Mice in Spain - Third quarter '08 by Synergias de Prensa, S.L.

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MICE in SPAIN

C O N V E N T I O N A N D T R A D E S H O W S PA I N ®

#4 THIRD QUARTER ‘08

COVER

WHY IN

OLOT?

This city, capital of Garrotxa Catalan region, is full of singularities and natural attractions, being the only Spanish town with volcanoes in its urban nucleus.

CONVENTION CENTRES

DESTINATIONS

EVENTS IN SPAIN

CENTRE DE CONVENCIONS INTERNACIONAL OF BARCELONA (CCIB) means a success guarantee. Not in vain this ample and modern set is considered and renowned as one of the best in the world in its category.

THE BASQUE COUNTRY is without doubt one of the Iberian Peninsula territories that offers the greatest diversity. Its special attractions and idiosyncrasy and customs of its people constitute in itself an incentive for the Meeting Industry.

In the summer and the previous months Spain becomes an authentic concert. Music and the numerous festivals invade almost the totality of the cities offering another incentive to make them coincide with business events.

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EDITOR’S LETTER To duly inform about the infrastructures of the Spanish Meeting Industry was one of the prime objectives which our issue set since it appeared in the international market. On these first meetings with you we believe we have achieved this commitment and we intend to carry on with this same outline. However, MICE in SPAIN and all its human team were also committed to contribute with a series of unpublished proposals, not very much known and as original as possible whose added values contribute in the customer’s decision of choosing Spain as the destination for their next event or business compromise. This is our reason for being, our expertise in the Spanish tourist market. To show what we say, for the current issue a summary has been elaborated specially thought out to surprise with very concrete articles such as the illustrated report about Olot, a Catalan region in the north of Spain, which for its privileged natural and geographical environment, apart from having singular settings for meetings, it is sure it will be a genuinely new experience. In terms of destinations, the story about the Basque Country, a singular and hospitable land where the variety of cultural, gastronomic and custom attraction means an accurate choice which will not leave any fine scenario spotting professional feeling indifferent. On the other hand, the numerous concerts and musical festivals in Spain, especially in the summer months, constitute a good recreational supply to use as a perfect complement to a meeting if you can make it coincide on the same days. The contents are completed with two hotel establishments, an enchanting monumental city as Toledo, a world first line Convention Centre: CCIB of Barcelona, as well as the other usual sections. We hope you find these proposals about such a diverse and exciting country as Spain of your interest. Have a good summer. JOSÉ ALARCÓN

Honorific Editor: Juan Robles • Assessor on Contents: Pau Morata • Director: José Alarcón • Adversiting: Antonio Melchor, Tere Serra • Art Director: Sofía Alonso • General Coordination: Vanessa Jordá • Administration: Manuela Fuster • Editorial Council: José Alarcón, Sofía Alonso, Francisco de A. Carrió, Pere Camprobí, Estrella Díaz, Alberto Díez, Juan M. Hernández Puértolas, Fernando Martorell, Joan Molas, Pau Morata, Fermín Pérez, Joaquim Sagués, Ramzi Shuaibi, Santiago Soteras, André Vietor, Antonio Wangüemert. • Writers: Marta Martínez, Pau Morata, Victor Puig Vilarrubís, Francisco Rivero. • Edition: Synergias de Prensa, S.L. C/ F. Pérez i Cabrero, 11-B, entlo. 8ª. E-08021 Barcelona. Tel.: +34 93 241 73 12. revista@miceinspain.es Editorial Production: Publications & Meetings Industry, S.L. MICEinSPAIN® #4. Barcelona. Spain. 2008 • Depósito Legal: B-47.057-2007

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SUMMARY News

Cover Olot: meetings amongst volcanoes

Destinations Basque Country; varied MICE destinations amongst valleys, mountains and the sea

Coventions Centre CCIB, passion and vocation for congresses

Cities Toledo, luxury of Spain

Incentives Treasures hunting in the XXIst century

Special Venues Meetings that leave a good taste in your mouth

Hotels AB Skipper Hotel, quality MICE in Barcelona

Sun and spaces for meetings at Palmera Prestige Plaza Hotel

Incoming ITB, experts in organising events

Events in Sapin In summer… Let the music play!

Co. Events

Useful guide

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News

ELCHE HOLDS THE XXXVth PUBLIC PARK AND GARDENS NATIONAL CONGRESS

SEVILLE HELD THE SPANISH GOLF OPEN 2008

he second city of the Autonomous Region of Valencia with more green areas after Valencia held between May 28th and 30th the thirty-fifth edition of the Public Park and Gardens National Congress. The Congress congregated more than 400 garden professionals in Elche, where several conferences were held on the protection of public gardens and its problems. “Our main objective with this congress is to work so that the cities become more usable and open spaces and green areas improve to increase the quality of life of the citizens”, said Pedro Cifuentes, vice-president of the congress. Taking into account the congress slogan “The

CCIB CONSOLIDATES AS A REFERENT IN THE ORGANIZATION OF EVENTS IN THE MEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTIC AL SECTORS

MULTIPRODUCTO PRESENTED ITS NOVELTIES AT ALIMENTARIA

Mediterranean garden’s singularity”, the Spanish association of Public parks and gardens decided that Elche was the ideal place to hold this professional meeting. The capital of Alicante has the greatest Palmeral in Europe. It has been avowed World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000, as well as other natural spaces as Parque Natural del Hondo y el Clot de Galvany.

From 1st to 4th May at the Real Club de Golf in Seville the Golf Open of Spain 2008 with the support of the Tourist board of Seville was celebrated. The tournament had 150 players and some of the main world golf figures like the Scotsman Colin Montgomerie, the North American John Daly, or the Spanish Miguel Angel Jiménez. The competition was a great opportunity to promote the city of Seville as it had 400 million viewers in the world which helped the city to consolidate as a European tourist destination for those who find this sport an incentive when choosing a journey. It is not the first time that Seville holds a competition of the type as in 2004 it was the set for the World Golf which meant an important boost for the city in the organisation of sport events on a world bases.

entre de Convencions Internacional of Barcelona held three important medical events last month of April. More than 10,000 specialists from the entire world attended the meetings. April 19th to the 22nd the Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Illnesses European Congress was held with more than 8,000 specialists. A few days later, the 25th and 26th the meeting of the European Society of Endocrine Surgery was held, where more than 300 professionals attended. At the beginning of April more than 1,300 delegates were present at the World Meeting on Pharmacy, Biopharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. The celebration of the three medical meetings meant for the city of Barcelona an economic impact of 12 million euros in accommodation and catering expenses. Also in May, CCIB held a new edition of the European Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery to which more than 12,000 delegates attended. Centre de Convencions Internacional of Barcelona is one of the biggest convention centres in Europe which can hold events for up to

15,000 delegates, CCIB has been the venue for 320 corporative events and the most relevant European and world congresses in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. It was recently awarded with the silver prize for the best international convention centre at the M&IT Awards 2008 adding to the bronze obtained last year for the same category.

he fair Alimentaria dedicated to food in general, Multiproducto, had the presence of more than 520 companies which exhibited their most innovative products at pavilion number 8 (Gran Vía in Barcelona). In the 10,000 m2 of the pavilion all types of food were presented, from pasta, sauces, spices, rices and even frozen pastry. The protagonists were without doubt the refrigerated dishes (frozen, sterilised and dehydrated) directed to the final consumer. Multiproducto had the participation of countries like China, France, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Thailand or Dominican Republic, amongst others. The need to find new formats to achieve more consumers was reflected in the growing investment on I+D+i.

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HOTUSA GROUP PRESENTS STYLE TRENDY AND ELEGANT HOTELS

he Spanish hotel group Hotusa has recently presented Style Trendy & Elegant Hotels, a new brand specialised in presentations of emblematic and exclusive establishments in international terms which adapt to the lifestyle of the modern tourist. With the slogan “Hotels to celebrate Life”, Style T&E Hotels is born with a portfolio of 47 establishments in Spain, France, Portugal, Czech Republic, Belgium, USA, Argentina and Mexico. On a solid distribution and commercialization base which is guaranteed by the fact of being part of Hotusa, the first European hotel representative, Style T&E Hotels has planned to reach the figure of 200 hotels, 200,000 bookings and an invoicing of 40 million euros at the end of 2009. This group appears with the strategy of Hotusa Group of going one step beyond on their contribution to the value of their associated hotels through innovating promotion and commercialization tools which will allow differential values of each hotel in the market.

etween the 22nd and the 24th of August, the city of Valencia will hold the second urban circuit of Formula 1 championship and all the facilities are ready for such a huge event, which will be followed by 500 million viewers in the world. The urban circuit of almost 5,500 metres in length has already been paved with asphalt for the occasion. It goes along Grao Area, surrounding the inner dock of the port and along the streets of the future neighbourhood which is being built between the railway, the port and the old bed of the river Turia. Although it is a urban circuit, the maximum security and assistance are secured. The width of the circuit is at least 14 metres including the two sides of asphalt agglomerate, identical to that one for the circuit,

EVERYTHING READY FOR THE F1 GRAND PRIX IN VALENCIA

T BADALONA CONVENTION CENTRE UPDATE

of a metre wide on each side. The asphalt used has been laid in layers of modified bitumen resistant to horizontal weights which are characteristic of competition circuits.

he Convention Centre of Badalona- BCIN, located very near the city of Barcelona, has carried out several maintenance and updating of its facilities beginning with the installation of Wi-Fi for internet connection, inside and outside the building. This is a free of charge service for the attendees to the ceremonies in the centre. Also, all the audiovisual equipment has been renovated. Now, all the meeting halls have computerised image and sound projectors of 3,500 lumens installed in the ceiling and an automatic screen. With this system we can offer a greater quality in image and sound, and greater comfort for the attendees, mainly at ceremonies where the panelled spaces are used as all the audio and video combinations are possible in the halls. Outside the building a big gardened area has been opened with local flora, to fulfil the commitment with the environment, as these types of plants do not need extra water, combined with soils of various kinds which contribute a Mediterranean colour giving the space a natural harmony. The Convention Centre of Badalona- BCIN, was opened in May 1995 and since 2003 has been applying a quality system of environmental management, so that all the activities of the centre observe the quality and respect to the environment parameters of the rules ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and the regulations EMAS, becoming in this way the first Convention Centre of Catalonia that had bet on the continuous improvement of its behaviour within these guidelines.

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News

AC HOTELS PROPOSALS FOR SEVERAL TRIPS IN SPAIN AND EUROPE

C Hotels has made public a series of tourist packages at the hotels which are associated to the chain with different cultural and leisure proposals. One of these proposals goes to the city of Madrid, where AC Hotels offers the discovery of the capital from a cultural perspective. The hotel chain offers its guests at the AC Santo Mauro located in the city centre the Madrid Card, which includes a visit to the three most important museums in the capital: Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía as well as enjoying the guided visits to the most emblematic places in the city. All with the offer for two people accommodation with breakfast included. In Italy AC Hotels has also created a series of tourist packages which allow visits to the most important architectural and artistic sights of the main cities of the country in coordination with the different hotels that AC Hotels has in Italy. All has been thought out so that the 115 hotels that the chain has in Spain, Italy and Portugal can offer their clients attractive tourist proposals which unite comfort at the hotels with visit to the city.

PALEXCO AND HOSPECO AGREE TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP THE MEETING TOURISM

NCL PRESENTS ITS NEW CRUISE SHIP WITH DEPARTURES FROM BARCELONA

n the last 18th of May, the north American company NCL cruises presented its new ship Norwegian Gem and the new Western Mediterranean sea line with departures from Barcelona port. The shipping company’s “Freestyle Cruising” implies freedom for eating at any time of the day and dressing. The Norwegian Gem, which takes seven night routes in western Mediterranean between the months of May and November 2008, has a capacity for 2,400 passengers and has luxury facilities amongst which there is a concert hall, a spa centre, a theatre, a climbing wall, a casino and several restaurants in different styles. Spain is a strategic market for NCL Company as the growth in 2007 was of 65% contrasting with the European average of 40%. In 2008 the cruise ship American company will add a total of 72 departures in Europe, with three main ships: Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Jade.

THE PALAU DE LA MÚSICA, CANDIDATE FOR PRÍNCIPE DE ASTURIAS ART AWARDS

lthough it was the Juvenile and Infant Orchestra of Venezuela who won the award on the last 21st of May, Palau de la Música Catalana was one of the candidates to the prestigious Príncipe de Asturias of Arts Award this year. Supporting this candidate there were hundreds of popular signatures from all over the world, as well as more than 500 personalities and institutions, as an example, Montserrat Caballé and Josep Carreras or the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York. The emblematic building of the Catalan modernism, unfortunately, was not able to obtain the award in the celebration of its 100th anniversary this year. With 400 yearly concerts and more than 400,000 of audience, adding another 225,000 visitors to its facilities, the Palau continues to be a reference centre of the international circuit of auditoriums.

Coruña Congress and Exhibition Centre (PALEXCO) reached an agreement with the Asociación Empresarial de Hospedaje A Coruña (HOSPECO) to promote and develop professional meeting tourism in the city. To do so, the two entities will carry out a series of cooperating measures like the joint participation in publicity campaigns or the celebration of conferences and seminars. Also, the two entities have agreed to develop joint promotions which will allow HOSPECO to offer accommodation promotions to PALEXCO customers as well as other initiatives intended for the commercial promotion of both entities. The collaboration agreement was signed the last 3rd of April between Enrique Pena, director of A Coruña Congress and Exhibition Centre, and Francisco Canabal, president of Asociación de Hospedaje A Coruña On the other hand, PALEXCO is facing 2008 with very good perspectives as the estimate number

of events compared to the previous year will increase again and the activity of the centre will have an economic impact of about 15 million euros for the city. Amongst the scheduled this year there is the Socidrogalcohos Congress which is of special interest to tackle the social aspects to drug consumption; International Congress of Occupational Safety which is of world character and which anticipates the assistance of 2,000 people.

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MELIÁ MAR HOTEL REOPENNING IN PALMA DE MALLORCA

n May 1st the hotel company reopened Meliá Mar after having had a complete refurbishing of its facilities improving and updating the rooms and allowing its 144 rooms to have a view to the Mediterranean sea. Amongst the novelties of Meliá Mar there is the Yhi Spa, which permits its clients to revitalise body and mind through body treatments. Also, it incorporates a refurbished restaurant with new cuisine concepts of the best Mediterranean cuisine and international dishes fusion. In this new period the hotel has decided to bet on art and its corridors have become authentic art exhibition halls of the most avantgarde art with cylindrical lampas with pictures of diverse European artists. Built in 1964 by the architect José María Coderch, the hotel has always been considered one of the best examples of modern architecture in the Balearic Islands.

KIRUNNA TRAVEL ESPECIALISES IN CUSTOMISED JOURNEYS

he tourist group Orizonia Corporation has just launched Kirunna Travel, a tour operator for long distance customised journeys. Kirunna Travel offers exotic destinations and unprecedented itineraries around the world offering journeys made for each customer. This season program is centred in destinations to America, Australia and Africa and the Indic Islands with an ample selection of hotels and circuits for the customers to choose the most suitable for them. Also, the company offers group and incentive journeys around the world with the most adequate places and hotels for each company. Kirunna Travel’s prevision is to reach an annual invoicing of 90 million euros in 2010 reaching 30,000 passengers in the next three years

D VICTORIA PRESTIGE HOTEL OFFERS DISCOVERING COSTA BRAVA IN THE SUMMER

MALAGA FAIR AND CONGRESS CENTRE HELD THE EPC TECHNOLOGY FORUM

alaga Fair and Congress Centre held on April 3rd the EPC Technology Forum where 200 identifying radiofrequency technology world professionals discussed the latest innovations in the sector. The EPC/RFID is an identifying radiofrequency which is called to revolutionize the logistic processes of companies and it is considered to be the generational shift from the traditional barcode. With this technology, all types of articles can be identified through radiofrequency chips that can be distance read. During the forum the attendees were able to have first hand knowledge of company projects such as Leche Pascual or Correos, which already have EPC/RFID implementation initiatives. Coinciding with this initiative, Málaga held an annual meeting on the 1st and 2nd of April, of the Auto-ID Labs, a meeting which was leadered by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) where university representatives of six renown universities of international prestige, Cambridge, Adelaida and Tokio, which are the highest authorities in the research of this technology, talked about the latest advancements in the sector.

iscovering mountains in Garrotxa area on a hot air balloon or a route on a sailing boat in Costa Brava are two of the proposals presented by Victoria Prestige Hotels in Roses for the summer months. The trip around Garrotxa is an hour and a half long, through mountain areas of the region to discover at bird’s eye view the best spots of the area. And for sea lovers, the hotel offers a maritime trip from Santa Margarita dock (Roses) located opposite the hotel discovering the most charming spots in the Catalan coast like Cap de Creus of the Medes Islands enjoying the transparent waters of the islands. Another innovating proposal of Roses Victoria Prestige Hotel at the customer’s disposal is the personal assistance to organise and plan leisure activities for those who want. With this service called Ask Me, the customers can do flight checkin or even book for the best restaurants in the area. The hotel supply of the Prestige hotels in Roses is not only centred at Victoria Prestige Hotel but also the chain offers here in Costa Brava, another four hotels: Goya Park, Coral Platja, Mar y Sol and Sant Marc. They are all at excellent locations on the beachfront or a few minutes away from the centre of Roses.

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MEETINGS AMONGST VOLCANOES Olot is the only Spanish city with volcanoes in its city centre and this makes it a very special place. Using this circumstance and the supply for MICE activities that the city and the region of Garrotxa have, the city council of Olot has started a project: ‘Olot, meetings amongst volcanoes’. Behind this name there are forty companies of Garrotxa dedicated to incentive and meeting tourism. By VICTOR PUIG photos V.P.

OLOT

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he city of Olot is the capital of the region of Garrotxa and it is located in the north of Catalonia. It is an easy city to access by car as it is only an hour and a half away from Barcelona and by plane it is only thirty minutes away by car from the airport of Girona where low cost companies such as Ryanair, Spanair or Transavia offer daily flights to 50 different destinations in Europe.

Unique spaces in the centre of Olot Organising an event, congress or meeting in a space that does not contribute with anything different means missing the possibility of that special touch to the celebration. In Olot they have specialised in unique spaces as the whole city is full of them. This city, cradle of the so-called Olot Shool of the late XIXth century and of landscape artists such as Joaquim Vayreda, has always been outstanding for its artistic tradition which goes together with the magnificent natural environment that surrounds it. Today young artists have at The Art School of Olot an ideal place to start the art of painting. It is precisely in this building which was a convent that now shelters the school where the Carmen cloister is. Of renaissance origin an with a surface of 785 m2 divided between the ground floor and a first floor that allow meetings of up to 250 people to celebrate evening meals with the stars as ceiling. Following this same line and only a few minutes away on foot from the Carmen Cloister, the neoclassical building from the late XVIIIth century can be found. It is called Pati de L´Hospici and it is a spectacular, sober and elegant cloister with three floors where conferences and welcome cocktail parties are often held as well as lunches or suppers for more than 200 people. Another space that without doubt deserves the adjective of unique is Can Trincheria. It is an old house of the XVIIIth century which has preserved the atmosphere of the epoch with furniture and paintings that remind of a pedigree family’s past. The noble part of the building has a space for about 50 people where it is possible to hold conference or meetings surrounded by pictures and the 300 year old decoration. Can Trincheria is now also the headquarters of the Institute of Culture of the city of Olot.

From Rural Country Hotels to futuristic proposals Olot is a city that does not have great hotels to accommodate large numbers of guests but it can offer small hotel establishments full of

charm. This is the case of Can Blanc hotel, only five minutes away from the city in a quiet setting which does not seem to be as near to the city as it really is. This small and pleasant three star hotel establishment has only 12 rooms, some of which are individual apartments which allow living in the hotel with the commodity and the freedom of a house of your own. Also, the hotel includes an adaptable room for company meetings and recreational spaces like an ample garden area and a private swimming pool. All of this you can enjoy in a place where you are able to listen to the sound of the nearby Fluvià river and through the window you see the forests that surround it. In the middle of the region of Garrotxa, twenty minutes away from Olot, there is a XVIIth century country state framed in the middle of the mountain range and with great activity to celebrate company events. Mas Salvanera includes 12 rooms and a great nature spot where car presentations or even conferences and all types of activities in contact with nature have taken place. Together with the catering service Sublim, at Mas Salvanera they specialise in customizing any event. Another reference hotel in the city is the four star Riu Olot hotel with 24 rooms with privileged views to the forests of the area. In the same hotel there are various meeting halls to celebrate company meetings.

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Vol de Colons is a company that does daily trips in hot air balloons of an hour long reaching 2,000 m in height Garrotxa, synonymous of food and quality service One of the special features of Garrotxa region is the gastronomy, rich in tastes and tinges, which constitutes a quality referent. From this Catalonian area products like truffle, cold cuts, beans, alforjón, the drink ratafia or the chocolate. It is difficult to pass by Garrotxa and not be tempted by these delicious products. Together with the gastronomy full of possibilities the region offers some great quality restaurants like the renown restaurant of Les Cols located a few minutes away from Olot. It obtained a Michelin Star and it has become one of the restaurant establishments of reference in the area. Les Cols is not only outstanding for the care in the dishes, always made of natural products and its caring service but also for the surrounding decoration. Les Cols was built by the well known RCR architect team which has also created the Pabellones Les Cols shaping a series of minimalist rooms which in 2006 were awarded with a FAD (more information in the Special Venues section). Another restaurant which is perfect to hold company celebrations is Font Moixina in Olot with ample halls and big outdoor spaces with capacity for up to 200 people. Its volcanic cooking is made with seasonal products thought out as quality and tradition. Very near Olot, at Vall d’en Bas and at Besalú there are two restaurants equipped to hold company meetings. At Vall dèn Bas the restaurant Can Morera does not leave an indifferent feeling to those who visit as you

Speaking to...

Ariadna Villegas, Head manager of the Promotion Municipal Institute of Olot

MICE in SPAIN.- What are the incentives that Olot offers to meeting tourism? Ariadana Villegas.- We offer a very singular destination which allows the organization of congresses meetings or company events in a natural environment with the unique feature of the surrounding volcanoes. The name ‘Meetings amongst volcanoes’ perfectly defines it. We offer also an inland destination of rural environment adding quiet surroundings to the meetings. M.I.C.E.-Which are the targets of a destination like Olot within the MICE world ? A.V.- Our target is to receive those initiatives with meetings of less than 150 people as we are limited by the hotel capacity of the city. Also we do not have any congress centre here, but on the other hand there is no real need of one because what we want to do is use the unique

spaces we have in Olot and where meetings and congresses can be held.

achieving a joined initiative from the public and private sectors.

M.I.C.E.-Which are the growth expectations of this initiative? A.V.- We have started the commercialisation of the product this year and so far the reception has been very good. We have visited companies and event organisers and we have already had workshops for the agents related to the meeting tourism to get to know our product.

M.I.C.E.-Which has been the role of Olot council in this project? A.V.- We have been the catalysers. We have put in practice an idea which was already there but putting it in order and with a clear development plan. We have presented it to the private sector first generating their commitment.

M.I.C.E.- ‘Meetings amongst volcanoes’ is an iniciative which is very different from other proposals. Do you consider yourselves to be pioneers? A.V.- In Catalonia we have been the first in small inland meeting tourism. So far, there is no other city in Spain developing how we are doing

M.I.C.E.-How many companies have joined’meetings amongst volcanoes’? A.V.- We started with 36 companies and now we can talk of 46 and the figure is growing. It is companies ranging from facilities managers, hotels, catering services, and tourist activity companies or companies offering event organisation.

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Can Trincheria is an old house of the XVIIIth century which has preserved the atmosphere of the epoch with furniture and paintings that remind of a pedigree family’s past

will find hospitality with a cuisine filled with surprises. Also at Can Morera, you can celebrate meetings in its private halls. At Besalú with the view of the famous bridge you find Cúria Reial a restaurant with a capacity for x people and a cuisine that uses natural and market products.

Birds-eye view incentives The city of Olot can also offer incentives which are the ideal complement for a company meeting. One of the most celebrated activities is the hot air balloon journey, which allows a very different perspec-

tive of the region. Vol de Colons is a company that does daily trips in hot air balloons of an hour long reaching 2,000 m in height flying over the volcanoes and even above the clouds in a stable surface that does not make you feel scared. A cool fact is that during the journey, over the spectacular view, the adventure is celebrated with a glass of cava and the typical cake coca. For those who wish to relax, the city of Olot has various spa centres in the city centre and one of the most outstanding is Wellness D&P. Here you will find a great variety of massage and hydrotherapy options, being massaged by one of the professionals is all enjoyment. The centre is equipped with a gym for those who want to burn out calories. Motor lovers will see Olot as a region of great possibilities as there are, for example, at Els Hostelets d’en Bas. The Quads d’en Bas company offers quad and biking routes to discover the nature sites in the area, always respecting it. Also at Santa Pau, Rutas 4X4 offers discovering the region in a 4x4 vehicle.

USEFUL ADDRESSES SPACES: PATI DE L’HOSPICI 8 Hospici, 17800 Olot. Tel. 34 972 260 141 Web: www.olot.cat/turisme Mail: turisme@olot.cat

CLAUSTRE DEL CARME Plaça del Carme,17800 Olot Tel. 34 972 260 141 Web: www.olot.cat/turisme Mail: turisme@olot.cat

HOTEL RURAL CAN BLANC

CÚRIA REIAL

Paratges de la Deu s/n. 17800 Olot Tel. 34 972 276 020 Web: www.canblanc.es Mail: email@canblanc.es

14 Pl. de la Llibertat, 17850 Besalu Tel. 34 972 590 263 Web: www.curiareaial.com Mail: curia_reial@teleline.es

MAS SALVANERA

INCENTIVES

17850 Beuda ( Girona). Tel. 34 972 59 09 75 Web: www.salvanera.com Mail: salvanera@salvanera.com

VOL DE COLOMS

GASTRONOMY

CAN TRINCHERIA

LES COLS

29 Sant Esteve. Tel. 34 972 260 141 Web: www.olot.cat/turisme Mail: turisme@olot.cat

Mas Les Cols, Ctra. de la Canya s/n 17800 Olot. Tel. 34 972 269 209 Web: www.lescols.com Mail: lescols@lescols.com

HOTELS:

Ctra. del Croscat s/n, 17811 Santa Pau Tel. 34 972 680 255 Web. www.voldecoloms.cat Mail: info@voldecoloms.com

QUADS D’EN BAS 27 Teixeda, 17177 Els Hostelets d’En Bas Tel. 34 972 690 600 Web. www.quadsdenbas.com Mail: info@quadsdenbas.com

FONT MOIXINA HOTEL RIU OLOT Ctra. Santa Pau s/n, 17800 Olot Tel. 34 972 269 444 Web: www.riu.com Mail: hotel.olot@riu.com

Mas La Moixina, 17800 Olot Tel. 34 972 261 000 Web. www.fontmoixina.com

CAN MORERA 10 Ctra. Santa Coloma, 17178 La Vall d’en Bas Tel. 34 972 694 802 Web. www.can-morera.com Mail: canmorera@morera.net

RUTES 4X4 24 Major, 17811 Sant Pau Tel. 34 972 680 078 Web. www.garrotxa4x4.com Mail: rutes4x4@garrotxa.com

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Destinations

Basque Country VARIED MICE DESTINATIONS AMONGST VALLEYS, MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA By PAU MORATA photos PAU MORATA

In the north of the Iberian Peninsula, the Basque territory has singular appeals which make it a multidestination with varied and different destinations near to each other. These are ideal for incentive outdoor activities as well as for business, company or institutional meetings that can be set in one of the many congress centres, auditoriums, hotels and other spaces dedicated to such usual activities in the meeting sector.

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Destinations Basque Country

he Basque Country is a land of diversity: in population, in geography, in weather, in customs, in its own language and in its gastronomy. It is all an incentive to attract the foreign demand- as well as local- for the development of any event. On one side there is the sea, which sharply contrasts with the cliffs- sprinkled with fishing ports- and the open beaches which in summer fill with bathers and, at any other period of the year, with surfers, thanks to long and hanging waves coming from an inner sea which is sometimes rough to uncommon limits. On the other side- sprinkled with mountains, valleys and the so called the tier Meseta, a sudden inland cliff that instead of the sea it ends in the first valleys where the rivers and the tributaries flowing to the Cantabric Sea. The tier Meseta has been named like this by geographers; it is a place which deserves a visit just for this fact. There, the lands of the Basque country meet the northern part of Castile; the same far away lands that in the Middle Ages were the scenario for the character of the legend of Cid Campeador, whose battles and prosecutions after the Muslim dominators took place here… and also battles against the Castilian nobility. These mountains which define what Castile is- above- and what the Basque Country is –below- seem to challenge those who dare to face them. They are full of snow in the winter of fog and low clouds sometimes when the sun sets, or at night and in the morning in the middle of summer.

Exceptional nature and history This is the case of Orduña port (Urduña in Basque); it was the compulsory road for decades until the modern motorway permitted its avoidance and so it lost its strategic importance in communications which it had had until then. At the foot of the port, at the Castilian meseta, there is the city that names it, Orduña, a small town which was the only city in Vizcaya, and which lived splendorous moments in the period when the Aduana (customs) was set there and where the licence to pass the border with goods between Castile and the Basque country was here processed, thanks to the provincial law and tax system, different to the rest of Spain. The old building of Aduana, after a long historical period out of use, was recently refurbished into a spa-hotel, which has again placed this town in the map of spas. The town had in the good old times a famous spa of medicinal waters, which has been remembered in a nov-

The tier Meseta has been named like this by geographers; it is a place which deserves a visit just for this fact

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The old building of Aduana, after a long historical period out of use, was recently refurbished into a spa-hotel

SINGULAR FACTS THE GATEWAY TO THE DOMAIN For its geographical position as the first human nucleus in the Basque Country when you descend from Castile, Orduña was named, with accuracy, the gateway to the domain (of Vizcaya). This refers to the noble name that the territory of Vizcaya had at certain historical periods. And, as a consequence of the historical changes, one of the most outstanding singularities of the locality is that in terms of administration it belongs to the province of Vizcaya although it is isolated and far away from the rest of the localities of Vizcaya, as an island inside another province, which Álava is.

“FOSTERITOS”, AND “LA PALOMA” There is much sense of humour, not without sarcasm, amongst the inhabitants of the Basque Country, especially in the city of Bilbao. This is why, when the renovation of the infrastructures of the city were commissioned from internationally renowned architects, their works- singular, without doubt- did not escape the custom of putting names. The glass canopies at the entrance and exit of the public subway stations, which were requested to Norman Foster, were quickly re-named the “fosteritos” and the airport’s terminal, by Santiago Calatrava, is called “La Paloma”.

EL ATHLETIC, JUST BASQUE PLAYERS At this moment in this liberalised World– and the great business it has become- of football, when the main European clubs hardly have local players in their teams, the par excellence club in the Basque Country, Athletic, maintains the tradition of composing a team with players from the country… although in a non strict sense as there are also players who were born outside but have lived here since they were children or those coming from some neighbouring territory, as the case is of the ones from Navarra or Rioja. The football stadium is known as “the cathedral”, another example of the traditional naming of things.

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Destinations Basque Country

el. In Orduña valley the river Nervión appears, with waters fallingfrom the top of the meseta tier; a river that flows between mountains and hills to the river mouth of the sea which is Bilbao’s estuary. This valley flanked by Meseta tier possesses special conditions for hang-gliding and paragliding and many keen lovers of this sport come to enjoy one of the best destinations to remain in the air enjoying the view of mountains and valleys competing with birds of prey that live in the highest peaks.

53,000 square metres. Inside there is a theatre hall with 613 seats, five cabins for translation, 14 smaller halls, seven office rooms, exhibition hall of 2,000 square metres and 6000 square metres more for the lobby and foyers for different types of acts. It also has a high standing restaurant, of great capacity- 450 seats, and a catering service for more than a thousand table companions at a banquet and nearly 2,500 at a cocktail party.

Bilbao, the reinvented city

The bet for holding the headquarters of the Guggenheim museum it has given the city formidable interests

Leaving Orduña, located in the south of the Basque Country, moving to the north and to the sea through the valleys- full of factories and industrial workshops- which cross the river Nervión, you arrive in Bilbao. It is the most relevant city with different localities which form the Great Bilbao. The authorities knew how to replace in time the almost sudden loss of its economic power due to the iron and steel transformation industry, the mines, the blast furnaces, shipyards and transport shipping companies and restructure all this into a service city, where cultural and meeting tourism is today a high peak in terms of jobs and richness, contributing to the GDP. The bet for holding the headquarters of the Guggenheim museum- which at the time was not very well seen by many when it was presented as a project- it has given the city formidable interests, a world position and an incentive in attracting visitors. Nevertheless, not only the museum is one of the main focuses of attraction. Also the congress centre and Euskalduna auditorium, set on the grounds which were the shipyards of the same name. This meeting centre- whose equipment and infrastructure have nothing to envy the best ones in the World- has a heaving activity all year round, for domestic and international activities. The auditorium hall has a capacity for 2,164 sitting attendees, with 1770 square metres of surface, a small part of the whole surface of the complex which has

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Destinations Basque Country

Also the building of the new exhibition fairground, Bilbao Exhibition Centre, where outstanding exhibitions and monographic fairs are held all year, is in line with the economy and the city’s promotion for the business tourism. This fairground offers up to 150,000 square metres of exhibition surface distributed among six pavilions without columns and with a maximum height of 18 metres, with complementary facilities like Bizcaia Arena, a multidisciplinary space whose capacity allows 10,000 attendees as a theatre, 13,000 at the projection hall, 18,000 as a sport pavilion and up to 20,000 as a concert hall. The Convention centre BEC has 18,000 square metres. There are also 41,500 square metres of atrium and restaurants. Thanks to the development as a destination for visitors of the main segments of MICE, Bilbao has been crowding up with new hotels of high category, which are added to the historical ones that until a couple of decades ago had industry and finance business men as customers and today are booked up with congress, convention and fair attendees. If the possibilities for meeting and event tourists are many in the capital of Vizcaya in terms of on-going activities that bring them here, not less are the activities for leisure, outside meetings, thanks to the various existing attractions of the city. Apart from the compulsory Guggenheim Museum visit, there are other museums that are also worth visiting and “tapas” establishments where you can have a nice time, some of them are centenary establishments where you can feel a different atmosphere. There are also restaurant of all sorts of categories and prices which nevertheless share something in common: the excellent raw material with which the dishes on the menu are elaborated.

San Sebastián, the same old city From Bilbao, in an imagined or real journey to the east, you arrive in San Sebastián or Donosti. If Bilbao is the result of a reinvention, a restructuring that also other european cities once connected to industry and shipyards are facing nowadays, as the case of the Sweedish city of Malmö, San Sebastian has been and continues to be the same old city. A provincial capital with surrounding factories outside the city but whose majority of inhabitants are white collar workers. It is a bourgeois city that had epochs of splendour as a tourist desti-

San Sebastian has been and continues to be the same old city nation for bathing at the beginning of the XXth century where well off aristocratic families from Madrid came, eager to attend the same places that the Spanish royal family attended, who accommodated at the Miramar palace. Seaside hotels emerged near the beaches of La Concha, with the outstanding changes of the high and low tide. The ascent to Igueldo hill to look at the sea and the city is a visit which will not take long and provides exceptional panoramic views. In this capital city of Guipúzcoa there is the congress centre and au-

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EATING AND DRINKING FISH AND MEAT Although the Basque Country has some of the most internationally distinguished restaurants in the main gastronomic guides, one of the characteristics which outstands in this destination is that you can eat well or very well at any restaurant, rostisserie, sidrería or even at a tapas bar. Beef and ox in gigantic rations is the base in a lot of restaurants, so is fish: bonito, tuna, cod, and bream mainly, without forgetting about the worthy sardines, at the other end of the scale of buying power, there are the expensive young eels from Aguinaga. Apart from the land’s products, in the Basque Country you can eat well with products that come from other parts as the asparagus from Navarra, the Iberian ham from Huelva, Extremadura or Salamanca.

TXAKOLÍ WINE AND TXAKOLÍ VINEGAR Apart from the excellent red wines produced in Rioja Alavesa, the typical and traditional from the whole of the Basque country is the so called “txacolí”, a white wine which in the, fortunately overcome, past it was turbid and excessively sharp, but it is soft to the palate and of great transparency now. There is “txacolí” with guarantee of origin in each of the provincial territories: Guipúzcoa, Álava and Vizcaya It was in Vizcaya, more concretely in Orduña, where txacolí vinegar was born at the end of the last century promoted by two local entrepreneurs. A select vinegar especially adequate for a gastronomy based on fish dishes which has become so popular that it is exported in limited quantities to the other end of the world, where well known cooks use it for their most sophisticated dishes, as the great majority of famous Basque cooks do.

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Destinations Basque Country

ditorium Kursaal, which shares frequent concerts with congress and convention activities. In the city you can find the majority of the most well known Basque Country restaurants of high international cuisine where gourmands from all around the world come in pilgrimage to taste at its table for some hours. In the city’s nearbys there are points of interest for visits, like Chillida museum, where representative samples of sculptures and drawings of one of the most renown artists in Spain of the second half of the XXth century can be seen.

Vitoria, capitality drive Located inland, far away from the thermoregulator effect that the sea provides the other Basque capital cities, Vitoria is the capital of the autonomous region of Euskadi since 1980. The city owes a great part of its modern development to the political decision taken in consensus amongst the new political parties at the time to situate the administrative capital and the Basque parliament there when the current political Basque autonomy was created in the last quarter of the XXth century, thanks to the Spanish political change that took place in Spain. Founded by the king Sancho VI de Navarra at the end of the XIIth century, it holds the title of city since 1431, when it was granted by the king Juan II and it is the capital city of Álava, which together with Navarra preserved the tax and tributary privileges of the legendary “Fueros” during the dictatorship years of Franco. In the last thirty years Vitoria has gone through a spectacular urban development, in population growth and in urban quality thanks to a rational planning of this expansion. It is almost a “new” city created around the historical city centre of a small town which used to be a passing through city for many centuries, and still has preserved part of its walls and buildings in the city centre. Vitoria, this new capital city of the Basque Country, is service, leisure and business tourist oriented also. It has a great supply of spaces for meetings, amongst which are Palacio Villasuso and Palacio Europa, where all types of acts and activities are celebrated as product presentations, conventions and congresses as well as various

Located inland, far away from the thermoregulator effect that the sea provides the other Basque capital cities, Vitoria is the capital of the Euskadi since 1980

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incentives. Amongst its attractions Museo Vasco de Arte Contemporáneo ARTIUM and Heraclio Fournier card museum stand out. Vitoria and the rest of Álava have a very active promotion organismÁlava Incoming-, a good number of small companies dedicated to different activities of interest for MICE profile travellers and the wineries of Rioja Alavesa. Amongst these Marqués de Riscal is an outstanding five star hotel near the locality of Elciego and which holds the name of one of the most well known wine labels. It is an architectonic icon and a referent of modernity-although not the only one- of the new enologic hotel supply, which is satisfying the growing demand in the segment of incentive company journeys and of recreational complement at conventions and congresses.

CONTACTS & USEFUL DATA BILBAO TURISMO. OFICINA DE TURISMO Y CONVENTION BUREAU 11 Plaza Ensanche, E-48009 BILBAO Convention Bureau Tel.: (34) 944 795 771 Fax: (34) 944 795 761 bicb@bilbaoturismo.bilbao.net Oficina de Turismo Tel.: (34) 944 795 760 Fax: (34) 944 795 761 informacion@bilbaoturismo.bilbao.net

PALACIO DE CONGRESOS Y DE LA MÚSICA EUSKALDUNA 4 Avda. Abandoibarra, E-48011 Bilbao Tel.: (34) 944 035 000 Fax: (34) 944 035 001 info@euskalduna.net www.euskalduna.net

DONOSTIA/SAN SEBASTIÁN CONVENTION BUREAU 3 Reina Regente, E-20003 DONOSTIA/SAN SEBASTIÁN Tel.: (34) 943 481 166 Fax: (34) 943 481 172 bureau@donostia.org www.ssconvention.com

KURSAAL 1 Avenida de Zurriola, E-20002 DONOSTIA/SAN SEBASTIÁN Tel.: (34) 943 003 000 Fax: (34) 943 003 001 kursaal@kursaal.org www.kursaal.org

OFICINA DE TURISMO DE VITORIA/GASTEIZ 1 Plaza General Loma, Tel.: (34) 945 16 15 98 / 99 turismo@vitoria-gasteiz.org www.vitoria-gasteiz.org/turismo

BILBAO EXHIBITION CENTRE Tel.: (34) 944 285 400 Fax: (34) 944 424 222 bec@bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com www.bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com

OFICINA MUNICIPAL DE CONGRESOS 85 Avda. de Gasteiz, Tel.: (34) 945 161 520 http://www.vitoria-gasteiz.org/

ALAVA INCOMING Company Association for the Promotion of Congresses and Tourism in Álava Cámara Oficial de Comercio e Industria de Álava Building 38 Eduardo Dato, E-01005 VITORIA-GASTEIZ (Álava) Tel.: (34) 945 141 800 Fax: (34) 945 143 156 info@alavaincoming.com http://www.alavaincoming.com

OFICINA DE TURISMO DE URDUÑA/ORDUÑA 3 Foru Plaza, E-48460 URDUÑA/ORDUÑA Tel.: (34) 945 384 384 turismo@urduna.com www.aiaratur.org

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Conventions Centre

CCIB PASSION AND VOCATION FOR CONGRESSES Centre de Convencions of Barcelona does not even need a presentation letter. Its credentials speak for themselves: finalist to the best world convention centre awards by AIPC, silver award to the best international convention centre at the M&IT awards and the award to the best technologically equipped centre internationally speaking. These are not only words but facts: Barcelona holds one of the best convention centres in the world. By ANNA ORRIOLS photos courtesy of CCIB

he fifth preferred city in the World for the organization of Congresses according to the ICCA 2007 list needs a convention centre which is up to the same demands of quality and internationality. CCIB has become the icon of the most modern and open to the world face of the catalan city, which knows it is the business nucleus and meeting point chosen by high standing professionals coming from anywhere in the planet. The demands are many and high, but Centre de Convencions Internacional of Barcelona exceeds this in terms of equipment and its impeccable management. The awards that the fairground in Barcelona has held lately prove this and position it in the international meeting centres elite. 2007 was a great year for CCIB, which was awarded best technologically equipped centre in the world according to International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC). It is no wonder, as the centre has cutting edge technological equipment, on which it has invested 11 million euros during the last three years. This technological superiority provides the highest versatility to the spaces, making them ideal to celebrate from concerts of first rate artists (Portishead or Tom Waits have recently played in its auditorium) to multitudinous

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Conventions Centre

medical congresses as Euro PCR, the European Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery. The turnover was another good piece of news in the year 2007 as 34,5 million euros were collected. This meant a 44,3% growth with respect to the 23,9 million generated in 2006. CCIB held a total of 125 events, with 160,000 attendees. This enormous activity had an economic impact of 509 million euros in the city of Barcelona. The majority of the attendees since the centre opened in 2004 have been of international origin, adding the figure 60% of the total delegates which the centred registered.

Awards and only Awards The good patch continues in 2008 because the same prestigious Asociaci贸n Internacional de Palacios de Congresos (AIPC) has included

CCIB in the selected and reduced list of the nominated to Best Convention Centre in the World. At the beginning of the year, the centre also obtained the silver award to best international convention centre in the world at the Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards. The rocketing trend of CCIB, in terms of quality and number of events held, is therefore undeniable. The trajectory of the fairground in Barcelona has been admirable since the beginning. Opened in 2004 due to F贸rum de las Culturas, CCIB registers figures which are difficult to equal in record time: in only 4 years it has positioned itself amongst the best convention centres in the world, surpassing 160,000 delegates annually, and in the avant garde of technological equipment. And this is because the international centre in Barcelona is one of the biggest in Europe, with a capacity for 15,000 people in one space and with a total surface of more than 100,000 square metres.

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CCIB has become the icon of the most modern and open to the world face of Barcelona, which knows it is the business nucleus and meeting point chosen by high standing professionals coming from anywhere in the planet

INTERNATIONAL VOCATION The reason for the creation of CCIB was already predicting which the vocation and trajectory of this centre would be: Forum Internacional de las Culturas. This great event, celebrated during the summer of 2004 in the newly built area of Barcelona, wanted to promote dialogue, meetings and exchange amongst different cultures. So, CCIB’s vocation could not be other than international events and meetings. According to figures registered from the beginning, international events are 60% of the total of meetings celebrated at CCIB. Of these, 20% are world events and 40% European. Also it is not small meetings we are talking about, but great prestigious events that reunite thousands of delegates, like the European Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery (Euro PCR) which in the last month of May congregated 10,400 medical professionals from 80 different countries, or the award presentation of Laureus World Awards and the European Film Awards. CCIB’s ongoing international inclination is due in great part to its management, runed by GL Events. This prestigious French company manages, apart from the centre in Barcelona, other first rate 24 congress centres and fairground parks in the world like the London Battersea Park Events Arena, Congress Centre of Lyon, el Rio Convention Centre (Rio de Janeiro) or Parc des Expositions of Toulouse.

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Conventions Centre

The centre has cutting edge technological equipment, on which it has invested 11 million euros during the last three years

SPEAKING TO…

Félix Martínez Touriño CCIB’s general director

Félix Martínez Touriño was recently made general director of GL Events CCIB SL, the managing society of Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB), substituting in this way Jesús Alvarez Gallego who held the position since the centre opened in Barcelona. Martínez Touriño is Company and Tourist activities technician and MBA in company management by the Chamber of Commerce in Madrid; he has a wide professional trajectory centred in the hotel sector where he has had MICE responsibilities in establishments and companies like Disney, Barceló Hoteles or AC Hotels.

MICE in SPAIN.-What do you think is missing in this complex to increase its weight and prominence internationally? Félix Martínez Touriño.- CCIB is an international referent in the MICE sector. This is shown through the awards received recently and also through the trust that the main event organisers have shown to us, year after year our facilities have been celebrating world events of leading companies like Microsoft or HP and medical congresses like EuroPCR or GI Cancer. Also, we continue gaining new prestigious events like the Global Sports Forum 2009 or the Nature World Congress 2008. M.i.S.- Since the CCIB started to operate, four years ago, its growing invoicing has not stopped, what is your prediction of this progressive growth? How is it going to influence the forecast of the current economic situation? F.M.T.-Last year we experimented an invoicing growth of more than 50%, something which we know will be difficult to achieve this tax year. However, the figure for contracted events for the following tax years allow us to be optimistic when consolidating our growth, even though we are aware that the current economic situation is a menace which we really have to take into account.

M.i.S.- The great congresses and multitudinous meetings in Barcelona are not yet a synonym of CCIB, should it be this way now? F.M.T.- Let me disagree with that. Until it was built, the city did not have fairgrounds that could hold congress events of more than 15,000 people. With CCIB, the city has been able to attract great associative or corporative events which were unimaginable with full guarantee of success and a position amongst the best five destinations according to the ranking that ICCA elaborates. But Barcelona also has great spaces that attract other types of events, fairs for example, and with which we do not have any intention of competing. CCIB contributes value to the city to offer a joint supply for the organization of first rate events. For this reason we are collaborating with institutions such as Barcelona Convention Bureau. M.i.S.- Which are the guidelines of CCIB and its human team? F.M.T.- We are obsessed with constant improvement of quality service which we offer to our customers. Their satisfaction is the best success guarantee for our centre. M.i.S.- Enumerate four convincing reasons why great event should bet on CCIB supply. F.M.T.- I shall give you five: having one of the biggest functional fairground in the whole of Europe designed by prestigious architects; the modernity and functionality of our technologically advanced facilities; the high standards of expertise of our human team; an excellent hotel supply of almost 3,000 places surrounding the fairground; as well as services (restaurants, a shopping centre, metropolitan transport and direct connection to the airport through Ronda Litoral) and the fact that Barcelona is one of the privileged destinations, a few metres from the seaside with a view to the sea, which means an added value for event organisers.

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CCIB registers figures which are difficult to equal in record time: in only 4 years it has positioned itself amongst the best convention centres in the world, surpassing 160,000 delegates annually, and in the avant garde of technological equipments CCIB’s jewel

Sustainable Construction

The auditorium of Forum building is the jewel of the fairground. This triangular and unmistakable architectonic piece, by the Swiss Hezog&DeMeuron, is a triangular construction with 180 side metres and 25 metres in height which attracts all the gazes for its blue surface and the reflexes of the small crystal rivers going down its roof. Inside, the auditorium has 3,200 seats and the most advanced technologies, whose characteristics make it an ideal space for multitudinous events and conferences, but also for pleasant concerts of medium size due to its excellent sonority. The other main space at the CCIB is the Convention Centre, which centralises the multifunctional spaces and halls in a 67,000 square metre building designed by the Spanish architect José Luis Mateo. The immense space of contemporary design is divided in 45 halls, with dimensions from 35 to 2,500 square metres. To the multiple spaces of various sizes we have to add the 11,000 m2 of the enormous exhibition hall, an impressive covered area, clear without columns and full of sunlight. Both buildings, the Convention Centre and Forum Auditorium are joined together through a connecting underground avenue which maximises the interaction between meeting and conference spaces.

CCIB’s architecture has been thought out to maximise the natural conditions of the area and to be environmentally friendly. The glassed spaces permit the greatest intake of sunlight and so it saves energy. At the same time, the metal façade that covers the building has some openings that leave the inside isolated from the high temperatures, which are so characteristic in the city of Barcelona. CCIB is the most emblematic building of the renowned Zona Forum, an area at the end of the main road that crosses the city, Diagonal de Barcelona. It is the new financial area, in constant growth and direct contact with the sea, which also concentrates great newly built and high standing hotels which are, in the majority of cases, four or five star hotels. At Diagonal Mar, the hotel supply adds 2,500 rooms very near to the congress centre and well connected to the city centre thanks to public transport. In any case, it is not necessary to move to the city centre of Barcelona to enjoy as this newly built area has innumerable attractions for leisure, such as 500 metres of beaches, an important business and shopping centre, a leisure harbour and several parks.

MORE INFORMATION GL EVENTS CCIB, S.L. Rambla Prim, 1-17 08019 – Barcelona Tel: +34 93 230 10 00 www.ccib.es ccib@ccib.es

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Cities Toledo

Toledo LUXURY OF SPAIN

By J. ALARCÓN/ T. T. photos courtesy of TOURIST MUNICIPAL BOARD OF TOLEDO and JAG

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Julio Caro Baroja wrote years ago “Toledo itself is a luxury that Spain has”. This city which was avowed “World Heritage City” by UNESCO on November 28th 1986 has preserved an unequalled legacy whose origins go back to the Neolithic. All the different people who arrived in the Iberian Peninsula have left the imprint of their culture in this city which was already defined by the roman Tito Livio as “parva urbs, sed loco munitia” (a small place but well fortified). Its entrance in history happens in the year 192 before Christ, when it was conquered by the roman legions.

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Cities Toledo

ull of architectonic treasures from other periods and with streets full of life which enjoy an irresistible medieval atmosphere; this is how this Castilian city is presented to us. Its most universal symbol, since more than one thousand years ago, is the steel work, profession which many of its inhabitants since roman times have had and which is considered one of the most representative of its craftsmanship today. So, the visitor can see the shop windows in the numerous establishments where the most famous sword blades in the world or the best damask filigrees in daggers and knives can be purchased as valuable souvenirs. But in Toledo, apart from this and other craftsmanship, there is a lot to see and visit. Raised on a craggy rock and practically isolating the course of the river Tajo, one of the most important in Spain, is now, one of the main centres of Spanish medieval history and one of the most revealing Meeting Industry destinations in the last years. It is said that going round it is like a journey in a time machine. Its value is not only in the monuments belonging to other periods, but it is the whole city that is a monument in itself.

This city deserves the attention of art lovers. The capital, full of aesthetic suggestions, has laid out a valuable artistic and monumental heritage, surpassing a hundred monuments; artistic remains of the most varied cultures and periods are distributed streets and squares A well connected destination According to a study presented by the people in charge of the city, Toledo is consolidating year after year as a meeting destination, amongst the characteristics that contribute to this is its great accessibility, its facilities, which are more and better equipped and complete, as well as the service cost competitivity which are outstanding. But also, its historic-artistic singularity place it at an advantage compared with other destinations, as it has variety of unusual fairgrounds like the old convents, monasteries, churches or the Arabic and renaissance palaces for the celebration of events which make the city a privileged destination. With respect to the accessibility there is to add the connection with Madrid and the airport of Barajas, which has notably improved. Now, there are 22 daily services of high speed train AVE between Madrid- Atocha and Toledo, which does not take longer than 25 minutes. Also, amongst the terrestrial connections there is to take into account the new dual carriageway Madrid –Toledo (A-42) which has added to the motorway AP-41, which joins

the capital of Toledo with the motorway M50 of Madrid in only 40 minutes. To other points and Spanish cities other roads have opened like the motorway Toledo (Ocaña)- Albacete (AP-36) which reduces to an hour the route from Valencia. With Andalusia, the connections are easier now with the double carriageway of Viñedos which connects the south of Toledo with the double carriageway A4 (Madrid-Cádiz). In terms of infrastructures for the Meeting Industry, Toledo has increased its hotel supply in the last years. There are now more than 3,000 hotel occupancies spread amongst 5, 4 and 3 star establishments that belong to the main hotel chains in Spain like AC, Hesperia, Silken, Eurostars, Fontecruz, Beatriz or Paradores, to mention a few. To this conclusive supply we have to add the well known boutique hotels or the ones set in palaces, country houses on the banks of the river Tajo, cigarrales, and other historical buildings which make unique stays. But if this was not enough, also recently hotel Hilton Palacio de Buenavista Hotel opened its doors, the third 5 star hotel in Toledo, with 125 rooms and convention and meeting halls with a capacity up to 700 people.

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The name that the city-museum recieves is based on the existence of great centres as Museo de Santa Cruz, Museo Sefardí, Museo de la Catedral Primada, Museo del Taller del Moro, Museo del Alcázar, Museo de El Greco…

THE CHARM OF LOS CIGARRALES Toledo has a supply of charming places to hold events and the local colour of the Cigarrales, the traditional country houses with gardens and with fantastic panoramic views to the historical city. More and more Cigarrales are becoming either hotels, restaurants or special sets for the supply for events in the city. Amongst these exclusive spaces, Viñedos Cigarral Santa Maria outstands with a hall for 350 people, Cigarral de las Mercedes with halls for up to 450 people or Cigarral del Santo Ángel Custodio, a historical country house with 10 hectares located by the river Tajo with a hall that can hold 300 people, or the ones which are hotels, amongst which there is Silken Cigarral El Bosque, five star, the four star Parador, the four star Cigarral Hotel Doménico, and the AC Ciudad de Toledo, or the three star Cigarral de Caravantes.

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Cities Toledo

Toledo has positioned itself heading the Spanish cities in terms of convention, congress and event celebrations. To this has contributed its internationally renowned character as a destination and the increase in infrastructures

Increasing celebration of events The gradual increase of events organised and celebrated in Toledo, as the official Turespaña and Spain Convention Bureau statistics reflect, with more than a thousand a year, as well as market reports where the growing trend for the coming years is shown, encourages the tourist sector of the city. And to adequately respond to the predictions and establish a greater balance between conventions, seminars and congresses held with a greater number of the former, the authorities of Toledo have planned the incorporation of the new Congress Centre Miradero which

is planned to open next spring. It is a spectacular project by the architect Rafael Moneo with all luxury equipment and a main hall which will hold up to 1,200 people. Do not forget that Toledo is also an excellent destination for any type of incentive as it has multiple proposals, especially from the cultural and historic point of view and through its buildings, churches and museums interesting periods in history can be revived.

The incentive of live history After the romans in the VIth century, Toledo was the Visigoth capital and a scenario of councils and assemblies with ecclesiastic,

political and legislative functions. From this period there are some material remains gathered at the church of San Román, which is the museum of Councils and Visigoth Culture today. The muslim imprint is notorious in the city’s layout, as an intricate labyrinth with narrow and steep little streets, sometimes dead -end streets, form the area that the arabs called Tolaitola and that would become the most important urban nucleus of the north of Spain at the period. Amongst the most outstanding remains there is the Cristo de la Luz Mosque of the Xth century which is intact still and which raises on four Visigoth columns where nine domes rest of the most diverse structures all inspired in Córdoba Mosque. Another proof of the Arab dominion was Vieja Puerta de la Bisagra, built in the XIIth and XIIIth centuries and which is the only gateway that remains in the Arab wall. On the other hand, the christians that lived in the muslim territory, the so called mozárabes had their open churches. From this period are San Sebastián and Santa Eulalia churches, and although they were built later, the remains of this period can still be observed. After the incorporation to Castile kingdom, Alfonso VIth makes it the capital. When he takes possession of the city, the king makes a commitment of respecting the muslim goods and people, beginning thus a period of splendour and enrichment for the city which would

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achieve its zenith at the end of the XVth and beginning of the XVIth centuries. The jews, who established in the city since the Visigoth period, formed a prosperous community thanks to the politics of tolerance which in general the arabs took. Relating to the jewish community there are Sinagogues like Tránsito, which is the Sefardí Museum now, and Santa María la Blanca, part of Samuel ha-Leví’s Palace, who was the treasurer of the king Pedro Ist, in Casa de El Greco and the Mikwad or ritual bath, near Santa María la Blanca. Finally, this social amalgam was rounded up with the christians who had taken part in the conquest, who together with religious orders,

were granted by the king with houses and vegetable gardens in the city which are still perfectly visible in a visit round the city. Toledo becomes in this way the city of the Three Cultures, where christians, muslims and jews lived together. In the city, interesting and fruitful cultural exchanges took place like the Escuela de Traductores in the XIIth and XIIIth centuries which was determinant in the transition of the greek-latin and arab culture, and the mudéjar architectonic style. Of this we find examples in many religious buildings of the city. At its best: Santiago del Arrabal, San Andrés and San Vicente churches and the tower of Santo Tomé church. Amongst the civil constructions of mudejar style, Palacio de Fuensalida, Taller

Toledo reached its greatest splendour in the XVIth century, even after the capital moved to Madrid in the year 1561

SPECIAL SETTINGS AND VENUES The city has a series of singular spaces that form an unsurpassable supply to carry out meetings that require a special atmosphere and scenario. There are those of functional character like Caja Rural with an auditorium for 600 people of Caja de Castilla La Mancha of 400 places. To these there are exceptional frames of monuments for congresses and events like the monasteries of San Pedro Mártir and Madre de Dios, the renaissance palaces of Tavera and Alcázar, or the neoclassical Lorenzana and the medieval Pedro I, in Torrijos. Other examples of special buildings are Real Fábrica de Armas or prestigious wineries like Osborne, Martúe and Finca Loranque, as well as the traditional estates of La Mancha like Los Valdespinos, El Teramar and Eventos Monte del Águila or the castle of Consuegra.

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Cities Toledo

The burocratic and military city of the XIXth century came, in the XXth century, to be a city which promoted its heritage and artistic value and becomes one of the most important tourist spots in Spain

del Moro, Casa de Mesa, Palacio de Galiana and Puerta del Sol stand out. They were all built with brick or kerbstone masonry, covered by beautiful coffered ceilings and decorated with plaster work and tiles. In the XVIth century under Carlos Ist rule, Toledo achieves its maximum geographical expansion and becomes the capital of the Spanish Empire. A brilliant period when the city adopted the renaissance with first rank samples produced under the imperial patronage and to which the archbishops of Toledo patronage was added, great promoters and patrons of constructions. All of this was possible thanks to the existence of magnificent architects like Alonso de Co-

varrubias, sculptors, painters and craftsmen who were keepers of the local traditions. The most important reinassance buildings are Hospital de Santa Cruz, Hospital de Tavera, Alcázar, Puerta Nueva de Bisagra, Cambrón, Palacio Arzobispal and Convento de San Clemente. This period of splendour did not last long, as Felipe IInd decided to move the capital to the Vila of Madrid. From now on a period of progressive decadence starts, however, one of the most outstanding artists develops: El Greco, whose works are preserved in churches and convents like Santo Tomé and Santo Domingo el Real, and in museums like MuseoCasa El Greco and Museo de Santa Cruz. This state of affairs continues to the XIXth cen-

tury when the train arrives producing the outer city expansion, extending in more favourable areas from the topographical point of view and giving rise to the great newly built neighbourhoods where the majority of the population concentrates now.

Other attractions In Toledo not everything has to be cultural visits and contemplation of buildings and monuments. The capital of Castilla-La Mancha also has a large number of attractions apart from its rich historical heritage. For example one of the chapters that can thrill the good gourmet is its marvellous gastronomy essentially based on natural products of the area and on game. Without doubt, it is an activity which is perfectly compatible with culture. It is always possible to stop during any of the multiple itineraries that can be taken in the city to taste the delicious gastronomy at any of the restaurants in the city. Eating in Toledo is inspiring, the same as walking along its streets, a journey through time to arrive at the medieval cuisine and taste the delights out of a Velazquez’ still-life. This is because the cuisine from Toledo is very much based on the hunting and shepherd traditions, with a good number of dishes that combine morish and christian influences. It will delight the most sybaritic palate. Amongst its specialities roasted or stewed

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lamb, cuchifrito, elaborated with egg, saffron, tomato, and white wine, or partridge with beans (delicious beans from the area) of stewed partridge, cooked at a very slow fire and served with steamed potatoes and the renowned magra omelette. However, the internationally famous recipes have always been manchego cheese, which is mature cheese of mixed sheep and cow milk, and marzipan with which the makers with profuse imagination give this sweet the most unthinkable shapes. Lastly, with respect to the wines, all the province offers a good sample of quality wines with “la Mancha” and “Mentrida” designation of origin. On the other hand, once in the capital, it is convenient to make one of the many routes round the province with Toledo as the departing point. La Mancha, where villages like Illescas, Esquivias, Ocaña, Consuegra or Orgaz will show the visitor or congress person all the splendour of a land which inspired the most universally celebrated novel which is Don Quijote de la Mancha. The castle’s route which goes through villages named after their fortresses. Amongst which there are Guadamur, Barciense, Maqueda or Escalona. Or if you are interested in one of the oldest craftsmanship, you have to take an itinerary which includes towns and villages like Talavera de la Reina, Oropesa or Lagartera, where laces and embroideries are handmade by women, materials which have always been known.

Fiestas and traditions Toledo is also a city full of celebrations and amongst its most spectacular fiestas we cannot go without mentioning, in the spring, Easter, which has been declared of National Tourist Interest, showing the austerity of the streets and the religious sculptures (pasos) loaded on the backs of the carriers (cofrades) in a spectacular silence with candlelight. But also, for centuries, it has been holding the religious festivity of Corpus Christi, of National Tourist Interest, enhancing Easter in Toledo. The streets are covered with canopies in thyme and rosemary together with flowers and tapestries on the facades, giving way to the ornate procession culminated with the sculptures of Custodia by Enrique de Arfe, XVIth century. These are the ideal days to visit the typical patios. Together with the fiestas, other outstanding events take place like the European Conference of Jewish Culture, at the beginning of September, and festivals like Music of the Three Cultures, the International Jazz Festival or the Organ Festival.

A land of a thousand proposals

any type of complementary action which the organisation of a MICE event demands. If it is active tourism, its nature spots and the specialised companies that exist facilitate the practice of trekking, cycling, for example along the Vía Verde de la Jara; canoeing which is possible in some parts of the river Tajo or Cazalegas reservoir; even parachuting or gliding are a reality in the sky in the lands of Ocaña or Lillo. You can also fly over the valley of Tajo on ultra light plane, a proposal that Los Valdespinos offers, very near Toledo. But also trips and courses on 4x4 or quads and the journeys on hot air balloons are found in the surroundings of the city with companies and professionals offering their services on these modalities. Finally, ecotourism, golf or team building for companies are possible in Toledo.

Accessibility, history, hotel supply and unusual meeting settings, amongst the convincing arguments about this city

Apart from the tourist chapters that we have already seen, Toledo and its province is one of the most complete scenarios to carry out

FOR MORE INFORMATION TOLEDO COUNCIL conceturismo@ayto-toledo.org www.toledo-turismo.com +34 925 265 419 Fax: +34 925 255 946

TOLEDO CONVENTION BUREAU Tel: +34 925 21 31 12 Fax: +34 925 21 33 65 congresos@toledo-congresos.org www.camaratoledo.es/tcb

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Incentives Treasure hunting

TREASURE HUNTING IN THE 21ST CENTURY Pirates and hidden treasure stories do not fall out of fashion. Today, information technology teams up with the classical adventure to create an exciting incentive activity: Geocaching. Through a GPS, hunters have to find the hidden treasure in a remote nature site in Spain. At the same time, team building and improvisation abilities are reinforced. By MARTA MARTÍNEZ photos of AGENCIES

aps drawn on paper have now become part of history, but treasure hunting is still alive. What better than the new information technologies to facilitate the process? This is precisely the base of Geocaching: looking for hidden treasures with the help of a GPS terminal. This electronic device allows the localization of latitude and altitude coordinates of the objective and so the adventure begins. Some incentive agencies have introduced GPS as a searching tool for their activities creating novel and original trials that favour team building. The treasure hunt is usually organised in two teams, each armed with a global positioning system, an electronic device with the coordinates or waypoints of the search, thanks to which the adventurers will obtain clues to find the final treasure. In the process, the team members will have to agree on decisions, collaborate, define strategies, adapt to the characteristics of the group and improvise to achieve their objectives successfully.

Team Building It is not the prize what really counts but how the group bonds and learns how to work together for a common objective. The treasure has often got to do with the company and its values: find pieces of a jig-saw puzzle which forms the logo of the company, objects with a valuable meaning for the firm, etc. Using a GPS has an added advantage: apart from an exciting adventure in action, users can familiarise with this new information technology device, whose use can be useful prospectively in daily life. The direct relation of Geocaching and new information technologies favour that companies of this sector are now the ones who are most interested in this type of activities. Oscar Freire, project director of the incentive agency and team building Oxígeno, assures that companies dedicated to telecommunication and computer development are most interested in Geocaching. Oxígeno in-

corporated GPS devices two years ago and they have noticed a growing demand. “At the beginning all this GPS technology sounded complicated, but this activity is more and more in demand because they can see a practical use in daily life”, comments Freire. Oxígeno´s headquarters are in A Coruña but organises activities in most of the Autonomous Region of Galicia. The search is about two hours long and takes place in forests and prairies: Forgoselos mountain range, San Zurzo pine forest, Capelada mountains or Segade Mountain. “We try to find areas without paths or marked routes, so that the hunters can feel freer and the adventure is more exciting”, Óscar Freire says. The great demand of technology companies is something that also Álex Diego, partner of Unomasuno Team, has noticed. Amongst its clients there are Vodafone, Orange, Royal Post or Telecom, huge companies who are often interested in Geocaching or Treasure Hunting, as Unomasuno Team prefer to call it.

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GEOCACHING, AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON Geocaching craze is spreading around the world at great speed. Adventure lovers decided to use the GPS device in a recreational and different way and this is how Geocaching started. Through given altitude and latitude coordinates, anyone with a positioning electronic device can go in search of the hidden treasure. The Geocaching phenomenon develops through the Internet, where you can check the waypoints nearer to the place where you live. What types of treasures are there spread around the world? You can find from diaries with information about the founder of the treasure and signatures of all the hunters who have found it, to CDs, books, videotapes, tools, antiquities or even money and jewels. But every time you take a treasure you need to leave another one for the next geocatcher to find. Some places can be of not difficult access such as a forest, a prairie or inside a building in the city, but there are others which imply real risk and adventure: the bottom of the sea, cliffs, etc. 21st century pirates will have real enjoyment for a while!

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Incentives Treasure hunting

It is companies dedicated to telecommunication and computer development who are most interested in Geocaching Like real pirates At this incentive and events agency they take pirate stories literally and this is why one of the most demanded Geocaching activities takes place in Menorca, with boat adventures included. The participants must sail from reef to reef in search of the clues which will take them to the treasure, the old typical trunk hiding thousands of surprises. Along the way they will come across historical characters who will tell them oddities and traditions of the island, a different and amusing way of getting to know Menorca. But these people are not always nice and caring, sometimes these characters will demand trails and team building activities in exchange of new clues that will allow the team to go ahead in their adventure. Unomasuno Team has great experience in dealing with customers from all countries, this is the reason why there is the possibility of doing the treasure hunt in English, in French or in Spanish, of course. This agency organises searches in other parts of Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Granada) and Europe (London, Paris, Prague) or even the northern area of Morocco for the most adventurous. An amusing variant within Geocaching adventures is the one Extravaganza suggests. The treasure is in this case gold, the adventure implies looking for gold nuggets in a grabbing night reviving the expecience of mid- XIXth century gold searchers in California. Although they have the advantage of possessing a GPS, searchers will have to find the objects and other surprises which are placed in dark caves and holes. The adventurers have only a light pattern each and their target is “Golden River”, where they will start the search of the precious gold nuggets Extravaganza revives “The Gold Rush” usually in the Spanish Nature Reserves, although they have also organised it in other nature spots in the world like the Scottish Highlands, the Swiss Alps and in the United States where this phenomenon originated.

Easy to use In Andalusia the incentive and active tourism company Alúa uses also GPS technology for their gymkhanas or treasure huntings. According to its manager, Ignacio Alonso, the use of GPS is

not complicated at all, either for the users or organisers of the activity. Much on the contrary, it saves costs and time. The positioning electronic devices are handed out as another tool for the development of the adventure. But, careful! In case orientation was an easy task, Alúa often combines Geocaching routes with small trials which add difficulty and excitement to the adventure, like ambushes and paintball attacks, quad biking routes or visualizations of the area in a hot air balloon. The activities often take place in Sierra Morena, in the area which is nearest to Córdoba. Alúa´s priority is organising searches in mountain or countryside areas, always in nature, but at the same time near the main Andalusian cities for their customer´s commodity. Participants usually have to travel fifteen minutes by car from Seville or Córdoba to take part in the activities.

By four-wheel vehicle

Reinventing a classical

The events and incentive company Sankara is an expert in what they have renamed Geoplaying. Located in the capital city of the country, Sankara organises treasure hunting in any part of Spain, but especially in forests of the mountain range in Madrid and in the historical groves in Aranjuez. Adventurers are given the Treasure Hunter Kit, containing a metal detector, the GPS device, tools for digging up and the treasure map. For three or four hours the participants have to find different archaeological pieces like the Holy Grail, the Longinos Spear, the Dead Sea Rolls,etc. Depending on the level of difficulty and the physical effort that the participants want, the hunting can be made on foot or by four-wheel vehicle. Geoplaying is attracting more and more curious adventurers. According to Pedro Diezma, manager of Sankara, “the use of technology in combination with outdoor activities is very much enjoyed”. Estefanía Fernández shares the same opinion. She is the manager of services and tourist activities agency Meigalicia. According to Fernández, Geocaching “is one of the most demanded activities”. Meigalicia normally uses 4x4 vehicles for the hunting and to make it more exciting they even organise it at night around the Galician Costa da Morte lasting eight to ten hours. “People are looking for alternative activities which are out of the normal”, says Estefanía.

Geocaching is a modern and original way of reinventing the great classic: treasure hunting. GPS in hand, the adventure becomes a unique experience shared with the members of the team who lern to collaborate and adapt to the unexpected difficulties, as well as making each participant familiar with a technology which is spreading and becoming useful in our daily lives.

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Using a GPS has an added advantage: apart from an exciting adventure in action, users can familiarise with this new information technology device, whose use can be useful prospectively in daily life

AGENCIES OXIGENO

ALÚA

Galicia +34 616 237 109 / +34 635 550 908 www.oxigenoteambuilding.es

Andalucía +34 617 755 146 / +34 616 906 349 www.alua.es

UNOMASUNO TEAM

SANKARA

Madrid, Barcelona +34 91 435 49 22 / +34 93 811 45 94 www.unomasunoteam.com

Madrid +34 91 891 43 50 / +34 630 263 682 www.sankara.es

EXTRAVAGANZA!

MEIGALICIA

Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga +34 91 810 00 57 www.xvaganza.com

Galicia +34 646 529 993 www.meigalicia.com

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Selección de establecimientos que suponen garantía de éxito para cualquier reunión

MEETINGS THAT LEAVE A GOOD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH It is one of the reference restaurants in the region of Garrotxa with a section of great quality dishes and also with a space to have business meetings. Les Cols includes an interesting space where you can spend the night in contact with nature.

By VÍCTOR PUIG V. photos courtesy of LES COLS

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• 1 Michelin star restaurant • 6 minimalist rooms • 90 minutes from Barcelona • 30 minutes from Girona airport • Banquets • Business meals and meetings • Main hall for 44 people • Private halls for 10 people • Ample garden where cocktail parties for 300 people can be organised

n 2005, Les Cols restaurant runed by Fina Puigdevall deserved a Michelin star and what many already knew became public: It is a unique restaurant where not only you can eat well but also it is a true prodigy for its interior decoration. The well-known architect team RCR, Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Ramón Vilalta, have been able to create a restaurante where sunlight, minimalist shapes and a decoration of golden colours give the space an extraordinary modern touch located inside a traditional Catalan country house. So outside it looks like a classical country house and it does not seem to hide a restaurant inside. Les Cols is a restaurant with many possibili-

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Special Venues

Next to the restaurant the Pavilions are formed by six minimalist rooms with a bed as the only element in the room.

ties to celebrate business meals. With a capacity for eighty people, business suppers can be celebrated in the main hall which can hold 44 people or in the three private spaces with a capacity for ten table companions in each of them. Also outside the restaurant there is a wide green area where a tent is usually put up with a capacity for 300 people.

Resting at The Pavilions Next to the restaurant, the pavilions are set in a futuristic and daring space formed by six minimalist and clear rooms for two people. The rooms’ plainness is outstanding as in the middle there is only a bed and nothing else, bare of other elements. Next to this clear space there is a small functional bathroom following the minimalist lines of all the set. This is a different concept of a room with glass walls and ceilings where sunlight and nightlight come in allowing the view of the sky and the stars. It is a unique experience which is difficult to forget and which was awarded with the 2006 FAD prize.

LES COLS Mas Les Cols, Ctra. de la Canya s/n, 17800 Olot Tel. 34 972 269 209 Web: www.lescols.com Mail: lescols@lescols.com

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Hotels

AB SKIPPER HOTEL QUALITY MICE IN BARCELONA Venotel, a leading company representing hotels to organise incentives, meetings and any type of event in different destinations in Spain, suggests the AB Skipper hotel located in the Port Olímpic in Barcelona. Just 50 metres from the seaside and with good communication with all the areas of interest in the city, this modern and comfortable hotel is a guarantee of quality to hold the best events and meetings. Modern design and excellent service are its main assets. Infinity of facilities and possibilities that the AB Skipper offers make it an ideal five star to organise any type of event. There, luxury and comfort perfectly combine to offer an exquisite care, difficult to forget for the guests who have had the pleasure of experimenting it. By MICE EDITORIAL STAFF photos courtesy of AB SKIPPER

Characteristics 10 Av/ Litoral, 08005 Barcelona Tel.: +34 93 221 65 65 Fax: +34 93 221 36 00 Mail: ab.skipper@venotel.com Web: www.venotel.com/?E=AB Skipper

• Rooms: 235 • Restaurants: 2 • Meeting Halls: 11 halls ranging from 20 m2 to 684 m2 • Capacity: 500 delegates • Meeting equipments: portable screens, fixed screens, OHPs, computer projectors, video, sound

system, whiteboards/flipcharts, internet connection, simultaneous translation equipment, video conference, all types of audiovisual equipment (under specific request), wi-fi. • Leisure: Spa & Wellness area, swimming pool with sea view.

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A worker always needs a good rest and this is why the AB Skipper offers a delicious and balancing atmosphere of relaxation and busines

he hotel has 235 rooms with the best services for the business traveller: interactive satellite television, DSL internet connection, pillow list, etc. Maximum quality and a perfect mix of comfort, design, colours, lights and textures. All has been thought out to offer the visitor a unique experience.

The perfect convention centre The AB Skipper Hotel meets all the characteristics to become the perfect convention centre: a surface of more than 900 m2 for meetings and a total of 11 halls equipped with the most modern technologies. The main hall has a capacity for 500 delegates in room set-up and 5,5 metres in height. The specialist team

in the organisation of events is in charge of caring for the ultimate detail and ensuring success to a hundred per cent. There is no better environment for meetings and events than the one offered to the AB Skipper customers: the endless horizon of the Mediterranean Sea. Located in one of the most attractive and lively areas of the city, next to the modern Port OlĂmpic, this hotel combines the best facilities inside as well as the best surroundings. Gastronomic pleasures could not go missing in such a detail-oriented hotel. AB Skipper takes in a whole variety of tastes, fine aromas and tinges of eternal fusion with versatile relaxing spaces, always accompanied with the light and the sea breeze. Its varied supply includes from authentic Cata-

lan classical dishes to the best gourmet dishes, always using the best raw materials and accompanied by the most exclusive wine selection.

Business and relax The business traveller will also be able to enjoy relaxing moments to recover from exhausting working hours at the exclusive spa or the marvellous swimming pool with a view of the Mediterranean sea. A worker always needs a good rest and this is why the AB Skipper offers a delicious and balancing atmosphere of relaxation and business. In a city like Barcelona there is time for everything, and the best way of spending your time is at the AB Skipper.

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Hotels

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Selección de establecimientos que suponen garantía de éxito para cualquier reunión

SUN AND SPACES FOR MEETINGS AT

PALMERA PRESTIGE PLAZA HOTEL Located over an old wine cellar of the mid-XIXth century and in a privileged situation in the city centre of Jerez de la Frontera, Palmera Prestige Plaza offers all types of comfort of a five star hotel plus the options for the different MICE spaces. By MICE EDITORIAL STAFF photos courtesy of PALMERA PRESTIGE

he city of Jerez is one of the most beautiful and important cities in Andalusia and it is perfectly communicated with the capital, Seville, 45 minutes away by car. The hotel itself is 10 minutes away from Jerez de la Frontera airport and only a few minutes away by car are the beach and the well known Jerez circuit, where the motorcycle world races are held annually, only a few minutes away by car. With a manorial entrance worthy of a building of more than a hundred and fifty years of history and a private garden for the enjoyment of the guests, Prestige Plaza Hotel includes 52 ample rooms with sunlight and a view to the private garden. Four of these rooms are suites of a hundred square metres thought out as small apartments with separate sitting room and bedroom, an area with a Jacuzzi

and a spectacular private terrace. The 42 standard rooms do not deserve this name as they are luxurious double rooms of 45 square metres with the maximum comforts like portable computers at the guest’s disposal, marble bathrooms and a terrace with a view to the garden.

MICE perfect spaces for meetings This old 1840 building has refurbished its rooms to shelter halls for the celebration of congresses and ceremonies in the cool wine cellars. Here, there is a meeting hall which can hold 200 people and a congress and convention hall with a capacity for 450 people, equipped with cutting edge technology which allows the realisation of audiovisual presenta-

tions. In this way, Palmera Prestige Plaza can be and has already been the setting of many congresses that choose Jerez de la Frontera as a meeting Place. All the participants in the events of the meeting industry and also the hotel guests have the Ask Me service at their disposal where hotel experts in leisure and culture advice visitors and make a customized route round Jerez according to the visitors’ interests.

Enjoying sport at the hotel Taking into account that the city of Jerez enjoys a very pleasant weather with mild winters and a yearly temperature of an average of 27 degrees centigrade with 295 sunny days a year, it is easy to imagine that life outdoors is very important and all the hotel options as the

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A LAND OF HORSES AND NATURE

swimming pool or the paddle court are very much enjoyed. So, the hotel offers these two options plus a complete health and beauty centre where you can enjoy relaxing massages.

Quality Gastronomy Jerez is a land with an excellent gastronomy full of natural products from the land and the sea and a proof is that many dishes have the so to speak surname ‘al jerez’ when they are mixed with the excellent wines produced in the region. The way Jerez cuisine mixes tastes of the good seafood with fine wines is incomparable. Palmera Prestige Plaza accounts for this with a restaurant where it is possible to try all the seasonal products prepared with all the taste of a cuisine slowly cooked. Also, the wine list of the hotel does not leave anybody indifferent, as it could not be any other way, knowing that Jerez de la Frontera is the place of the wine internationally known as ‘sherry’ and it can be said that it is the only one that comes from this city and from the surrounding localities of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Puerto de Santa María.

Jerez de la Frontera as the whole of Andalusia is a land of horses and the art of taming. A few minutes away from the hotel, the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre is located where an unusual art is developed: teaching horses how to dance to the rhythm of music. An art that can be appreciated daily in the show that takes place at this school and where rider and horse test their coordination in a mastery exercise. Also near the hotel you can find the museums dedicated to the world of clocks, carriages, or the bull museum where strength and bravery of these animals can be seen in any of the images and objects exposed there. Also the Prestige Hotel offers an interesting activity in the summer months which shows the Passing of time through a visit to Palacio del Tiempo de Jerez, where an spectacular collection of more than 300 clocks amongst which there are XVIIth and XVIIIth century pieces. During the summer the hotel offers wine lovers a wine tasting visit to the wineries Bodegas Tradición followed by a guided visit to the painting collection of Joaquín Rivero which includes paintings of artists like Goya, Velázquez or Zurbarán.

The city of Jerez enjoys a very pleasant weather, it is easy to imagine that life outdoors is very important and all the hotel options as the swimming pool or the paddle court are very much enjoyed

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Incoming

ITB, EXPERTS IN ORGANISING EVENTS It is essential for any company to have the peace of mind and the security when organising an event or a congress anywhere in Spain and to know that this event will be properly handled. With more than twenty years dedicated to the organisation of events, ITB DMC is a guarantee. By VICTOR PUIG photos ITB and JORDI TARRÉS

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TB DMC (Destination Management Company) was born in 1984 and since then its activity has been centred in the organization of business trips, congresses and incentives having such great experience in a sector which often finds unauthorised practice. With headquarters set in Barcelona and three branch offices in Madrid, Valencia and Torremolinos (Costa del Sol) respectively, ITB DMC has become a reference enterprise in the sector having achieved innovation and realising that customization for each company can be as special and different as the customer wishes. For an event to be different and surprising it is important to be able to have unusual spaces which are not normally used for this type of activities or to dispose of lecturers and guests who do not normally participate in events. To achieve all this, it is essential to own a wide net of contacts, which ITB DMC has due to years of experience and their efficiency, which has given them the sympathy of many people who are willing to collaborate at any moment with them. So, creating a wide net of contacts allows the organization to create any proposal does not matter how unusual it is.

Another characteristic of ITB as a Destination Management Company is that they have a clear idea of which are the key factors in this business and the way they manage it is outstanding. ITB DMC cares about the customer, so they do not have to worry about anything. This saves time and the way they care about the client and the rigid control of expenses are the three essential pillars of ITB, adding to this the energy, imagination and determination in creating quality events.

Bridging Spain with the World Knowing the country’s reality is basic for the DMC, which operates in Spain because international companies direct themselves to ITB DMC with great interest to organise events and congresses in Spain. Barcelona and Madrid are still the most demanded destinations abroad to organise events. Yet Costa del Sol, Valencia, and Bilbao are settling down as key destinations. DMC knows not only the reality of each of these cities but also the trendy restaurants or special places where unique events can be organised. Each time this mar-

For an event to be different and surprising it is important to be able to have unusual spaces which are not normally used for this type of activities

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Incoming

SPEAKING TO…

Olga Navarro commercial and marketing director of ITB DMC

Which are the advantages of using ITB DMC services for a company? The main advantage is the experience we put at their service. We have been more than 24 years dedicated to the organisation of events all over Spain and we know the sector and all its protagonists very well indeed. What services do you offer which no other company in the sector offers? The streets and the sights are the same for everyone. I do not have a museum of my own, but DMC is its contacts and its telephone book. We are proud of these contacts which allow us to have the doors opened, something which other people do not have. For example, we were the first to put 600 bicycles in the street in Barcelona organising a rally for customers, today everybody does this. Which are the most important destinations in Spain? More than any Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia. But also Bilbao, Álava, and Costa del Sol. Which would you say is an emergent destination now? Ibiza, without any doubt. It has not been thoroughly exploited as a destination by the incentive sector. Not long ago there was no five star hotel, there are two now. It is more and more in demand. What are the incentives you usually offer? It depends on the number of times the participants have visited the city. We must not forget that the world of incentives is a way of knowing the city as a tourist and someone who has never been to Spain wants to listen to some flamenco, eat paella by the sea, go out at night and sunbathe because this

is the idea they have of our country. So, depending on the participants you can offer a tourist programme or one that is more related to new trends. We have been asked to organise form cookery workshops to regional wine tasting or hiring a famous person for a lecture. In short, depending on the organisers and the participant’s profile you can do something really motivating because it has never been done before or you can do something more typically Spanish. Which is the most usual incentive you organise? What we do the most is incentives and product presentations, almost of cars. We have ample experience in this sense and we have done presentations for Skoda, Toyota, Volkswagen and BMW, amongst others. This is a very specific market and you really need to know the insides, the technical needs from an organising point of view, and the needs of the people who come to this type of events, who are mainly journalists. What is the situation of the DMC sector? DMCs are in a very difficult situation because in our sector there is a lot of unauthorised practice which is not regulated. In Spain anyone with a mobile phone could be a potential incentive organiser. This should not be like that as it is damaging the destination because when things go wrong what is said is not that such and such company are a disaster but: Barcelona is a disaster! Or Madrid is a disaster! This really damages the image of a destination. In a country like Spain where the main activity has always been tourism and the GNP surpasses 50% coming from the service sector, it is not normal that we don’t have a Ministry only dedicated to Tourism. There should be more culture about tourism as it is the country’s main activity. DMCs have to fight against the lack of government or institutions in the city’s activities, and also against unauthorised practice of many people who want to be event organisers.

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Events and incentives are normally organised for a hundred people but at ITB DMC they have organised events for more than one thousand people.

ket is becoming more demanding, it is not as simple as organising a sightseeing tour as it was. DMC´s job requires great imagination and creativity to be able to put through different events for each customer. Also more and more European agencies and from all over the world are contacting and seeking partners in Spain to organise events here and ITB DMC can count on a great number of agencies to organise events in Spain. Sometimes it is the companies that directly contact ITB to find out how to structure an event in Spain. When this type of direct contact is achieved, it means that a good job has been done, as these direct contacts come from companies which have already tried an experience, are satisfied and want to organise another MICE activity in Spain.

DMC, an increasing sector Being a Destination Management Company is not easy, as being a company requires following strict rules. But this fact has not impeded the appearance in the market of many individual people who are self employed and they start to operate as event organisers. This kind of unauthorised practice runs down the sector and makes the job of DMCs lose credit. Yet, the great companies like Dell,

General Motors, Coca-Cola, Volkswagen or Deutsche Bank have never stopped trusting DMCs as ITB, which in the last years has created events for all of them. One of the characteristics of the events is that being for groups of 80 to 150 people is easier in terms of mobility and creation of activities. But ITB DMC has put through events and incentives for more than a thousand people with all the coordination and dif-

ficulty it entails in terms of finding spaces for such big groups. In terms of congresses, ITB has taken good care of the daily organisation of congresses of four thousand people. To fight for DMCs rights at institutions and institutional bodies, the Spanish Association of Destination Management Companies was born to consolidate the figure of these companies, which specialise in the organization of incentive travelling, conventions and meetings.

USEFUL ADDRESSES ITB BARCELONA

ITB TORREMOLINOS

113 Ramblas, 1º, 08002 Barcelona Tel. 93 481 58 58 Web: www.viajesitb.es Mail: itb_bcn@viajesitb.es

15 Avda. Fraga Iribarne, Módulo 5, Oficina 1-2, 29620 Torremolinos, Tel. 952 38 75 33 Web: www.viajesitb.es Mail: itb_agp@viajesitb.es

ITB MADRID 40 Narváez , 1º B, 28009 Madrid Tel. 91 574 60 70 Web: www.viajesitb.es Mail: itb_mad@viajesitb.es

ITB VALENCIA San Vicente 16, 3º 1ª Tel. 96 392 12 88 Web: www.viajesitb.es Mail: itb_vlc@viajesitb.es

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Events in Spain

IN SUMMER...

LET THE MUSIC PLAY!

The excellent weather and the great hospitality of its people make Spain an ideal place to celebrate all types of concerts and music festivals. In summer the most varied styles echo in every spot of the country attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world who want to enjoy the best artists in an incomparable atmosphere. And so, the event becomes an unforgettable experience. Let the music play! By MARTA MARTÍNEZ photos from FILES AND V.P.

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Just for Rock in Rio in Madrid the City of Rock has been built with 200,000 square metres, even with a snow run

ummer is the ideal season for music. Outdoors, when the sun is setting, night lovers and music lovers meet opposite the most attractive and original scenarios, like the beautiful Spanish beaches, medieval castles, the desert or even cities especially created for these festivals. The objective is always the same: enjoying the best music and making these summer evenings a real party. Great musical events need, nonetheless, apart from extensive fairgrounds, very specific technical facilities. Every year, Spain shows, thanks to the increasing number of international festivals, that not only the weather is an advantage but also the excellent logistic facilities and the faultless management ensure their success to a hundred per cent. Rock, pop, jazz, classical music, electronic… all has its place in this great summer festival which Spain becomes. If you are late to buy your tickets, because a lot of these festivals are sold out, make your reservations for the summer of 2009 as soon as possible.

Rock in Rio. July 4th, 5th and 6th.

Madrid This solidarity international festival that was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1985 has decided to establish in the Spanish capital city this summer its “Rock City”. The incredible facilities which have been built just for this multitudinous musical event make anyone wonder: fairgrounds of 200.000 square meters, three stages for concerts, fashion, children’s fun fair attractions, restaurant areas of 4,500 m2, 36 shops and even a snow run. The list of acts does not fall short either: Bob Dylan, The Police, Lenny Kravitz, Shakira, Alanis Morrissette, Stereophonics, Franz Ferdinand, Jamiroquai…An estimate of 100.000 people will attend the festival every day to see these well known artists. This year the solidarity project Rock in Rio, will be about global warming. Through some amusing activities it will try to make visitors aware of the importance of protecting the environment.

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The growing number of festivals organised in Spain shows that not only the weather is an advantage but also the excellent facilities and management of the events ensure a hundred per cent success

BBK Live July 4th, 5th and 6th

Bilbao The third edition of the most important summer festival in the Basque Country rivals dates with the gigantic Rock in Rio in Madrid with a suggesting list of acts full of secure values: The Police, REM, Madness, Lenny Kravitz, The Prodigy and Tequila, among others. The iconic artists will share the two stages of the festival with young and fresh bands like The Wombats, The Raveonettes or The Charlatans. Situated in Kobetamendi, a hill belonging to the city of Bilbao, the BBK Live expects to outnumber 2007 figures when almost 95,000 people attended this music event.

Ortigueira Festival 10th to 13th July.

Ortigueira (A Coruña) The small locality of Ortigueira holds the 30th Folk Music Festival, which is one of the most important ones internationally. It has been avowed Event of International Tourist Interest. This summer, the festival bets on Galician artists and traditional Celt music, represented by bands such as Sondseu, Fía na Roca or Uxía. Historical Celt music bands will not go missing either like the Irish Mov-

ing Hearts or Dubliners or the Scottish Boys of the Lough, together with ground breaking proposals that do not have anything to do with this music trend, like the Finn Värttinä. The concerts at Ortigueira Festival are free, one of the reasons why this traditional music event holds beyond 100,000 visitors every summer.

vited artists. The six stages of Monegros Desert Festival seem promising a lot of action in this 14th edition. Not in vain, it was awarded the 2007 Best International Festival at the DJ Awards and the Best Electronic Music Festival at the Deejaymags, which are the most important awards in Spain for this musical style.

Monegros Desert Festival

FIB

July 12th.

July 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th.

Los Monegros (Zaragoza)

Benicàssim (Castellón Valencia)

There are no limits here for the amount of decibels. Why not? Well, because this festival is celebrated in the middle of Monegros desert, which is in the province of Zaragoza. This rave is the most famous party in the country and more than 40,000 people meet in this fairground of 350,000 square metres, to which another 300,000 should be added corresponding to the attached car park area. Adventure is ensured in this unlimited party: it is a must for authentic party animals. Doors are opened at five o’clock in the afternoon on the 12th July and electronic music continues non-stop until 14:00 hours on the 13th. In this endless evening Cyprus Hill, Miss Kittin, 2 Many DJ’s, Laurent Garnier, Dave Clarke and Richie Hawtin will come to the huge “jaimas”-music tents as well as a lot more, because there are 70 in-

The Festival of reference, internationally speaking, of independent music is holding its 14th edition this year directly fighting with the young Summercase festival, as they have been scheduled on the same days in July. Benicàssim´s major asset is experience. Figures of the history of contemporary music are coming back to its stage like Leonard Cohen or Morrissey. But the festival is not only based on iconic figures like them. Organisers have been led by their expert nose, as it is characteristic of them, and are presenting new young bands like Death Cab for Cutie, My Morning Jacket or Hot Chip. The little coastal village of Benicàssim, with a population of scarcely 17,000 inhabitants, changes completely when the FIB takes place. Last year, the festival registered more

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More than 40,000 people meet to celebrate the biggest rave in the country in the middle of Monegros desert

ROCK IN RIO PHENOMENON IN MADRID Rock in Rio goes beyond a simple music festival. As the organisers explain, the intention of this remarkable event is “to make the world stop, think and act”. To change the world is the Philosophy of Rock in Rio and to achieve this it has been fighting since the beginning. Rio de Janeiro was the city that held its first edition in 1985 and carried on with the name of the city although now it is an itinerant event. The social side has characterised the festival since the last edition in Rio in 2001, when the project for “A Better World” started. Thanks to this, 3,200 youngsters were able to finish their studies, with a hundred classrooms in some communities of Rio de Janeiro. Dealing with NGOs has been a characteristic of the festival since then. On the 2004 edition held in Lisbon, the international organisation Plan International benefited from part of the profit of Rock in Rio with the campaign to help children with special needs. The 2008 edition centres the social project of the festival in Global Warming, which will be celebrated in Madrid between 4th and 6th July. One of the most important sides of the project is the awareness of the population and that is why an enormous Climate Alteration Park has been created with 11,600 m2, a green area where different circuits can be observed showing how global warming and human activity affect the environment. The release of carbon dioxide plays a key role in the celebration of the festival, that is why they created a plan to reduce such releases affecting mobility and waste or energy. Also inevitable releases have been offset with 50,000 trees planted in Bosque Sur in Getafe.

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than 150,000 visitors, 47% were international audience. The fairground where the concerts are held has more than 100,000 square metres and is only a few minutes away from the beaches of Benicàssim, on the Azahar coast, where the fibers usually go to bathe and sleep their siestas. Two camp areas have to be added to the concert area which have been specially prepared for the occasion and there are also spaces for art and video shows.

Summercase July 18th and 19th.

Barcelona and Madrid. The independent music Festival Summercase tries to satisfy its indie rock fans as much as possible and this is why it has opted for an original organisation: the bands playing on the 18th in Barcelona will be playing in Madrid on the 19th and vice-versa. By plane or by train, with the recently opened high speed train AVE, the protagonists of the alternative music scene will be able to visit in no time the two main cities in the country. In this third edition, this new festival, Summercase, will have the presence of Maxïmo Park, Blondie, Primal Scream, The Verve, Interpol and the Sex Pistols. At the Forum of Barcelona fairground four different stages will be installed, an ample and modern space of more than 360,000 square metres next to the Mediterranean Sea where you can easily arrive using public transport. In Madrid, it is the nearby locality of Boadilla del Monte where spaces will be fitted out for the festival occupying 400.000 square metres. Last year Summercase festival exceeded 110,000 visitors.

Festival Castell de Peralada 17th July to 16th August.

Peralada (Girona)

Jazzaldia Festival 22th to 27th July

A unique festival could not have a better setting to be celebrated than Peralada Castle, joining gothic and renaissance spaces built between the XIVth and XVIth centuries. For 22 consecutive years, the best voices of jazz, gospel, flamenco, pop or even opera sound against the walls of the historical building. Amongst the 33 shows which will be celebrated during 32 days, there will also be space for chamber music, dance, opera and symphonic concerts. Amongst the most outstanding names this summer in Peralada there will be Chucho and Bebo Valdés, Joyful Gospel Choir, the French string quartet Le Quatour, Diana Krall and the Dresden Philharmonic with Rafael Frühbeck from Burgos. The concerts will take place in three different spaces of unequal beauty: the auditorium Jardines del Castillo, the church El Carmen and the garden’s pavilion. Thousands were able to enjoy the most unique music last year in this unsurpassable space which is the magical Castell de Peralada.

San Sebastián Not many plans sound as idyllic as a walk on the beach when the sun is setting with jazz music in the background. This dream becomes true every afternoon for six days, the duration of the prestigious Jazzaldia festival in San Sebastian. The glamorous coastal city of the Basque Country invites, for the 43rd consecutive year, international and exceptional jazz figures in a series of more than 80 concerts. Undisputed names as Dianne Reeves, Ahmad Jamal, Johnny Winter or Maceo Parker are enough to come by to San Sebastián this summer, adding to this some surprises like the celebrated actress and singer Lizza Minnelly. In 2007 there were 135,000 jazz lovers who enjoyed the best music in San Sebastián in commendable spaces: Kursaal auditorium, whose modern architecture by Moneo rises majestically opposite the sea, Victoria Eugenia Theatre and Zurriola beach, of course.

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A XVIth century castle is the scenario of the distinguished Peralada Festival

OTHER FESTIVALS

Creamfields and Ola Festival August 9th and 15th.

Guardias Viejas beach (Almería) If Andalucía was not full enough in summer, Creamfields and Ola Festival intend to fill Guardias Viejas beach in the locality of El Ejido of electronic music lovers one more year. The space provided, more than 100,000 square metres, will reunite thousands of people eager to dance all night long to the rhythm

that the best DJ´s and groups play opposite an unequal view: the Mediterranean Sea. This summer, the main attraction of Creamfiels are Chemical Brothers, Groove Armada, Thievery Corporation and Carl Craig; while a week later Ola Festival will bring Björk, Massive Attack, Editors and Goldfrapp, amongst many others. Both festivals together will add more than 80,000 people who will be stay up all night this summer at Guardias Viejas beach. The two typical things in the summer, beach and music, meet in these festivals. An irresistible combination for any party animal.

In Spain music goes on playing all year round. Although it is the summer season when most of the festivals take place there are other indispensable dates to take into account during the rest of the year: Actual. January can also be a good month for festivals and Actual in the Rioja shows it. The concerts combine with films and other varied parallel activities, from parcour to circus. Musically speaking, the supply is wide. In 2008 Logroño had such different artists on as Benjamin Biolay and Asian Dub Foundation. PRIMAVERA SOUND. Spring is a perfect season to enjoy Indie music. The festival in Barcelona which takes place in May holds the name of alternative with full meaning, as it is one of the most selected and demanding in criterion. Without having to go any further, Portishead was the star of the festival presenting their new album last May. CULTURA URBANA. Hip Hop echoes in Madrid every month of May during this international festival. The best rappers, battles, brake dancers and even beat boxers do not fail to come to the Spanish capital city to present the richness of this musical style, which is gaining more and more fans every day. SÒNAR. The Advanced Music Festival of Barcelona is always ahead in all senses and it precedes the great summer events. By mid-June, the most original and modern artists internationally renown meet in this festival for lovers of the very latest musical trends.

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Co. Events

SEVILLA GLOBAL ORGANISES HANGAR 08

eville’s mayor, Alfredo Sanchez Monteseirín, together with the delegate for employment and economy, Jon Ander Sánchez, opened in Naves del Barranco on May 28th an aeronautic exhibition, Hangar 08, which was opened until the 17th of June. Organised by Sevilla Global, the exhibition has 300 original photographs of the anonymous workers of Hispano Aviación and some sequences of the facilities. The exhibition’s intention is to homage the workers and the companies that for decades have been shaping the aeronautic sector of Seville.

BARCELONA, HARLEYDAVIDSON WORLD CAPITAL

ore than 15,000 motorcycles of the Harley Davidson brand met in Barcelona from the 10th to the 13th of July to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the brand and the 25th anniversary of the Harley Owners Club which has more than a million members in the world. This rally was celebrated in the fairgrounds of Plaza de España occupying more than 75,000 m2 with an ample exhibition of the Milwaukee brand, a motorcycle show, childern’s activities and thematic bars and shops of the renowned brand. During four days, Barcelona was the world capital of Harley Davidson and congregated more than 250,000 visitors from the whole world. The most spectacular event of the rally took place on Sunday 13th when the Harley Davidson bikes rallied along the streets of Barcelona with more than 5,000 motorbikes.

EVENTOCLICK PRESENTS THE SYMPATHY PRIZE IN THE SOLIDARITY CUP

A JOURNEY TO THE ROMAN PERIOD AT THE HANDS OF GRUPO COMENDADOR

ARS RECREATES AN ILLEGAL CASINO TO PRESENT THE FILM 21 BLACKJACK

he agency ARS dismantled all its assets for the promotion of the film 21 Blackjack in front of the media last April. After the viewing of the film, ARS recreated a clandestine casino so the journalists could be immersed in the atmosphere of 21 Blackjack. The event also had the participation of the family García –Pelayo, who showed their skill at spinning the wheel as it is internationally known. At the end of the party, the journalist who obtained the greatest number of casino checks got a 42” Sony Bravia television set. ARS has been in charge of the promotion of the film 21 Blackjack totally, including the design of the decoration of the cinema hall, street-display ads and shelters for the whole of Spain.

t was the third time that the golf club RACE held the Solidarity-Trophy Cup BS Sports & Entertainment, a golf tournament that brings footballers and basketball players face to face with a charitable purpose. Javier Huergo, general director of the portal Eventoclick who also participates in the organization of the event, presented the Sympathy prize to Julio Baptista, a Real Madrid player. It was precisely the footballers who won the tournament for the third time, beating by 11½ to 6½.The winners got a crystal cut trophy specially made by Perodri, which represented a V for victory with a golf ball. The Solidarity Cup is an initiative of Banco de Sabadell whose income goes to UNICEF and Plan Internacional, two NGOs which develop projects for children.

or a week the uses and customs of ancient Rome are remembered in Carranque (Toledo) thanks to the conference sponsored by Grupo Comendador. Funnily, it was the president of the hotel chain who 25 years ago discovered the first roman mosaic which gave way to the archaeological excavations and the birth of Parque Arqueológico of Carranque. Archaeology workshops, painting and cooking, harp and violin concerts, entertainment and shows of the period, storytelling, conferences and contests of short stories, all under the topic of ancient Rome, are some of the activities that shape the program of “La huella del Mundo Romano”.

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BARCELONA WILL BE THE VENUE FOR THE GLOBAL SPORTS FORUM

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rom 2009, the city of Barcelona will be the venue of the Global Sports Forum, an international meeting to reflect about sport and its relation to such different fields as politics, business and art. The forum will be held from 26th to 28th of February at the Centre de Convencions Internacional of Barcelona and will allow us to know the opinion and analysis of renowned international experts about the role that sport currently has through different conferences and round tables. The Global Sports Forum will be centred in five areas of debate: ‘Sport in the global world’, ‘The global dimension of sport’, ‘Sport and economy’, ‘Sport and sustainable development’, and ‘Sport and health’. During the presentation of this event, on May 8th, amongst other high public figures, the mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, the president of honor of the international Olimpic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch will be there.

SOCIEDAD GEOGRÁFICA ESPAÑOLA CELEBRATES THE Xth EDITION OF THEIR YEARLY AWARDS

LANDALUZ AWORDS THE BEST NEWLY QUALIFIED COOK OF THE YEAR

ngel Mª Tabeada was awarded at the contest of the Newly Qualified Cook organised by the Asociación Empresarial de Calidad Certificada Landaluz, the Asociación de Hostelería of Sevilla and province and the Asociación de Jefes de Cocina of Sevilla and province. The young chef received the award and 3,000 euros for his Caldillo de perro with sea bass papillote with ci-

he Xth edition of the yearly awards of Sociedad Geográfica Española was held the last 1st of April at the auditorium Mutua Madrileña. The awards, which reward the role of travellers, researchers, companies and institutions for the dissemination of geographical knowledge, went to the climber Walter Bonatti, the biologist Luis Arranz and the BBVA, amongst others. Within the International category, Bonetti was awarded for imprinting modern climbing with a philosophy that gives more importance to ethics, honesty and the union of man with the environment than reaching peaks, refusing new climbing techniques that are a danger to the essence of this discipline. Luis Arranz, on his part, was awarded for his tenacious battle against illegal hunting and for his work on recovering ecosystems to ensure the survival of the flora and fauna of endangered geographical areas due to poverty and poacher harassment.

tric tagliatelle, competing with other seven cooks and using surprise ingredients contributed by the companies’ members of Landaluz. The young cooks had two hours to prepare the dish of which different aspects like skill and technical ability, the organisation of work, the presentation and the taste of each dish have been evaluated. The winner, Angel Mª Taboada, is from Jerez de la Frontera, he is 24 and he is currently ‘chef de rang’ at La Sal Restaurant at Hotel Talahasia in San Pedro de Pinatar. Taboada will represent Andalusia at the Young Cooks National Contest. The ceremony, which was held at Alfonso XIII hotel in Seville, had the presence of great chefs like Dani García, Willy Moya, Angel León, Kisko García and Rafa Morales, as well as Martín Soler, councillor of Andalucia Department of Fish and Agriculture.

CODILINK PRESENTS THE REFERENCE MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN BARCELONA

he company Codilink presented the last 15th of May in Barcelona the new tool for the marketing and publicity World which allows you to know and interact with users and customers of the product. The idea is very simple: with the mobile as a basic tool, while one user is buying cinema tickets, transport tickets or is participating in a promotion, he or she can receive in his or her phone a series of information codes which will maintain the interest on the product he or she is purchasing and the company can follow in real time the promotion. The two-dimensional codes are a succession of black and white squares in the screen of the mobile phone. A real case: a telephone company wanted to attract people to its shops and so it launched a campaign. Sending a text message, the user receives one of these two-dimensional codes and to see if this code has the prize the user must go to one of the shops that the company has where they indicated which the prize was.

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Useful guide

USEFUL GUIDE CONVENTION BUREAU

Murcia

Valencia

Oficina de Congresos de Murcia

Turismo Valencia Convention Bureau

Barcelona

34 968 34 18 18 congresos.murcia@congremur.com

34 96 360 63 53 turisvalencia@turiosvalencia.es

Palma de Mallorca

Zaragoza

Mallorca Convention Bureau

Zaragoza Convention Bureau

34 971 73 92 02 info@mallorcacb.com

34 976 72 13 33 zcb@zaragoza.es

Barcelona Convention Bureau 34 93 368 97 00 bcb@barcelonaturisme.com

Bilbao Bilbao Convention Bureau 34 94 479 57 70 bicb@bilbaoturismo.bilbao.net

S.C. Tenerife Tenerife Convention Bureau

Gerona

34 922 23 78 89 info@tenerifecb.com

Gerona Convention Bureau 34 972 41 85 00 gicobu@cambrescat.es

La Coruña Consorcio de Turismo y Congresos de La Coruña 34 981 18 43 44 info@turismocoruña.com

Las Palmas Gran Canaria Convention Bureau 34 928 26 15 70 convention@laspalmasgccb.com

Madrid Spain Convention Bureau 34 91 364 37 00 femp@femp.es

Madrid Convention Bureau 34 91 588 29 00 congresos@munimadrid.es

Málaga Málaga Convention Bureau 34 95 206 18 30 convention.bureau@ayto-malaga.es

CONVENTION CENTERS Barcelona

Santander Santander Convention Bureau 34 942 20 30 02 congresos@ayto-santander.es

Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona 34 93 230 10 00 ccib@ccib.es

Palau de Congressos de Catalunya

San Sebastián

34 93 364 44 00 marta.rodriguez@pcongresos.com

San Sebastián Convention Bureau

Centro de Convenciones Gran Vía

34 943 48 14 66 bureau@donostia.org

34 93 233 20 00 info@firabcn.es

Santiago de Compostela

Palacio de Congresos de Barcelona 34 93 233 20 00 info@firabcn.es

Santiago de Compostela Convention Bureau

World Trade Center Barcelona

34 981 55 51 29 turismo@santiagoturismo.com

34 93 508 80 00 congresos@wtcbarcelona.es

Sevilla

Bilbao

Turismo de Sevilla

Palacio de Congresos y de la Música de Bilbao ‘Euskalduna’

34 95 459 29 15 turismo@sevilla.org

Toledo Toledo Convention Bureau 34 925 21 31 12 congresos@toledo-congresos.org

34 94 403 50 00 info@palacioeuskalduna.net

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Burgos

Logroño

Salamanca

Palacio de Congresos Y. Atapuerca

Riojaforum Palacio de Congresos y Auditorio de La Rioja

Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones

34 947 00 11 22 info@palaciocongresosatapuerca.com

Cádiz Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones 34 956 29 10 17 cadiz2000@palaciocongresos-cadiz-com

Córdoba

34 941 276 200 riojaforum@riojaforum.com

Madrid Centro de Congresos Príncipe Felipe Hotel Auditoriu Madrid 34 91 400 44 00 info@hotelauditorium.com

Palacio de Congresos

Centro de Convenciones Feria de Madrid

34 957 48 31 12 palacio@cordobacongress.com

34 91 722 50 74 convenciones@ifema.es

Granada Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos 34 958 24 67 00 palacio@pcgr.org

Jerez Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones 34 956 18 07 32 ifeca@dipucadiz.es

La Coruña Palacio de CongresosAuditorio 34 981 14 04 04 director@palacongres.com

La Línea de la Concepción Palacio La Línea 34 956 769 950 info@palaciolalinea.com

Las Palmas de Gran Canarias Palacio de Congresos de Canarias 34 928 49 17 70 info@pcongresos-canarias.com

Centro de Convenciones Mapfre Vida 34 91 581 16 27 cc@mapfre.com

Palacio de Congresos de Madrid 34 91 337 81 00 castellana.palacio@tourspain.es

Málaga Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga 34 952 04 55 00 pfyc@promalaga.es

Mérida Palacio de Congresos de Mérida 34 924 007 308 palacios@palaciosdecongresosdeextremadura .com

Murcia Auditorio y Centro de Congresos Víctor Villegas 34 968 34 10 60 congresos@ auditoriomurcia.org

Palma de Mallorca Congress Palace Palma 34 971 73 70 70 info@congress-palace-palma.com

34 923 26 51 51 congresos@palaciocongresossalamanca.com

San Sebastián Palacio de Congresos Auditorio Kursaal 34 943 00 30 00 kursaal@kursaal.org

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos de Tenerife 34 922 22 29 52 iftsa.iftsa@cabtfe.es

Magma Arte & Congresos 34 922 79 39 87 info@magmacongresos.com

Santander Palacio de Exposiciones 34 942 29 00 40

Sevilla Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Sevilla 34 95 447 87 00 general@fibes.es

Sitges Centro de Congresos Melia Sitges 34 93 811 08 11 melia.sitges@solmelia.com

Tarragona Palacio Ferial y de Congresos de Tarragona 34 977 24 55 77 info@palaucongrestgna

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Useful guide

Torremolinos

Bilbao

San Sebastián

Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones

Hotel Lopez de Haro

Hotel Maria Cristina

34 94 423 55 00 lh@hotellopezharo.com

34 943 43 76 00 hmc@westin.com

Burgos

Santander

Hotel Landa Palace

Hotel Real

34 947 25 77 77 landapal@teleline.es

34 942 27 25 50 realsantander@husa.es

Logroño AC Gran Hotel La Rioja

Santiago de Compostela

34 941 27 23 50 aclogroño@ac-hotels.com

Hotel AC Palacio del Carmen

34 95 237 92 03 direccion@palacio-congresos.com

Valencia

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias 34 96 197 45 00 rree@cac.es

Palacio de Congresos 34 96 317 94 00 palcongres-vlc@palcongres-vlc.com

Centro de Eventos de Feria Valencia 34 902 74 73 32 eventos@feriavalencia.com

Madrid Hotel Hesperia Madrid

Valladolid Centro de Congresos Valladolid 34 983 42 93 00 feriavalladolid@feriavalladolid.com

34 91 210 88 00 hotel@hesperia-madrid.com

Hotel HUSA Princesa 34 91 542 21 00 husaprincesa@husa.es

Hotel Melia Castilla 34 91 567 50 00 melia.castilla@solmelia.es

34 981 55 24 44 pcarmen@achotels.com

Sevilla Hotel Melia Colon 34 95 450 55 99 melia.colon@solmelia.com

Toledo

Hotel Miguel Angel

Hotel Hilton Buenavista Toledo

Auditorio Palacio de Congresos de Zaragoza

34 91 442 00 22 hma@occidental-hoteles.es

34 925 28 98 20 info.buenavistatoledo@hilton.com

34 976 72 13 00 informacion@auditoriozaragoza.com

Hotel Ritz

Zaragoza

HOTELS Barcelona Hotel Arts 34 93 221 10 00 info@harts.es

Hotel Barcelona Hilton 34 93 495 77 77 barcelona@hilton.com

G.H. La Florida

34 91 701 67 67 comercial@ritz.es

Marbella Hotel Don Carlos 34 95 283 11 40 resa@hotel-doncarlos.com

Palma de Mallorca

34 93 259 30 00 info@hotellaflorida.com

Arabella Sheraton Golf Hotel Son Vida

Hotel Grand Marina

34 971 78 71 00 golfhotelsonvida@arabellasheraton.es

34 93 603 90 00 info@grandmarinahotel.com

Hotel Majestic 34 93 488 17 17 recepcion@hotelmajestic.es

Salamanca Salamanca Forum Resort

Hotel Princesa Sofia

34 923 33 70 20 convenciones.hoteldb@grupomrs.com

34 93 508 10 00 psofia@expogrupo.com

Hotel Alameda Palace Salamanca

Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I

34 923 28 26 26 angela@hotelalamedapalace.com

34 93 364 40 40 reservas@hrjuancarlos.com

Valencia Hotel Melia Valencia Palace 34 96 337 50 37 melia.valencia.palace@solmelia.es

Zaragoza Hotel Palafox 34 976 23 77 00 hotelpalafox@palafoxhoteles.com

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