MIM123 by Meeting Media Company BVBA

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 and Site.

europe magazine #123 Interview

SIMON GIDMAN Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international reach Special Feature Competitive Destinations

Qatar and Abu Dhabi The Gulf has Arrived

Published 4 times a year: March, May, August, September. Edition May 2013

SNCB Europe Groups & Incentives When planning a meeting, an incentive or a conference you want to make sure everything is at its best. Even the slightest details need to be in order so a reliable partner can be quite helpful. SNCB Europe Groups & Incentives is the ideal partner to get all participants to their destination by train. The train is the ideal way to travel from city center to city center or to an international airport for a connection flight. Â SNCB Europe Groups & Incentives has the advantage of offering one platform to all trains with a wide variety of trains all over the world. In addition to train tickets SNCB Europe can offer you additional products such as metro tickets, entrance tickets, special catering, a welcome desk in Brussels-Mid and much more! Visit SNCB at: www.scnb-europe.biz

The best school in Europe Whenever I travel, people always ask me whether I know of a good school for beginners in the meetings industry. Or, is there any decent training for juniors and middle management?

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

Site Europe

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 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

My answer is always the same: the ECM Summer School. ECM stands for European City Marketing and they are also responsible for promoting the European meetings industry (formerly EFCT, the European Marcel A.M. VISSERS Federation of Congress Towns). Remember that Editor in Chief Europe has about a hundred and fifty cities which are focussed on congresses, conferences, events and incentive travel. Training in this industry is of key importance – now more than ever before. This year, the 27th edition of the ECM Summer School will be held in Istanbul, from 24-28 August. I have often claimed that this is the best Summer University for young people in Europe and far beyond. It’s a highly successful concept that helps young people (and sometimes not so young people) become acquainted with the fundamentals of our industry. I joined the Faculty more than twenty years ago and I’m still an enthusiastic proponent of this practical training approach. Outside Europe, there is also great demand for the basic training of young people who want to specialise in the meetings industry (MICE or Business Travel). ECM could consider exporting this concept to emerging continents such as Asia, the Gulf, Africa and South America. It has the potential of being a great source of income because we know that effective educational modules can be quite profitable for an association. Our American friends are already good examples of this approach. What is the strength of this concept? ‘ECM has graduated 1,500 students – many of whom have gone on to become future leaders. Despite new technology and hybrid meetings, the winning formula has remained the same: a unique opportunity for young professionals, just entering the meetings industry, to spend three days with some of the biggest names in our business in an “old-fashioned” school. The faculty is not made up of academics but consists of seasoned practitioners with a “tell it as it is” angle based on many years of hands-on experience in the meetings industry.

Publisher Meeting Media Company Marcel A.M. Vissers Mechelseplein 23, bus 1 B - 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium) www.MIMmagazine.eu

The faculty of the Summer School has now qualified for CMP certification and every student who receives a Summer School diploma earns 7.5 points for their overall CMP certification.

Design & Print Press Point Poelstraat 167 - 9820 Merelbeke T. +32 (0)9 362 52 50 - www.presspoint.be

It’s a pity I can’t join them this year but I know that my managing director Cécile Koch will throw a new light on ECM in the media: we believe it without a doubt.

» 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 Site 13

The gardens of EDEN Pride of Place Remaining Competitive in a Crisis

COVER INTERVIEW

DESTINATIONS

Simon Gidman, VisitEngland

MIM Europe Magazine sets great store by sustainable development and therefore chose responsible FSC certified paper which comes from a controlled source. More info: www.fsc.org FSC, A.C. FSC-SECR-0045

16 19 21

Riga 24 St. Moritz Engadin 27 Malaysia 28 United Arab Emirates and Qatar 30 Taiwan 32

London Eye, London

Big Ben, London

EUMA LONDON

Why London? Why not? London has become a sprawling metropolis which stretches far and wide in recent years, so why not consider it as a destination for your forthcoming conference? text by Naina Desai, UK National PR Officer at EUMA

London is the only city that has organised three Summer Olympics which in itself is a great feat. It is a city that is changing fast with a number of new landmarks in addition to the familiar ones like St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Westminster and the Houses of Parliament, which will amaze and enthral conference delegates and particularly those from overseas. However, London is not only about conferences and venues; it is also about what the city has to offer delegates outside of the formal business. A conference can include things like

sightseeing opportunities such as a visit to Oxford Street, a boat trip along the River Thames, a visit to the Royal Palaces, and even a trip to see a famous West End show, all of which can leave delegates with the desire to return to the capital again and again to explore more of what it has to offer. It is a city that can cater for the smallest number up to numbers in the four figures and at some very nice venues. Depending on your numbers and requirements some of the more central venues are hotels who can generally cater to your specific taste; for

example, The Grange St Paul’s Hotel, or Grange City Hotel – part of The Grange range of hotels. Many London venues can also boast other facilities, such as rooftop dining which offer views of the city both by day and night. The Grange St Pauls can provide a disco on the lower ground floor which has soft lighting and offers an open dance area and a more intimate area where delegates can talk about their day’s events, while others dance the night away. At the end of the night the bedroom is just a lift ride away and what better way to spend an evening?

Covent Garden, London

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

For those who want to look further afield from central London, then London sports a very active nightlife and a reputation as one of the most vibrant and lively club scenes in the world. It has the full range of venues from large, trendy, sleek clubs to smaller, more intimate DJ venues. There are many restaurants offering an international variety of food, such as ‘Restaurant Gordon Ramsay’ (3 Michelin Stars) which offers French food with a twist, ‘Locanda Locatelli’ which is reputedly one London’s best Italian restaurants and offers typically rustic regional Italian food – and one should definitely try their Tagliatelle al Ragu di Capretto (tagliatelle with kid goat Ragu sauce)! Conference organisers can also arrange for delegates to go to a West End show and experience the joys of theatreland in London. Alternatively there are various other social options such as a murder mystery dinner event on the River Thames, a trip on the London Eye, or a visit to the Tower of London. There is never a shortage of activity options in this exciting capital city. So, if you are looking for a vibrant and diverse city, London has all the answers. And, why not? European Management Assistants (EUMA) are holding their 39th Annual Conference at The Grange St Paul’s Hotel, London, who are only too eager to work with EUMA on all aspects of the conference to ensure this conference is a huge success. The Grange St Paul’s

is a luxury five star hotel, directly opposite the famous St Paul’s Cathedral, and boasts many facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, private bar and club, as well as excellent conference rooms, including a ball room, to be used by EUMA for their AGM. The topic of EUMA’s forthcoming conference is ‘Managing Today, Leading Tomorrow’ and will look at the changing role of the Executive Assistant or Management Assistant, and will focus on the key theme of the Assistant now being an integral part of the management team – and them being a leader in their own right. The Conference boasts some of the best industry speakers around, including: • Laura Schwartz, former Special Assistant to President Bill Clinton and Director of White House Events; • Michael Finnigan, Chief Executive, i2i (Impossible to Inevitable) – who will be talking about ‘The hidden secret of leadership’; • Dr Susie Mitchell, Training/Coaching Consultant, author of ‘Satnav for the soul’, who is also one of the elite Tony Robbins Trainers – will be speaking on ‘Making the leap from good to great’. • Ingrid Kuhlman, Founder and Trainer of Thekkingarmidlum Training & Consulting – who will be speaking on ‘Resilience is vital to leadership succcess’; • Nick Fewings, Director of The Colour Works – who will speak on ‘Results through relationships’.

For more information on EUMA’s upcoming London Conference on Friday 4 October 2013, entitled ‘Managing Today, Leading Tomorrow’ – a must for all Assistants and their bosses! – then please see www.euma.org. Further details and registration will be announced from late April. EUMA are expecting some 200+ delegates from 26 European countries, so be sure to book your place early to avoid disappointment!

About European Cities Marketing:

The key to competitiveness? Sharing collective wisdom and going back to school European Cities Marketing (ECM) is modeled on the principle of collaboration and co-opition (co-operation between competitors) amongst the leading cities of Europe – currently there are 110. Sharing knowledge, best practice, know-how and bench-marking is at the heart of what we do.

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 interests of more than 110 members from more than 100 major cities in 32 countries. Contact information: Flavie Baudot Acting Head flavie@europeancitiesmarketing.com +33 380 56 02 00

text by GARRY WHITE, CEO European Cities Marketing

“The world is flat” by Thomas Friedman, described how globalization and new technology had created the potential for a huge social and economic shift. From the perspective of 2005, the world had been effectively leveled or flattened and “accidentally made Beijing, Bangalore and Bethesda next door neighbours.” There is no denying the fact that there is today an extraordinary opportunity to access information using technology and the Internet. The challenge, however, is finding the time to process all that information and turning it all into collective wisdom and insight measured by practical experience. ECM believes passionately in the idea of developing the next generation of leaders for the meetings industry through our annual summer school. The style of the Summer School has (proudly) changed very little over the past 27 years. The content however always has the “basics” mixed with the latest “hot topics” such as social

media. It is a combination of lectures, associated with practical training and interactive group work and networking.

industry, to spend three days with some of the biggest names in our business in an “old-fashioned” school.

It has consistently produced over 1500 graduates, many of whom have gone on to become future leaders in our industry. Despite new technology and hybrid meetings, the winning formula has remained the same: a unique opportunity for young professionals, just entering the meetings

The faculty is not made up of academics (no funny hats allowed) but seasoned practitioners with a “tell it as it is” angle based on many years hands-on experience. The faculty are all members/partners of ECM and give their time on a voluntary basis – a way of giving back to the meetings industry.

ECM Summer School provided me exactly what I was looking for – insider perspective. Lauri Kurs, Sales Manager, Nordic Hotels OU/Tallinn CVB The Summer school gave us the chance to meet colleagues from 24 countries and this resulted in an interesting exchange of information and a mixture of visions from people that were all busy in the meetings industry. Ann-Pascale Mommerency, Advisor, Kortrijk Regional Convention Bureau

I must say that it not only matched, but has evenexceeded my expectations. Jan Oršic, Project Coordinator, Ljubljana Tourism - Convention Bureau

The CMP program recognizes individuals who have achieved the meetings industry’s highest standard of professionalism. Through the CMP program, individuals who are employed in meeting management pursue continuing education, increase their industry involvement, and gain industry-wide recognition. The requirements for certification are based on professional experience and a written examination. The Summer School has now qualified for CMP certification and every student getting a Summer School diploma earns 7.5 points for their over-all CMP certification. More information on http://www.conventionindustry.org

Summer School 2013 programme focuses on: • How to create a marketing plan to promote your city or region • Decision making processes of corporate and association clients when planning a congress • How to find your clients – databases and research • How to establish a client database • The role of intermediaries (PCOs and DMCs) • To bid or not to bid? • Green Meetings, the principle of sustainability for cities and conference centers • Social media

Faculty Members of the Summer School

1 Pier Paolo Mariotti, CMP CMM, Meeting Manager, EURAC convention center, ECM Summer School Course Director, 2009 2 Andrea Bauer, M.A., CEO vereint, Association & Conference Management Ltd., 2005 3 Rémy Cregut, Director, Montreux Music and Convention Centre, 2012 4 Nalan Emre, Organizing Director, IMEX Group, 2005 5 Luca Favetta, Senior Director, Global Events EMEA, SAP Marketing, 2005 6 Elisabeth Hansa, M.A., Head of event management, Austria center Vienna, 2005 7 Cain Leathem, Exercise & Nutrition Consultant, GB Fitness, 2003 8 Christian Mutschlechner, Director, Vienna Convention Bureau, 1995 9 Michel Neijmann, Managing Partner, K2 Conference and Event Management Co., member of IAPCO Training Academy, 2009 10 Miguel Neves, Knowledge and social media manager, IMEX group, 2013 11 Olivier Ponti, Head of research, Amsterdam Marketing, 2013 12 Dennis Speet, Director Marketing & Sales, ICCA, 2001 13 Cécile Caiati-Koch, Managing Director, Headquarters & MIM Europe Magazine, 14 Anne Wallin Rødven, Convention Director, Visit Oslo, 1998 15 Tiina Walsperger, Account manager Europe, Ungerboeck Systems International, 2012

> Interview

SIMON GIDMAN

An interview with the Head of Business Tourism at VisitEngland Simon Gidman, Head of Business Tourism at VisitEngland, has played a vital role in England’s international strategy to attract tourism and key players in the meetings industry. After eight years in the travel industry and VisitLondon, Gidman learned the importance of cost-effectiveness, historical heritage and England’s international image abroad.

MIM Europe: You started your career within the Meetings Industry with Visit London (now called London&Partners). Could you tell us about working there at the time and how your career changed after that? I was extremely fortunate to start my career in the Business Events industry promoting such an awe-inspiring city like London, a city that really excels at hosting major events. I mean, it doesn’t really get much better than the Olympic and Paralympic Games when it comes to staging world events! I did have 8 years’ experience at airport operator BAA prior to joining VisitLondon but I certainly didn’t learn what a PCO or DMC was there, so there are a lot of things unique to our industry that you just have to learn from scratch! In 2007 I moved to VisitBritain to lead on developing and organising their main B2B events around the world, including IMEX and EIBTM, and then in 2008 moved across to VisitEngland.

I work with some great people across our leading destinations and we have excellent partnerships in place across the whole of England to really target the international market together, and boost this important sector. MIM Europe: Could you tell us about Visit England? How it started and how it’s been in recent years? VisitEngland was established in April 2009 as a key recommendation of the British Tourism Framework Review. After several years without its own agency, it was considered that England required a national tourist board in line with those of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. VisitEngland’s first priority was to develop and drive forward a new collaborative strategy for England’s tourism industry. In March 2010, we launched the first national tourism strategic framework for over 10 years. It is very exciting for me personally to be part of a growing

team with inspirational colleagues and strong ambition. VisitEngland provides leadership for the whole tourism industry, and one of our key objectives is to grow the sector’s value to the economy and to the community. By leading on the marketing of England as a destination to domestic and established overseas markets and through championing the visitor experience, we work to increase the value of the nation’s tourism industry by 5% per annum over the next 8 years to 2020 in turn providing around 250,000 new jobs in total. England’s Business Visits and Events sector is incredibly valuable, and offers considerable opportunities for growth. We hosted conferences and meetings contributing £15 billion in economic impact in 2009, plus exhibitions and trade shows worth £7.4 billion and a further £1 billion each from incentive travel and corporate hospitality (Source:BVEP).

Margate, Kent

Devon

Perspectives on Global Travel Many of the fastest growing economies are situated in Asia and South America. With this in mind we have employed a member of staff based in Delhi to further explore the opportunities from India, which is already one of our top 10 source markets for business visitors at a value of £136m. Brazil is a very interesting market and we know that Brazilians are very attracted to England for our superb luxury offer as well as our reputation for offering some of the world’s best sporting and musical events. Many visitors from these fast-growing economies like to shop, and we find that this is an essential part of a corporate event or incentive targeted at these markets. There is no better place to do that than in England – whether it’s a city centre fashion hot spot in London, Manchester or Birmingham or some of our outstanding outlet malls like Bicester Village, just outside Oxford. We are certainly seeing a rapid increase in the number of groups from these fast growing nonEuropean economies.

England is a diverse country with an impressive range of destinations and venues for congresses, meetings, incentives and all types of business events but quite often we find that the international event organiser has a good knowledge of London but a very limited knowledge of the great destinations outside of the capital. As the national tourism organisation, VisitEngland is perfectly placed to provide cost-effective platforms and routes to market for our destinations to target the international business events organiser. By providing these umbrella platforms at leading trade shows, as well as representation in overseas markets, we are able to present a coordinated England offer which is easy to understand and access for the client. This activity to stimulate business visits and events in England has been supported by funding from the Government’s Regional Growth

fund, which is coordinated by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills. In 2011, VisitEngland made a successful bid for £19.8million from the fund, to support a three-year tourism investment programme called ‘Growing Tourism Locally’, designed to grow tourism and stimulate employment at a local level across the country. We all know that success in our industry depends on the connections we make as well as the product we have. We are active in Brussels, Madrid, Berlin, New York and Delhi. It also means we can provide an increased number of platforms, in the form of exhibition presence and familiarisation visits, and reduce the entry level price for regional destinations wishing to promote themselves internationally for association and corporate events.

Travel Trends - Are continental Europeans visiting England more? The business travel sector as a whole has obviously been hugely affected by the global economy in the last few years – particularly in 2009 – but has been showing strong recovery since then. It is particularly encouraging to see evidence of growth in the latest 2011 Inbound Passenger Survey. Figures for inbound business visits to the UK (from all countries) were at the highest they have been since 2008, with visits from many continental European nations rising steadily in the last couple of years. Many of our leading source markets continue to be from Europe including Germany and France, our second and third most valuable business markets respectively. Ireland, Spain, Italy, Holland and Scandinavia continue to be important markets for us so our focus is still very much on these markets to deliver increases in future business. Our connections from these countries into many of our 27 international airports are excellent. Of course every destination has its challenges, and England is no exception, but I believe the opportunities far outweigh the challenges. Cities like Manchester, Birmingham, NewcastleGateshead, Liverpool and

Bristol are vibrant economic centres with a diverse range of industry sectors such as life sciences, automotive and aerospace engineering, energy, IT and telecoms. The creative industries are also thriving in these cities, which have a rich history of innovation - Sir Jonathan Ive, designer of the first Apple iMac computer (and numerous subsequent Apple devices), studied in Newcastle and launched his first design agency in London. These cities, and many others across England, are also home to progressive universities responsible for some of the world’s most advanced research and development. Where would we be without English inventions? The computer, the world wide web and the jet engine, not to mention revolutionary discoveries like the structure of DNA. And on top of all that, you’ve got our world-class sport and music facilities! We also have our wonderful heritage cities like Cambridge, Oxford, Bath and York which are not only magnets for leisure tourism, but provide great bases for business events and incentives. Where better to hold a scientific or medical event than Oxford or Cambridge University? But in a way this lack of awareness

also presents us with our greatest opportunity. We have a reputation for professionalism and quality, which we believe is unrivalled and many millions of people witnessed the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics, so there is no doubting our creativity. We just need to ensure that businesses realise the massive potential for staging their event in all parts of our country. One challenge we still need to overcome is the perception of England as an expensive country to hold your event in. This really is pure perception. With recent changes in the exchange rate as well as the opportunity to claim VAT back for international event organisers, English destinations compare very favourably to other destinations in Europe or further afield. The other big opportunity comes with our new international reach and the ability for us to connect with so many more businesses than we previously could have. New strategic partnerships with government agencies such as UKTI and the Chambers of Commerce as well as with airlines and other transport operators are being developed to help us extend that reach even further.

The English countryside

Contact information: Emma White Corporate Communications Executive emmalucy.white@visitengland.org +44 (0) 20 7578 1471 www.visitengland.org Ramsgate, Kent

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Europe Site is a global network of meetings and event professionals with nearly 2,000 members in 90 countries and 29 local and regional chapters, including chapters in Belgium, Great Britain, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Spain and the Netherlands. It is the only global organization dedicated to linking professionals in the incentive travel and motivational events industry with companies seeking improved performance through these experiences. The community of Site professionals brings best-in-class solutions, insights and global connections to maximize the business impact of motivational experiences regardless of industry, region or culture. Site serves as the source of expertise, knowledge and personal connections that will catapult and sustain professional growth, and help build the value of extraordinary motivational experiences worldwide.

What are the benefits of being a member of Site? • Industry recognition and prestige for being affiliated with the only global authority connecting motivational experiences with business results • Opportunities to grow business on a global basis by connecting and networking with Site members around the world. • Professional growth and learning through participation in Site local, regional and international educational programs, events and conferences such as the Site EMEA Forum held in Antwerp, Belgium in March and the Site Global Conference 2013 in Orlando, Florida, USA, 7-10 December. The 2013 Site International Board of Directors is comprised of leaders from all the major world geographies. Board members serve as advocates for the needs of Site’s diverse, global membership and are working together

to co-create international business returns that Site members expect to achieve from being a part of this dynamic community. Site Europe has representatives on the Board from Great Britain, Ireland, Italy and Spain. “We are very pleased to be partnering with MIM Magazine and look forward to further representing our European members on subjects that effect the incentive aspects of the MICE industry today,” said Paul Miller, Managing Director, Spectra DMC, London UK and Site President Elect 2013, “Site European board members are pleased to have this opportunity and look forward to engaging with our existing members as well as those within the industry who could benefit from joining our Global Association. We believe that if a company claims to be in our incentive space, then they should have at least one member of Site Global in their organization to back up that claim. We look forward to working closely with MIM magazine and demonstrating that being part of Site Global is more relevant in these time of austerity than it has ever been.” Future issues of MIM Magazine will include articles from Site board members on issues relevant to the economic sustainability and growth of the incentive travel and motivational events industry in Europe. Learn more about Site Global at www.siteglobal.com Contact Site at site@siteglobal.com Follow Site Global on Twitter @siteglobal Friend us on Facebook at “Motivation Delivered” Join the Site Global LinkedIn Group Join the Site Global LinkedIn Group

Paul Miller, Managing Director, Spectra DMC, London, UK “We look forward to showcasing the many Site European members and Chapter Leaders that have served the European incentive community for many years. We will be consulting with these leaders as well as collaborating with other industry associations to address the EU legislation and tax laws within the motivation space and lobby at MEP level to gain full recognition of our Business Tourism Sector.” Annamaria Ruffini, President & CEO, Events In & Out, Rome, Italy “Our goal is to enhance the awareness of the value of our industry and to obtain an official act acknowledging its importance to European institutions such as the European Commission and Parliament. We will furthermore work with the Site International Foundation on a study regarding the contribution of the motivational travel industry to the European GDP identifying corporate buying trends and their consequences on the economic balance of the segment.” Aoife Delaney, Director of Sales for Ovation Global DMC “We are excited to share insights into how DMC’s source hotels for their clients, both from a global and local perspective. We will also discuss the changes that have been taking place in the RFP process and how DMCs are adjusting our service offering to our clients accordingly and will also share the latest trends in the use of technology to present a value proposition to clients.” Olga Navarro, Sales and Executive Director of ITB dmc, Barcelona, Spain “We will highlight the value of the Site Code of Ethics as a distinction of performance for Site Members versus other non-affiliated professionals. Additionally, we will provide insight on the latest trends for payments, due diligence and contracts - important subjects that can make a difference between winning or losing an incentive travel bid.”

> Special Feature: Competitive Destinations

The gardens of EDEN

The European Commission takes you off the beaten track with the EDEN Project – a showcase of the continent’s lessercelebrated beauties. Are your delegates bored of Barcelona? Have they had more than an eyeful of the Eiffel Tower? Weary of cruising Venetian canals, lunching at the London Eye, and roaming the ruins of Rome? Europe’s splendid sights and sceneries are welldocumented – but destination shoppers considering looking beyond the traditional

CONTENTS Church of Stykkisholmur, Iceland

destinations that are notable for their picture postcard beauty, which compete each year in a themed competition for the top spot as Europe’s best uncharted tourist territories. Sara Tironi, spokesperson for the project, told MIM that “the Commission wished to foster awareness and development

Tourism to the continent generates upwards of 5% of GDP in the EU, with about 1.8 million businesses providing about 9.7 million jobs.” hotspots for meetings and incentives will be happy to hear about the European Commission’s EDEN project, an initiative that aims to highlight the most beautiful uncovered corners of the continent. The EDEN project (European Destinations of Excellence) kicked off in 2006 when the European Commission’s Directorate for Enterprise and Industry decided it was time to promote the unexplored promise and potential of new and emerging destinations all over the continent. The project targets often little-known

of such emerging European destinations to become ‘year-round’ places to visit, reducing over-congestion caused by traditional tourism.” EDEN wants to promote smaller cities that are far from mass tourism, where the objectives of economic growth are in harmony with social sustainability. “These places are remarkable because of their great diversity and their unique national and local characteristics – but also because their focus on sustainable and qualitybased development,” ads Sara.

The gardens of EDEN ....... 16 Pride of Place .................... 19 Remaining competitive in a crisis ............................ 21 ALL TEXTS WRITTEN BY ROSE KELLEHER

Excellence theme Every year, EU Member States and candidate countries participate by showcasing a selection of their best non-traditional destinations, with the aim of earning a coveted European Destinations of Excellence badge that will boost their offer. Tourism is a big deal in the EU, and many deserving smaller towns, villages and regions are eager to take a slice of a pie that is more often devoured by metropolises such as Paris, London and Rome, and glittering islands and coasts that line the Mediterranean. Tourism to the continent generates upwards of 5% of GDP in the EU, with about 1.8 million businesses providing about 9.7 million jobs. When the related meetings, incentives, conventions and expos sectors are taken into account, the estimated contribution of tourism to GDP creation is much higher – typically more than 10%, covering about 12% of the labour force.

The EDEN award is intended to increase tourism from both domestic visitors and those from outside the continent, by tapping into the potential of charming places that miss most guide books’ radars. The ‘excellence theme’ of each year’s competition is chosen by the European Commission together with the national administrations in charge of tourism. So far, rural tourism, intangible heritage, protected areas, aquatic tourism and physical regeneration have all featured as selected themes.

Meeting Europe’s major developmental objectives Europe is already the world’s number one tourist destination. So why was it felt that a project like EDEN was necessary? “Tourism still has a great potential to contribute to the achievement of several of the EU’s major developmental objectives – including sustainable

“Tourism still has a great potential to contribute to the achievement of several of the EU’s major developmental objectives” development, economic growth, employment as well as economic and social cohesion,” says Sara. “It is a strategic economic activity, and its importance is likely to increase in the coming years. Since its launch in 2006, 26 European countries have already participated in the EDEN project and selected a total of 100 destinations of excellence in 2007-2012, while the interest from other countries keeps growing, with Serbia and Montenegro due to join in 2013.” “The benefits of the EDEN initiative are numerous. It has not only raised the visibility and public awareness of the EDEN awarded destinations at national and European level and increased tourist flows to these emerging destinations,

but has also contributed to improvement of the local economies and quality of life of the local communities,” she adds. “The growth of an area leads to more jobs and helps raise the local population’s quality of life, in view of the direct, indirect and induced effects on the economy. It is essential that proper investment in tourism growth has the people’s best interests in mind.”

Networking opportunities “Sustainable tourism should and can play a major role in a region’s local economy,” says Sara. “The focus on sustainable and quality-based development ensures that local inhabitants are consulted and involved in the process, protecting local history and cultural heritage. And because EDEN destinations are non-traditional and have lower visitor ratings, the award promotes lesserknown attractions, helping to redress the imbalance in tourism flows.” While the project’s principal aim is to help decongest well-trodden tourist destinations and highlight others that have missed out, a big part of it is about promoting networking among the winning destinations, for the purpose of spreading sustainable tourism development models. “The initiative helped the awarded destination managers to understand the importance of improving quality and sustainable development and has provided local tourism stakeholders with better and more specialised knowledge in destination management” adds Sara. So far, best practices networking workshops, attended by members from all 26 participating countries, have taken place in Belgium, Ireland, Finland and Malta.

Estonia-Lahemaa-National-Park-Manors

La Piscine Roubaix, France

Rokiškis Manor, Lithuania

Sagadi Manor at the Lahemaa National Park, Estonia

As the focus of the EDEN project is very much on the un- or underdeveloped parts of Europe, winning destinations are often rural and sometimes remote, which means they’re not suited to big meetings requiring well-developed infrastructure and resources. However, opportunities for smaller-sized gatherings, team-building, incentives and rewards abound. Here’s a list of the most recent winners – a selection of uncelebrated gems just waiting to be exploited...

Gh ¯ arb, Malta

˙Zyrardów, Poland

Austria

City of Gmünd/Carinthia – the artists’ city, a medieval masterpiece

Belgium

Marche-en-Famenne – extensive urban regeneration amid spectacular natural beauty

Croatia

Pustara Višnjica – a regenerated and mesmerising traditional Baltic estate

Cyprus

Kalopanayiotis – village on the slopes with thermal springs and amazing architecture

Czech Republic Slovácko - whitewashed villages adorned in flowers, plus gorgeous gourmet Estonia

Lahemaa National Park Manors – sumptuous spas alongside rivers and forest

France

Roubaix – small-city regeneration, big on heart, heritage and charm

Greece

Municipality of Delphi

Hungary

Mecsek - amazing emerging aquatic tourism hotspot

Iceland

Stykkishólmur Municipality – remote and dramatic, with charming and idyllic towns

Ireland

The Great Western Greenway, Co Mayo – stunning Atlantic panorama and lovely locals

Italy

Montevecchio, Municipality of Guspini – Mediterranean city with immaculate cultural landscape

Latvia

Ligatne Village – the ‘heart of Latvia’, filled with legends and lore

Lithuania

Rokiškis Manor – the former residence of a count, nestled in deep green nature

Malta Gharb – dream destination in the sun

Delphi, Greece

Netherlands

Veenhuizen – a cute Dutch village that’s just completed some dramatic regeneration

Poland

˙ Zyrardów – perfectly preserved garden city

Portugal

Faial Nature Park – wild, windswept islands on Europe’s extreme limits...

Slovenia

Idrija – picturesque mountains and pristine forest line breathtaking lakes...

Spain

Trasmiera Ecopark – an open air museum set to the backdrop of stunning beaches

Turkey

Hamamönü-Altında˘g, Ankara – a traditional Ottoman trading hotspot with centuries of charm

Pride of Place Egypt, where it all begins. Cool Britannia. Incredible India. I feel sLOVEnia. Clever destination campaigns – which often come with snappy taglines, logos and jingles that roll off the tongue and stick in your head – are designed to get people excited about places. International place branding and identity expert Jeremy Hildreth weighs in on why ‘place branding’ works... Planners want delegates to be revved up about a destination – and choosing a place with a well developed brand is the way to do it. A meetings destination, it is widely accepted, must not be a ‘no-name’ product - meaning that it must have a developed identity. Brand identity is the image that potential visitors have in their minds about a destination, and ‘place branding’ is the art of trying to manipulate or embellish that image. Ambitious places are evaluating their competitiveness and adopting the principles of branding to better manage their identities in the marketplace. “If you’re a place, it’s up to you to present yourself legibly to make sure people can get your story,” says Jeremy. “Whenever you’re creating a tourist attraction, the key word, it seems to me, is evoke. You want to be evoking. A lot. The more evoking

the better. Can you evoke too much, can you go overboard with a surfeit of evocativeness? I frankly doubt it.”

Dream converter David Ogilvy, widely known as ‘the father of advertising’, said that advertising for countries should be designed to plant a long-term image in the reader’s mind. “Choose to illustrate things

visiting foreign countries into action; this is best done by combining mouthwatering photographs with specific how-to-do-it information.” The introduction of this kind of corporate-level marketing concept and, especially, corporate branding has significantly contributed towards the development of a city branding theory. It is increasingly considered an important tool for cities who want to distinguish themselves and improve their positioning in the MICE industry. And when destination officials think in terms of their city’s image or reputation rather than its brand, they are more likely to ‘get’ the concept of place branding. But many city leaders

“The job of the advertising is to convert people’s dreams about visiting foreign countries into action; this is best done by combining mouth-watering photographs with specific how-to-do-it information” that are unique to the country concerned and not something people can do at home. The job of the advertising is to convert people’s dreams about

are simply uncomfortable using the term ‘branding or even ‘marketing, and the city’s name in the same sentence.

“Place branding is best approached indirectly, from the side,” says Jeremy. “By which I mean, it’s best to build the brand around something specific, interesting, relevant and “off-centre” rather than trying to use branding to summarise the whole of a place. Taking the Serbian city of Belgrade as an example, Jeremy says, “As far as I can tell, Belgrade is well loved by those who know it. Now it needs to become more famous for more things. At first these can be small things amongst smaller audiences – like a singer with an attractive and distinctive Belgrade style gets famous nationally. In time, this will expand, like if the same singer gets a hit album in France...”

Find real things you can talk about “I used to favour the conventional place branding approach of developing a brand strategy first, and then

formulating an action plan from that. Now I know that’s backwards, and I advise that, after a small amount of thinking and discussion, the client take a few definite actions; only then should more discussion and strategising take place.” Jeremy’s most successful project, he says, was Visit London1, “maybe because it had the tightest brief. The trade press called the result ‘near perfect’, which is basically unheard of. With Saffron, we made a new corporate identity for Visit London, who are the city’s leisure and business tourism promotion agency. Later, with Johnson’s backing as mayor, Saffron widened the application of that visual identity to more London departments, the whole city, basically, except for London Underground, whose identity is iconic, and I worked separately on the strategy for that, which linked everything under the Big Idea-type headline “London

is front-row seat.” I heard through his advisers that Boris liked it a lot.” “I advise clients to take some risks. Dare to be interesting – this is much better than being ‘nice’. Find out what’s loved and loveable about a place and hold those things in awareness. And at the same time, accomplish real things that you can talk about. After all, the best branding signals are the un-fakeable ones – companies opening up offices in your city, airlines adding routes, and so forth. There are principles of branding, of course, but they must always be applied specifically. And the best ideas for branding a city come from that city, not from the branding textbook.”

1 Visit London is now London & Partners, the official promotional organisation for London.

Remaining competitive in a crisis

“No winning strategy lasts forever...” It’s fair to say that recovery in the global meetings and convention industry has been painfully slow. Competition among destinations is stronger than ever, and instead of resting on their laurels and waiting for the sun to come back out, DMOs need to consider what they can change about the way they do business in order to gain back that competitive advantage... “The fundamental flaw of destination marketing organisations is to view the forces of change as merely a temporary issue which, in turn, results

crafting the in-market relationships that meetings professionals can rely on to connect them with the right partners to help execute a success-

“Destinations need to change their mindset and become more aggressive and creative in prospecting for business” in a failure to learn and to unlearn,” speaker Daniel Fesenmaier recently told a conference on regional tourism in San Sebastian, Spain. As the go-to teams for the best local knowledge and deals, DMOs have spent years

ful event. But Fesenmaier’s message is clear: DMOs around Europe need to reinvent these relationships and the way they do business with meeting groups, in order to rise to the challenge of slashed budgets and

help companies contain costs for their meetings, conventions, product launches and incentive programs. A down economy impacts the destinations and the customer in vastly different ways. While the meeting planner is worried about a reduction in attendance and the resulting financial shortfall, as well as power at the negotiating table (plus figuring out how to cleverly eliminate extravagances - once de rigeur in more affluent times - without reducing the quality of experience), DMOs are experiencing unprecedented competition, all while falling victim to reduced budgets and close financial scrutiny from stakeholders urging them to spend responsibly while producing solid results.

No more business as usual Not a single segment of the MICE industry has escaped unscathed – even the ‘recession-proof’ association meetings market. Destinations need to change their mindset and become more aggressive and creative in prospecting for business. Ireland, one of the EU’s worst hit countries economically, provides a good example: the country’s conferencing providers have changed tack by actively targeting

- sometimes booking more than three years in advance - and are less affected by wider economic trends. New policies have achieved a massive year-on-year increase in Ireland’s revenue from US business tourists.

Get locals on board For many years, partners such as hotels have enjoyed a seemingly endless run of economic good fortune, resulting in a ‘seller’s market’ sales

“Engaging locals through grassroots campaigning can inform them about the benefits of tourism to the community” the associations market. Ireland’s business has traditionally been limited to incentive and corporate business, which suffered considerably in the wake of the recession. Fáilte Ireland response has been to make considerable efforts to target the association customers, which generally have long lead times

approach practiced by many DMOs. All that has changed. In the new paradigm, destinations need to consider themselves a part of the customer’s team when approaching facilities, suppliers, and government, fighting for the best possible deal on behalf of the customer. They need to cut to the chase with the best possible deal from the beginning, thus demonstrating to

the customer that they respect their time, and understand their financial restrictions. Engaging locals through grassroots campaigning can inform them about the benefits of tourism to the community, and creating local interest in tourism and garner support for future projects (see box text on Sicily) can help in positioning a destination. Destination Marketing Association International advises their members to take city officials on sales calls or involve them in discussions during the customer’s site inspection. This, they claim, will show the customer that their business is important to the destination, will allow the official to hear the concerns of customers, and may result in the city offering additional concessions. Helping local businesses package their services can help secure a meeting, as does including more complimentary DMO services in a bid – such as attendance promotion activities, providing media or PR assistance, registration staff and restaurant reservation services for attendees.

Taormina Theatre in Sicily, Italy

Above all, DMOs need to be creative. Makings sure websites provide real-time access to knowledge is vital - planners who need to make fast decisions want information at their fingertips that is reliable, up to date, and easy to find. And lets not forget people power: sales people need to be energised, educated, and fully focused on their mission. But perhaps now more than ever, it is important to focus on the substance, not the fluff throughout the sales process: extravagant extras will come across as excessive and in poor taste - and may actually harm a DMO’s chances of winning business. And as if it hasn’t been repeated enough: DMOs need to get social. “The older and more established the DMO, the less likely they are to adopt newer web technologies. The younger DMOs are much more willing to try and adopt technologies that are web 2.0 or SaaS,” says Stephen Joyce, CEO of Rezgo, a software as a service online reservation system for tour and activity operators. According to Joyce, many

DMOs in established North American and European markets have invested heavily over the years in technologies and strategies that are now becoming outdated. He advises DMOs to start integrating smaller less expensive technologies that fall below the budgetary constraints of the organisation. Stephen says, “Don’t be afraid to try something new. Create a specific project around a destination using hosted video on Youtube, photos hosted on Flickr, and user generated content. The technologies are all available online and are free. Done correctly, social media can create the buzz about a destination and campaigns.” “Facebook and Twitter are both excellent tools to manage immediate customer service, and DMOs should be incorporating them, as well as tools such as Foursquare, for potential visitors into their marketing mix and encourage them to communicate directly. It will also help reduce marketing costs and free up time to concentrate on other areas of business.”

SICILY’S grassroots goals: getting the community on board Encouraging local interest in tourism can pay off. DMOs might think about appealing to the more civic minded members of the community. The island of Sicily has long played host to marauding invaders and pleasure seekers – but like all its European neighbours, it’s suffering from a drop in visitor numbers. Cue a diverse team of entrepreneurial locals who have pledged to develop the island’s brand by setting up the Passionate Minds initiative, also known as the Sicilian Heritage Fund. This group of artisans and local producers have banded together to work to staunch the problems of what they see as Sicilian modernisation – the overdevelopment and the proliferation of ugly concrete functional constructions – and to remind visitors and inhabitants how beautiful the island is and should remain. “Italy has such a huge cultural history and the government has very little money to take care of it,” says Francesco Padova, one of the co-founders. He and the rest of the group decided to take care of preserving parts of Sicilian art and architecture themselves. Padova formed the group along with artisan chocolatier Franco Ruta and the two recruited one of the island’s pre-eminent historic photographers, a professor of architecture and aestheticism in Milan, a food historian, and the island’s most famous chef. The group’s main goal is what Padova calls “preservation of cultural heritage,” which includes monument restoration, museum financing, and promotion of Sicily’s gastronomic past and future. In a larger sense, they’re also trying to put the idea of what Sicily is - the Sicilian brand - back on track. “The future of our territory depends on how we care for our sites and our arts,” Padova says. “The bottom line is to make people more conscious of their identity without losing it on the way.”

Time for Riga!

A MEETing and corporate event destination with a capacity of up to several thousands of delegates, Riga is an ideal location for special incentives and motivational groups.

Ilona Bagele Concert

What Riga has to offer?

In terms of location, it’s also a bit of a bargain! Situated a stone throw away, Riga is much closer than you might think! A premium location between East and West, North and South, it’s an easy destination to reach from all across Europe with airports routes connecting to all major airports in the European Union and beyond. With its 800 years of history, Riga encapsulates a great historical heritage with cultural influences from German, Swedish, Imperial Russian and Soviet times. Special incentive groups will be able to feel the historical impact of several centuries, while gaining a genuine feel for Latvia’s generous history and diverse background. During your stay in Riga, don’t forget to try Latvia’s modern and traditional cuisine, which offers a wonderful variety of flavors to tickle your taste buds. With an emphasis on homegrown, Riga’s restaurants and caterers make a point of using as many local and seasonal products as possible. There is even an opportunity for visitors to make their own food, with the new trend of food workshops becoming increasingly popular in Riga’s many restaurants.

Riga offers a wide variety of hotels and great MEETing venues, ranging from the historical Great Guild House dating back to the 14th century and the 19 th century Latvian Society House to modern and contemporary venues and congress centers. Renowned as the Baltic champion for large conference, Riga’s Radisson Blu Hotel offers organizers 571 bedrooms and 16 multifunction MEETing rooms, with a capacity of up to 1200 delegates.

Ethnographical Open Air Museum Folklore Picnic

If you are looking for great value when organizing your next MEETing, Riga could be a perfect fit. Striking an important balance between service quality and price, Latvia’s capital is ranked as one of Europe’s most affordable top-quality destinations.

Contact information: Aigars Smiltans Marketing & Communications Director + 371 2232 0416 meet@LiveRiga.lv www.MeetRiga.com

With a breathtaking view over the city, SkyPoint is located on the 27th floor of the hotel and offers participants a stunning view over the rooftops of the Old Town. After a long MEETing day, Riga’s Radisson Blu Hotel also helps its guest relax with its exclusive five star spa center, ESPA Riga. Groups can also choose from a selection of smaller hotels, which offer a more intimate and traditional environment. Hotel Bergs is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels, offering guests a selection of 38 individually designed rooms, including four smaller sized conference and meeting rooms. Similarly, Hotel Neiburgs is a marvelous Art Nouveau building in the very heart of the Riga’s Old Town, offering its guests 55 elegant and spacious rooms and three traditional meeting areas.

SWITZERLAND CONVENTION & INCENTIVE BUREAU PRESENTS

ENGADIN ST. MORITZ

Truly Panoramic Meetings Panoramically located in the Swiss mountains, Engadin St. Moritz is the ideal destination for European conferences and business meetings where a bit of visionary inspiration goes a long way! Engadin St. Moritz offers the perfect environment for meetings, incentives and conferences in an unspoilt and beautiful natural setting. Located at an altitude of 1,800 metres with breath-taking panoramic views, this destination attracts businessmen and corporate clients from across the world. St. Moritz and the inspiring glacier village of Pontresina are two of the most appealing incentive and conference destinations in the Alps, providing visitors with an array of incentives and facilities to host various types of meetings. The modern Convention and Event Centre Pontresina, numerous topclass hotels and various mountain inns are available as venues for all manner of events with up to 500 participants.

The journey is an adventure in itself Corporate visitors often hire one of the Rhaetian Railway carriages as a “meeting room” or travel with the Alpine Classic Pullman car from the 1930s! In terms of travel, visitors usually take advantage of the Congress Ticket, available for groups of 100 upwards, which offers return travel from any railway station in Switzerland for just CHF 69.00 (2nd class) or CHF 107.00 (1st class).

And for those who prefer flying, the Upper Engadin luckily has its own local airport! The Engadin Airport in Samedan allows direct national and international flight connections all year round.

Inspiring social programmes Engadin St. Moritz offers an abundance of options that will ensure a successful and unforgettable visit. A customary attraction is a sunny bikeride to the original alpine cheese diary, idyllically located close to the Morteratsch Glacier. Visitors can watch the traditional cheese making process over an open fire, while of course tasting the various products at a planned buffet! An advisable option for dinner includes the Muottas Muragl, the first plus-energy hotel in the Alps, situated at one of the Engadin’s most beautiful vantage points. The rustic logcabin restaurant attracts thousands of visitors annually, due to its unique atmosphere and spectacular surroundings.

Convention and Event Centre Pontresina Ranked as the highest-altitude conference centre in Europe, the Convention and Event Centre Pontresina is distinguished by its versatile and

state-of-the-art infrastructure, powered 100% by renewable energy. The professionally equipped rooms are designed to meet the highest requirements and the facilities include a large auditorium, seven seminar rooms and three foyers for small and medium-sized conferences, meetings, and cultural banquets. With more than 1,000 hotel rooms within walking distance, the mountain village of Pontresina remains a favourite location for conference guests across Europe and beyond.

More Information Engadin St. Moritz, Tourism Organisation Convention Services phone +41 81 830 08 13 meetings@estm.ch www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/meetings

More information about Switzerland Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau Myriam Winnepenninckx myriam.winnepenninckx@switzerland.com 32 (0)2 345 83 57 www.myswitzerland.com/meetings

Corporate Social Responsibility

• ‘Great Ape Encounter’- Spend a day in the forests of Sabah & Sarawak with the unsung heroes of Orang Utan caretakers.

Cultural Village, Malaysia

Hilton Kuala Lumpur

Coral Reef

Malaysia

meet the next generation of meetings Located strategically in the center of Asia, with direct access to over 100 destinations, Malaysia is a growing meetings hub, attracting corporate visitors from across the globe. Ranked 5th for competitive prices, this country thrives off inexpensive offers, tropical multi-diversity and outstanding performances! A leader in Asia’s incentive industry, Malaysia already held various major events during the past few years, including the Zhulian Corporation Incentive Group in 2011, which hosted 3600 delegates, and POLA Cosmetics Japan 2013, which attracted over 2000 delegates. In terms of accessibility, the country’s geographical positioning speaks for itself, located strategically between the booming economies of China and India with 16 domestic low cost carriers and international airport hubs, connecting Malaysia to countries across Asia-pacific, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

Asia’s new ‘hub’ Tailored for the meetings industry, Malaysia ranks highly when it comes to competitive prices, conventions and

other ‘visiting incentives’. Kuala Lumpur alone was ranked 5th by the ICCA for being one of the best convention cities in the world, while The Global Shopper Index for Asia Pacific and CNN Travel both classed Malaysia in the top 5 best shopping destinations. In terms of accommodation, Malaysia has ample room for large-scale conventions with over 36,000 rooms.

Exotic and historical Malaysia also offers natural wildlife and historical sights, which include the Central Market and Thean Hou temple, both of which are the perfect backdrop to fulfill your business trip. For corporate meetings, team-building exercises include white water rafting, located along the Selangor River and Padas River in Sabah. Other adventures include Dragon

• Coral Enrichment - the waters of Sabah forms part of the Coral Triangle. Participate in coral enrichment, marine surveys or reef cleaning programmes. These activities are also available in Sabah, Pahang and Langkawi. • Turtle Hatchery Programmes - Available in Terengganu and Pahang, visitors take part in monitoring the numbers of turtles with rangers and release hatchlings into the sea. • Elephant Conservation - At Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Pahang, visitors help care for majestic elephants, including ‘jungle stream’ washing. • ‘Let’s Meet & Green’ Programme - Plant a tree, start a forest to offset carbon footprint. Take part in tree planting at Sabah, Sarawak or Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).

European Representative Office Ms Anne Ridyard  +44 (0) 1628 526184 myceb@moulden-marketing.co.uk www.myceb.com.my

Boat racing, which can be done at the Putrajaya Lake and Teluk Bahang Dam in Penang among other places. Ranked as the 9th most visited country in the world in 2009, 2010 and again in 2011, Malaysia is well capable of entertaining its tourists and corporate visitors! When it comes to unique incentives, Malaysia offers everything from nature and food to temples, historical sights and a unique blend of cultures.

The Gulf has arrived in Europe Guggenheim, Abu Dhabi

The title sounds as if a new gulf stream has reached the shores of Europe. In fact, it’s all about a new wave of possibilities for meeting and incentive planners who are seeking medium-long destinations. The Gulf states and the Middle East are new regions which for the first time are sending out a clear message that they are ready. Abu Dhabi is sending the strongest signal. But where does the Gulf begin and where does the Middle East end? An interesting question. text BY MARCEL A. M. VISSERS, EDITOR IN CHIEF

From sandy countries to oil states Discoveries can change the world drastically. I was able to prove this to my youngest employee who accompanied me on my trip to GIBTM in Abu Dhabi. I asked him how he thought these countries along the Persian Gulf looked like 50 or 60 years ago. I informed him that all you could see was sand, dromedaries, bedouins and pearl fishers. Nothing more, and nothing less. And when I told him that Abu Dhabi was going to make a flag measuring 1km by 500 metres, he shook his head once again. Of course, this is on the condition that the Emirates (Dubai) are awarded the 2020 World Exhibition (Connecting Minds, Creating the Future). We had a look around and saw wonderful architecture, major projects that seem to rise majestically from the clouds of sands, luxury, palm

trees, and exclusive cars. In the meantime, the MICE industry is no longer a novelty in this part of the world. Cities where construction cranes rule. The transformations are dazzling and fast. All these countries are building a totally new world from scratch. It all started in 1958 when the first oil and gas layers were discovered. When reviewing the list of new top destinations, let’s start with the Emirates.

Dubai as visiting card Dubai is definitely the visiting card of the Middle East and this city is often also called the capital of fun. There’s hardly any oil to be found here but tourism and MICE have become a must. I wouldn’t know where to start talking about hotels because there are so many of them. They all offer luxury at excellent prices. It’s

a goldmine for Europeans. Fairmont The Palm (381 rooms), Sofitel, Oberoi and Four Seasons are the new arrivals for 2013. And let’s not forget the Palazzo Versace which is in the pipeline. Did I mention restaurants? In abundance and exceptional quality. There are some new activities too. Explore the city with a seaplane (www. seawings.ae). Pearl fishing on a wide boat with a flat bottom (www.jumeirah. com). Gambling on the dromedaries at sunrise (Camel stadium of Al Marmoum, an hour’s drive from Dubai).

Abu Dhabi or artistic capital The capital of the Emirates with the same name is much quieter than Dubai, and wants to develop its future as a cultural metropolis. It’s powerful and rich. It was proudly announced at the GIBTM fair that Abu Dhabi is ready to conquer Europe. A convention bureau has been set up and they have prepared an exciting package for meeting and incentive planners. Abu Dhabi’s ambition is to become the top destination for art lovers. Five exceptional cultural institutions are planned to open between 2015 and 2021. The Saadiyat museum island (Louvre, Guggenheim

Quick Win appeal from Abu Dhabi

Adnec, Abu Dhabi

City Marina, Dubai

museum, National Museum Zayed, Spectacle Centre and Maritime Museum) has been built especially for this purpose. Many excellent hotels at good prices are available here too. I recommend the Mezlai restaurant (an exclusive Arabian restaurant) for more demanding groups. For incentive organisers and meeting planners, there are at least four locations that you can consider for extraordinary experiences. Abu Dhabi now has the leisure island Yas which is chockablock with attractions. Ferrari World (www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com) is the largest indoor amusement park in the world and it also has one of the most exciting F1 circuits in the world. The ADNEC was built for major congresses and corporate events. It’s an ultra-modern building that can be recognised from far with its Hyatt Capital Gate, a building which leans more than the tower of Pisa (www.adnec.ae).

National Convention Centre, Qatar

The new established Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau has overhauled its Advantage Abu Dhabi initiative aimed at the corporate meetings and incentive travel segments with the introduction of 13 structured offerings designed to enhance the emirate’s appeal amongst sector-specific bookers. Wide-ranging incentive offerings now include: welcome dinners at host hotels, city tours, evening functions Emirati-style, ‘Speedster Specials’ at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, desert safaris and dune dinners, full day meetings packages, golf rounds on award-winning courses, tours of Abu Dhabi’s award-winning Falcon Hospital, tours of the emirate’s heritage heartland of Al Ain and its UNESCO sites, VIP tours of the Yas Marina Circuit; entrance to the Yas Waterworld waterpark; cultural education sessions and event logo development. To qualify for any of a selection of the new incentive offerings, organisers must hold an event in Abu Dhabi that has a minimum of 50 paid room nights during this year or next. Organisers wishing to apply for the incentives should do so via www.abudhabi-cb.ae at least 30 days before their event begins with the offer apply only to new bookings.

Qatar: the smaller brother Such a small country with so much gas and oil. This is the latest newcomer for the MICE market in the Gulf. This miniscule country has big ideas – in all fields. Lusail, the city of the future which is to rise a few kilometres from the capital Doha and is scheduled to be ready for the Soccer World Cup in 2022, is one of the symbols of economic growth. Miracles are also happening in Doha: a new deep sea port and a new international airport. Another new city is also being built in Qatar, called the Pearl or Little Venice, where luxury will be the theme. And last but not least, it’s Qatar’s ambition to become the capital of Arabian culture. Things still need some organising in terms of MICE but Qatar is already very strong with regard to congresses. The Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) one of the most efficient centres in the region with lots of art, gastronomy and meeting facilities, is excellent proof of this (www.qatarconvention.com) Social activities are mainly concentrated at three locations: the Museum of Islamic Art (www.mia.org.qa), the Mathaf exhibition centre and Katara Village, the village of culture (www.katara.net).

Gillian Taylor, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Taiwan

Taipei International Convention Center, Taipei

a thriving meeting industry With the meetings industry becoming an increasingly important factor in today’s world, Taiwan is assuming its role as the rising new star of Asia - leading the industry as an engine for market growth.

BOFT launched the Taiwan MICE Pilot Program in 2013 Back in 2004 the Taiwanese government listed the MICE industry as one of the major service industries worth developing. They kept their word and between 2009 and 2012, the government—Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and private sector heavily invested in meetings and conventions, developing the Taiwan MICE Advancement Program! This major project has helped attract immense numbers of corporate visitors to Taiwan, while helping develop advanced sectors of technology and other industries, as well as facilitating green and science conventions, two unmistakable trends which are leading Taiwan’s MICE industry today! Aside from the Taiwan MICE Advancement Program, the nationally ranked Taiwan MICE Pilot Program (MEET TAIWAN) is running from 2013 onwards, spanning over a time period of four years with the aim to assist and promote

Taiwanese meetings gain entrance to the international market and breaking new ground for the industry. For the past four years, Taiwan has assisted and supported bids for 244 international conferences and 110 corporate meetings, helping efforts to attract around 230 international conferences and corporate meetings, which would mean about 120 thousand foreign participants, creating approximately 10.5 billion NT dollars of economic benefits. In 2010, the MEET TAIWAN card was made available to visitors! The card is Asia’s first discount card exclusively for business people, targeted the meeting industry and corporate clients. Multiple services and discounts are available including dining, shopping, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, logistics, and communication. The launch of the MEET TAIWAN card gives clients an exclusive opportunity to benefit from special offers with over 102.000 MEET TAIWAN cards having already been issued!

MEET TAIWAN – a vehicle for growth in meetings! As MEET TAIWAN is implemented by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) after 40 years of effort, TAITRA has been ranked as the sixth largest exhibition company in Asia. It is the collaborative pride of Taiwan’s MICE industry to be able to reach such an achievement, considering today’s competitive international exhibitions and events industry. Having been awarded the reigns to execute the Pilot Program, TAITRA will also adjust its position and role within Taiwan’s MICE industry by stepping out of its comfort zone, which is originally the showcasing business, and fulfill its social responsibilities by sharing the experiences and helping the growth of private entrepreneurs. Since the Pilot Program is a government project, TAITRA will help the overall planning, while fully assisting the Government in their duties of developing the MICE industry. In few words, Taiwan is creating a coordinated and highly efficient effort to boost its meetings sector – watch out!

Meet Taiwan Contact: Ms. Tina Chuang Tel: +886-2-2725-5200 ext.3533 Fax: +886-2-2723-2590 E-mail: yating@taitra.org.tw

Wild Card winners Fukuoka City and Davao City to exhibit for first time at IMEX 2013 Fukuoka City in Japan and Davao City in the Philippines have the opportunity to showcase themselves as new destinations for the meetings industry after being selected as the IMEX in Frankfurt Wild Card winners for 2013. The competition was created to offer aspiring entrants into the international meetings market the chance to exhibit free of charge alongside established destinations and other suppliers. To be eligible for a free exhibition place, Wild Card entrants must justify their potential either as a meetings and incentive travel destination or as a new convention and conference centre. They are also expected to demonstrate sufficient infrastructure

and skill to support their ambition to flourish within the global meetings and incentive travel market. Importantly, they must never have exhibited at an international trade show in the past. Not only do these winners have the opportunity to exhibit on a dedicated Wild Card Pavilion, they also gain widespread publicity, social media and other marketing support, which is provided by specialist business events consultancy, GainingEdge.

The Wild Card success Previous IMEX Wild Card winners have frequently gone on to establish a successful presence in the global meetings industry, especially where they use IMEX

Kadayawan Festival, Philippines

as part of a concerted and sustained effort to generate new business or new funding. Previous Wild Card winners over the years have included El Salvador, Budva, Mongolia, Poznan and Uganda. Discussing the win on behalf of Davao City, Art Boncato, Regional Director at Department of Tourism Davao, Philippines said: “Davao City is extremely delighted to have been selected as one of two Wild Card Stand winners at IMEX in Frankfurt this year. It is a rare opportunity for our destination to be given attention on the global MICE stage. This opportunity would definitely firm up our mission to work very hard in making Davao City a serious MICE player.”

Registering for upcoming events The next IMEX in Frankfurt takes place 21 – 23rd May 2013 at Messe Frankfurt IMEX in Frankfurt is an award-winning trade show. Our main awards are listed here www.imex-frankfurt.com/ourawards.html The IMEX Group also runs IMEX America - America’s worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. IMEX America 2013 will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Center® at the Venetian/ Palazzo 15 - 17 October 2013 www.imexamerica.com For registration www.imex-frankfurt.com/register.php For press releases www.imex-frankfurt.com/press.php For high-resolution photos www.imex-frankfurt.com/imexphotos.html For visitor and buyer statistics www.imex-frankfurt.com/exhstats.html Follow IMEX on social media www.imex-frankfurt.com/social.html Follow #IMEX13

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SIMON GIDMAN Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international reach Special Feature Competitive Destinations

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Published 4 times a year: March, May, August, September. Edition May 2013