Danler Geschäftsführerin/Managing Director HOFBURG Vienna

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TO Germany with ICE at 300 km/h, 4 times a day, direct!

Four times a day, ICE trains travel from Brussels-Midi to Cologne and Frankfurt in record time, also serving Liège and Aachen. · Brussels-Cologne > in 1hr 50min · Brussels-Frankfurt Airport > in 2hrs 48min · Brussels-Frankfurt > in 3hrs As well as the direct Brussels-CologneFrankfurt ICE service, there are also many ICE connections available within Germany.

From Cologne, ICE offers connections to Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Munich.

So with just one change in Cologne, ICE can connect you to the whole of Germany.

You can travel city centre to city centre without check-in, luggage control, and costs for shuttles.

The exclusive comfort of travelling 1st class If you travel 1st class, you can enjoy extra space and the luxurious comfort of leather seats. The staff on board offers you a selection of international papers and on your demand they serve you warm and cold drinks at your seat.

As a 1st class passenger, you have access to all DB Lounges in Germany. Here you can find everything to make the time while you wait more comfortable: an elegant sitting area, international papers and magazines and functional laptop area with internet access.

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> Special feature: sustainable meetings

CONTENTS

Do carbon offsets actually work?

Do carbon offsets actually work?.................... 14

Face-to-face meetings are the lifeblood of a healthy economy, and we’re constantly seeking to reconcile our profession with the unfortunate by-product we inevitably generate each time we meet: carbon. Cue the carbon offset, a market-based means to ‘offset’ our carbon consumption. But do they actually work?

Outstanding Green Hotels....................... 20

If you’re planning any kind of gettogether, whether a corporate conference, an incentive trip for a target well met, or a monster seminar with an agenda as long as your arm, there’s no escaping the fact that you are going to increase the amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. There, we said it.

Because no matter what we do to make our meetings and gatherings greener than thou, (and we’re working on it) the fact is that every time we gather, we heat up the air around us, facilitate the consumption of megawatts of energy and produce a certain amount of waste.

Cue the carbon offset. Carbon offsetting, which first gained traction after the signing of the Kyoto protocol at the end of the nineties, represents a market-based means of offsetting measurable carbon emissions by buying into carbon-offset projects.

Consumer-friendly carbon offsetting enables us to take responsibility by paying an organisation to reduce CO2 emissions in the atmosphere on our behalf. Offsetting your event offers a value-added component for your attendees and also equals good PR: attendees can feel good

Green flags.......................... 16 Is your venue really, truly green?......................... 17 EcoLODGical....................... 19

ALL TEXTS WRITTEN BY ROSE KELLEHER

about participating in your event knowing their carbon emissions are offset. Some organisations offset their entire carbon footprint while others aim to neutralise the impact of a specific activity, such as taking a flight. To do this, the meeting attendee visits an offset website, uses the online tools to calculate the emissions of their trip, and then pays the offset company to reduce emissions elsewhere in the world by the same amount – thus making the flight “carbon neutral”.

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Sale of indulgences Over the past decade, as carbon offsetting has become increasingly popular, it has also become increasingly controversial. Whether offsetting works or not seems to come down to the individual. It would appear that if a participant is offsetting to assuage guilt and to make themselves feel better about high-carbon activities such as flying, then it can’t be a good thing. However, if the scheme is used as part of a more overall effort to cut their carbon footprint, or as an incentive to be more ‘green’ in general (after all, the less you emit, the less it will cost you to be ‘carbon neutral’) then it’s fine.

There is also the claim that people use offsetting as a way to avoid changing their un-environmentally friendly habits. Writer George Monbiot once even compared carbon offsets with the Catholic church’s practice of selling indulgences: absolution from sins and reduced time in purgatory in return for financial donations to the church. Just as indulgences allowed the rich to feel better about sinful behaviour without actually changing their ways, carbon offsets allow us to “buy complacency, political apathy and self-satisfaction” he remarked. According to the offset schemes themselves, most of their customers also take more holistic measures to reduce their carbon emissions. A report from Britain’s National Consumer Council and Sustainable Development Commission agree:

“A positive approach to offsetting could have public resonance well beyond the CO2 offset, and would help to build awareness of the need for other measures.”

Looking to the future But whether or not offset projects actually deliver the carbon benefits they promise seems to boil down to the effectiveness of the project, but the programme must be sure that the carbon savings are additional to any savings which might have happened anyway. Take the example of an offset project that distributes low-energy lightbulbs in a developing country, thus reducing future energy consumption. The carbon savings would only be classified as ‘additional’ savings if the project managers could demonstrate that, for the period in which the carbon savings of the new lightbulbs were being counted, the recipients wouldn’t have acquired low-energy bulbs by some other means. The problem with this, of course, is that it’s almost impossible to prove it with absolute certainly because no one can divine what’s going to happen in the future, or what would have happened had the project never existed. In the case of the lightbulb project, the local government might start distributing

low-energy bulbs to help reduce pressure on the electricity grid. If that happened, the bulbs distributed by the offset company would cease to be additional, since the energy savings would have happened even if the offset project had never happened.

And without actually visiting the offset projects ourselves, how can individuals be sure that the projects are functioning as they should? The voluntary offset market has developed various standards, which are a bit like the certification systems used for fairly traded or organic food. These include the Voluntary Gold Standard (VGS) and the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS).

VGS-certified offsets are audited according to the rules laid out in the Kyoto protocol and must also show social benefits for local communities.

But even if offset projects do work as advertised, some environmentalists argue that they’re still a bad idea. If we’re to tackle climate change, they argue, the projects being rolled out by offset companies should be happening anyway, funded by governments around the world, while companies and individuals reduce their carbon footprints directly. Only in this way – by doing everything possible to make reductions everywhere, rather than polluting in one place and offsetting in another – does the world have a good chance of avoiding runaway climate change...

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Green flags “This cynicism is related directly to the fact that people are more savvy and informed these days. They have experienced sustainability in other parts of their lives and they are bringing their experience to their response to different sustainability claims. The fact is that everybody wants their kids to be healthy, everybody wants clean water and clean air, nobody wants to leave a negative legacy or to eradicate whole communities. Most all of us agree on these things. In the events community, it seems that there is absolutely an interest in these things, so long as it doesn’t cost too much more and isn’t too complicated.”

“Traditional marketing involves looking for any kind of story that sets your organisation apart. But that clashes with what we are advising folks to do, which is to establish clear measurements and show performance against goals, to be sincere and explain things they are not doing well. All of this is intended to build trust. Instead of

There’s a cynical suspicion out there in meetings-land that when businesses claim to be passionate about the environment, it might all just be part of a choreographed publicity stunt. When companies ‘go green’, they often do so with a bang they want the whole world to know that they’re doing their bit to ‘save’ the environment - and all this reinforces environmentalists’ fears that sustainability is seen by some as a mere marketing gimmick. We asked Michael Luehrs of the Green Meetings Industry Council and Meet Green to weigh in...

showing you are the biggest and best and most wonderful, we advise companies to make their commitments clear. But it’s tough to get traditional marketing folks to go for that.”

consumer will reward companies who are good actors and punish companies that are considered irresponsible. But if nobody is reading these reports, then where is the value?

“One problem we deal with is that there’s a lot of pressure on companies thanks to initiatives like the Global Reporting Initiative and the Carbon Discloure Projects. These are technical approaches to being transparent, and instead of releasing dry statistics, companies often prefer to dress them up with colourful stories and testimonials, perhaps to make them more readable, or to appeal to a broader audience. So it’s easy to see that people might feel greenwashed.”

“More and more, ‘sustainability consultants’ are hauling out different companies. A good example was a big hotel that recently published a sustainability report and you can see from the numbers that they are investing a lot of money in infrastructure and training. But they got slammed by this consultancy who pointed out their failings. But here they are, pointing out what they are doing, and while they might not be doing it to the degree that they should, they get punished.

So do you punish the company for being as transparent as they can, and thereby create a disincentive for their on going communications..?”

“But there is a lot of responsibility on the consumer. They have to ask themselves: What have I been promised?

And is it legitimate? Companies are often advised that for their clients to trust them, they must be transparent.

Everything hinges on the bet that the

Michael Luehrs blog: www.fightinggoodfights.com

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Is your venue really, truly green?

Not just a box to be ticked, it’s time to make sustainability a part of your conversation when you speak with venues...

Choosing a sustainable venue for meetings and incentives reduces the environmental footprint of your event and saves money through energy efficiency. Environmental commitments are now often part and parcel of many venue and vendor contracts, as more and more businesses and organisations require their events to live up to a minimum sustainability standard.

Planners need to look for venues that can really demonstrate that they incorporate practices and policies to reduce the environmental impact of events, but even if a venue claims to have an established programme, planners need to insist on the details: exactly how do they plan on minimising the environmental impact of your gathering?

Here’s a checklist of what to ask for:

Does the venue... · …have a written environmental policy? · ...have a team dedicated to identifying and implementing sustainable practices? · ...use renewable energy, such as solar thermal? · ...have an official green purchasing policy?

· ...offer proximity to public transportation, or is it within walking distance of accommodation? · ...use natural day lighting and LED exit signs as part of an energy efficient lighting plan? · ...provide windows that open? · ...use green building design principals? · ...provide parking for alternative fuelled vehicles and bike racks? · ...have a recycling program and has recycling bins in public areas for paper, metal and plastic? · ...offer internet connectivity or wireless services to cut down on paper use? · ...feature technology or policies that ensure that lights and A/V equipment are turned off when not in use? · ...have an organisational environmental or CSR policy in addition to the site specific one? · ...give the option of sustainable catering options, such as organic or locally grown produce? · ...include meeting spaces free of charge for local nonprofits? · ...use environmentally friendly cleaning products? · ...donate leftover food to local shelters?

If not green, then what?

If your venue is not green, there are a few things you can do. Apart from the obvious - opting for public transport, e-viting delegates, reducing power demand by switching off lights, reducing waste, conserving water and sourcing only locally-made produce and ethical products - it might also be a good idea to try to measure and understand the impact you’re event is having on the environment and communicate that effectively with delegates. This creates a dialogue about the consequences of your event, which can lead to behaviour change. Planners who must opt for a non-sustainable venue can make up for it by knowing the environmental damage cost of your activities, but also by calculating how much environmental initiatives are saving for clients. And once you’ve measured and understood the impact of the event, it might be time to purchase a renewable energy credit from a green energy company, who will offset the global warming pollution produced by your event for you.

Sustainable architecture – what is it?

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Most venues nowadays will be able to tick more than a few of the above boxes as minimum sustainability criteria become par for the course. But there are some truly exceptional sites that will go further. Venues with a green ear firmly pressed to the ground will be primarily marketed through electronic channels, such as online, while those who still rely on printed brochures or other material will have them printed non-glossy, double-sided and easy to recycle paper. Also worth looking out for are managers who do not encourage the use of delegate packs that include glossy notepads, badges and pens. Are there water reduction measures installed in taps and toilets?

Is the venue’s non-potable water from rain harvesting, and is the sewage is processed through Sustainable Urban Drainage System? Check whether the furniture comes from sustainably managed forests or post consumer waste, and flame resistant using environmentally benign chemicals. Do they employ measures such as leachate mitigation and noise control to reduce disturbance to local wildlife?

Floral decoration in really sustainable venues will be potted rather than stem cut flowers and plants, as the latter or often grown in monocultures and treated with a whole host of harmful herbicides and pesticides.

Venues themselves have major impacts on the environment. They consume resources both during construction and when they’re finally occupied. Green buildings have less effect on the environment because alternative construction materials are used and construction and demolition waste is recycled. DGNB, BREEAM, LEED, GreenBuilding and Passive House are all international sustainable building certification schemes awarded to energy efficient and economically optimised buildings.

Sustainable architecture comprises various terms, from water conservation to energy efficiency to construction techniques, and designing buildings that are truly green is still far from an exact science. Meetings planners tend to disagree with researchers and building professionals on what determines a green building, but one fact is certain: “Sustainable buildings are not about fashion or style; they are about performance, resilience and adaptability” according to Susan Roaf in her book “Closing the Loop: Benchmarks for Sustainable Buildings.

What to watch out for BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) is the world’s most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings.

It sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de facto measure used to describe a building’s environmental performance. Some notable spaces that have been awarded BREEAM certification include the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool, which has been built to the highest standard of ’green’ credentials. It’s also the only BREEAM accredited venue in the UK. The fabulous French Heritage listed Hotel del Dieu in Lyon, which is currently undergoing a refurbishment and extension project, is set to obtain BREEAM certification for its hotel, offices and conference centre when it reopens.

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EcoLODGical

Fun and earth-friendly incentives According to the eco-lodge ethos, tourist accommodation should benefit, not burden, the local environment and community. Eco-lodges range from simple tents and yurts to luxury retreats, and often offer nature-based activities, from fishing to farming and hill walks to eco-workshops.

Here’s our pick of guilt-free, activity-packed eco incentive hotspots...

Kolarbyn eco-lodge, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden Set in dense forest beside the beautiful Lake Skärsjön, just outside Stockholm, these cosy little huts have no electricity, but that’s part of the charm. Features of this natural refuge include beds with sheepskin rugs, firewood and fresh spring water. With a large hut for events, corporate groups are welcome year-round to enjoy fun team-building activities like survival courses, fire workshops, moose safaris and even wolf howling tours.

Ballyvolane House, Co. Cork, Ireland This award-winning country house offers bell tent camping, or ‘glamping’, in luxurious tents in fabulous grounds.

Tents are fully kitted out with timber beds and comfy mattresses stuffed with recycled jeans & organic lamb’s wool. Besides space for events and parties, there’s also the option of fly fishing trips on the Cork Blackwater, Ireland’s finest Salmon River. A haven for anglers, the area also attracts walkers, golfers, horse-riders, gardenlovers and sightseers.

Ecochique, Heuvelland, Belgium These spacious and comfortable Sahara-style Sibley tents are set on the edge of a forest in tranquil rural Flanders. Highlights include tents equipped with all mod cons, magical

views of the forest and mountain, plus an organic pool, communal dome, organic farm and barbecue, and a bunch of great restaurants within walking distance. Close to the French border, Flanders’ Fields, the Opal Coast, Ypres and Lille, the environment is great for hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, and wine and beer tasting.

is an igloo-inspired camping and skiing experience like no other. As an added bonus, they’ve recently added a spa.

Lake Veluwe, Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands This tiny uninhabited island in the middle of Lake Veluwe plays host to a warm and friendly eco-campsite with a selection of yurts, tipis and Sahara tents, fully equipped with beds and dining facilities. The island, called ‘De Kluut’ welcomes groups for excellent excursions in untouched nature, with magnificent water views all round, as well as water sports and creative and inspiring self-development workshops.

Sakli Gol Evleri, near Antalya, Turkey Groups are invited to enjoy a stay in luxury tented houses in a secluded pine forest with the dramatic vista of Lake Karacaören, just 60km from the Turkish coast. Nestled among historical sites and natural beauty spots, visitors spend their days lounging on verandas, feasting at the barbecue, splashing around in a private jacuzzi, visiting nearby ancient cities or enjoying fantastic fishing, canoeing, hiking, boating and cycling.

Whitepod Eco Lodge, Les Cerniers, Switzerland Located in the heart of the Alps, the Whitepod Resort is an authentic mountain lodge surrounded by ski slopes and 15 dome pods, each containing a wood-burning stove and organic bedding. Whitepod welcomes both individuals and groups for outdoor activities supervised by a team of mountain experts. For team challenges or just an escape to nature, Whitepod

Eco Lodge Suites Alborea, Italy This eco lodge, set in the Apulian Medi­ terranean bush, has 124 eco-friendly suites and features a seawater swimming pool, a club house, a fitness area and access to a Thalasso spa. Transfers are by electric golf-carts and bikes, which are also made available to guests.

The large clubhouse room and breakfast areas can be used as meeting spaces, while the large swimming pool and amazing terrace are ideal for parties.

Kolarbyn eco-lodge, Skinnskatteberh, Sweden

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Outstanding Green Hotels No matter where you travel in Europe for meetings and incentives, from the sprawling metropolis to the picture-postcard village, you’re almost guaranteed to be able to find accommodation to meet your sustainable standards. If you find yourself in any of the following hotspots, check out our pick of favourites...

The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers has such a mega-list of green accolades, it’s hard to know where to begin. It’s been named time and again the greenest in the world by the press and industry watchers alike.

Located in the Copenhagen suburb of Oerestad, it has the largest solar cell facility in the Nordics, while groundwater supplies cool and heat the air conditioning system. TV and lights in the hotel are all energy-saving brands, while all toiletries containers are biologically degradable. Leftover (locally bought) food is used for bio-energy and fertiliser and the training bikes in the fitness centre are even linked to the power grid of the hotel. With more

60,000 bees up on the roof producing honey for the hotel’s breakfast buffet!

than 300 rooms and 3,500 square metres of flexible meeting space, it’s a hit with planners looking for some real green solutions.

Hotel La Residenza, Milan is not only located in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, it’s also easy on the environment, with its ionised air, energy saving lighting systems, recycled brochures, eco-friendly toiletries and vegetarian meals. Certified

by Italy’s Ecoworldhotel, it is based on the principles of bio-architecture and has 60 rooms and offers transfers to the city and surroundings.

Hilton Stockholm Slussen, Sweden Also widely hailed as one of the world’s most eco-friendly hotels, the Hilton in Stockholm Slussen also boasts a pretty impressive list of green achievements. All staff get sustainability training upon hiring followed by an annual refresher course. The introduction of waste sorting and recycling in 1996 decreased the quantity of waste sent to landfill by more than 75 percent in the first two years, and the total reduction reached 90 percent in 2010. Bulk deliveries are made by cars run on renewable fuels, and the whole place is powered by low-carbon intensive electricity, only purchasing environmentally certified water- and windgenerated electricity. Plus, there are

Hotel Swiss Vegan, Switzerland.

Lining the shores of Lake Constance, one of Europe’s largest bodies of water, this hotel is not only environmentally sound, it’s also completely vegan. Initiated by a doctor committed to the abolition of animal cruelty, the carbon footprint of a meeting or a sejour at this hotel is minimal thanks to the food alone. The hotel boasts stylishly furnished rooms, breathtaking lake views, its own yacht, a conference area, in addition to a fullservice gourmet vegan restaurant.

Hotel Alexandra, Copenhagen, more than one hundred years old, has been recently revamped to be more green. In a city known for its green credentials, the entire structure of Hotel Alexandra is completely carbon neutral. Awarded the Green Key from the Green Key Eco-Rating Program thanks to a whole host of eco-friendly features, including an organic breakfast buffet and a floor that is 100% allergen-free.

Stockholm, Sweden

Yeatman Hotel, Oporto, Portugal

Strattons Hotel in Swaffham, England has been widely praised for a number of recent energy efficient measures.

It was the first hotel in the United Kingdom to receive the Queen’s Award for ‘Outstanding Environmental Performance’, thanks to a preference for locally sourced and organic products. The Strattons Hotel carefully monitors its energy use, water management, and waste reduction, and guests who arrive by public transport even get a ten percent discount!

Yeatman Hotel, Oporto, Portugal. This hotel is on a sincere mission to reduce power consumption, with low energy lighting installed throughout the building and rain harvested for sanitary use and garden irrigation. Management also opts for local producers in order to reduce the carbon footprint of their purchases. The hotel’s extensive gardens make up one of the few remaining green spaces in the centre of the city, and act as a refuge for rare and endangered local plant species and a haven for local and migratory birds. Çıra g ˘ an Palace Kempinski, Istanbul A former Ottoman Palace sitting on the shores of Istanbul’s beautiful

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Bosphorous Strait, the Çıra g˘an Palace Kempinski is a five star hotel dedicated to protecting the environment.

A tri-generation unit and seawater cooling system produce electricity, heating and cooling at the same time by burning natural gas. This means that the hotel doesn’t consume any energy. The first of each month is known as ‘Green Day’ when staff work together to clean and collect stray rubbish within the premises. The hotel also planted 1,000 seeds in an area of Istanbul called “Gümüs¸ dere” which was completely barren in 2002.

This working organic farm is also a centre for education and enrichment focused on both ecological and cultural history. Located on the Riserva Natural Alto Merse, a national park and nature reserve, it has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity in Italy. Being in the agro-tourism business, Spannocchia tries to strike a balance between its farm operations and preserving natural habitats and extensive wildlife and central to its agricultural operation is the raising of local heritage breeds of farm animals at risk of extinction.

Tenuta di Spannocchia, Siena, Italy.

Aquacity, Poprad, Slovakia. Using

Strattons Hotel, Swaffham, England

Yeatman Hotel, Oporto, Portugal

geothermal water and the sun’s energy to heat and power the resort, AquaCity is virtually self-powered, saving around 27 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere each day. AquaCity is the first organisation in Central Europe to be Green Globe certified, one of the highest standards for sustainable development in tourism. AquaCity was also nominated Best Spa Centre and Best Leading Green Resort by the industry’s prestigious World Travel Awards.

Hilton Slussen, Stockholm, Sweden

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> Special report: Antwerp

Interview with

Inge Marstboom from Antwerp Tourism & Conventions I can imagine that it’s a great honour to welcome the SITE EMEA Conference to Antwerp.

It is indeed a great honour to welcome this group of specialists to Antwerp.

Knowing that cities like Berlin and Firenze has organised the event in 2011 and 2012 it will be a nice opportunity to show them the facilities and possibilities in Antwerp.

How important is SITE for you as a congress city?

It is very important knowing that Antwerp is a meetcentive destination.

We have a lot of interesting USP’s that can be translated to meetcentives and that shows the diversity and creativity of Antwerp like fashion, gastronomy, culture, shopping, being a city on the river Scheldt and being an important asset for the diamond industry.

Antwerp has a very good reputation as a congress city but is that also the case as an Incentive City.

I think we are even more recognised as a meetcentive destination then a congress destination. Antwerp is a busy pocket-sized metropolis. The city continues to build on its rich history and positions itself as a modern metropolis. Everything is on walking distance and it succeeds on being a

Fashion Academy, Antwerp, Belgium

world-class city without ever forgetting about the importance of being a pleasant and above all liveable city.

I think that Antwerp is even more recognised as a meetcentive destination then a congress destination.

Antwerp is a busy pocket-sized metropolis.

What is currently the main focus for Antwerp? Co-operation with the universities for example?

The main focus stays on marketing Antwerp as a meetcentive and congress destination worldwide. We can’t succeed in this without the cooperation of our partners. The university and the professors are indeed important partners if we want to attract more associations to Antwerp. It’s very important to have a good communication with our local partners so to succeed in attracting good business to our city.

What does the future hold for Antwerp?

We will open the new Red Star Line museum in September 2013. This year also Antwerp Capital of Sports and the celebration of the Fashion Academy will be in the picture. We plan to open a

Inge Marstboom, Manager at Antwerp Tourism & Conventions

new convention centre in 2015 and the renewed KMSKA in 2018. Venues will extend and new venues and hotels will be discovered in future. But most of all we hope to have a good collaboration with the local partners like venues, hotels, dmc’s, pco’s and university to put Antwerp even more on the map.

The ICCA database is a good source but we do need the help of our ambassadors to convince the organizations to come to Antwerp.

Contact information: Inge Marstboom Manager at Antwerp Tourism & Conventions inge.marstboom@stad.antwerpen.be Grote Markt 15 - 2000 Antwerpen T. +32 (0) 3 338 81 81 www.visitantwerpen.be/visit

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Hof van Liere Antwerp’s historical congress centre The Antwerp university’s congress centre is located in the prestigious 16th century mansion ‘Hof van Liere’ which is managed by the Catering and Congress Rooms department. It offers a splendid venue for organising all kinds of events, including academic conferences, business meetings and larger conventions.

Contact information: Bruno De Loght Head of Department SCS University of Antwerp Bruno.deloght@ua.ac.be

Hof Van Liere, Antwerp

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Antwerp

From Old to New How can a congress agency innovate? That’s a tricky question because many people in the meetings industry believe that congress agencies only provide services for conferences and incentive organisers. Inge Marstboom, manager of conventions & business events in Antwerp, also found this to be a difficult issue. However, a new initiative has developed between her department on the one hand and the Service for external exploitation and Construction project agency of the city and the Congress Department of the University of Antwerp on the other hand. A joint venture that merits our attention.

Bell Tower

Text and Interview: Marcel AM Vissers

How can the municipal services co-operate?

A city grows and the congress department also wants to develop further.

Inge Marstboom of Antwerp Tourism & Conventions is well aware of this and she contacted two new partners who are active in the city. Her point of view is very clear: “The co-operation with the University is very important because of the curricula they offer and the role of professors in various associations. They are very important ambassadors because they can attract meetings and congresses organised by the associations. The buildings managed by the city are now offering

new perspectives for organisers.”

Let’s listen to these two new parties and how the new cooperation between them grew.

Two short but powerful interviews:

Bruno Deloght: University of Antwerp Can you explain how your department works?

The congress department of the University of Antwerp provides support for the facilities required to organise a scientific event by members of the academic staff.

In the start phase we discuss the organisational aspects and logistics

with the parties involved (locations, accommodation, social programme, partner programme, etc.).

In a following phase we provide elements that impact the budget (quotations for catering, items such as congress bags, billboards, shuttle services to external locations, tourist visits, etc.) and we also inform the legal department (co-operation agreements), ICT (congress website), financial department (invoicing).

Following up until the activity starts The academic staff of the University of Antwerp use the internal lecture rooms and auditoria which are available on certain days, as much as possible.

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The university’s congress centre is located in the prestigious 16th century mansion ‘Hof van Liere’ which is managed by the Catering and Congress Rooms department and offers a splendid venue for organising all kinds of events.

How did the co-operation come about with Antwerp Tourism & Conventions?

The strategy for supply and demand between the university and the Tourism & Conventions service was prepared over a period of time. Personal contacts soon lead to closer co-operation.

How are you going to co-operate now specifically?

In the first place we want to encourage the associations that bring together scientific staff in the different professional areas from around the world, to come to Antwerp for their congresses, meetings, etc.

The University of Antwerp will also continue to use the services of the Tourism & Conventions department to prepare bid books.

Stijn Valgaeren: City of Antwerp How does your department operate?

In 2012, the city of Antwerp started the external exploitation of her municipal buildings. You can choose from a wide range of spaces with modern meeting and seminar facilities which are often located in unique, historical

urban locations. Companies, non-profit organisations or travelling businessmen who need a business unit for a limited period of time can choose a space that perfectly matches their needs. The city re-invests the income of this activity in the property to ensure that the buildings are well maintained and kept clean.

Our department coordinates this.

Ask for the available properties and prices: + 32 3 338 99 11 How did the co-operation with Tourism & Conventions grow?

Tourism & Conventions and the external exploitation team are both part of the same ‘City of Antwerp Group’.

Given that European stakeholders often reach the municipal organisation via Tourism & Conventions, it was only logical that we cooperate with them.

You can navigate to our website via a direct link on the Tourism & Conventions website where you can consult and book any of our meeting and seminar facilities.

Working with Tourism & Conventions Tourism & Conventions is a portal for anyone who is looking for space and lands on this website.

Tourism & Conventions sends the requests immediately to the External Exploitation team. Of course, you can also visit the website directly: www.stad.antwerpen/zaalhuren

Some examples The Dutch knowledge centre Platform 31 was looking for a venue in the city at a location that related to water management. They held their event in the centuries-old Felix warehouse with its famous gangway and its view of the William Dock. The day was complete with a visit to the nearby Eilandje area and the MAS museum.

All part of the same theme.

The Flemish television broadcasting corporation VRT recently presented its new series called ‘Wolves’ to the press. The skyscraper called Den Bell which has more than 52 conference and seminar rooms was the ideal venue for this event. “The press meeting was held in the auditorium,” says the VRT spokesman. “It’s a beautiful and modern room with a cinema feel. Exactly what we were looking for. In addition, the Den Bell building is easily accessible for journalists coming from across Flanders.

The External Exploitation team has solutions for many different needs thanks to the wide range of facilities.

Contact Stijn Valgaeren Head of the department External Exploitation City of Antwerp T. + 32 3 338 99 11 www.stad.antwerpen/zaalhuren

Meeting rooms at the University of Antwerp

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The new incentive: a personal trainer If an employee achieves his target at the end of the year, you could give him or her a personal trainer. Just think about it: being fit and healthy are indeed important values in today’s society. Personal trainers such as Jelle Waaijenberg and Anthony Dooms, have lots of experience in training young and old employees. ‘Fitter for Life 55-plus’, Functional Fit and Core Control are just a few examples of programmes that they give in their Functional Training Studio in Antwerp.

What’s the best reward at work?

There’s only one good answer to this question: respect and appreciation. Everything on top of that are extra signals that motivate employees to work harder.

In the old days, good performance was rewarded with money. More recently with the advent of modern household appliances, good performing employees received a vacuum cleaner or a dishwasher. They were exceptional gifts. But they are no longer given because current labour psychology has developed other motivational techniques. They found that money and other material items were no longer efficient. Incentive trips were born. In the opinion of travel psychologists (yes, they really do exist!), travelling is the ultimate gift to encourage people to work harder.

And they are right because an exceptional trip can have an invigorating effect on a person’s spirit. However, the newest trend has arrived and it

is fed by the economic conditions, especially in Europe. Health, healthy food, fitness, physical exercise, social behaviour, etc. have become important values in our everyday life.

(exercise) and contact (motivation).

We have found that perseverance is one of the most difficult assignments.

However, physical exercise is key to enjoying a healthy and happy life.

We teach participants step by step and in a playful manner how physical exercise can become part of your everyday life again. Physical training has never been so much fun and so efficient. Our personal trainers will make your lunch break the best part of the day!

Popularity of functional training growing We’ll let the functional trainer explain.

We consciously use the definition ‘Functional Training’, says Jelle Waaijenberg, because we don’t want it to be confused with Fitness.

Giving a Fitness Club subscription to employees can be fine but how long are they going to keep it up without coaching. Functional training is all about personal coaching

It protects us against heart and cardiovascular diseases, and improves our emotional stability. It keeps our head clear and prepares us for work.

Contact information: Functional Training Studio Antwerp Jelle Waaijenberg info@jellewaaijenberg.be M. +32 495 88 44 49 www.jellewaaijenberg.be

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What’s up France?

France is still among the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. But business tourism in France has seen a real transformation in recent years as a result of globalisation.

They have a booming market that involved the organisation of all events and a significant driving force in

the French economy, comprising of: a conference by the beach, a trade show in a historic monument, a meeting near a golf course, an evening at a prestigious night club, a seminar at a the foot of the ski slopes. Basically any combination is possible for corporate training, motivation and teambuilding exercises.

Do not hesitate to contact us for your request: Contact information: Atout France Avenue Louise 222 B – 1050 Bruxelles T. +32 2 505 38 13 valerie.devaleriola@atout-france.fr

France Meeting Hub 2013 2-4 october 2013 The France Meeting Hub 2013 is the first edition of our global business program in France. This is one of the most important events in 2013 which is organized by Atout France, the French Meetings & Convention Board for France.

This event will take place from the 2nd to the 4th of October in Marseille, awarded the city of culture in 2013.

At the program there will be an interactive forum, incentives, workshops and a family trip in the area.

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet more than 100 French suppliers with MICE offers like Convention Boards, Hotels, DMC, generic suppliers and a lot more...

Our calendar 2013 April

16-18 Eat & Meet Brussels 25

May

Corporate Hospitality Brussels

21-23 IMEX Hospitality Programm in Francfort

Destination: Monaco For secretaries & Assistants Only For HB from agencies & firms

September 06-08 Famtrip (place TBC in France)

For agencies & firms

October

02-04 France Meeting Hub in Marseille

For agencies & firms

22-24 Roadshow France (Bru/Gent/Lux)

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19-21 EIBTM Barcelona

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November

December

23

Event Cadre Noir du Saumur, Brussels

For agencies & firms

10

Advisory Board in Brussels

For agencies & firms

29

Nord France Convention bureau: your innovative partner serving the Meeting and Business Events Industry in the Lille Region of France Strong positioning with a regional vocation Nord France Convention Bureau, set up in 2011, is very much a regional organisation which brings together under one umbrella five different yet complementary destinations, each with its own meetings & events infrastructure: Lille – Le Touquet-ParisPlage – Arras – Dunkirk… a complete and coherent product for national and international markets. Each destination has its own positioning and specific characteristics: • Lille, the capital and regional motor, attracts large and small congresses linked to the economic drivers of the region (research, science & technology, e-commerce...)

• Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, a 100year old prestigious resort mixing the traditional with the modern, specializes in corporate seminars linked to motivation and team building in a beautiful natural environment.

• Arras, with its attractive UNESCO World Heritage, has facilities for medium-sized regional and national corporate conferences, as well as for smaller team meetings • Dunkirk, a new and different dimension, welcomes rotating national congresses, sporting

events and championships…. and cross-border company events.

• Valenciennes, for planners looking for a sustainable meeting destination right next door to the headquarters of numerous top companies such as Toyota, Astra Zeneca, etc...

At the heart of our business: Meetings, Motivational Events & Incentives “By marketing a whole product range rather than individual elements, we are able bring a coherent and customised response to our clients. We are selling a brand, the Lille Region and its special ‘collections’ which respond to different segments of the market and different client expectations …. The market out there is highly competitive and constantly changing, and we have to adapt to it non-stop.”

Laurence Péan Managing Director Nord France Convention bureau Contact information: Nord France Convention bureau Émilie Accary Sales executive 299, bd de Leeds - 59777 Euralille-Lille T. + 33 3 59 56 22 63 M. + 33 6 37 58 43 17 www.nord-france-convention.com

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Nice for Meetings

10 good reasons to choose Nice for your next event!

A city that attracts excellence Close to Sophia-Antipolis Technology Park and supported by Nice– Sophia-Antipolis University, Nice is a leading centre of scientific and medical research and the linchpin of a high-tech environment.

An international city on a human scale Nice offers you all of the advantages of a friendly city. Everything is within easy reach on foot: luxury boutiques, all kinds of events, restaurants, and post-congress evening entertainment.

A cosmopolitan and multicultural destination The charms of the south have been attracted visitors, residents and artists from around the globe for over a century. The city’s art and culture bear witness to this: Nice has more museums and art galleries than any other city in France, apart from Paris.

Nice is a creative and lively city A festive atmosphere reigns in Nice all year round. Over 2,000 shows and exhibitions are held each year, with Nice’s Carnival, in February, attracting over a million visitors. It is the biggest winter event on the French Riviera.

A city of sea and mountains, just a helicopter ride away from Saint Tropez, Cannes and Monaco Nice is synonymous with Greater Nice, with an international sea mammal reserve, with mountains overlooking the city, with a perfect environment for incentive trips, with activities and sports 52 weeks a year…

An international gateway just 15 minutes from the city centre 50 airlines fly to 100 destinations in over 30 countries from Nice International Airport, located a quarter of an hour from the city centre.

High-speed trains link Nice with Europe’s main cities, and motorway connections bring you right into the city centre.

Hotels near the Acropolis Congress Centre 180 hotels totalling almost 10,000 rooms: most are within a 15-minute walk from the Acropolis, or 3 minutes by tramway. 30 hotels are also equipped to hold seminars.

A Congress Centre at the heart of the city Located 15 minutes from Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, it offers a modular floor area of 30,000m² (one of the biggest in Europe) plus 5 auditoria with 250 to 2,500 seats. The congress centre is ISO 9001 certified.

All-round facilities for a customised solution Anything can be organised here from a congress to a seminar, from a convention to a trade show, from a product launch to an incentive event.

Our quality charter ensures that you are a unique and priority client.

Our Convention Bureau represents many partners in the city, including the French Riviera Chamber of Commerce (airport and port), the Côte d’Azur hotel syndicate, its union of restaurant owners, incoming travel agents and shipping agencies.

Expertise, action and communication: a Convention Bureau entirely at your service The Nice Convention Bureau and its many representatives around the globe are glad to offer you their services in assembling the components that will make your event a success.

Whats ‘s New ?

With over 200 years of history in the tourism industry, Nice is still able to renew itself with major projects which will improve its fame and competitiveness over the next 30 years, and for the 200 forthcoming ones.

Some of those projects have already seen the light and give a great impulse to the city: - the tramway line, soon to be followed by a second one, connecting directly the airport to downtown - the renewal of the Port and the city centre with its “Green corridor”, that gives a new perspective to downtown - the opening to the public of the archaeological Crypt with the remains of the Middle Age fortifications - a new international stadium, a new station and a new exhibition centre Just to name a few ….

Contact information: Nice Convention bureau conventionbureau@otcnice.com www.meet-in-nice.com

europe magazine

beyond meetings

THE EsSENTIAL MEDIUM FOR EUROPEAN CORPORATE PLANNERS MIM Magazine is the only pan-European Meetings and Incentive magazine, offering the most up-do-date information regarding incentives, destinations and corporate meeting options. Written in English, MIM Europe Magazine boasts a high level of editorial content, including corporate interviews, destination reports, industry news and in-depth analysis of meeting and incentive trends.

This unmatched level of editorial content combined with its fresh design has ensured that its corporate readers are provided with an excellent range of information for leisure and business. Simply put - an indispensable guide for corporate organisers.

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32

Denmark

Opera House, Copenhagen

Denmark put sustainability on their top priority list a long time ago as you may already have noticed. But last year, as they wanted to get the European Presidency, they went a bit further by organizing an all-sound sustainable event. Working closely with the Danish meetings industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs set out to achieve their ‘green goals’. Report Cecile Caiati-Koch

But let us first focus on the Danish capital. Although red might be their official colour, Denmark and Copenhagen see everything in green!

Green for organic food, green for commuting on bikes, green for hotel eco-certifications… you name it! But the queen’s city doesn’t just want to rely on its already proven skills, thanks to the success of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (COP 15 in 2009), and has taken things to the next level.

Bella Center has set up a bee hive farm with more than one million bees on its rooftop, while the nearby, carbon-neutral Crowne Plaza uses a groundwaterbased cooling and heating system (and is the first Danish hotel to do so!).

Scandic Front, a design hotel with a fantastic view of the beautiful Opera House, has developed the ‘conscious meetings’ concept, which means that resources are used in a respectful way. As far as the transport system is concerned, a brand new idea has been introduced: the Bycart. It is an electric, open vehicle with a navigation system that will tell you all the secrets and hidden places of Copenhagen.

The Bycart is a great idea for congress participants willing to explore the city but unwilling to tire their legs…

The Danish meetings industry is quite creative when it comes to inventing new sustainability ideas. Besides waste and energy management, new concepts have popped up. In this respect, the

In Copenhagen, organic food no longer means the dreadful looking brownish thing on your plate or your necessary untasty veggie meal: great chefs have invested a lot in this field

Copenhagen remained a natural hub for meetings, but quite a few events were held in Horsens as well, a not so known city located close to Aarhus. How did they cope?

That’s what I will try to explain.

Copenhagen, sustainable as always

Although red might be their official colour, Denmark and Copenhagen see everything in green! and a fine sample of this is Krog’s Fiskerestaurant on Gammel Strand, the old-town fishing market area.

So it’s easily understandable why Copenhagen attracts a lot of congresses dealing, from close or far, with sustainability. When I was there, the World Congress of Wind Energy was taking place at the Bella Center. Doesn’t this say it all?

Contact information: Wonderful Copenhagen Steen Jakobsen, Congress Manager stj@woco.dk T. +45 3355 7404 www.meetincopenhagen.com

© WoCo

Sustainability at presidential level

33

Horsens, a rising alternative Horsens, in the western part of the country, has seen a remarkable development in the last decade. In Denmark it used to be known for its prison, Faenglset, which actually is now under transformation to become a meeting and cultural place. Horsens has also been the fastest growing municipality by population and by education. Shall I dare say it has successfully transformed itself from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan in recent years?

Horsens has earned its reputation for the organization of large-scale events, such as concerts of Madonna, the Rolling Stones, U2 and the likes…

For this reason, it was selected as 2nd city for the European Presidency, hosting some 15,000 officials. Hotel Opus Horsens managing director Jens Ole Ambjerg was the driving force behind the project and can add it to his long list of successes.

Not long ago the hotel was named the best Danish conference centre for the third time. Boasting five-star conference equipment, it lies just outside of the town, surrounded by a beautiful nature reserve.

More info www.hotelopushorsens.dk www.visithorsens.dk www.faengslet.dk

Happy in Aarhus As it goes for the whole country, Aarhus is proud to say that its inhabitants are the happiest in the world. Situated in central Jutland, the regional capital is home to many national and international companies, which gives it an international character. Although a very old city with lot of charm, it also is Denmark’s youngest city with a lot of students.

Sustainability is high on the list in Aarhus, the GoGreenAarhus map itself shows it: not only will you find the usual ‘where to go’ information on it but you also get in a nutshell relevant ideas: how to not use cars or how to choose electric ones, plastic-free bags, organic and local products… and this on a map made out of stone, which funnily enough is quite soft!

Worth noting is that Aarhus, located in a windy region, gives of course a lot of attention to wind energy: it’s branded as the ‘wind capital of the world’.

The town has 961 hotel rooms, of which 40% are ‘Green Rooms’. In 2013, this figure is expected to reach 60%. At the Radisson Blu, you can enjoy ‘Brain Food for Meetings’; especially designed to keep you awake during post-lunch meetings!

Copenhagen ByCart

Your rainbow panorama, ARoS

More info www.visitaarhus.com www.radissonblu.com/hotel-aarhus Contact information: Markus Diefenbach International Marketing Manager, Business Tourism VisitDenmark md@visitdenmark.com T. +49 40-320 21 143 www.visitdenmark.com/meetings

Fængslet, Horsens

Meet us at

IMEX

in Frankfurt 21-23 May 2013

www.micehangzhou.com/en

Hangzhou

a fresh new alternative for your MICE in the heart of Asia and China

35

Hangzhou

Different incentives, new opportunities A rising star of China, Hangzhou offers a combination of incentives, tailored around the city’s various activities, new hotels and interesting cultural heritage. Visitors get the opportunity to try Hangzhou’s gripping activities, ranging from sheer excitement to pure meditative serenity.

Among the many offers, visitors will get the chance to try dragon boat racing in the Xixi Wetland Park, traditional herbal therapies sampling in Guang Xing Tang and tai chi at the Chenghuang Pavilion.

Hangzhou is quickly taking over the meetings industry by providing its conference-goers with exciting possibilities and incentives. With a deep-routed culture, fast growth and outstanding services, Hangzhou is earning a name for itself on the international MICE market.

Incentives: from peaceful to courageous Dinner party at Chenghuang Pavilion With a capacity of 120 people, the Chenghuang Pavilion is an ideal dinner location with a panoramic view over the Hangzhou West Lake Area.

Decorated with classical Chinese furniture and architecture, this cultural landmark offers various services, including a teahouse, a large dining room and a professional folk orchestra with traditional string instruments. The Chenghuang Pavilion, or the City God Pavilion, also caters for groups interested in cultural and musical experiences, with visitors watching performances including folk orchestras from Hangzhou and traditional Chinese string instruments.

Chenghuang Pavilion is also the beautiful site to learn Tai Chi and get close touch with the leisure life of local people.

Details: The Chenghuang Pavilion is located in Wushan Hill and caters for up to 120 people, a variety of tastes for up to 120 people.

Racing in the Xixi Wetland Park Drawing inspiration from the American TV show Amazing Race, participants will enjoy the thrills of exploration and team building, while being surrounded by the natural scenery of the Xixi Wetland Park. Visitors will spend several hours on the adventurous race against time, divided into smaller teams that face various challenges, as well as the option to participate in traditional dragon boat racing. Renowned as one of China’s more traditional sporting activities, races take place on the lake reserve area - promising participants a once in a lifetime experience! The games are concluded with an awards ceremony and dinner party in the evening, all of which can optionally be customized to suit everyone’s taste.

Details: The Xixi Wetland Park Race is organized by Sheraton Hangzhou Wetland Park Resort. It both hosts larger groups of over 100 people, as well as smaller ones. The Xixi Wetland Park organizes dragon boat racing experiences from June and until October.

Sampling Guang Xing Tang traditional herbal therapies The 200-year-old tradition of herbology in Guang Xing Tang can be found at ‘medicinal houses’ including Hu Qing Yu Tang, founded by merchants

Sampling traditional herbal therapies

Tai Chi in Hangzhou

Racing in the Xixi Wetland Park

from the Qing Dynesty. Guests can also visit other attractions, including the Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Guang Xing Tang, which attracts over 20,000 visitors a year, offers participants a chance to learn about traditional Chinese medical culture, while sampling natural food and tea products, attending lectures about acupuncture and enjoying various types of healing massages.

Details: Guang Xing Tang is at 2, Shuang Yan Jing Lane.

Contact information: Roger Shu roger@hz.cn 86 571 8720 4909 www.micehangzhou.com/en

37

Okinawa Japan’s Secret Paradise With a history of hosting major conferences like the G8 Summit, it comes as no surprise that Japan’s tropical island of Okinawa ranks as a favorite among travelers in the meetings industry.

Off the coast of China lies the Japanese island destination of Okinawa. This secret paradise offers travellers subtropical weather conditions, crystal clear waters and coral reefs. With an average temperature at 23 degrees and a diverse blend of incentives, it merges Japans advanced technology and corporate culture with the beauty of rainforests, beaches and wildlife.

Only hours away from Asia’s business centers – including Tokyo, Taipei and Shanghai – Okinawa is a perfect destination for the meetings industry.

Cultural past Incorporating a rich cultural past with its flair for hosting major events, Okinawa offers visitors a unique opportunity to merge business and leisure.

Geographically located to the South West of Japan, off the coast of mainland China, the Island group is ideally placed for the meeting industry, catering specifically to large sized conventions and international conferences.

The panoramic island group has built a reputation by successfully organizing international conferences in sectors spanning from global affairs and business to science and medicine. Apart from the G8 Summit in 2000, the regional capital Naha also

hosted the 6th Pacific Island Leaders Event, PALM6, bringing together eighteen heads of states in 2012.

The event took place at the Bankoku Shinryokan with delegations staying at the luxurious Busena Terrace Beach Resort in Nago, north of Naha.

Tailored for the meetings industry, Okinawa has a history of hosting major medical meetings, including the 11th international symposium on spermatology, which brought together over 300 specialist researchers from 29 countries to discuss genetics, function, structure and phylogeny.

With a capacity to host 1841 guests, the Okinawa Convention Center incorporates 18 meeting rooms and over 7000 sqm of exhibition space. In 2012 it hosted the 16th International Conference Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, bringing together around 900 international scientists and professionals.

Incentives The exotic island group also prides itself on its natural wildlife and the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, one of the largest in the world with an exceptional marine biodiversity. The island is also home to the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, OIST, which

was inaugurated in November 2012.

Serving as one of its main intellectual sources, the institute has attracted several medical and scientific conferences. OIST researchers have been focusing on multi-disciplinary research in areas including neuro- and molecular-science, environmental and ecological studies and mathematical computational sciences. With over 260 active researchers and 49 joint research projects worldwide, OIST is a fast-growing scientific center of excellence with rising research publications and patent applications. During the past six years, the institute has won recognition for its innovative research methods and generalist attitude towards science, while sponsoring a new range of international workshops and courses.

Biodiversity With its unique culture and astonishing nature – Okinawa offers coral reefs, crystal clear waters and world-class diving spots. Essentially a solution for successful conferences – its well situated, reliable and full of incentives!

Contact information: Sawako Kinjo 81 988 596127 sawako@ocvb.or.jp www.ocvb.or.jp

38

London

incentives and the Olympic games

Barbara Jamison, Head of Business Development Europe at London’s official CVB London & Partners, discusses her insight on how London is still very much focused on the incentive market and how post-Games there is still a lot on offer in the UK’s capital.

Barbara was also UK Site Chapter President 2012 and will be Conference Chair and speaking at Site EMEA Forum 10 - 13 April in Antwerp.

London & Partners is London’s official promotional organisation and convention bureau. Barbara Jamison, Head of Business Development Europe, discusses her insight into how London is still focused on the incentive market and how the UK capital still has a lot to offer after the Olympic games.

Triple A As we say at London & Partners, London boasts a triple ‘A’ rating – Accessibility, Affordability and Acceptability. With the global economic climate still fragile, budgets and ROI are still at the top of every businesses agenda and any city destination chosen for an incentive or event needs to deliver. This is where London can tick so many boxes.

London is one of the most accessible cities on the planet and reaching it today has never been easier, with five international airports welcoming

people from 300 different destinations worldwide. All five international airports handle a steady stream of flights and have fast, direct train services linking them to the city centre. Travelling around the city is much easier (which was seen over the period of the Games) and with improvements such as Cross Rail being planned, London is adding further capacity to the capital’s excellent public transport system.

London has capacity to cater for any type of incentive, with options to suit every price range. With a raft of budget hotels, hostels and university accommodation available, the city is well equipped to host groups on a slightly tighter budget. Add to this a plethora of attractions, iconic sights, historical venues and a calendar of year-round world-class events, London has all of the ingredients to give any incentive the wow-factor. But all this fun doesn’t have to come at a price. A major

benefit of London’s cultural offering is that many of the events, museums and galleries in the capital are free – which is a huge cost saving to any delegate and a perfect way to compliment any incentive business programme.

CSR activities Choosing London for an incentive means choosing a city, which takes its green credentials seriously, as well as understanding the important need to incorporate CSR. London & Partners fully supports the Green Tourism scheme - a scheme to help hotels, guesthouses, attractions and venues in the capital become more sustainable to which a host of businesses have already joined including the O2, ZSL London Zoo, Lancaster London and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

39

London also has venues such as the Siemen’s Crystal: London’s newest landmark building and the world’s first centre dedicated to improving our knowledge of urban sustainability.

From its vast interactive exhibition to enlightening lectures and thought leadership conferences, the Crystal aims to educate all of us about the technologies and solutions that can help improve urban life and sustainability.

Staging the Games has given London a unique opportunity in the global spotlight to showcase all it has to offer from its wonderful attractions Furthermore, many businesses are weaving CSR activities into their event incentive programmes to provide guests and delegates with the opportunity to be socially aware of their surroundings and give back to the local community.

Hotels such as InterContinental London Park Lane have devised a unique offering, known as Insider Collection, to enhance their InterContinental Meetings programme where delegates can select additional activities to come their meetings experience.

I accepted the position as Chair of the Site conference because the committee is made up of such a professional and inspirational group of people - key to the global incentive sector.

Last year Borealis won Site’s Global Crystal Award for best incentive and the other members are all highly creative and well known in our industry.

Another aspect of the conference is knowledge exchange. I myself will be hosting a seminar on the Olympic Legacy and the effect on our industry – which can all be fed back to incentive programmes.

Staging the Games has given London a unique opportunity in the global spotlight to showcase all it has to offer from its wonderful attractions to the major new infrastructure and this has been a real benefit to London as a destination for business tourism. Not only has our profile as a warm and friendly destination been raised, but we’ve also seen huge perception change on things like accommodation, transport and even our culinary offer! Never has London’s reputation been higher meaning that we have to really concentrate on ensuring that 2013 is focused and delivers.

Legacy of the Games A real tangible legacy for the 2012 Games is the huge regeneration of East London. The area is now a hotspot for corporate events and incentives.

Venues such as Westfield Stratford, Canary Wharf’s new technology hub Level39, the adrenaline pumping O2 Arena, ExCeL, and the Siemens Crystal.

From July 27th 2013 the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will also be available – often regarded as the perfect location for a raft of event incentive activities. There will be seven new hospitality areas within the Olympic Park including the ArcelorMittal Orbit – the tallest sculpture in the UK – that will be able to host 200 guests for a reception with fabulous views across the stadium. Other areas include the Aquatics Centre and the Velodrome, both of which will become key venues for gala events. The Multiuse Arena, which is known as the ‘Copper Box’

will become London’s third biggest indoor arena, while the south end of the park will offer temporary exhibitions as well as the actual stadium.

Incentive delegates are motivated by taking time out on their own to escape into the City and find something extra special that relates to them – this is where London & Partners provides free advice on anything from iPod downloads to street-art lessons with Alternative London.

The positive news is that the Site GB Chapter is growing. We’ve been hosting regular events and activities and we are seeing more industry people joining, extending and strengthening Site’s global offering.

Site EMEA Forum takes place on the 10 - 13 April in Antwerp for more information go to: www.siteemeaforum2013.com London and Partners has over 1000 industry partners including fabulous hotels, unique venues and create incentive organisers. Event planners can contact Barbara for free, unbiased creative ideas and assistance.

Contact information: Barbara Jamison Head of Business Development Europe London & Partners bjamison@londonandpartners.com www.londonandpartners.com/ convention-bureau

Siemen’s Crystal, London

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