MIM112 Incentive Special

Th e Eu ro p ea a n m e et i n g s a n d i n ce n t i ve t ra ve l m a g a z i n e ffo r c o r p o ra a te p l a n n e rs I n exc x l u s i ve pa r t n e rs h i p w i t h E U M A , t h e Eu ro p ea n M a n a g e m e n t A sss i stt a n ts t s A ssso so c i a t i o n

E NTIV INCECIAL SPE0 201

MIM maga g zinee Affggiifttekkaannto t orr-B -Burea urrea eau au ddee dép épôt ôt: 228800 8 0 Mecche hele len 1 Publishhed Pu hedd 6 titim time iim meess a yyear eear ea a : Feb, AAppr,r, JJun Juun un, Aug ug, g Oc O t,t, DDec Deeecc Edi d tioon Augu di ugust guust s 2201 00110 – P4 P4AA90 P4A90 990032 32

Special feature

INCENTIVES Destination

ANTWERP

© Andreas Von Einsiedel

general > editorial

EDITORIAL

MARCEL A.M. VISSERS Owner - Editor in chief

Motivational events: anno 2010 Maybe you didn’t know it yet, but travel psychologists do exist. In the true meaning of the word it’s a branch of psychology that studies the travel-behaviour of people. Just to be clear: their number is very limited.

This is a very interesting subject to me, because I’m always looking for an answer to the following questions: ‘What makes people so fond of travelling? Why is it such a motivating factor?’.

Travel industry marketers from all over the world have long since discovered that travelling touches almost every fibre of the human being. Some people love it, some detest it. New scientific developments teach us that DNA is a major factor here. Travelling is in our genes. There is even an ‘adventure gene’ called DRD4. I’m not going to talk about how this gene works, but it’s an extremely interesting subject. I would like to come back to it later (when I studied some more about it).

WWW.MIMMAGAZINE.EU

Anyway, there are people who show far more risk-taking and novelty-seeking behaviour than others, and it’s these individuals in an organisation that are very sensitive to ‘incentive travels’. We’ll have to define this group more clearly in the future, to get even more results out of incentive travelling. Because, however you put

it, it is not a leisure or luxury product.

It’s still a management tool in function of performances and rewards.

A few years ago, my attitude towards incentive travel changed dramatically. And I’m not the only one. The luxury-crisis has had its healing effect. The term ‘incentive travel’ got another meaning and value. The SITE definition is getting more important: ‘experience marketing’ or – even more general – ‘motivational events’. Things are becoming more complicated than before, because we are confronted

From a feeling of luxury to an intense (human) experience! with a new reality. Organisers and participants will have to carry a bigger responsibility, for themselves and for the others. Travelling will involve taking more care of humanity! Real experience will become the central value.

general > contents

COLOPHON MIM magazine IS THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE FOR THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY. IT IS PUBLISHED 6 TIMES A YEAR BY MEETING MEDIA COMPANY BVBA/SARL, WITH A CIRCULATION OF 5000 COPIES.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: An annual subscription costs 75 EURO (excl. 6% tax) and comprises 6 magazines. In order to subscribe, go to www.MIMmagazine.eu or send an e-mail to subscribe@MIMmagazine.eu.

CONTENTS SPECIAL FEATURE Incentive Special

13

SPECIAL DESTINATION Antwerp

25

In exclusive partnership with

GENERAL EUROPEAN MANAGEMENT ASSISTANTS ASSOCIATION. 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 MIM Director: Sophie Molle T: +32 (0)2 761 70 53 sophie@mimmagazine.eu

Editorial Manager: Igor Hendrickx T: +32 (0) 761 70 54 igor@mimmagazine.eu Editors: Rémi Dévé Jonathan Ramael Address: 59, rue René Declercq B - 1150 Brussels (Belgium) T: +32 (0)2 761 70 50 F: +32 (0)2 761 70 51 www.mimmagazine.eu

Editorial Sustainability Hospitality EUMA

3 6 7 10

DESTINATIONS Reunion Canada Namibia South Africa Ireland Flanders Maastricht Luxembourg Slovenia

36 41 43 44 47 50 53 55 58

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

Cover: Mind and Motion Design: UPSILON advertising, Gent T: +32 (0)9 267 39 40 info@upsilonadvertising.be Printing: Cartim - Destelbergen

MIM magazine sets great store by sustainable development and therefore chose environment-friendly FSC certified paper which comes from a controlled source.

More info: www.fsc.be and www.fsc.org ® FSC, A.C. FSC-SECR-0045

STAY TUNED FOR MIM113 COMING OUT !!!!! OCTOBER 2010 + EIBTM Special + Hotel Roundtable + Hotel chains vs independent hotels + EUMA Report + Central Europe + Wallonia Supplement …and as usual we interviewed a European Corporate Event Planner

Keep up to date with the MIM magazine website: www.mimmagazine.eu

Cover MIM112: Incentive trips are designed to amaze participants and what better way than with balloons: an extraordinary way of getting closer to your goal by passing through heaven.

general > sustainability

Socially sustainable projects 2 showcases from the meetings industry Being socially sustainable often requires us to be more pro-active in comparison to more passive environmental . Easier said than done, which is why we would like to showcase two projects: one organised by the Poland Convention Bureau and the other by – amongst others – Pepper & Salt® Events.

Link up with our Sustainable Project Help restore the Caledonian Forest by planting a tree, flowers or by adopting an animal.

1 tree = only 5£ Drive for Miles Olaf P. Van Geene and Annik Paquay with the help of Pepper & Salt organised La Targa Passaggio™: driving for a good cause through Brussels’ 20 tunnels with Porsche owners to make miles, as each mile received €1 which was then donated to the Drive for Miles® European program and locally to the Children Hospital of Brussels.

This is not the first time this concept was used. Six years ago, the first Porsche Tunnel Challenge was initiated. Only a small group of people attended – there were as many tunnels as there were Porsches during the first event (19). After the try-out in and around Amsterdam the community of drivers and enthusiasts kept growing. With an average of three challenges a year, they manage to have very successful events.

This is just the most recent example of the Drive for Miles is a fundraiser for welfare.

MIM 6

Drive for Miles has been in existence since 1997 in some form or other. Recently, the program became European by being organised on national level in several countries.

Visit the Meetings Forest on www.mimmagazine.eu

Poland’s IMEX Challenge The IMEX Challenge is a new initiative designed to give meetings industry professionals the chance to work side by side in a physical challenge that will benefit a host community. The Convention Bureau of Poland, Polish Tourist Organisation, Meeting Designers, Our Home, Warsaw Convention Bureau and Radisson Blu Hotel Krakow will cooperate with a family child care home in Warszawa Wesola. They will, amongst other things, develop a playground, renovate a garden, finance education scholarships for the children and organise a trip for all. The programme is aimed at supporting the local community by people connected with the worldwide meetings industry and using the financial

means of institutions involved in business tourism. The participants will be directly engaged in the planned transformations.

The IMEX Challenge Poland will run from 13 to 15 September 2010.

The Challenge itself will last a total of three days, although participants will need to arrive a day earlier for briefings.

Future IMEX Challenges will be held every two years.

general > hospitality

Renewed possibilities:

Domaine des Hautes Fagnes The Domaine des Hautes Fagnes is a **** hotel located in Southern Belgium. Its most enviable feature is its location in the Hautes Fagnes nature park. It has been renovated in the last couple of months. We asked Michel Pauquet, the new general manager, what else was new?

MIM: Could you tell us a BIT MORE ABOUT THIS REBIRTH? MP: Before it was acquired by the Henova Group, Domaine des Hautes Fagnes was a well known, but outdated hotel. With the acquisition in November 2009, there also came an investment of 5 million €: the rooms, the restaurants, the wellness centre and the bar were renovated.

Besides this, it was given an entire new spirit: a new management and a new team to ensure the success of your meeting, conference or event. For myself, after 40 diverse years of experience in the hotel sector, I’m happy to be able to run an establishment with so many possibilities.

MIM: And what improvements can meeting planners expect?

MP: We have 9 meeting rooms at their disposal for meetings from 2 to 130 people. All have daylight and a view on the 34.000m2 surrounding park. A large room is best suited for bigger assemblies; smaller rooms are suited when the group has to be divided, i.e. for apart working sessions. Of course, all modern amenities

apply, but – once again – the surroundings are what really make meetings in our hotel special.

MIM: Finally, what do you offer on the incentive side?

MP: Apart from our private park, the nature reserve of the Hautes Fagnes offers you a breath pure nature: a mixture between moorland and forests among small rivers and artificial lakes. In just a few minutes you’re there to enjoy a lot of ‘green’ activities as well as skiing in the winter. We’re very close to the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, where you can visit the paddocks, pit lane and even drive with a professional. The medieval Castle of Reinhardstein forms an enchanting setting for more relaxed seminars. Finally, our

Incentive idea: A Green & ‘Greedy’ Promenade After a day of meetings, a short walk from the Domaine des Hautes Fagnes into the woods. Your personal guide will lead you to the medieval Castle of Reinhardstein.

Visit of the castle. Followed by a tasting of special beers from the castle and regional cheeses. The rally continues to the restaurant ‘La Petite Ginguette’ in the village of Ovifat incl. tasting of Alsacian pies and wines. Torch walk back to the hotel and dinner: a gastronomic dish (venison in season) and dessert with a wine selection.

At the end of the night, tasting of ‘pêkets’ with a campfire.

Other arrangements based on a special theme: Winter sport - Gala Night – Zen day

Self-indulgence – for lack of a better word – is good! hotel offers a lot of possibilities in itself.

The Wellness-Thalgo centre is well known for its high quality treatments and specialist staff. Let yourself be pampered with face and body care, relax in the sauna or hammam or exercise in the swimming pool.

Our hotel truly has been renovated with the idea of providing people an all-in

solution for meetings and incentives in a green environment, close to the France, Germany and the Benelux.

Contact Kristel Hupperts T +32 (0)80 44 69 87 F +32 (0)80 44 69 19 meeting@dhf.be www.dhf.be

MIM 7

general > hospitality

A T Royal-Riviera A glamorous intimate incentive hotel Perched on the peninsula of Cap-Ferrat between Monaco and Nice, at only 30 minutes from the Nice International Airport, with plunging views of the Provencal gardens and the Mediterranean, the 5* Royal-Riviera Hotel, member of Leading Hotels of the World, provides the intimacy of an exclusive villa with the luxury of a palace.

©www.ggdesig ners.fr - Photos : H. Del Olmo

The historic Royal-Riviera of Saint-JeanCap-Ferrat in Neo-classic Grecian design, offers you a poetic and peaceful stay with 94 rooms, a wellness centre, an outdoor swimming pool and a private beach.

Looking for an all-in incentive location? No need to look further! Most interesting is the possibility of an exclusive occupation between October and April of the entire residence and all guest rooms. It’s the ideal place for meeting or receptions from 10 to 100 guests. Le Panorama gourmet restaurant with terrace and panoramic view

on the sea and the Pergola for poolside purposes a seasonal and innovative gastronomy. The meeting rooms offer a natural daylight and use the technology with complementary hight-speed wireless internet access in all guest and meeting rooms.

There are also plenty of incentive ideas at the hotel and in the immediate area, to discover the 3 coasts roads, Eze, Villefranche sur Mer… Within walking distance to the Villa Kerylos and Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild museums.

There are many nautical activities directly available from the pier of the hotel – no need for long transfers: parasailing, regatta, jet and water skiing.

Contact Caroline Cousin T +33 (0)4 93 76 31 13 F +33 (0)4 93 01 43 23 sales@royal-riviera.com www.royal-riviera.com

inspiration respiration For your meetings, live a perfect balance between inspiration and relaxation, use the technology while remaining traditional – between Nice and Monaco

3 , a v. J e a n - M o n n e t · F - 0 6 2 3 0 S t - J e a n - C a p - F e r r a t · T é l . + 3 3 ( 0 ) 4 9 3 7 6 3 1 0 0 F a x + 3 3 ( 0 ) 4 9 3 0 1 2 3 0 7 · s a l e s @ roy a l - r i v i e r a . c o m · w w w. roy a l - r i v i e r a . c o m

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HQ ASIA-PACIFIC - HAP PROFILE Distribution + HAP is an Asian-Pacific magazine + Circulation: 2,500 copies + 14 Asian-Pacific countries

5% 21% 74%

Readership The readers of HAP consists of 3 important groups: + the Asian-Pacific associations organising congresses in the region: 74% + the internationanl associations organizing international congresses: 21% + the Asian-Pacifc meetings industry, international agencies (PCO’s, AMC’s, members of IAPCO): 5%

36%

Analysis of the association readership Professional agencies: the senior level of management of the PCO’s and DMC’s + Secretaries general: 22% + Presidents: 36% + Directors: 25% + Coordinators: 17%

2010 RATES Magazine Publicity Size 2/1 1/1 1/2

Advertisement 4,500€ 2,950€ 1,750€

Destination report Within the magazine Loose supplement

Advertorial 5,100€ 3,992€ 1,012€

4 pages 7,000€ /

Covers +15% surcharge of 1/1 page publicity

6 pages 8,500€ /

8 pages 10,000€* 12,000€

12 pages 13,000€* 14,000€

16 pages 16,000€* 18,000€

*with cover picture of the destination

Online Small banner Large banner Preferred partners Emailing Your logo in the HQ monthly newsletter

300€ /month 500€ /month 250€ /month 2,500€ 550€

Info: Contact us for tailor-made proposals at sales@headquartersmagazine.com For support in the organisation of workshops or special events: events@headquartersmagazine.com 5270

25%

22%

Note: Agency commission to be added. Prices do not include VAT.

HEADQUARTERS magazine, The Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives

www.headquartersmagazine.com

m

17%

The path to mastery

Learn from an Olympic medalist Robert Van de Walle, a driven Belgian judoka, set up his own business in 1985. His extensive experience in coaching leaders and organisations from all over the world, has given him the background he needs to support people in demanding, rapidly evolving and challenging environments.

Robert Van de Walle (56) comes across as a very zen and well balanced person.

No wonder, after so many years of training in Japanese dojos at a time when very few westerners did that. This gentle giant commands a room when he starts speaking in his calm and soothing voice. He exudes physical and mental strength. His no-nonsense approach captures the essence of things. And that’s a refreshing experience in a complex world.

How did you come up with the idea to start your own business?

After participating in ďŹ ve Olympic Games and winning gold (1980) and bronze (1988) medals, I set up a business training centre called The Resourcement Centre.

Robert Van de Walle will be one of the workshop leaders at the EUMA 2010 conference on 22 October 2010 Robert Van de Walle

MIM 10

International quality network of management support professionals > www.euma.org

Robert Van de Walle

players at a group level. Basically, I teach them how to get maximum use of body and mind. People simply perform best when they are in balance.

What is the difference in training and coaching sportsmen and businessmen?

There is not really a difference, their successes are based on the same aspects.

A real top manager is also physically fit.

They have the same levels of passion and purpose. And if they are not at the top of their game, something is lacking and that’s where we come in.

A logical step, it seems, as top sports people have learned how to win and how to lose and how to continuously improve themselves. After many years of training and performing at Olympic level, I wanted to share my experience and what I learned on my way to the top with people outside the sporting world.

I started with outdoor business training: very much focused on doing stuff in an adventurous setting to get people out of their offices and into a new environment.

Over the years, this has evolved into more targeted learning, with less focus on adventurous activities.

To become a top sports person or a top manager, you have to find a balance between mental and physical strength and you have to acquire specific skills. In order to grow as a person, you need to work on these 3 aspects - mental, physical and specific skills. When these aspects are in balance, it leads to high performance.

To find this balance, we always work in small groups. I like to take the participants out of their context by bringing them into the world of judo. And I mean that literally. No tables and chairs, everybody on the tatami in judo gear. I use judo as a metaphor to discover certain behavioural patterns. Participants look at themselves from a different perspective and gain new insights in how they perform. As a result, they start working in a more flexible way at an individual level and more as team

My team and I at The Resourcement Centre have developed a programme of stepping stones towards success. These stepping stones consist of – among others – being passionate, taking ownership, continuously learning, focusing, taking initiative, keeping an open mind, humility, working in a team.

All these elements take you on a Path to Mastery. How can we keep improving, how can we transcend mediocrity?

We asked Véronique Rombouts, at Thomson CompuMark, what she gained from the training their management team went through at The Resourcement Centre.

One of the lessons she learned and now puts into practice is that one person can indeed change the world. Van de Walle used the story of Mahatma Gandhi as an example. Gandhi’s slogan: “If it has to be, it starts with me” resonated with Véronique and it pushes her to be proactive and take the lead in the workplace.

After the training, she reflected on her life at that time and understood why it was not in balance. This training was the first step to change and adapt it in a way to improve her private and professional lives. With your life in balance, you can get maximum results with a minimum of effort.

Robert Van de Walle will reveal more about his inspiring Path to Mastery training programme during his workshop at the 36th International EUMA conference ‘A Brave New World: focus on what matters for your future’, to be held in Brussels on 22 October.

For more info on The Resourcement Centre, visit www.resourcementcentre.com

EUMA Conference 2010:

‘A brave new world’ focus on what matters for your future Friday 22nd October Brussels, Belgium Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel Workshops + Developing a business partnership with your Manager + From Stress to Wellness – Marilyn Vanbesien, Business Trainer/Coach + Leave the office with more energy – Carolyn Moody, International Optimum Nutritionist & Transformational Coach + Norms & Values: how to make choices in your career – Dennis Pedersen, HR Director, Genzyme + Discover the Path to Mastery Robert Van de Walle, Judoka, Gold Medal winner at the 1980 Olympic Games Conference Tours + Visit to the European Institutions + Mary Chocolatier & Delvaux + Guided walks in Brussels + Full day guided visit to Bruges euma@downtowneurope.be www.eumaconference.be

EUMA + EUropean Management Assistants, EUMA, is the only Europe-wide quality network of top management assistants who focus on their self-development and professional evolution, and reflect on 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 1,300 members in 26 countries.

g MIM 11

D

Supplier of Professional Enthusiasm

Recovery star your 2010 inc ts with planning entives & even ts now!

Steenweg 233A ¬ B-9810 Eke ¬ Belgium Tel. +32 (0)9 385 41 52 ¬ Fax +32(0)9 385 44 47

e-mail: info@debuckincentives.com

website: www.debuckincentives.com

TIVE INCENIA L SPEC 2010

Balloons over Capadocia (Turkey) as part of a corporate incentive trip for the ‘Best of the Best’, organised by Mind & Motion (see page 22)

special feature

Incentives Keep people motivated!

Incentive travel has been established for many years as an efficient and costeffective sales and marketing tool. A quarter of a century ago it blew over to Europe from the USA, where the concept originated, and ever since it has remained the most popular way to motivate and reward personnel and clients.

+ Incentive trends . . . . . . . . . 16 A summary of the survey of our corporate incentive market 2009.

+ Train cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Trains are becoming more and more popular as an incentive program.

TEXT IGOR HENDRICKX

+ Incentive Houses . . . . . . . . 21 As one of the cornerstones of our industry and the pillar of this magazine, it has become tradition that MIMmagazine annually produces an Incentive Special. It seemed for a time that this would no longer be possible as the current economic crisis brought incentives under more and more scrutiny. For a while, some companies even doubted the viability of incentive travel.

However, after the initial shock, most companies continued their incentive programmes, though the spending on motivational events and incentive travel

was watched more closely. The most recent survey by the Society for Incentive & Travel Executives (Site) has shown that there’s a demand for better ways to measure ROI. If these are not found soon, it’s likely that some companies will discontinue their incentive practices. At the same time, the high number of achievable objectives – as indicated by the respondents – clearly shows the importance of incentive travel.

In this Incentive Special, we want to show how the form and content of incentives has changed in the past year or so.

Professional and experienced companies for incentives and other events.

+ A photo-album of ideas . . 23 A variety of incentive ideas.

That’s why we conducted a survey of our corporate readership to get an idea of the current evolutions. Furthermore, we highlight some of the most popular incentive programs and destinations.

MIM 13

TIVE INCENIA L SPEC 2010

Incentive Trends: MIM’s Incentive Survey 2009

Branches of industry frequently using incentive travel

Purpose of incentive travel

64%

In preparation of this Incentive Special, MIMmagazine and students of the Catholic High School Mechelen (KHM) conducted a survey of the incentive trends of 2009. The survey was focused on both international incentive houses and on international companies. This article consists of ďŹ ndings based on the research, literature study and statistical analysis done by those students.

53%

Who and why?

We fully expected to see a decline of the number of incentive trips planned by

MIM 14

53% 43%

24% 11%

17%

1% 0% Increase of sales

Product preference

Increased motivation

Improved market share

Pharmaceutical Metal IT Automotive Food Banking & Other industry industry industry industry industry insurance

Average size of the group

Target group

18% 19% 19%

42% 29%

The questionnaire was sent out to wide range of corporate professionals, such as sales, marketing and human resource managers as well as management assistants. These respondents are mainly employed in the bank and insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the IT sector and the automotive industry.

Their response rate was low, but still high enough to get a general idea of the market. By contrast, the incentive houses’ response was much higher.

73%

70%

19%

14% 25%

11%

4%

Company sales people

Management

Dealers Retailers Customers

Non-sales personnel

corporates, but we were wrong. Incentive trips are still the prime way for companies to reward loyal clients and productive employees, mainly because these trips are more appreciated and longer remembered than a material reward. Indeed, company cars and bonuses are slowly disappearing as motivational tools. Of course, there are other

0-10

11-25

26-50

51-100

101-250

More

reasons for organising trips. Often they are used as a marketing tool to promote the company to the outside world. 65% of all respondents said that they only made use of incentive trips. In any case, it ensured an adequate response to our survey, allowing us to give you a clear overview of the incentive trends. (see graphic purpose)

special feature > incentives

Most popular destinations

25%

0%

South America

Canada

9% USA 0% Central 9% America Africa

Preferred accomodations

Average duration of the trip

53%

46% 4 46 6%

4 st sstar tar

2-3 2-3 3 days da

47%

550 50% 0%

Western Europe

4-6 4-6 6 days days da

77% 2 star

4% 7% Asia 3%

More

5 sstar tar ta

0% 3%

3 star

Eastern Europe

current crisis. Relatively speaking, however, all industry sectors have increased the number of incentive trips they organise.

Previously we supposed that the companies would focus less on dealers, retailers and costumers, but anno 2009 these are the most popular target audiences.

Company sales people (57%) and the management (40%) retain a sizeable presence. (see graphic industries – graphic target group – graphic size)

What does the average incentive trip look like?

A selection of eye-catching evolutions + Partners are invited when the trip is

organised by an incentive house. + More and more incentives are organised

by management assistants. + Non-sales personnel are less involved

in the incentive industry. + Incentive houses see more and more event

companies organising incentive trips. + There’s an unexpected shift towards taking

more dealers/retailers/customers on an incentive trip. + The decision to organise an incentive no longer lies with the sales manager, although he retains an important advisory position. + Compared to South American, North and Central America are less used as destinations for incentives.

Characteristically, the automotive and pharmaceutical industries are responsible for a large part of all incentive trips, followed by the food and IT industries.

Compared to our study in 2002, a new player has appeared on the market, namely the banking and insurance sector.

This is slightly surprising considering the

Where do people go, for how long and where do they stay? The number of destinations is as varied as you can expect, making it not quite that easy to discern patterns. There was also a noticeable difference between the destinations of trips organised by corporate planners and those organised by professional planners.

This difference was especially visible with distant destinations: corporate planners preferred South America, while incentive houses chose East Europe and Asia.

The traditional destinations of Europe – Italy, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal and Greece – are a preferred destination of both groups.

Their easy accessibility – notice that they have all signed the Schengen Agreement, short travel time and diversity probably make the difference.

We also asked which destinations could be expected for the future. France, Spain and Italy will be happy to know that they are still top-listed European destinations.

New destinations outside of Europe are all located in Asia-Pacific, South America and even a few in Africa. Here too, the choice has obviously gone to the more inexpensive destinations. (see graphic destinations) The length of the trip – almost logically – depends on the destination and its price tag. One might say that the more exotic a destination is, the shorter the trip lasts.

Of course, it won’t seem that way to the

travellers. In 2002, the average trip lasted for four days. This hasn’t changed ... much.

It’s mostly large groups of between 26 and 100 participants that stay away for four to six days. Smaller and larger groups generally choose for trips of 2 to 3 days.

Five-star hotels remain the favoured type of accommodation, proving that

“Incentive trips are still the prime way to reward loyal clients and productive employees” the quality of the accommodation is an incentive in itself. However, compared to previous surveys, four-star hotels have greatly increased their popularity. Very probably, this has to do with the current times: four-star hotels are less expensive and some five-star hotels have downgraded themselves just to accommodate this trend. On the other hand, less and less use is made of three star hotels. (see graphic duration - graphic accommodation) The overall idea one gets from the results is that international companies see the importance of incentives despite the current crisis. This is more or less the same conclusion we reached in our Meetings Special: incentives (and meetings) are necessary to uphold the continued quality of services and products.

The full survey report by the students also included details about decision-taking power, the inclusion of partners, the importance of corporate social responsibility and many other things. We would like to thank Dorien Loots and Ines Van Doorslaer as well as their professor, Fabienne Dekuyper, for their hard work and dedication without which this survey could not have been realised.

MIM 15

TIVE INCENIA L SPEC 2010

All aboard!

A new incentive idea: train cruises The new trend becoming popular among many planners is planning a business meeting, reception, or corporate outing aboard a train.

After all, the idea of most events is to make them as memorable as possible and nothing beats changing scenery, a sense of adventure and visiting many destinations.

Such ‘train cruises’ require only one thing: interesting destinations connected by a quality (high speed) network.

Consequently, Europe is perfect: in just a few hours, you can visit a diverse set of destinations city-to-city, cost-effective and time-efficient. For example: the Flåm Railway in Norway takes you on a 20km journey through a fjord and past mountains and thundering waterfalls and Switzerland offers many choices of specialised trains and routes for meetings and incentives.

At the end of June, Rail1, ATOUT France and the Rezidor Hotel Group pooled their resources to create a four-day train cruise which highlighted all the possibilities that this new kind of incentive offers. Guests travelled comfortably from Brussels to Lyon in less than four hours, with less hassle and less expenses than a flight or car trip would take. The afternoon and evening was spent enjoying the many sights, sounds and – most importantly – tastes of one of France’s gastronomical capitals.

The next morning the trip continued on to Marseille to enjoy the possibilities of the Côte d’Azur: a sea rally, a cocktail at the

Lodgings of the Rezidor Group During the train cruise, guests could sleep in the following meeting hotels, each and everyone close to a train station.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon pool of the hotel. After the gastronomy of Lyon and the sunny activities of the Provence, it became time for something different in the green surroundings of Paris. After a refreshing stay in yet another one of Rezidor’s many quality meeting hotels, and a dinner in one of France most beautiful castle, le Château Vaux le Vicomte, returning to Brussels only took 1.5 hours at the most.

Get your event running on tracks by putting it on rails

Welcome to Europe’s highest hotel! The Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon is located in the heart of the business district next to the famous Part-Dieu shopping mall (260 shops and boutiques) close to the ‘TGV’ high speed train station and 30 minutes from St-Exupéry international airport

Radisson Blu Hotel Marseille Vieux Port This brand new hotel is enviably located in the heart of the city between the Citadelle Saint-Nicolas and the Théâtre de la Criée facing the old harbor, Vieux Port. Ideal for business and leisure with two excellent restaurants, modern conference facilities, a fitness centre and a swimming pool.

Radisson Blu Disneyland Paris As you can see, these train cruises offer the possibility to combine diverse incentives and meetings in a relatively short time at a leisurely pace.

Contact ATOUT FRANCE (BE & LUX) T +32 (0)2 505 38 04 F +32 (0)2 514 33 75 www.franceguidepro.com Rail1 Groups&Incentives T +32 70 79 79 81 group@rail1.be

This elegant and comfortable hotel is nestled on Golf Disneyland®, right next to the Disney® Parks and the Disneyland® Resort Paris Convention Centre. It offers the quiet and comfort of a resort with upscale service and all the necessary room of a convention centre in a green and chic environment.

Contact Radisson Blu T +33 1 55 62 02 30 paris.sales@rezidor.com www.radissonblu.com/meetings

MIM 16

10184_

special feature > incentives

Amsterdam from 1h53

Luxembourg from 2h51

Rotterdam

London

from 1h11

from 1h51

Cologne from 1h47

Frankfurt

Brussels

Rail1 Groups&Incentives

Paris

in 1h22

from 3h05

Lille

Marne-la-Vallée

from 32 min.

from 1h30

Lyon

from 3h51

ONE platform to all trains Bordeaux

The most important thing for you is to be able to focus on organizing a meeting, an incentive or a congress without having to worry about how to get people there. And that’s where we can help. Let that be our focus.

Our Rail1 Groups&Incentives department is delighted to help you with all your rail needs.

from 5h41

10184_pub_MIM_heel.indd 1

from 4h17

Marseille from 4h56

We can also help you with additional products such as underground tickets, entrance tickets, special catering needs, check-in desk in Bruxelles-Midi, etc…

Why choose for travelling by rail?

• no traffic jams • on time travel • fast check-in or no check-in at all • concrete time management • arriving relaxed at destination • preparing meeting during trip • from city centre to city centre in no time Rail1 Groups&Incentives has the advantage to be ONE platform giving access to a worldwide rail offer so you can have all your rail needs fulfilled through one point of contact: group@rail1.be

Avignon

Groups&incentives in

met de hogesnelheidstre

Köln ® Disneyland Paris Frankfurt Amsterdam Avignon Bordeaux Marseille Paris Rotterdam urg Lyon Lille London Luxembo

Check our Groups&Incentives brochure on www.rail1.be to get an inspiring overview of our product range.

30-07-2010 16:08:36

# 3 " 4 4 & 3 * & $ " ' & 0 :45 & 3 # " 3 -0 6 / ( & # " 3 & 7 & / 54 $ * ( " 3 $ -6 # 1 3 * 7"5 & 3 0 0 . 4

# 3 6 4 4 & -4 ) 0 5 4 1 0 5 ' 0 3 ' * / & % * / * / ( 3 & - " 9 * / ( . & & 5 * / ( " / % $ & - & # 3 "5 * / (

ARCHITECTURAL INTERIOR DESIGN BY PINTO & CO

WWW.PINTOANDCO.BE

MIDI STATION RIGHT ACROSS THE EXIT OF THE MIDI STATION ( GARE DE MIDI – ZUIDSTATION ) I INFO@MIDISTATION.EU T + 32 ( 0 ) 2 526 88 00 I F + 32 ( 0 ) 2 526 88 01 I 26, PLACE VICTOR HORTA PLEIN B-1060 BRUSSELS I WWW.MIDISTATION.EU

AGENCY

your organizing partner

meetings, incentives and tailormade travel

Mi Agency is a fully licensed travel agency offering high quality services to corporate clients & organizations.

Our goal is to exceed your expectations!

Mi agency is runned by Marianne Impens, since 1993 operating in this specialized business.

Our activities in a nutshell: • meetings • seminars • conferences • incentives • teambuilding • tailormade travel Contact us Do you have any questions or are you interested in ďŹ nding out how Mi Agency could organize your project?

Please give us a call +32 495 79 54 55 or send your mail to info@mi-agency.be

Site member

Heilige Geeststraat 10 - 8500 Kortrijk - Belgium - www.mi-agency.be - Lic. 7135

© Jordan Tourism Board

special feature > incentives

Incentive Houses: Your amazement, their profession They’re the ones to call when you’re not inspired or even when you are, because they specialise in making your incentive ideas and objectives come true. They’re experienced at making the impossible possible. ‘They’ are the incentive houses: professional, experienced and – most importantly – certified incentive organisers.

TEXT MARCEL VISSERS AND IGOR HENDRICKX

It’s this certification that makes incentive houses so interesting for corporate incentives. It guarantees Fraankk not only quality service, Frank Bou ouck ckaert cka ert but also insures that nothing can interfere with the successful conclusion of your incentive. To take this quality even further, they have organised themselves in Belgium under the name ‘Initiative’. Recently, Frank Bouckaert was chosen as their new president.

MIM: What are Initiative’s plans for the future?

Frank Bouckaert: Initiative has been around for more than ten years. Outside of the Belgian meetings industry, we’re not well know. That’s because publicity is not our main priority. Quality over quantity is our main priority. We’re relatively small because we require our members to fulfill several measurable and qualitative criteria – this is part of our recent drive to make Initiative a quality label. Each member should have at least four years of experience as an incentive organizer.

For corporates this means that Initiativemembers are established and dependable to work with. Also, each of our members has decision power over his company, avoiding lengthy decision processes within Initiative and allowing us to dedicate ourselves completely to progress and innovation.

MIM: Will you be expanding to the rest of Europe?

Frank Bouckaert: We’re currently working on defining exactly what our quality label stands for and as soon as we’ve clearly delineated all the criteria, we will start communicating about that to the Belgian meetings industry. In any case, we’ve all got clients from outside of Belgium and we’re sure word of mouth will go a long way.

MIM: Have you seen any changes to incentives over the last few years?

Frank Bouckaert: Even though the crisis hasn’t significantly impacted our business, we have noticed that our corporate clients prefer to use the words ‘motivational event’ instead of ‘incentives’, but that’s

just a cosmetical change. In fact, those same clients insist on the importance of these motivational events for their companies.

Outsource to the best, they’ll provide the rest There are some other minor evolutions.

The luxurious incentives seem to be disappearing in favour of the synergy of more adventurous activities. Such activities create a better collective memory, which in turn creates a better atmosphere at the office. That’s also a reason why socially sustainable incentives are so popular: it makes people feel good about themselves.

And that’s what incentive houses are all about: amaze people, make them feel good and provide wonderful memories.

Contact fb@debuckincentives.com

MIM 19

TIVE INCENIA L SPEC 2010

Mind and Motion: Dynamic and well thought-out incentives

MIM: What’s your specialty?

Whoever thought incentives would vanish, should take a look at Mind and Motion, established in 2008 by two experienced ladies and despite the crisis very successful.

MIM: Tell us a bit more about Mind and Motion Annemie De Rooy: Our name says it all. The ‘Mind’ refers to the more cerebral activities, like meetings and conferences, while the ‘Motion’ refers to more active events, like incentives. It also means that we make sure to infuse all meetings and incentives with mind and motion, or in other words: our service is well thought-out and dynamic, backed up by more than 25 years of experience.

Be

Finl

n

iji g

Le

elon Barc

a

na

ld uM id

i

Icelan

a

sia

jana

Ca

et Touqu

Liby

ni

Tu

Ljubl

di

Contact: info@mindandmotion.eu www.mindandmotion.eu

Madagascar

and

In

Tine Algoet: Over 80% of our clientele are corporate, we specialise in organising corporate events (MICE) all over the world. An important percentage of our business are seminars, truly our ‘cup of tea’ ! Incentive wise – next to the unforgettable experiences and goose bumps emotions – we give advice to insert CSR into each of our projects, thus creating tailor-made solutions that are uniquely fitted to each client.

For example, we organised an incentive trip for a company’s ‘Best of the Best’. The theme ‘Air, Water, Earth’ was provided by air ballooning, helicopter flights, horse riding, quads, regatta sailing, high powered speed boats, and several other exclusive activities, which kept the guests in constant motion.

d

tina

Argen

2009

New

York

a

ka

u

Per

iL

an

Sr

St Pete rsbu

rg

ibia

nv

Avenue 9 Provinces, 16 B 5 | B-1083 Brussels | Belgium | Tel.: 32 (0)2 413 03 13 | Fax: 32 (0)2 413 03 19 elie@masterevents.be | TVA/BTW BE0445 021 746 | RCB/HRB 548951 | KBC 429 4035051 57 | www.masterevents.be

5318

sa

Nam

special feature > incentives

A PHOTO-ALBUM OF IDEAS:

INFINITE INVENTIVE INCENTIVES There are innumerable incentives inciting incomparable interest and ingenuity, rendering planners incapable to choose in which one to invest. Initially, this Incentive Special would have just had some MIMorable ideas, but infused with incredible inspiration we will include infectious info and impressions from international incentive ideas.

ESTONIA

Interrogation in a Soviet Prison

FINLAND

Arctic Games There are no games like snow games and there’s no place like Finland to organise them.

After lighting the Olympic fire and taking the Olympic oath, teams compete against each other by collecting points in various events, like reindeer lassoing and snowshoe relay.

The fun continues with your own private IceKarting Grand Prix. It’s followed by a snowmobile safari through snow-covered forests, on frozen lakes and rivers to a wilderness camp where lunch is followed by campfire coffee and sweet buns. www.arcticincentives.fi

Your employees are arrested by the Soviet militia and taken away for interrogation in an old Soviet prison. After a medical examination, a photo and fingerprint session, they are then put into a cell and need to redeem themselves by answering tricky questions, doing a treasure hunt or bribing greedy Soviet bureaucrats with valuable cigarettes. Eventually Soviet patriotism breaks down and the officials change their tone: freedom is celebrated with a few Soviet songs and lots of vodka. www.bluedrum.eu

SLOVENIA

Underground biking People usually seek mountain biking enjoyment in the mountains, but in Slovenia people have found a passage under the mountains, through abandoned tunnels under the Peca mountain. What they offer is a guided cycling tour for more than 5 km, along an illuminated path from one valley to another, where you can enjoy a safe and unforgettable adventure. www.mtbpark.com

MIM 21

TIVE INCENIA L SPEC 2010

SWITZERLAND

PORTUGAL

White Pod

Quinta da Marinha Original

Nestled in the charming village of Les Cerniers, Whitepod offers is a unique concept designed to be in harmony with the surrounding environment whilst still benefitting from a luxurious and comfortable habitat. Located at 1700m, it comprises: 7km of ski slopes with private ski lifts, the Alpage de Chindonne, an authentic mountain lodge, which can accommodate up to 80 guests in rooms of dormitories, and its traditional Swiss restaurant.

The camp itself consists of 15 geodesic-dome pods surrounding a traditional chalet. The Whitepod resort is the ultimate mountain escape for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.

Designed to bring together the timeless natural beauty of the coast and authentic Portuguese hospitality and cuisine, the Oitavos will be the first luxury hotel and wellness spa developed on the Quinta da Marinha Original property. Set amongst sand dunes and umbrella pines and next to the award winning Oitavos Dunes golf course, the bold design sleek lines and elegant, yet simple interiors focus attention on the historical and natural elements of the environment. With its dedicated conference centre, the hotel will be the area’s premier venue for meetings, incentives and events. www.theoitavos.com

www.mtbpark.com

NETHERLANDS

Pampus Exclusief GERMANY

Trabi Safari Incentive travel isn’t often associated with cities. Still, wonderful accommodations in a cultural city offer a variety of A few years ago, only a few enthusiasts dared to show themselves in public with their Trabis. Times have changed and the cult vehicle of East Germany is back. ‘To drive a Trabi once in a lifetime’ has not only become the dream of car and ‘East’ fanatics, but is ranging amongst the cultural ‘musts’ for any visitor to Germany. No matter which colour, convertible or classic, driving fun is guaranteed with you taking over the steering wheel and maneuvering this unique vehicle through the streets of Berlin. www.trabi-safari.de MIM 22

Need to separate your colleagues from the everyday concerns? Why not quarantine them … literally? Not far from Amsterdam lies an island which was used as a quarantine area and can now be rented exclusively for events. Pampus Exclusief offers you many opportunities to enjoy the solitude even more with your colleagues. That’s because Pampus was part of a defensive line and the fort on the island offers plenty of space and choice for culinary walks, grand dinners, treasure hunts, meetings, … Around the island a private sailing regatta can be organised. Sleeping accommodations can be arranged on the island. www.pampusexclusief.nl

w f de

special feature > incentives

TAIWAN

Aboriginal hospitality

BELGIUM

PORTUGAL

Designer Brussels

Vilamoura Meetings

Incentive travel isn’t often associated with cities.

Still, wonderful accommodations in a cultural city offer a variety of possibilities. The Designer Brussels incentive travel initiative is a high-end incentive program of Brussels' finest city-centre boutique chic hotels – The Dominican, Hotel BLOOM, be Manos and Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo – and of Ovation, one of Brussels' leading DMC’s.

Aimed at the culturally-conscious and designed to deliver return on investment, the programs are tailored to the specific interests and business objectives of the corporate client. www.designerbrussels.com

Incentive travel isn’t often associated with cities. Still, The Algarve profits from all air and overland means of transportation and an impressive range of 4*and 5* hotels. Apart from having reached a top position as the main centre for business tourism in the south of Portugal, the region also boasts many attractive leisure activities. With a whole range of programmes available, besides the evening entertainment and cultural events on offer, this is the right place to develop a genuine company culture. www.algarveconvention.com

When talking about aboriginal, most people automatically think of Australia, but there are others too.

For instance, there are almost half a million Taiwanese aborigines living in the country’s wonderful mountainous nature preserves. Several Aboriginal tribes have become extensively involved in tourism and ecotourism, creating many new incentive opportunities. For example, there’s the Taroko Leader Village where you can stay comfortable in lodges high in the mountains and where people from the Taroko tribe introduce you to Aborigine dance and music. While at first you might be a little wary, it turns out to be very fun. www.leaderhotel.com/blw/leadervillage

JORDAN

Raid on a railroad The Hejaz Raiway, between Istanbul and Arabia, oozes history. With a steam train ride out of Amman and into the desert, you can relive the days of Lawrence of Arabia and the Arab Revolt of 1916 against the declining Ottoman rule. While Lawrence is no longer here to blow up the train, delegates may begin to wonder what’s happening when the trundling journey is suddenly halted by a Bedouin raiding party or Ottoman soldiers. Members of your group are ambushed yet end up smiling broadly and enjoying Bedouin hospitality. www.visitjordan.com

MIM 23

TIVE INCENIA L SPEC 2010

CANADA WORKSHOP DATE:

MONDAY 20/09/2010 AT 18:00 PLACE:

CHALET ROBINSON, BRUSSELS

AUSTRIA

Crystallised Workshop Starting now, you’re employees can tap into their creativity and make their own jewelry piece under professional supervision in one of the workshops of Swarovski – the world’s leading producer of cut crystal. Their creative experts will inform you on trends, styling and designs while you learn the most diverse techniques of jewelry design in a trendy and laid-back atmosphere. Guests can then take the finished piece of jewelry home as a gift.

Meet Canadian destinations,, hotels, congress g centres,, convention bureaus and other meetings industry partners.

Discover the meetingg and incentive ppossibilities of the Land of the Maple Leaf.

>> REGISTER ONLINE:

www.swarovski.com/wien

WWW.MIMMAGAZINE.EU > EVENTS

FRANCE

I-WAY I-WAY is the only high-end venue in the world dedicated to motor sports racing simulations placing you at the heart of an experience inaccessible until now: a real automobile race. Organized around 3 simulation areas (Formula 1, Rally, Endurance) with 6 simulators each, I WAY also offers several other activities: Sport & Spa, alcohol free bar, lounge bar & restaurant with two terraces, a shop, two conferences rooms and more. www.i-way-world.com

NETHERLANDS

Building sand sculptures What comes to mind when someone mentions The Hague? The royal family or the Peace Palace maybe? But how about building sand sculptures? Sand sculptures have an almost mythical attraction to people.

The World Sand Sculpting Academy (WSSA) has its headquarters in The Hague and they offer magnificent sand sculpting workshops.

Together with a team you can actually build your own. Several windmills or tulips were already build during creative incentives.

What will yours be like? Being creative and constructive was never this much fun: relive your childhood.

5342

© canadatravelsolution

www.wssa.info

special destination > Antwerp MAS [Museum aan de Stroom] is more than a museum, it’s also a new venue around which lots of other meeting and event opportunities are located.

Antwerp Class ‘A’ meetings and events

TEXT AND INTERVIEW: MARCEL A.M. VISSERS AND JONATHAN RAMAEL

+ ‘t Eilandje . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 A closer look at one of the city’s main development projects.

+ A city on the move . . . . . . 31 Antwerp – the city on the stream – is Belgium’s second city and an important industrial and commercial centre in Western Europe. Naturally, it attracts a lot of corporate meetings and events which explains Antwerp’s Tourism & Convention's expertise and experience.

They provide planners with free, tailormade advice and practical information.

Through them you will get the many diverse meeting opportunities of Antwerp.

Last year we focused on the planned new congress centre and its surroundings, this year we’re focusing on one of Antwerp’s

An overview of Antwerp’s recent innovations and renovations.

most evolving neighbourhoods: ‘t Eilandje, which includes a lot of (re)newed meeting venues.

MIM 25

special destination > Antwerp

Antwerp’s watery gem

’t Eilandje

A closer look at one of the city’s main development projects What was once a proud and important part of the city, booming with commercial activity, has been neglected and abandoned for years. Not until the 70’s did anyone come to realize the potential of this area, and it took another 20 years for specific redevelopment plans to be thought out.

But now ‘t Eilandje is in full development and promises to become one of Antwerp’s most popular districts.

A rich past and a promising future ‘t Eilandje (Little Island) became a part of Antwerp in the 16th century. However, we have to look at Napoleon for the origins of its current state. He had the dock bearing his name (the Bonaparte Dock) dug out in the Antwerp port area for military reasons. In those days the district already had existing waterways, warehouses, enterprises and breweries. By 1869, the area was completely surrounded by water, earning its current name. Around the year 1900, it served as a point of departure for almost three million emigrants leaving for America. In the early 20th century, due to the internationalization of the shipping industry, the port and the city started to become more and more separated from each other. The people left the district and the island was abandoned. In the 90’s, it was decided that the Scheldt river should become a central part of the city again. Antwerp was to become: ‘the city on the river’. The revitalization of the island was an important part of this masterplan. It is now an area in full transformation and the city’s most important renewal project for the coming years. The Island has had an interesting past, but its future looks even more promising.

Let us take a look at some of its main attractions.

Jachthaven Pano

What would be better than to sail right into the city center on a yacht?

In Antwerp, it is possible.

MIM 26

special destination > Antwerp

© Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres

© Jan Crab

jazz performances. There’s a restaurant and a wonderful terrace right on the docks. All the rooms open into a 70 meter long covered street that connects the city center to the old harbor district. It can also be used for markets or fashion shows. The warehouse has a huge 2000 m2 basement full of archways where exhibitions can be held. There’s even room for a marketplace inside. All the beautiful historical rooms are available for private individuals, companies, organizations and governments for events of all kinds and sizes. www.felixpakhuis.nu

This historical warehouse underwent a radical renovation. The old structure was for the greater part conserved, but more light was brought into the building by an ingenious construction of light tunnels. It has become an architectural masterpiece made of glass, wood and concrete. Since 2006, the city’s archives are housed on the upper floors. The rest of the building (a total available space of 4000 m2) was designed to be one of the main socio-cultural hotspots of the city.

There is a concert hall for classical and

Felixarchief

Haven Antwerpen

The MAS The pride of the island is the towering new MAS museum. This 60 meter high structure will become a new landmark between the city and the harbor. It will be an innovating site, full of stories about the river, the city, the docks and the world. Its five exhibition floors will host a massive collection of more than 470.000 objects, including collections of some other important Antwerp museums, whose accommodations got outdated over time (for example: the ethnographic museum, the national museum of navigation and

© Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres

Sint-Felix Pakhuis

‘t Eilandje is now an area in full transformation and the city’s most important renewal project for the coming years

Schelde

MIM 27

© Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres

special destination > Antwerp

Willemdok

LA RIVA POMPHUIS WAAGNATIE BW CLASSIC VESPATOURS

the museum of folklore). The building was designed by architects Neutelings and Riedijk to resemble a modern version of an old harbor warehouse (there used to be one on the same spot). Its spiraling shape and huge glass windows will give you magnificent and gradually more open views of the city and the harbor, until you finally reach the panorama room and the terrace. This ‘vertical city walk’ forms a connection between the historical and contemporary city of Antwerp. You could also spend some time on the four pavilions, the restaurant, the café, the museum shop, the

MIM 28

boulevard and the museum square, created by Antwerp artist Luc Tuymans. The restaurant and the panorama room will be made available for events, receptions, lectures, debates, press conferences and meetings (288 pax.). All necessary conference equipment will be on-site as well as a in-house caterer. The MAS will officially open to the public on May 17th 2011. www.mas.be

Red Star Line: People on the move Imagine being poor in the 19th century.

Would you travel to an unknown new

world for a small chance of a better life?

In Antwerp, between 1872 and 1935, almost three million people did. It was the Red Star Line Shipping Company who transported all of them from the Antwerp Island to America and Canada. Its iconic buildings still exist today. Three historic hangars, all protected monuments and part of Antwerp’s collective memory, stand on the Rijnkaai, but have been abandoned for years. The city realized they needed a new destination and bought them in 2005.

They will be restored and transformed into a place for remembrance, experience, debate and research on international mobility in the past and present. The stories of the Antwerp emigrants will live again, and will contribute to a modern view on emigration. It is planned that one hall of the building will be available for the organization of events. More info will follow when the museum opens to the public in May of 2012. www.redstarline.be

The Willemdok Marina If you think of Antwerp, you think of water.

What would be better than to sail right into the city center on a yacht. Well, it is possible. There is a marina right next to the MAS, in the middle of the island district, in a neighborhood full of bars, restaurants and with a vibrant nightlife.

A recently built landing stage is available in the Willemdok, and it is big enough

© Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres

special destination > Antwerp

dok

to support 250 yachts. It is part of the island’s renovation project and is primarily meant for passing tourists, interested to visit some of the city’s major hotspots in a short period of time. www.jachthaven-antwerpen.be

WaterkAnt This by bi-annual festival is all about the water heritage of the Scheldt and the dynamics of the Antwerp harbor.

It submerges the island in a maritime atmosphere, while the docks are filled with all sorts of old and new vessels from the Scheldt delta. It gives you insights in both the old and the modern harbor world.

There are musical performances, guided walks, exhibitions, dinners, bars, job fairs and simulations. If you ever wanted to be a passenger on a steamboat, wanted to drive a forklift truck or wondered how life was on a medieval ship, Antwerp is the place to be. WaterkAnt is planned for the last weekend of September 2011. www.waterkantwerpen.be

Stuurboord This very flexible venue room, right next to the river, can be divided into five different units by means of moveable acoustic walls.

This makes it easy to adjust the location to the number of attendants. All sorts of events: seminars, conferences, parties, product launches and fashion shows, can be hosted here, with a maximum capacity of 1.500 people. From the main room, you can have a wonderful view over the river, the harbor and the passing ships. During the summertime, the large terrace will give your event the finishing touch it deserves. www.stuurboord.be

Waagnatie This former port hangar was transformed into a multifunctional space for fairs, concerts and congresses. Its high ceiling, almost 7000 m2 of available space, easy accessibility by public transport, nearly unlimited parking space and its proximity to the city center and the main roads, make it an ideal location for large events.

The venue can easily be transformed by the staff on demand, to whatever fits the needs of an event. It’s also located next to the Scheldt river, which means ships can anchor within 20 meters of the venue. www.hangar29.be/waagnatie

Antwerp Engineering Company This building used to be owned by the Red Star Line company, but in recent years

has been remodeled to be a location for events. It offers all the modern comfort you need, but the place still breathes out a strong industrial atmosphere, with its black floors, wooden beams and old chandeliers. Two halls are available for events: one can support 300 people, while the main hall has a capacity of more than 900. Both rooms can be connected to each other. It has been a popular and hip location for a wide range of small and bigger events. www.aec.be

La Riva This former canteen for the Antwerp dockworkers was also transformed into an events venue. Lots of the original mosaics and chandeliers remain, but the rest of the building’s interior was designed with an art deco look in mind. It has a bar, a modern lounge and a charming terrace for events outside. The lounge is located on a balcony on the upper floor so you can have a view of the event below. It is a perfect setting for walking dinners, after work parties, fashion shows, seminars and other parties for up to 500 people. www.lariva.be

Barcelona Meeting The strength of this venue, except for the location at the Scheldt and the marina, is the small scale of it. It brings a very personal touch to your events. The service is discrete and stylish, and the cooking passionate. It’s a multifunctional space of 220 m2, located in a renovated whiskey depot, and it’s ideal for parties, receptions, presentations, conferences and dinners.

It has a unique terrace where you can get a good view of the sunset on the Scheldt.

The capacity can be adjusted to the type of event. From boardroom meetings (17 people) to dinners (90) and cocktail receptions (180). LCD projectors, DVD players, wireless internet and the possibility of darkening the room are available to fulfill specific needs. www.barcelona-meeting.be

Lux Restaurant and Bar The building was once the residence of a polish shipping company, but after its restoration it became a trendy restaurant with a bar and lounge. Original features like the wood paneling, the marble columns and the mosaic floors, were combined with contemporary design elements. In Lux Restaurant, high tech meets tradition to create the optimal setting

for dining pleasure. The Adriaan Brouwer Room can hold up to 45 people, which makes it ideal for meetings and presentations. The adjoining room, with views over the Bonaparte Dock and the MAS, can be linked to it for bigger events of up to 125 people. Receptions for about 70 people can be held in the vaulted cellar-lounge. www.luxantwerp.com

Het Pomphuis A bit further in the harbor district you can find this old building, once used to drain the dry dock for ships to be repaired. It has been out of service since 1982 and was transformed into a restaurant and bar in 2002. The building’s style is eclectic, with some art nouveau touches. Inside, there is one big space, with an impressive 7 meter deep pit. There’s a bar and lounge, a restaurant where 120 people can dine, and a mezzanine on a separate floor where 22 people can have a meal at one oval table, without being disturbed by the rest of the customers. www.hetpomphuis.be

BW Classic Vespatours For a new and exciting way of discovering Antwerp, without traffic jams or paying for a parking spot, BW Classic Vespatours offers several guided tours of Antwerp, starting from the Island. In addition to these already interesting tours, they also offer several customized meeting packages for groups of up to 40 participants. These can last a whole day or an afternoon, with meals and meeting rooms arranged. The vespas are also available for product presentations, fairs and other promotional events. www.bwclassics.be

Guided Walks The Antwerp Tourism department offers the possibility of a guided walk to discover the island’s past, present and future.

The price is € 65 for groups of up to 20 people. Tours can be in Dutch, French, English and German. gidsenwerking@stad.antwerpen.be or T. +32 (0)3 203 95 50 If you would rather discover the treasures of the Island for yourself, you can find walking brochures at the office of Antwerp Tourism & Convention.

Antwerp Tourism & Convention Grote Markt 15, 2000 Antwerpen T. +32 3 338 81 81 mice@stad.antwerpen.be www.antwerpen.be/visit

MIM 29

City of Antwerp

Unique venues in a historical setting Tailor made advice for meetings - incentives - conventions - events Antwerp Tourism & Congress | Grote Markt 15, BE-2000 Antwerpen Phone: +32 3 338 81 81 | Fax: +32 3 338 81 32 | mice@stad.antwerpen.be | www.antwerpen.be/visit

:@KP F= 8EKN<IG

210x270_MIM082009_MICE_09.indd 1

www.antwerpen.be/visit +32 3 338 81 81 19-08-2009 16:57:52

sit 81

special destination > Antwerp

A city on the move: Innovation, renovation and revelation The Island is not the only spot in Antwerp where interesting things are happening. This city is full of life and activities. Practically everywhere you look, venues are being built or renewed. We’ll show the most prestigious and we’ll also give an update and review of the city’s hotels.

The Antwerp Quayside The renovation of the riverside will be the city’s next prestigious project. An area of 6,7 km in length and a 100 meters wide will be remodeled, to meet multiple goals. The first is of course to keep Antwerp safe from future floods.

Another is the revival of the quays as one of Antwerp’s most important public areas, as part of the plan of revaluating the city’s relationship with the river. The quays are a crucial element of connection between the center and the surrounding development areas, of which the island is a part. Work will begin in 2013 and finish 15 years later. Energy will be concentrated on different side projects, like the restoration of the beautiful historical hangars where permanent exhibitions and markets can be held. There will also be lots of room for open spaces, squares, parks and tidal gardens, all with the idea of bringing the river closer to the people. When finished, it will be an extra gem on Antwerp’s already richly decorated crown.

More information about the project can be found on

A jewel in a box It’s final, Antwerp will get an international congress centre in the centre of the city. 57.2 million € has been set aside for a complete renovation of the Flanders Congress & Concert Centre, also known as ‘Zalen van de Zoo’ (Halls of the Zoo). The renovation will be led by Ian Simpsons Architects (Manchester). Their ‘jewel in a box’ concept was selected from 60 participants and 4 other laureates.

Organisers of national and international conferences will be able to welcome their participants in a qualitative and contemporary way. The ‘Zalen van de Zoo’ is also an ideal environment for classical music, but also quality rock, pop, world music and youth performances will have their spot in the redesigned hall. www.zalenvandezoo.be

Park Spoor Noord

© Ian Coomans

www.onzekaaien.be

Park Spoor Noord Just a couple of minutes from the Island and the MAS, there was once a 60 acres big industrial railroad area.

For more than a century it was used to park or repair trains. This desolate place created a wedge between the surrounding neighborhoods.

A couple of years ago the city realized it should fulfill a new role. Since then the place has been transformed to a contemporary, multifunctional city park, with an emphasis on space, trees, light, recreation, culture and sports. There are now playgrounds, a skate park and open fountains.

There is a trendy open shelter,

which supports a popular bar in the summertime. The old train hangar is being converted into office space, a sports complex and a multifunctional exposition hall as we speak, and in another part of the park a new college campus is just being finished.

Antwerp now has a giant new green lung. Its popularity rises when the weather gets warmer, and on one of those hot summer days you can see hundreds of people, just relaxing and enjoying a drink, the sun or one of the refreshing fountains. jan.nauwelaers@ stad.antwerpen.be, T + 32 3 292 60 11

MIM 31

special destination > Antwerp

Crowne Plaza Hotel**** The Crowne Plaza Hotel is a unique business and leisure hotel surrounded by greenery. It’s located just off the Antwerp ring road, only a few minutes away from the city centre. Its 14 newly renovated, fully equipped meeting rooms can accommodate up to 600 people. The skyline floor holds eight of them.

Having a meeting on top of the highest hotel in Antwerp gives you a wonderful panoramic view of the city. It has 264 elegantly decorated rooms, superior rooms and suites.

You are connected to the web practically everywhere in the hotel through a free high speed wireless internet connection. All guests have free access to the temporary fitness room while a large and innovating spa lounge is being constructed and will open this year. www.theplacetomeet.be

Hyllit Hotel Antwerp****

With its central location on the Keyserlei, a famous boulevard full of restaurants between the station and the Meir shopping street, the Hyllit Hotel is ideal for business travellers. It has 200 rooms and a luxurious Mediterranean rooftop restaurant. A sauna and wellness centre, including an award winning swimming pool, are also available.

There are several modern meeting rooms present, capable of holding meetings for up to 120 people.

HELLO AGENCY

www.hyllithotel.be

configurable rooms, with all facilities

The Meeting Centre at Antwerp expo is the place to be for your seminar, conference or meeting.

Depending on your needs and requirements, we can offer you the perfect space. You can welcome 10 to 500 people in our 6 configurable rooms, which are all equipped to the finest detail.

Extra benefits for your guests: a central and easily accessible location, 3.000 parking places and stylish hotels in the immediate vicinity, with separate entrances to the Meeting Centre.

Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 191 BE-2020 Antwerpen

1 website for all info: www.antwerpexpo.be

T. +32 (0)3 260 81 20 F. +32 (0)3 237 87 71 antwerpexpo@artexis.com

special destination > Antwerp

Palace on the Meir This magnificent city palace, right on Antwerp’s main shopping street, was designed as a luxurious rococo building, influenced by the late baroque. It was inhabited by Napoleon, the Dutch kings and later the Belgian royal family. In later years, it was used as an International Cultural Center, and a Film Museum.

In 2001, its lost grandeur was restored with a clear vision for the future. It is no longer a manor for kings and rulers of the past, but a palace for the people, with room for business, lectures, exhibits and events.

The upper floors were fully restored to their original quality and are a place for wonder, where one can get acquainted with the glory of the old building and its previous inhabitants. On the ground floor, you can find a luxury chocolaterie and a stylish brasserie.

The magnificent ‘Mirror Hall’ (ordered by Leopold II) makes a perfect and unique location for parties, receptions and banquets for up to 100 people. www.paleisopdemeir.be

event in Aquatopia, the hotel’s oceanarium. Imagine holding a meeting or reception surrounded by deep blue water and 10.000 exotic fish. www.radissonblu.com/ astridhotel-antwerp

The Radisson Blue Astrid Hotel Antwerp, with its new manager Didier Boehlen, is centrally located in the heart of the famous diamond area, opposite the Central Station and the Zoo. American architect Michael Graves designed it to be the contemporary mirror image of the old station. It has 247 fully air-conditioned rooms, including suites and apartments. It also contains two restaurants, a brasserie with a terrace, and a bar & lounge. Eighteen modern meeting rooms are available on two separate conferencing floors.

The grand Ballroom is perfect for large corporate events and banquets for up to 600 people.

Utterly breathtaking though, is the possibility to hold a corporate

Hotel Julien***

Hotel Julien, a small urban oasis in the city centre with lots of greenery, is just a five minute walk away from the Cathedral and the Meir shopping street. The 22 rooms are located in two historic buildings, but are decorated in a contemporary style. The hotel has a lounge, a bar and a wellness centre located in a 16th century basement. It can host receptions and parties for up to 50 people and is ideal for smaller business events. www.hotel-julien.com

B A R C E L O N A

220 m²

of multifunctional and modern space in the old Whisky depot in Antwerp

Ideal for events, receptions, meetings, presentations, diners, conferences,…

Capacity: 10-200 pax. LCD projectors, VHS, DVD, wireless microphones,…

Unique terrace with view of sunset on the river. Contemporary and passionate cuisine, personal and stylish service. 5’ walking distance from city centre. Easy to reach, private parking.

BARCELONA Hangar 26, Rijnkaai 95, B - 2000 Antwerpen Tel. +32 (0)3 231 62 06 - Fax +32 (0)3 226 90 96 info@barcelona-meeting.be - www.barcelona-meeting.be

5341

Radisson Blu Astrid Hotel****

Compagnie du Ponant : Your event at sea: A unique experience

Information from our Gro ups & Charters tea m on

+33 (0)4 88

66 65 08

www.ponan

t.com

L E DIAM AN T (113 suites & cabins)

UNITE

LE PONANT (32 cabins)

•

DISCOVER

•

STIMULATE

•

EXCHANGE

L E L E VANT (45 cabins)

•

SHARE

L E BORÉA L & L’A USTRA L (132 suites & cabins)

Incentives, seminars, team-building activities or product launches…

Charter or book a group on one of our elegant ships.

• 5 luxury ships each with their own distinctive character (sail boat, yachts or cruise ship) • 32 to 132 cabins, entirely at your disposal • Stylish décor, gourmet cuisine, totally dedicated bilingual crew Antarctic, Greenland, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Amazon, Persian Gulf, Baltic, Canada, Norway, Black Sea, Greek Islands, Corsica, Caribbean,...

Make your event a totally unique experience

&

eek

nce

B E REW A RDED FOR Y O UR LO YA LT Y !

FREE OF CHARGE

DISCOVER THE SPECIAL OFFER FOR MEETING PLANNERS Earn points in Accor hotels worldwide with every event Get rewards and recognition with every meeting you plan

ENROLL NOW

@ a-club.com!

Use your rewards any time, anywhere, or convert them to airlines miles

© CRT/ IRT-MMM

CRT/ E. Virin

destinations > Réunion

In many ways, Réunion resembles Hawaii, except of course for being French and lying in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. Like the better known, but less accessible Hawaii, it lies on a volcanic hot spot, which partly explains the wonderful abundance of flora. Throughout the year, Réunion has a tropical climate tempered by the ocean and trade winds with temperatures between 20°C and 30°C.

Réunion Tropical incentives with a European lining In the meetings industry, no other destination has got such an apt name as Île de la Réunion (Island of the Meeting). This tropical island is actually one of the French overseas departments and is a popular destination for exotic incentives. European quality guaranteed.

Réunion’s nature offers a lot of possibilities. From the blue lagoon to the rocky cliff sides, the coastline allows lots of water sports and other water related activities: swimming, surfing, deep sea diving and fishing or simply lying on the beach and watching the sun go under. Hiking-fans will enjoy exploring the island’s mountain range and nature reserves. Réunion has succeeded in preserving this exceptional natural beauty: more than 40% of the island is classified as a nature reserve. In fact, the volcanic mountain peaks, ramparts and cirques have been put forward to receive UNESCO World Heritage status.

Later this year, we’ll know more about this development.

Long before the island became a quality meetings destination, it was already a meeting point for European, African, Indian and Chinese culture. Thus, events, festivals, architecture, gastronomy and more have evolved into a warm, festive and spicy mix, perhaps best represented by the warm welcome of the Creole inhabitants.

Réunion guarantees the same levels of comfort and security as you would expect from a European destination: simplified immigration regulations, sanitary and hygienic habits, and state of the art communication technology. For Europeans, an identity card or a passport are the only things needed to set foot on this island … and Euros, of course – no need to change currency.

Once again, these are the two main qualities of the island, which make it such an interesting destination for European corporates: it’s a tropical paradise and it’s European – with all that entails.

MIM 36

CRT/ E. Virin

destinations > Réunion

Top 10 reasons to choose Réunion Réunion is the only French island in the Southern Hemisphere with so many undeniable attractive reasons for corporate and professional planners to choose it as a meeting and incentive destination:

1. European conveniences: simplified entry, 2.

CREOLE HOSPITALITY

Creole culture, tropical flower power and European comfort Le Grand Hôtel du Lagon ***** Having obtained the title of “Best Hotel in Réunion” at the World Travel Awards in London in November 2009, Grand Hotel du Lagon is now the island’s first 5-star hotel, indeed Réunion’s flagship hotel. The original colonial style has been retained but with modern touches added. The 174 rooms feature contemporary elegance with fresh colours and materials blending harmoniously together. The hotel has four restaurants specialising in gastronomic and Creole cuisine, as well as all the facilities to be expected of a luxury hotel. It also provides an opportunity to promote local craftsmanship and produce.

Moreover, the Hotel borders Réunion’s lagoon and also has the largest swimming pool on the island. Grand Hotel du Lagon is at St Gilles, on one of the island’s most beautiful beaches. www.naiaderesorts.com

4.

Hôtel Bellepierre **** At 10 km from the Roland Garros airport and 20 minutes by car, the Bellepierre’s hotel is shaped elegantly like an ellipse. 54 rooms and a panoramic suite are spread out over 6 floors and are designed to provide restful, relaxing and elegant comfort combined every other modern comfort you could wish for.

A stay at Hotel Bellepierre should always include some time to unwind. Step outside and the city centre of Saint Denis beckons with its myriad of shops, vibrant bars and restaurants, casino and cinemas. The hotel’s event team will gladly help you organise many diverse activities throughout the island.

Well-known as one of the country’s premier gourmet places, Le Bellevuerestaurant is the perfect venue for business executives at lunch time with it quick and exclusive ‘Formule Affaires’. The hotel further provides a conference room for up to 80 people and available for seminars, exhibitions, banquets, meetings and professional forums. These activities can easily be arranged in a relaxed yet refined environment and ambiance. www.hotel-bellepierre.com

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

CRT/ E. Virin

The hotels on offer in Réunion are as varied in styles and locations as they are alike in their hospitality. They can be found in the charming towns, touristic hotspots or in coastal pleasure centres. Private tennis courts, swimming pools, etcetera are commonly available. All 54 hotels on the island are up to European standards. This quality is perhaps best personified in the following hotels and resorts:

3.

sanitary guarantees, modern communication, the Ð as currency …

An international airport with regular daily flights. Most arrivals and departures are planned in the morning or the evenings respectively, so not a day is wasted.

Only 3 hours time difference between Europe and Réunion, ensuring easy direct contact with the home office and no jet-lag.

Quality infrastructure according to European regularization.

54 hotels (one 5* hotel, four 4* hotels) with a total of 4486 beds. Each with tennis courts, swimming pools and/or other amenities.

Meeting and conference facilities available in hotels and several special venues.

Original incentive ideas, including a dolphin and whale safari and lava tunnel exploration.

A national park with over 300 species of flora and fauna and an active volcano.

Several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

A rich and multi-ethnic Creole culture: Creole architecture, cultural events and festivals and a flavourful spicy cuisine.

Le Boucan Canot **** Combining a Creole decor and ambience with a contemporary understanding of what corporate planners understand under ‘comfortable’, this charming hotel is the place to be if you need discrete luxury and a personalised service. The hotel furthermore distinguishes itself on four counts: an ideal location, the aforementioned Creole decor, high quality service and refined gastronomy.

In addition to being ideal, the location is also idyllic: the typical architecture fits perfectly in a well preserved green site with enthralling views over the ocean. It’s no wonder that many hotel guests take advantage of this inspiring environment for professional activities. Three

MIM 37

©CRT/ STUDIOLUMIERE

©CRT/ IRT – E. Virin

©CRT/ E. Virin

©CRT/ STUDIOLUMIERE

©CRT/ E. Virin

destinations > Réunion

Volcanic Walk

conference rooms are at your service: ‘La Houssaye’ (80 pax), ‘La Deysbassyns’ (40 pax) and ‘La Buse’. Each has easy access to the outdoors – handy for coffee and lunch breaks. www.boucancanot.com

Palm Hôtel & Spa **** Very close to the city of Saint-Pierre, nearby the most important natural sites and places of interest, such as the Cirque of Cilaos or the volcano Le Piton de La Fournaise, this hotel in a 3,5ha park, nestled between the cliffs, overlooking the blue water of the Indian Ocean and the bay of Grand’Anse with its white sand beach.

The Palm Hotel & Spa belongs to a new generation of top class hotels which are combining comfort, design, discrete luxury and Zen-ambiance. In the intimate atmosphere of this exceptional place, you will enjoy the equipment and service of a luxury hotel, where everything works harmoniously towards your pleasure and well-being.

The hotel is the perfect location to organise business events. A breakout-space of 200m2 can accommodate seminars, conferences and banquets for up to 160 participants.

Another room is available for smaller meetings and has an impressive view over the ocean. On the other side of the pool, a garden of 350m² is available for cocktails

MIM 38

and other open-air events. www.palm.re

Le Saint Alexis **** Established on the sunbathed, under lee shores of the beautiful Boucan Canot Beach, this prestigious charm hotel seduces, with its originality, its conviviality and its comfort, demanding clients with an attachment to traditional hospitality.

Water everywhere, columns, arches and footbridges confer together a unique, audacious character on Le Saint Alexis.

So many private terraces and balconies make the visitor unable to miss out on sun and sight. Rough marble, polished stone, teak and irons wood, sea rush and beige monochrome further personalise the sophisticated style of the decoration.

Le Saint Alexis offers many opportunities of accommodation with 5 suites, 15 junior suites, 18 de luxe rooms, 16 superior rooms and 6 standard rooms.

Additionally, the hotel has a meeting room for up to 80 people and a more private billiard room, which can be used for board meetings. Most of all, however, the hotel is a setting in itself for open-air corporate events. www.hotelsaintalexis.com

Most popular incentive ideas · A tour of the island by helicopter.

·

· ·

·

·

This trip takes about 45 minutes and allows the very best views of the island’s green landscape and blue lagoon.

A trip to the Maïdo. After an adventurous drive into the hinterland, guests will enjoy the view of Réunion’s most isolated volcanic cirque.

The same can be said for the floral wonders of the Cirque de la Salazie.

Climbing the volcano is a thrilling excursion and a must. Words are lacking to describe this experience of a lifetime.

By getting out of the hotel and touring the island’s shore and its cities by car or boat, is still the best way to truly experience the unique atmosphere of Réunion.

The Wild South is a perfect example of how the wild ocean combines with the fiery might of volcanic ground. Not just on land, but also underwater.

©CRT/ E. Virin

CRT/ IRT – E. Virin

destinations > Réunion

©CRT/ IRT – E. Virin

Horseriding

Canyoning

VENUES Even though Réunion is primarily a destination for incentive travellers and less for meetings, several special venues are available for small, medium and large meetings, in addition to the hotels’ many conference rooms. Corporate events are more than welcome in many venues. Just a few examples:

side of La Réunion. It’s one of France’s eight Conservatoires Botaniques Nationaux. This extremely floral venue has got 3 seminar rooms surrounded by a park of 7ha. www.cbnm.org

Bienvenue Village This charming village consists of 1ha of event space spread out over several buildings constructed in the style of Creole homes of yesteryear. Bienvenue Village welcomes you with all types of high quality

Parc des Expositions et des Congrès de Saint-Denis (NORDEV) The Parc des Expositions et des Congrès is an important complex and consists of 4 buildings with over 15,600m2 of covered function space and 9,000 m2 of exterior space. The flexible spaces can meet the various demands and accommodate any type of event: public fairs and trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, exhibitions, competitions, corporate events, sporting events. Eager to meet the expectations of each organizer, team Nordev advises and provides a complete logistics, tailored to each event. www.nordev.re

Mascarin Botanic Conservatory Established in 1986, the conservatory lies at a height of 500 meters on the leeward

Something for everyone with a variety of incentives

services and positions itself as a must for successful events. It has a conference hall, 5 meeting rooms, a combination of meeting room and garden-terrace and many exterior open event spaces. www.village.re

©CRT/ STUDIOLUMIERE

©CRT/ IRT – E. Virin

Kite surfing

Halle des Manifestations As one of the gateways to the Indian Ocean, Réunion boasts an impressive international trading centre in Ville du Port. There, in the merchant quarter, you can find a large exhibition venue: the Halle des Manifestations. With a total of 16,000m² exhibition space and a further 3,5ha in open air, this venue plays host to small and, more often, large corporate events with a total of 200,000 local and international visitors. www.la-halle.com It’s clear that, in addition to its considerable incentive possibilities, Île de la Réunion is also an excellent destination for large and small meetings and conferences.

European corporate planners would do well to consider this tropical island as the next destination for one of their combined meeting and incentive travel trips.

Contact Île de la Réunion Tourisme Antenne Paris T 0033 (0)1 40 75 02 79 irtparis@la-reunion-tourisme.com www.reunion.fr

MIM 39

Hosting the Worlds Great Events

www.meetings.canada.travel

destinations > Canada

Montréal

Québec A unique combination of old and new

Innovative, creative and culture-driven Québec is an irresistible mix combining traditional charm and sophisticated vibes.

The province is also a crossroads for trade, business and finance over the centuries and is recognised worldwide for its cutting-edge research and development.

Québec is definitely special. Not only because of the predominantly Frenchspeaking population or its status as the largest Canadian province, but also because its two main cities have established a solid reputation as congress destinations.

Additionally, the Québecois countryside offers plenty of incentive opportunities.

Québec

tourism infrastructure providing a full range of visitor amenities and comforts.

Conventions, business meetings, and incentive trips on every scale are a natural for Québec City, with its 17,250 room lodging capacity. Whether you’re looking for a luxury hotel, a boutique hotel with its own special character, or a resort hotel right near downtown, Québec City combines North American comfort and efficiency with European charm.

Meeting rooms in the major hotels have convention facilities that can easily host several hundred participants in comfortable and welcoming surroundings. And for major events, the Québec City Convention Center and ExpoCité Exhibition Center are just what you are looking for.

Québec City is a thriving business center well served by an international airport, rail

Québec – accessible, walkable and full of discoveries

Québec City European charm, history, culture, and adventure await you in this four-century-old but ever-so-exciting city! In Québec City you have the freedom to do and try practically everything. The city is home to a world-class

links, and an efficient highway network.

Train and plane connections are very convenient, with dozens of daily flights to and from Jean Lesage International Airport just 16 km from downtown.

Québec City is proud of its 400-year history. The only walled city north of Mexico, it proudly displays a history where French and British influences mingle and interweave. From the fortifications encircling the Old City to the Citadel standing guard over the St. Lawrence, the Martello towers, and the Parliament Building where Québec’s political life plays out, the city is home to a myriad of treasures that will delight history buffs.

Included on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites, the historic fortified section of the city evokes the charm of the old country with its narrow, winding streets and profusion of shops, museums, and other attractions.

Montréal Montréal ranked first in North America for international meetings in 2009, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), a testament to the city’s expertise and service, and ability to accommodate any group size. The Palais des Congrès (Convention Centre) offers the latest in technology and services in the revitalised Quartier international, between downtown and the Old Port. Other facilities are within walking distance of hotels that include American and international chains, as well as recent boutique-style buildings. Of the 26,500 room total, 15,000 are downtown and 4,000 connect directly with the

MIM 41

destinations > Canada

7 good reasons for choosing Québec

Montréal

Québec

1. Accommodation and first-rate facilities. Québec City and Montréal are the perfect venues for conferences of all sizes. Both cities’ hotel and service network enjoy an enviable reputation worldwide.

2. Authentic charm. The area’s European appeal and North American lifestyle, complete with a storied history, thriving arts scene, and vibrant French-speaking culture, make it truly one of a kind.

3. Easy to get to. The region can be easily accessed by highway, train and air.

4. Nature on your doorstep. Parks, wildlife reserves, and scenic attractions are minutes away, with a host of outdoor activities available all year round.

5. Arts and entertainment. The cultural agenda of Montréal and Québec City are literally action-packed.

6. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Nowhere else in the world will you experience dazzling colours, vibrant lifestyle, and everything in between!

7. Dining at its finest. Often called the gourmet capital of North America, the region is also tops for casual food, not to mention sidewalk cafés, bistros, and wine and cheese!

Convention Centre via the Underground Pedestrian Network walkways.

multifaceted and spirited character.

For a meeting with the city’s past, stroll the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal and admire its architecture; the area is now home to boutique hotels and awardwinning addresses that bring luxury

No matter where you turn, it seems that this city’s raison d’être is to celebrate life.

The term ‘block party’ takes on a new

Montréal is a multilingual cosmopolis with lots of experience organising corporate meetings and incentives

Montréal Québec City Convention Centre

meaning here, as thousands converge on traffic-free streets to enjoy the colourful summer line-up of performances.

Formula 1 fans get their fill of speed and high-performance engines in June; jazz lovers keep time to the music of their favourite artists at the 11-day Jazz Fest, and comedy buffs can indulge in a full month of gut-busting good times with the Just for Laugh’s hilarious line-up.

This city is where art meets festival fun – 24/7. Films, beer, food and sports are also on the star-studded events calendar.

Montréal has a cosmopolitan reputation other cities yearn for. Undeniably, its 360 years of history are at the root; the city has been in turn a French settlement and a British stronghold. Today, the confluence of cultures from around the globe continues to leave its mark on Montréal’s

MIM 42

to new heights. Its galleries, churches, squares and quiet spaces make it only one of many fascinating neighbourhoods worth exploring on foot.

Contact In North America: Susan Frei, Director International Meetings and Incentives T. +1 703 825 1134 Frei.Susan@ctc-cct.ca www.meetings.canada.travel In Europe: Roger Bradley Axis Travel Marketing Ltd T. +44 208 686 2300 roger@axistravelmarketing.com

destinations > Namibia

Namibia

...where Incentives meet Adventure!

On the incentive destination map Namibia is an exclusive landing place. With its blend of unique nature and excellently developed tourist infrastructure, the Southwest African country abounds with MICE opportunities.

Namibia’s greatest capital is its nature, characterised by multifaceted Desert landscapes, mountains and savannahs. There, incentives are transformed into professionally organised adventures.

Typical Namibia experiences of this kind include stalking elephants and antelopes behind the steering wheel of a Land Rover – followed by

luxurious treatments at a wellness lodge after a thrilling safari. Quadbike tours over monumental dunes and through deserted canyons are a nerve tingling delight – all the more so when a completely unexpected, stylish dinner awaits the bikers in the middle of the desert, the champagne for their sundowners “air-lifted” in by parachute…

The spectrum of outdoor activities is wide, ranging from boat trips over the Atlantic surf to a ride through the Namib Desert, from racy quad biking to balloon trips over the highest dunes in the world.

This exciting MICE destination is reached within 9,5 hours of non-stop nightlight. Without any jetlag. Moreover, for EU citizens no visa-regulations apply.

Save the date On the 4th of November 2010 the Namibia Tourism Board, Kempinski Hotels and Air Namibia will be hosting an event for incentive houses in the Kempinski Hotel Dukes’ Palace in Bruges. Namibia will be presented there as an incentive destination with endless opportunities. More information about this event will follow but if you are interested you can already send an email to Namibia@airnamibia.be.

Wake up to an African Sunrise.

Foto: Helmut Gries

From Brussels via Frankfurt to Windhoek.

Experience a world full of adventure in Namibia, unforgettable wildlife, breath taking desert landscapes, wonderful people and much much more.

And if you want to experience more of Africa just take a connecting flight to Cape Town, Johannesburg, Maun or Victoria Falls.

For mor information contact Air Namibia: Benelux Office Frankfurt Office + 32 2 712 05 60, + 49 6105 206 035, info@airnamibia.be sales@airnamibia.de

UK Office + 44 870 774 0965 reservations@air-namibia.co.uk

destinations > South Africa

Cape Town South Africa is a great country for combining several diverse incentives.

In just a few hours you get by plane from the bush in the subtropical North to the Mediterranean regions. This time we’ll let you discover Cape Town – a city which scores very highly in international rankings.

TEXT CECILE CAIATI-KOCH

Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, Senior Manager of the Cape Town Convention Bureau, tells us why she’s devoted heart and soul to her city. "It’s got that Mediterranean feel, which you can’t find anywhere else in South Africa. And it’s so diverse and full of emotions: a tour by rickshaw through the old city centre with the traditional houses and the Botanical Gardens, revisiting the past when visiting the Slave Lodge or the

MIM 44

District Six Museum. The Waterfront, just a few minutes further, by day and by night a place of entertainment with its many bars, restaurants and shops. This is a unique combination and the spirit of the Cape Towner makes it even more special."

A few ideas for Cape Town city: • An evening visit to the Gold of Africa Museum. Located in a colonial manor,

its restaurant in the leafy courtyard offers opulent African cuisine is served with djembe drumming and live entertainment (total 220 pax).

• The Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his imprisonment. Breathtaking.

• Streetwiring – one of many CSR projects: these street artists will manufacture with beads and iron wiring company gadgets or will even instruct a group of your employees in this fine art.

• Woodstock, Cape Town’s trendy neighbourhood. It used to be that this neighbourhood had to be avoided like the plague, but now you visit it to discover the most modern and fashionable

destinations > South Africa

Gold of Africa Museum

Congresses in South Africa The beautiful landscapes, happily singing people,... the feeling of great hospitality and joy just streamed out of the telly. What is perhaps not widely known is that meetings in Africa are really easy to organise well. The big cities like Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and – an unknown, but certainly worth a visit – the Port Elizabeth region, have an impressive infrastructure. A comprehensive report about meetings in Africa can be found in our sister magazine: HeadQuarters Europe (September edition). (also available online on www.headquartersmagazine.com)

Let’s not forget the surroundings of Cape Town! It’s a wonderful addition to any program.

Cape of Good Hope, ideal for active incentives

V&A Waterfront

businesses. For example, the South African Print Gallery, take part in a cooking event organised by the Eleven Cooks or conclude your visit in the Woodstock Lounge & Bar. • Cape Town has many top hotels, each with its own singular attractions. Mount Nelson Hotel, close to the Botanical Gardens, has its very own beautiful environment, just as the TAJ hotel, located in a former bank (open since 2010). In and around the Waterfront, close to the CIIC are the Table Bay (Sun International chain), the Commodore, Cape Grace, – a top hotel, and a bit farther the Radisson BLU has its own private beach. In short: 3000 beds in top locations.

Fancy old Porches, cabriolets all driving between the Table Mountain and the Lions Head and along a coastline resembling the Cote d’Azur. Or perhaps something more thrilling? Drive a Harley Davidson, with or without sidecar, to the beach at Houtbay where kayaks are lying in wait for you or – even more thrilling – powerboats that bring your group back to Waterfront in less than 45 minutes. Close to Houtbay you can visit Teabag Cy, where teabags are artistically painted and where ‘talents are being used to earn a living’.

Old teabags arrive hear from all over the world, a grassroot cy which earns a lot of neighbourly approval and provides jobs.

Special designs can be made on request.

Noordhoek Beach is the example of long, white beaches where sport incentives are fully possible. The Game Reserve is a must-see because of its baboons alone.

These monkeys are smart and are always on the lookout for food: breaking into unlocked cars is no problem for them.

Sometimes surfers return from their day at the beach to find that the interior of their car demolished. The road through the Game Reserve brings you to Cape of Good Hope, where a dinner at the Black Marlin with a view over the bay can serve as the perfect conclusion.

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek To the east of Cape Town lie many opportunities for the gourmands under us. After a drive through rolling hills, you arrive in famous Stellenbosch with its white houses

Robben Island

'The combination of history, modernity and the Cape Towner spirit alone make this a special destination' and her well known vineyards. Before arriving there, you can visit Asara, a wine estate where you can taste, apart from wine, chocolate. According to the Swiss chef, this chocolate is even better than Belgian chocolate. Come judge for yourself.

In the Franschhoek valley lies the magnificent Grande Provence where you can enjoy succulent lunches or very refined dinners. And of course the wine tasting is again a must.

It’s clear that South Africa and Cape Town in particular have a lot to offer to corporate and professional organisers looking for incentive programs for people with a penchant for good or adventurous living.

It’s not just a destination for football...

Contact Cape Town Convention Bureau convention@tourismcapetown.co.za dmc: green route www.greenroute.co.za

Meetings Africa 2010 Meetings Africa started SAT (South Africa Tourism) to make South Africa better known to the business audience. For several years, this exhibition at the Sandton Convention Centre (near Johannesburg) has been organised. In 2010, hosted buyers were impressed by the quality of the exhibitors.

‘It’s a joy to find quality people at a fair with whom you can do business immediately’, was one of the comments. The 2011 edition will take place in February.

Contact SAT EUROPE: Tina Herold Business Tourism Manager Europe tina@afriquedusud-tourisme.fr

MIM 45

Zulu Zen Ambiance Phinda Forest Lodge In South Africa you can find a variety of lodges spread out all over the country.

We visited the Phinda Game Reserve, north east of Jburg and west of Durban, close to the Indian Ocean. TEXT CECILE CAIATI-KOCH Phinda Game Reserve is home to six different types of lodges that each

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

© &Beyond

© &Beyond

destinations > South Africa

complement their habitat harmoniously.

We stayed in the Forest Lodge which is nestled in the heart of a rare, dry sand forest. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls invite the forest inside, while the dense tree canopy shelters and provides privacy. Floating on stilts above the forest floor while tiny duiker graze below, 16 Zulu Zen suites blend into the dappled shade.

They say that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones and that is certainly true at Phinda Forest Lodge! The lodges have a calming atmosphere of Zulu

Zen. And there’s no need to worry about the privacy of the retreat - in spite of the floor to ceiling glass walls, the towering torchwood trees and fertile forest floor that surround the suites ensure a sense of seclusion.

We enjoyed an early BIG FIVE game viewing with spectacular sightings of the elusive cheetah and rare black rhino.

Although we had the gods pouring water over us (tropical rains can be heavy!) we had an experience never to forget. www.andbeyond.com www.southafrica.net

destinations > Ireland

Ireland

Meetings and Incentives in all four directions…

There’s something magical about Ireland. Perhaps it’s because of the rolling green pastures, the Celtic traditions, its dark and amber coloured drinks, the lively musical culture, the famous literary history or the famed friendliness of the Irish... In any case, few people visit Ireland and don’t fall in love with the Emerald Isle.

Ireland is one of the best choices as a destination for meetings, conferences, corporate events and incentive travel in the world. The country’s temperate climate, high standard of conference facilities, tasteful and comfortable accommodation, selection of leisure and after-hours activities put it in a class of its own. Over a thousand international companies now use Ireland as their European base and this has added to Ireland’s renown as a destination for conferences, corporate meetings, incentives and events.

Venues range from purpose-built, stateof-the-art centres to unique places like historic halls, universities and castles.

Facilities are modern and competitive, while professionally you will be looked after by highly skilled and experienced teams that can cater for anything up to 6,500 participants.

The diverse range of scenery across this small country means business travellers can pack plenty of things to do into a short space of time.

South – Cork & Killarney The South of Ireland boasts a diverse heritage and is known for its lively atmospheric towns and villages and busy cities such as Cork and Waterford (Ireland’s oldest city).

There are plenty of inspiring secluded spots from scenic mountain ranges to valleys. The great outdoors in one of the sunniest parts of Ireland makes the South of Ireland an ideal destination for incentive and team-building programmes.

Filled with excellent restaurants, serving wonderfully fresh seafood and delectable local produce, state-of-the-art hotels and venues, the South of Ireland has a wide variety of dynamic conferencing facilities and excellent transport links.

Cork Convention Bureau: www.corkconventionbureau.com

to Ashford Castle. The Castle is available for Exclusive Use Bookings at any time of the year, subject to availability. The specialist conference team’s experience

‘In Ireland the inevitable never happens and the unexpected constantly occurs’ John Pentland Mahaffy

West – Connemara This region, on the other side of the island from Dublin, but with good air and transport connections, is one rich with traditional culture, colourful festivals, warm hospitality and natural beauty. For an incentive trip you could take your group

includes conferences for the European Union and prestigious international companies. You can participate in any of the Estate’s activities – Fly-fishing, golf, falconry, walking or relaxing in the spa.

MIM 47

destinations > Ireland

Alternatively for the more adventurous why not try Delphi Mountain Resort in the heart of Connemara: climbing to the top of the highest mountain in the West of Ireland, catching your first surf break on the Cross beach, or sea kayaking through the Killary Fjord.

Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau: www.conferenceandsportsbureau.com

North – Belfast Considerable investment has seen Belfast and Northern Ireland's conference and incentive product expand significantly.

Belfast is now a modern, forward thinking business tourism destination with world-class conference facilities, superb hotel accommodation and a wide range of unique and unusual activities for pre and post conference tours and incentive trips.

Belfast's striking Victorian and Edwardian architecture, acclaimed restaurants, colourful history and its year round festival calendar and burgeoning art scene, mean the city offers plenty of things to see and do. If you are a golfer then it is a must to experience two of the greatest golf courses in the world which are situated in Northern Ireland – Royal Portrush and Royal Co. Down. It is also a wonderful destination for walking, cycling, climbing etc.

Find out more at www.belfastvisitorandconventionbureau.com

MIM 48

East – Dublin Finally there’s the Republic’s capital city and its surroundings. Dublin is a safe and welcoming city with a strong, stable economy.

Over the last fifteen years, Ireland’s rate of economic growth has been the highest among member nations of the European Union. This growth has led to enormous investment in the city’s infrastructure and facilities, the latest of which is the Convention Centre Dublin. In our February Issue, we already highlighted the many meeting possibilities of Dublin. Now it’s time to see what incentive possibilities there are.

A range of contemporary, historical and uniquely Irish venues are all available for groups and events of all sizes, outside the hustle and bustle of a city. Fine dining and banqueting options are available as well as some lively entertainment spots, a range of golf courses and spa retreats.

Carton House - Mixing Cosmopolitan Chic with Contemporary Cool, Carton House Luxury Hotel in Kildare Ireland is a beautifully restored historic mansion. The 1,100-acre private parkland estate is an all-encompassing playground for leisure and corporate guests alike, featuring - two Championship Golf Courses, a leisure centre with pool, Spa, Training Pitches, Tennis

Courts, Purpose Built Events Centre, state of the art conference facilities and Ireland's Premier Corporate Event Company Ireland Xtreme, on its front doorstep.

Causey Farm hosts mad-cap off-site days of farm fun, combining the facilities and activities into programs which really build relationships through laughter and learning - catching sheep, or bodhrán duels are the ultimate ice-breakers!

For a totally unique corporate team building event or client day go to Ballyknocken House & Cookery School where cooking offers a different, rewarding and successful way of team building as well as providing a great learning experience. If you want to combine your cookery experience with an outdoor activity, Ballyknocken is situated on large farm and works closely with outdoor specialists in the area.

Dublin Convention Bureau www.dublinconventionbureau.com Contact Tourism Ireland – Danielle Neyts dneyts@tourismireland.com T.: +32 2 643 21 21 www.meetinireland.be

S TAR CLIPPERS

Embark for an ultimate sailing adventure Give your clients the opportunity to share an exhilarating teambuilding voyage on board one the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest sailing vessels : Star Clipper, Star Flyer (85 cabins) & Royal Clipper (114 cabins).

Let them live a thrilling experience discovering breathtaking and unspoiled ports of call around the Caribbean, Central America or the Mediterranean.

Forget about the restrictive schedules or onboard programmes of conventional cruise ships: the itineraries and daily programmes can be tailor-made in a way to answer your clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specific requirements, to enable the most creative operations or to enhance the branding of one company around a special event such as the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Superb service ~ Refined cuisine ~ Full range of water sports ~ Casual, relaxed ambiance ~ True sailing experience

Group & exclusive charter quotes upon request to your preferred Incentive agent or to Star Clippers Benelux : +32 2 652 50 62 - olivia.vanderghinst@starclippers.com - www.starclippers.com

destinations > Belgium

Brussels & Flanders

Incorporate incentives in your corporate meeting Flanders and Brussels are often considered as a destination ‘just’ for meetings. That’s doing them a great injustice. In fact, the capital of Europe and Belgium and its surrounding region have developed quite an extensive offer of incentive ideas. The efforts of the Belgium convention bureau for Flanders & Brussels make this very clear.

MIM: The UIA statistics placed you first in Europe as a meetings destination.

How can you explain this popularity?

Jan Wittouck: The reasons behind our current popularity are various. The growing positive recognition of the European Union contributes a lot to the image of Brussels as city of meetings and compromises. Furthermore, a lot of our international success can be contributed to the high accessibility of our region. Brussels Airport is well connected with the world and even when people land in larger airports, like Paris or Frankfurt, they don’t mind taking the train to get here. The high speed train connections to Belgium have certainly become more popular in the last few years. In fact, Brussels is a train hub and thus a natural meeting place.

MIM: The opening of SQUARE in Brussels probably helped too. What’s the status of the meetings infrastructure in Flanders in general? JW: Colloquially, we call it the ‘SQUARE-effect’, but it’s not the only facility

MIM 50

we have in Flanders for meetings, conferences and other events. Our industry needs constant (re)investments to keep our facilities and services up-to-date. SQUARE is the most prominent, but certainly not the only one of these investments in Flanders. A few examples of recently opened, refurbished or planned for hotels and venues: the Grand Hotel Casselbergh and the Bijloke Ghent, Flanders Congress en Concert Centre in Antwerp, the new Thon Hotel (opening 2012) and the Tiara Hotel (former Astoria Hotel) in Brussels.

MIM: And how do incentives fit in the general scheme of the region?

JW: Before 2006, we had many requests for information about incentives in Flanders and Brussels. That’s when we published our first incentive guide. It was quite successful as a market survey showed us that 50% of planners actually planned an incentive in Flanders after reading. Our newest incentive guide was published late 2009 and in the

destinations > Belgium

they can easily be combined with a meeting in one of these cities with their vast array of art, fashion, history,.... Indeed, Flanders and Brussels are first and foremost meetcentive destinations. On the other hand, our more active incentives on the coast and in the green parts of Flanders are very popular with Belgian companies. In any case, the guide offers something for everyone.

MIM: Finally, we’ve heard about some sustainable developments in Belgium.

JW: Our sustainable efforts fit completely in the direction that the meetings industry in general is taking. Everyone is aware of the importance of social and environmental measures. That being said, it is significant that the first European Forum on Sustainability in the Meetings Industry (EFSMI) took place in Bruges, Belgium. As part of a wider touristic project, a study of sustainable meetings has been commissioned in preparation of the introduction of a Belgian certificate for meeting and conference facilities. The implementation of this sustainable certificate will further improve the prospects of the meetings industry in Flanders and Brussels.

MIND & MOTION

Let’s not forget that the mind is just as important as the body and – in contrast – hardly ever gets to relax. That’s why several activities have been thought out to do just that, ranging from Tai Chi, to SeaSens and painting workshops.

DELUXE

And then there are the highend incentives which are a category in themselves. Some will dazzle participants with their interactive shows.

Others combine elements from the other categories to create days filled with impressions. Finally, there are even incentives that take you on a long journey on to the sea.

Contact Belgium Convention Bureau for Flanders & Brussels T +32 2 504 04 33 F +32 2 504 04 80 congres@belgiumcvb.be www.belgiumconventionbureau.be

Inspired by this interview, we took a look through the new incentive guide to see what kind of incentives are available. Here’s an overview of the five categories.

GASTRONOMY

The 4 Trump Cards of Flanders & Brussels 1.

2.

3.

4.

Easily accessible Meetings infrastructure Vast touristic possibilities Value for money

future we’re planning to publish a new version every two years. The idea of this brochure is to give international planners an overview of what kind of incentives are possible in Flanders. It’s up to the organisers to further develop these ideas for clients – tailor made is still the most important factor to success!

The two incentive categories most popular with international planners are our culinary and city exploration activities. The reason why culinary and city incentives are so popular with international clients, is that

Beer and chocolate are just two aspects of the Flemish cuisines, which combines the quality of the French cuisine with the quantity of the German cuisine.

There are quite a few different kinds of incentives that involve gastronomy. There are incentives that tickle the tastebuds, the more active culinary walks, the ever popular cooking workshops, animated dinners and more.

Official incentive Guide 2010

CITY

Flanders’ landscape is dotted with historical cities and towns, each with its own peculiarities and specialties.

Whether on bikes or power boats, with walkie talkies or GPS, above or underground, there will always be an authentic incentive available to explore these cultural hotspots.

ACTION

Adventurous incentives are available as well. All kinds of vehicles are used in all kinds of locations: there’s no limit to what participants will be able to do in team. Bugxtersafari, high ropes, sand yachting, rafting and code cracking are just a few examples.

Orderr the new incentive guide NOW by mailing brecht.putman@belgiumcvb.be

MIM 51

KINEPOLIS Kinepolis combines business and entertainment ! The 10 Belgian Kinepolis movie theatres, situated throughout the country, are one by one top venues for all your business events. Kinepolis offers you everything you expect from a business center. Combine your event with a movie and/or catering and it will be a guaranteed success!

Kinepolis, where business meets pleasure

More information : business.kinepolis.be Katelijne Lindner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; business@kinepolis.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 09 241 01 61

destinations > Maastricht

Maastricht

guide to this charming variety

Maastricht, the oldest city of Holland, is a hidden treasure, famous for its historic town with gastronomic atmosphere (5 Michelin star restaurants), the caves, the river Maas and the green hilly surroundings.

The ideal place for a sportive, cultural or gastronomic incentive!

Maastricht is also an attractive city to organise numerous business meetings and events. Located in the heart of Europe, the city is easy to reach – within 1-hour from the cities and airports of Brussels, Düsseldorf and Cologne.

'Seeing, doing, tasting' Maastricht excels in compactness, diversity and atmosphere: historical fortifications combined with modern architecture, design and classic venues, casemates, castles, museums, too

numerous to mention. The many squares, bars, restaurants, side walk terraces, the generous atmosphere and hospitality make Maastricht a nice city to stay after your meeting as well.

All this is combined with beautiful green surroundings in the hilly South-Limburg province, most suitable for incentives, social and partner programmes. Whether you prefer cultural, culinary, playful or sportive programmes, they all are available. Tailor made or more standardised. In short: programmes to suit all needs!

Please, send an email to info@maastrichtconventionbureau.com and you will

receive by post a free copy of ‘Maastricht for Groups’. This guide is a collection of original ideas and tips for group activities in and around the city. All activities are easily divided into the categories Seeing, Doing and Tasting.

Contact Maastricht Convention Bureau T: +31 43 3280838 info@maastrichtconventionbureau.com www.maastrichtconventionbureau.com

eventful interlaken Y O U R D E S T I N AT I O N F O R C O N G R E S S E S , S E M I N A R S , I N C E N T I V E S A N D E V E N T S

Dedicated to hospitality The VICTORIA-JUNGFRAU Grand Hotel & Spa offers modern facilities for successful meetings, seminars and congresses in 20 different rooms accommodating 4 to 400 people. www.victoria-jungfrau.ch

Impressive performance The unique combination of modern conference facilities and elegant banqueting rooms is ideal for congresses, exhibitions, banquets and events with catering for up to 1’300 people. www.casino-kursaal.ch

A single source for all your needs Your local partner for organising events in Interlaken and the Jungfrau Region.

The services range from hotel reservations through to attractive leisure programmes. www.interlaken-congress.ch

Get Open Access to the Grand Duchy of Events We wi l l s uppor t you wi th a s peci a l Luxembour g k now- how

LUXEMBOURG

MORE

THE DMC PARTNER OF EVENTS AND MORE Best Event Management Company 2009

9, Rue 1900 · L-2157 Luxembourg/Grand Duché de Luxembourg · Tel. +352 26 33 26 96 · info@luxembourgandmore.com · www.luxembourgandmore.com

Légère Premium Hotel Luxembourg Would you like to discover…

5 modern multipurpose meeting rooms up to 250 persons 156 light-flooded design studios and suites the elaborate restaurant CUBE the cosy lounge & bar CUBE a Well-Fit area (2 saunas, steam bath, fitness, relaxation) … and a lot more?

We invite you to experience a modern idea of hospitality!

Book your next event at the Légère Premium Hotel and enjoy: · · · · ·

free WIFI free minibar with softdrinks free Well-Fit access free airport shuttle and receive 10% reduction on our meeting packages

Booking code: MIM, valid until the 28/02/11

Légère Premium Hotel Luxembourg 11, Parc d’Activité Syrdall L-5365 Munsbach Tel. +352 49 00 06 -1 Fax +352 49 06 80 reservations.luxembourg@legerehotels.com

destinations > Luxembourg

Luxembourg ...where meetings flourish Its central location in Europe, its banking industry and the European institutions all contribute to the fact that Luxembourg is one of the most dynamic meeting destinations in Europe, for example hotels are constantly being newly built or renovated. Here are just some of the newest changes.

On July 1, the Suitehotel brand was relaunched with a new name and with a new hotel: Suite Novotel Luxembourg.

It is a 4 star hotel located on the Kirchberg plateau, close to the institutions of the European Union. Suite Novotel nurtures an off-beat spirit that invites its clientele of medium-stay travellers to enjoy a different way of hotel living. It features 260 spacious rooms, renovated in 2009, a bar and restaurant, as well as 10 rooms for meetings and seminars (max. capacity 300).

At 30 km from Luxembourg City, the Château de Schengen, famous for the signing of the European agreements of the same name, offers both sophistication and a connection with history. This Renaissance building with Baroque gardens, has over 30 charming rooms – many with a terrace – and a restaurant dedicated to local flavours. It’s an ideal place in the Grand Duchy to host receptions and corporate events, conferences, trainings and family celebrations.

Hotel Le Place d'Armes is a 5* conference hotel in the very centre of the city.

Commemorative monument for the Schengen Agreement

In the former vaulted cellars with genuine stone and rock blocks, five exquisite rooms create an unforgettable atmosphere for meetings and banquets. This is augmented by a gourmet restaurant and a brasserie restaurant, a wine and a lobby bar and beauty centre, making it a nice place for meetcentives.

Smack in the middle of a green setting of the city of Esch-sur-Alzette, south of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, a new 4 stars charm hotel welcomes you: The Seven Hotel Esch-sur-Alzette. The hotel fits in perfectly in the natural surroundings and has been designed with charm and luxury. Its location makes it perfect for green incentives, but is not too far away from Luxembourg City.

A small country with many possibilities

Contact Luxembourg National Tourist Office (Belgium) T +32 2 646 03 70 F +32 2 648 61 00 info@visitluxembourg.be www.visitluxembourg.be

The new lifestyle Légère Premium Hotel in Luxembourg provides 156 light-flooded studios and suites of elegant luxury, and enjoyable ambiance. Conveniently situated near the EU institutions, the financial centre, the fairgrounds of Kirchberg and the airport. 5 multi-purpose function rooms provide you with a creativity-inspiring environment.

Luxembourg Congrès T +352 4302 577 51 F +352 4302 575 75 info@luxcongress.lu www.luxcongress.lu Luxembourg Convention Bureau T +352 22 75 65 F +352 46 70 73 Convention.bureau@lcto.lu www.lcb.lu

MIM 55

INCENTIVES IN LUXEMBOURG

YOUR INCENTIVE & CONGRESS PARTNER R IN LUXEMBOURG Tel.: +352 459945-201

incentives @ meetincs.lu

www.meetincs.lu

YOUR EVENT BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

-%%4).'æsæ3%-).!2æsæ#/.&%2%.#%æsæ02/$5#4æ,!5.#(æsæ4%!-æ"5),$).'æsæ ).#%.4)6%æsæ02/&%33)/.!,æ æ#5,452!,æ æ3#)%.4)&)#æ%6%.4æsæ#/#+4!),æsæ '!,!æsæ$)..%2æsæ50ææ4/æ æ0%/0,% -!*/2æ,!.$-!2+æ/&æ"2533%,3æsæ5.)15%æ"5),$).'æ!.$æ!4-/30(%2%æsæ -!')#!,æ&,//$,)'(4æ!4æ.)'(4 &!#),)4)%3æ æ #!4%2).'æsæ).4%2.%4æsæ!5$)/æ æ6)$%/æsæ(/34%33æsæ%!39æ!##%33æsæ (/4%,3æ02/8)-)49 ATOMIUM > Square de l’Atomium B-1020 BRUSSELS station Heysel (line 6) > www.atomium.be

> INFO & BOOKING : Sandra Libens sæ æ æ æ æ æ sæSANDRA LIBENS ATOMIUM BEæ sæWWW ATOMIUM BE MICE

destinations > Slovenia

Slovenia novel and diverse Many would ask themselves ‘Why Slovenia for an incentive?’. And the answer is very simple. It has all the ingredients for a successful and unforgettable experience: Mediterranean and Alpine regions, historic cities and spa resorts. Wherever you go you will be part of the authentic Slovenian hospitality. And this easily accessible from most anywhere in Europe.

Slovenia is the only country in the world that carries ‘love’ in its name. The Government of Slovenia has recognized this and so the country’s logo is ‘I feel Slovenia’ on a green background. The green color has an important role. The logo ‘I feel Slovenia’ is successfully used in tourism promotion, but also in other industries.

Novelty is definitely one of the attributes of Slovenia as an incentive destination. For European meetings and incentive organizers the offer on countries, regions and cities has exploded in the last decade and it is not easy to keep the track of what’s going on. Besides, smaller countries, such as Slovenia and many others, can simply not afford huge investments in visual marketing – something that established meeting destinations are doing constantly.

Slovenia is situated in Central Europe – bordering Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia and is known as Europe's Hidden Gem. Bearing in mind that Slovenia is only 20.000km² large, you will find there are three climate regions (Mediterranean,

MIM 58

Alpine and continental) in addition to three wine regions offering surprisingly fantastic wines. The international airport is strategically located almost near the centre of the country, with easy and quick connections to all parts of the country.

'I Feel SLOVEnia' Slovenia, due to its diversity and unspoiled nature, is a paradise for incentives and and teambuilding activities. Summer or winter, there are plenty of possibilities how to make your experience authentic and memorable. The Alps, Adriatic sea, forests, rivers, lakes, underground caves, even the sky are excellent polygons.

The culinary art of Slovenia is manifold and full of surprises. It enjoys all the attributes of the Central European area mixed with the Mediterranean, the culinary heritage of the neighbouring countries

Your professional contacts for incentives and teambuildings DMC's Intours DMC, www.intours-mice.si Kompas DMC, www.kompas-online.net Liberty Incentives & Congresses Slovenia, www.liberty-international.org/slovenia M-Tours Bled, www.mtours.net Teambuilding agencies Koren Sports, www.humanfish.com Lifetrek Events, www.liftrek.si Maya Team, www.events-teambuilding.com Teambuilding agency, www.tba.si

(Italy, Austria, Hungary) and its own regional peculiarities.

Experienced, professional and innovative incentive and teambuilding providers will make your Slovenian experience memorable and we will not be surprised if you or your delegates will want to come back.

Contact Slovenian Convention Bureau T +386 1 569 12 60 info@slovenia-convention.com www.slovenia-convention.com

Are you attending an event?

Think AIR FRANCE and KLM.

- A simple and economical solution to help you get to your international event for which AIR FRANCE and KLM are official carriers.

- Benefit from further discount on your plane tickets.

- Earn miles and benefit from the Flying Blue loyalty programme.

For further information and bookings, visit www.airfranceklm-globalmeetings.com, or your travel agency.