THINK MICE JANUARY - MARCH 2019 by THINK MICE

JANUARY-MARCH 2019 ISSN 2543-4497

THINK MICE W W W. T H I N K M I C E . P L

MUSEUM OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN GDAŃSK

Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk is an exceptional place on Poland’s event map. Launched in March 2017 its exhibition space draws thousands of visitors on a daily basis. THINK INCENTIVE POPULAR CHOICES VERSUS OFFBEAT DESTINATIONS

PROFILE: PATRICK DELANEY. THE ART OF FALLING DOWN AND GETTING BACK UP INTE R NAT I ON A L M I C E M AG AZ I NE

INSPIRATIONS GENERATION Z FORCES CHANGES

EDITORIAL

NO EASY DECISIONS The selection of a place hosting a congress, a conference or the

convenience, but also what you can offer participants and the

participants of an incentive travel is among the most crucial

impact of your choice. Obviously, you also need to maintain

decisions. What is more, it needs to be made at the very

common sense and a responsible

beginning, since destination is the starting point of developing

approach that is expected from all

a programme and, consequently, searching for an appropriate

organisers. Moving on, if you are

venue that would meet customer’s requirements, building

wondering whether you should apply

relationships with local partners, arranging all types of side

the services of a DMC, be sure to read

attractions, etc. As experience shows, the choice of a destination

the interview with Hasan Dinç,

might seem like one of the more pleasant ingredients of planning

Managing Director of Euromic. Perhaps

a MICE project but, in fact, is far from easy. In addition, it entails

a local partner can somehow alleviate

several consequences… We should keep in mind that while

the inherent risk, at least partially?

a setting can make an event noticeably more attractive, it is also

Speaking of threats… terrorism along

capable of thwarting the plans of organisers and effectively

with other factors, such as common

rendering their work more difficult.

and organised crime, social

According to the latest “2019 Global Meetings and Events

unrest, political riots, health risks,

Forecast” report compiled by American Express Meetings &

epidemics, natural disasters, etc.

Events, European meeting planners prefer to stage their events

made some destinations, up to

in major metropolises that they already familiar with. As many as

now highly popular among

78% of respondents selected this option. The remaining group,

business tourists, virtually

whose size is growing, opted for less popular settings. Moreover,

disappear from the map of their

a considerable group of organisers and customers is also interested

travels. The situation seems to

in destinations in Central and Eastern Europe which obviously

be particularly regrettable for

makes us very happy. This trend is inspired by their perception as

destinations, whose situation has

attractive from the viewpoint of tourism and prices, relatively easily

already considerably improved,

accessible, as well as safe, a quality particularly in demand among

but continue to struggle with a

present-day meeting planners.

poor reputation. What are the

Why am I mentioning all these facts? Not without reason.

effective ways of battling stereotypes? Are such destinations

In this year’s first international edition of the THINK MICE

worthy of your attention? Learn all of this and more in the

magazine, which you are now holding in your hands, we decided

THINK DESTINATION section.

to dedicate a lot of attention to destinations. In the THINK

I hope that the materials we prepared will make it possible to

INCENTIVE section we are pondering what is more attractive -

answer at least some of the questions relating to an optimal choice

well-proven places that everyone is already familiar with or their

of a destination. They are here to inspire you together with all

unexplored counterparts that remain below-the-radar for most

other articles in this issue. After all, the year is just starting and will

tourists? Both options have their share of pros and cons; when

probably bring many travels for all of us!

making the decision it is important to consider not only your

Michał Kalarus

3 THINK MICE

THINK MICE MICE & MORE MEDIA GROUP THINK MICE Business Link PGE Narodowy Al. Ks. J. Poniatowskiego 1, 03-901 Warszawa tel. +48 690 12 12 69 redakcja@thinkmice.pl www.thinkmice.pl www.facebook.com/thinkmice/

COVER PHOTO: TMUSEUM OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN GDAŃSK EDITOR Michał Kalarus michał.kalarus@thinkmice.pll

THINK EVENT 11 Independence celebrated through events

ADVERTISEMENT Aleksandra Lublińska aleksandra.lublinska@thinkmice.pl

THINK INCENTIVE 14 Popular choices versus offbeat destinations

reklama@thinkmice.pl SUBSCRIPTION prenumerata@thinkmice.pl

THINK VENUE 17 Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk 19 Culture of many dimensions

DESIGN Iwona Borowska Roman Borowski studio@thinkmice.pl PROJECT MANAGER Anna Łukasik think@thinkmice.pl

THINK DESTINATION 20 Euromic – youthful approach drawing on experience

PRINTING HOUSE TAURUS

PROFILE 22 Patrick Delaney. The art of falling down and getting back up

ISSN 2543-4497

4 THINK MICE

THINK MICE is a magazine dedicated to the Polish and international meetings industry (MICE – meetings, incentives, conferences, events) and its scope encompasses all of the segments in question: meetings, incentive trips, congresses and conferences. By adopting an in-depth and multifaceted approach to all covered issues, we present the role and signiﬁcance of the industry for, i.a. broadly deﬁned marketing communication, employer branding and destination marketing.

NEED TO KNOW 06 Changes in ICCA Central European Chapter’s Board 06 AIME returns in a new form 07 Poznań and Wielkopolska conference venues in one catalogue 07 Digital Stage Europe – new event for the stage technology industry 07 Łódź to host ECTAA spring meeting IBTM WORLD 2018 08 IBTM World – record-breaking and innovative but leaving visitors wanting a little more

EDITORIAL TEAM Ksenia Bednarek, Agnieszka Jurewicz, Magda Klimczyk, Maciej Kompała, Monika Kowalska, Łukasz Kuś, Tomasz Nowak

©COPYRIGHT BY MICE & MORE MEDIA GROUP

INSPIRATIONS 26 Stones can also be valuable, or why competing for awards is worth the effort 28 Generation Z forces changes REPORT 30 We still need face-to-face meetings

TECHNOLOGIES 32 Facial recognition – how much can you learn by looking at a face?

NEED TO KNOW

ROB DAVIDSON publishes a new book Rob Davidson describes his latest book Business Events as an in-depth analysis of the market of the meetings sector, a first-ever attempt to combine all the main MICE sectors along with other related market segments. In addition to chapters dedicated to corporate meetings, incentive travel, conferences and association congresses, other parts are focused on, i. a. political events, award ceremonies and the increasingly popular SMERF segment. Each of them offers a detailed examination and description of the character distinguishing particular meetings. Moreover, readers will find experts’ advice on how to plan and stage the discussed events to fulfil the objectives set by customers. All of this is complemented by examples of projects implemented all over the world and commented by event managers. Business Events also features chapters discussing, i. a. the role of convention bureaux, sustainable growth, the latest technologies, ethics and industry-related education. “In many respects the book constitutes my gift for the sector, to

BALTIC FOR EVENTS FORUM 2019

which I devoted more than 20 years. It is based on my own knowledge, but also the experiences of many esteemed professionals operating in various MICE sectors. It would not be here if it was not for their valuable hints and support. This is the perfect read for people looking for a fresh look at the meetings industry, interested in obtaining a big picture of all options of planning events by drawing on the most advanced accomplishments of present-day technology. Conducting research and writing Business Events was sheer pleasure. I hope that reading the book will be equally fascinating”, says Rob Davidson. Davidson has virtually always been involved in the MICE industry. He spent many years working as lecturer at London universities and has already written several books dedicated to business tourism. At present, he is the Managing Director at MICE Knowledge, a research and consultancy company he established. Davidson specialises in issues related with the staging of conferences, incentive travel and business trips. MK

The third edition of Baltic for Events Forum will be held in Tallinn on 24-25 April. The event will be attended by more than 300 guests, mostly but not limited to event organisers and customers hailing from countries in the Baltic Sea region. The list also includes representatives of hotels and conference centres, subcontractors and providers of the latest technologies, as well as convention bureaux personnel. The two-day agenda will be composed of a number of lectures, workshops and discussions. While the full list of speakers has not been revealed as yet, it will certainly encompass, i.a. Nick Borelli, President of Borelli Strategies (United States), Michele Fuhs, founder of Circle4x (Germany), Paul Little, Creative Director with JCP PR & Advertising (Norway), Colja Dams, CEO with Vok Dams (Germany), Jens Mayer, Managing Director with the Jack Morton agency (Germany) and Michał Zalewski of the Krakow Festival Office. As in last year, the Forum will be accompanied by the Baltic Event Award competition and several networking events. The participation fee is 250 Euro (standard two-day ticket). Baltic Event Industry Club (BEIC) is the event’s organiser, while THINK MICE will be acting as its media partner. MK

Successes and failures discussed at EVENTFUL CITIES

Staged by the European Cities Marketing (ECM) association, the Eventful Cities conference will be held in Edinburgh on 13-16 February 2019. Leading specialists and event organisers from numerous European countries were invited to attend and discuss patterns and solutions in the

field of arranging events in urban space. Also known as a festival of failures, Eventful Cities will mostly uncover the “darker” aspect of event management to its participants. One of its main agenda items will involve the stories of organisers of prominent European events that for different reasons ended up a disaster. “ECM members will undertake the challenging task of opening up about their mistakes. While this kind of approach to developing an event’s agenda might not be too common, to some degree it shows the spirit of the meeting we hold. I am referring here to the ability to look beyond mistakes to show the true picture and reinforce the trust of members associated within ECM. This is precisely the sort of approach that makes it possible to learn the most”, says Dieter Hardt-Stremayr, President of ECM. TN

5 THINK MICE

NEED TO KNOW CHANGES IN ICCA CENTRAL EUROPEAN CHAPTER’S BOARD Late 2018 saw changes in authorities of the Central European Chapter (CEC) of International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Anna Górska, Business Development Director with Expo XXI Warszawa, held the position of its Chairperson for three terms (last six years). Karina Grützner, Convention Marketing Director with Stuttgart Convention Bureau, last term’s Deputy Chair, will now take over the role. Igor Kovacevic, CEO with Serbia Convention Bureau, assumed the position of Deputy Chair. Among her successes as the Chairperson of ICCA CEC Anna Górska lists a 10% increase of the number of Chapter members, growth of ICCA’s signiﬁcance in Central European countries, and Poland’s increased recognition as a congress destination in the international arena. “The position of CEC’s Chairperson in an organisation as seminal as ICCA is not limited to a promotional and image-related asset of our country. It is also synonymous with tangible beneﬁts for companies representing the Polish sector of the meetings industry, which got the chance to host and organise numerous prestigious events”, comments Anna Górska. The main role of the Board of Directors of ICCA CEC is to take care of issues affecting members and organise three annual educational meetings – at IMEX Frankfurt, ICCA Congress and a summertime conference each time staged in a different member state (this year’s edition will be held in Belgrade and the successive 2020 event in Zurich). As the second largest chapter in the whole association, ICCA’s Central European Chapter currently has 170 members hailing from the following countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Poland is currently represented by 12 members. MK

6 THINK MICE

AIME returns in a new form This year’s edition of the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) trade event will introduce many novel features. The new strategy is intended to guarantee greater benefits for attending exhibitors and hosted buyers. “We have undergone a thorough transformation. We have subjected each aspect of our event’s operations to a detailed assessment and made many changes. These were highly necessary actions. Now everyone who decides to come to Melbourne will achieve more – in regards to both business and personal development, influenced by an impressive educational programme”, says Jay Martens, Event Director with AIME. Mention is certainly due to, i.a. an extensive agenda of networking events aimed at generating numerous less formal occasions to establish relations and business contacts plus an educational programme developed by Melbourne Convention Bureau in cooperation with leading global associations operating in the meetings industry, including i. a. PCMA, ICCE and SITE. The list of sessions and educational panel discus-

sions will involve meetings dedicated to shaping personal, strictly business and management skills, as well as abilities related to broadly defined industry know-how (latest trends, technologies, motivational techniques). There will also be no shortage of workshops based on the analysis of real-life case studies. AIME is Australia’s largest event dedicated to the meetings industry and one of the most significant events of this kind in the region of Asia-Pacific. Its latest edition developed by Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and Talk2 Media & Events will be held in Melbourne on 18-20 February. MK

CONVENE 2019 – the details are here! Less than two months before the launch of the seventh edition of the Vilnius-based CONVENE exhibition, its organisers published a detailed programme of the event. The subject matter of educational sessions, a list of speakers and a programme of networking events have all been announced. The two-day educational programme will consist of nine different presentations and panel discussions hosted by leading authorities in the MICE industry. The list includes, i.a. Dr Elling Hamso (Event ROI Institute), who will discuss benefits stemming from staging events and meetings, Chris Frei, founder and CEO of Topconf Software Conferences, who will host a discussion of creating unforgettable experiences at events, Anne Dalgaard, CEO of EventAnne, who will focus on issues connected with the concepts of meeting design and meeting experience, as well as Thorben Grosser of EventMobi, who will cover the latest technology or, to be more specific, how it keeps changing our way of communicating and, consequently, of developing events. Moreover, the organisers also confirmed that the annual CONVENE Networking Evening for exhibitors, hosted buyers and partners of the exhibition will this time be arranged in a recently opened section of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, set in the very heart of the Vilnius Old Town. The event is expected to draw approximately 400 participants. CONVENE will be held on 13-14 February 2019. THINK MICE is its media partner and an Englishlanguage edition of our magazine will be available for all participants. MK

NEED TO KNOW

POZNAŃ and WIELKOPOLSKA conference venues in one CATALOGUE

Prepared by Poznań Convention Bureau the Obiekty konferencyjne. Poznań i Wielkopolska (Conference Venues. Poznań and Wielkopolska) catalogue lists more than 150 venues. Its scope focuses on hotels featuring conference facilities, all other venues providing accommodation, training and conference services, as well as their more non-standard counterparts available for business meetings. The publication contains descriptions in Polish and English along with

photographs and practical information on, i.a. capacity, room arrangement options and additional furnishings. The catalogue also encompasses information about 30 select teambuilding and incentive services for groups. “Poznań Convention Bureau expects the catalogue to become a tool predominantly used to effectively promote the offer of Wielkopolskie vovidodeship (Greater Poland) and to contribute to building cooperation with organisers of conferences, congresses and meetings both in Poland and worldwide. We hope that it will also make it possible to diagnose the condition of business tourism in the region and forecast its further development”, says Jan Mazurczak, CEO of Poznań Tourism Organisation (of which Poznań Convention Bureau is a part of). The catalogue is available for free download from www.bit.ly/katalogpcb. The project is financed by Marshal’s Office of Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. MK

DIGITAL STAGE EUROPE – new event for the stage technology industry The first edition of Digital Stage Europe will be held in Targi Kielce exhibition and congress centre on 7-9 March 2019. Designed for staff handling technical services for stage and business events, the meeting is also expected to boost this particular sector of economy. THINK MICE became a media partner of Digital Stage Europe, which is intended to combine a regular trade fair character with a number of conferences and training sessions. The launch of the event is a response to the development of Poland’s market of sound systems and lighting. According to a summary prepared by Audio-Video Producers Association and International Federation of the Phonographic Society (IFPI), the music market’s revenue growth in 2017 equalled 6% in Poland and 8.1% globally. The new event in the

ŁÓDŹ to host ECTAA spring meeting The next semi-annual meeting of the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) is going to be staged in Łódź in June 2019. The setting of the spring meeting was officially announced during ECTAA’s semi-annual meeting in Jerusalem on 6-7 December 2018. Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź, represented Poland. “The choice of the city as the host of ECTAA’s next meeting will offer European travel agents an opportunity to discover a new place on the tourist map and learn about the potential of Łódź as a must-see destination”, says Paweł Niewiadomski, President of ECTAA. ECTAA members are trade associations hailing from 30 European countries, including 27 European Union member states. In total, the organisation represents about 70,000 travel agents and tour operators. In addition, Tunisia, Morocco, Israel and Malaysia currently have the status of ECTAA international members. Semi-annual meetings involve managing directors and presidents of travel agents and tour operators from all over Europe. MK

Kielce trade fair centre offers an opportunity for industry companies to establish relationships and promises to be a place where all the latest products and music premieres are unveiled. Visitors to Digital Stage Europe Pro Audio and Light Event will get a chance to admire, i.a. state-of-the-art studio, stage, sound and light equipment. The event staged in Targi Kielce is targeted at sound engineers and recording studio owners, professional DJs, professional and amateur bands, composers, music producers and publishers, as well as radio producers and technicians. DSE will be accompanied by the 6th National Student Conference for Sound Engineers OSKA and the OSKArec Recording Competition organised by the Polish Section of the Audio Engineering Society. MK

7 THINK MICE

IBTM WORLD 2018

IBTM WORLD – record-breaking and innovative but leaving visitors wanting a little more

Photo: THINK MICE

The very purpose of IBTM World is to create business opportunities and one-of-a-kind experiences. This year’s edition abounded in new players, technological innovations and an impressive educational programme. Is this enough today to win the hearts of exhibitors and convince them that IBTM remains a high point of the meetings industry’s calendar?

8 THINK MICE

For 31 years IBTM World has been a ﬁxture among key events dedicated to the meetings industry. This year the organisers managed to set the bar even higher and break the record held by the previous jubilee edition. There were more than 77,600 prearranged business meetings during the three-day event attended by exhibitors representing 150 countries. More than half of all hosted buyers were ﬁrst-time visitors.

NEW PLAYERS At this year’s edition of IBTM World the space taken by exhibitors from the Asia Paciﬁc region increased by 23%. The list of companies and institutions exhibiting in Barcelona for the very ﬁrst time includes, i.a. Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism, Development Hong Kong Tourism and more than ten representatives of Macao,

which is involved in dynamic activities connected with promotion in the European market. “The opportunity to participate in IBTM World is unquestionably a major step forward on the path of promoting Macao as a MICE destination. Macao constitutes a signiﬁcant bridge between the region of Asia and European countries. To maintain this status, we need to adjust our offer, previously focused on Chinese customers, to the requ-

irements of Western tourists”, explains Lai Wai Man Christie of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. Besides Asian exhibitors, there was also no lack of new guests from other regions of the world, who decided to showcase their offer at IBTM World for the ﬁrst time. This category encompassed, i.a. San Francisco Travel Association, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Alternative Athens and Tourism New Zealand.

POLAND. SMART MOVE. Barcelona witnessed the ofﬁcial business launch of a new and interactive formula of the Polish national booth. “We have been making attempts to develop a new booth for some time and now our efforts came into fruition. It became possible to hold meetings also outside of the booths of our exhibitors. We have always been interested in introducing an open and friendly form of reaching potential customers”, says Marta Wiśniewska, Head Manager of Lublin & Region Convention Bureau. “I am very pleased that the booth was remarkably well received both by hosted buyers and our exhibitors. While there will be changes in two years, a similar, open and friendly style will deﬁnitely be maintained”, adds Aneta Książek, Chief Conference Expert at Poland Convention Bureau POT. The Polish national booth showcased the offer of nine sub-exhibitors: Furnel Travel, ICE Kraków Congress Center, JAN-POL DMC Poland , Kraków Convention Bureau, Lubelskie Conference Centre, Sheraton Westin Luxury Collection Hotels in Poland, Supertour DMC, Warsaw Tourism Organisation – Warsaw Convention Bureau, as well as WPT 1313. “We mostly care about securing concrete contact information about people directly supervising a given event. I am glad to say that this year’s meetings allowed us to meet the goal. What is more, we held three times more meetings than originally planned. Since customers reach out to us not only inspired by Kraków and our venue, but also by Poland as a destination, we are very glad to present our potential as part of the national booth”,

emphasises Weronika Wirtel, Sales and Marketing Specialist at ICE Kraków. Marta Wiśniewska, for whom this was the third IBTM World as a representative of Lublin and Region Convention Bureau, will also have fond memories of this year’s edition of the Barcelona event. “The quality of meetings has noticeably improved. We now discuss actual events with representatives of agencies and associations. As a rule, these are units operating in our areas of so-called smart specialisations. We make use of both exhibition space and side events, such as ICCA Association Reception, to establish new relations”, says Marta Wiśniewska. Besides the national booth, three other Polish exhibitors were also present at IBTM World: Tarifa Poland DMC, Hotel Gołębiewski and Marshal’s Ofﬁce of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship (Lower Silesia). “For Tarifa the IBTM show offered another opportunity to present our unique offer to partners from all over the world. The fact that we were the only Polish company to have a separate booth certainly made us stand out and offered us the space necessary for talks about new projects and needs. As a DMC, Tarifa can be described as highly comprehensive and this character is also a welcome feature among all exhibitors present at IBTM World in Barcelona”, says Maciej Wójcik, CEO of Tarifa.

PROS AND CONS Despite numerous positive opinions about the event, there were also many exhibitors who believed that in the future – the sooner, the better – organisers should nevertheless consider making its formula more interesting. The discussed ideas mostly focused on expanding the programme of side events, conducive to networking and establishing relations in a less formal atmosphere. While at present they are aimed mainly at hosted buyers, exhibitors would also like to become involved.”When attending a trade fair, you will not accomplish corresponding goals by simply being present. If you opt out of numerous additional activities, of developing

Photo: THINK MICE

IBTM WORLD 2018

a promotional campaign and highlights for visitors, you should not be surprised by the low effectiveness of your participation and below-average number of visitors to your booth”, says Sabina Like, Executive Director at Nürnberg Convention Bureau.

TECHNOLOGY IS KEY TO SUCCESS As usual, IBTM World complements business talks with an educational programme. This time the latter mostly encompassed issues related with the latest trends and technological innovations applied in the event industry. One of the most popular highlights, the Exploratory Zone was set in the centre of the exhibition hall and made it possible to learn more about the most advanced technological solutions, such as virtual reality, artiﬁcial intelligence and 3D printing. Tech Watch People’s Choice Award, a new category introduced for the ﬁrst time into the annual IBTM World Tech Watch Award, recognized Kubify, an interactive platform providing ePoster solutions. The 2018 Tech Watch Award acknowledged Fielddrive and Zenus, face recognition software for event registration purposes. IBTM World was staged in Barcelona on 27-29 November with THINK MICE acting as its media partner. An international edition of our magazine was also distributed during the event. Magda Klimczyk

9 THINK MICE

THINK EVENT

INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATED THROUGH EVENTS

Photo: Niepodległa/Dominik Deras

MAJOR AND SPECTACULAR PROJECTS DURING THE SO-CALLED WEEKEND OF THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY PLUS A NUMBER OF SMALLER EVENTS THAT CONTINUE TO BE STAGED IN NUMEROUS CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF POLAND REGAINING INDEPENDENCE BROUGHT A GAMUT OF ALL TYPES OF EVENTS. WE DECIDED TO EXAMINE HOW THE PREPARATIONS LOOKED LIKE AND WHAT THE ORGANISERS PLACED GREATEST EMPHASIS ON.

Works on preparing the celebrations of the hundredth anniversary were launched long before 11 November 2018. Rather than focusing on a one-off event, the main idea consisted of a whole sequence of diverse events that were staged (and still are) both in Poland’s largest cities and smaller towns all over the country.

MULTIANNUAL PROGRAMME “NIEPODLEGŁA” In May 2017 the government submitted the “Niepodległa” (Independent Poland) programme for implementation in 2017-2021 (in August 2018 the Council of Ministers deci-

ded to extend it to 2022). On-going coordination of the celebrations and supervision of some grant programmes was handled by Ofﬁce of the “Niepodległa” Programme. “The discussed initiative supports the organisation of events in the whole country, which are intended to make it possible for Poles to celebrate the hundredth anniversary and join the preparations. This is our response to the outcome of research National Centre for Culture conducted in 2016, which showed respondents feeling they lack an option of celebrating close to their place of residence”, says Kamil Wnuk, Spokesperson of the “Niepodległa” Programme’s Ofﬁce. In other words,

the superior goal of “Niepodległa” was from the beginning focused on “reinforcing a sense of civic community among Poles”. The activities are continued up to this day in three areas (priorities). Their list includes the implementation of projects commemorating the hundredth anniversary of Poland regaining independence and supervised by national cultural institutions, the inclusion of Poles in co-creating the celebrations by launching two grant programmes in the second half of 2017 (“Coalitions for Independent Poland” supporting celebrations arranged by civic initiatives and “Niepodległa” aimed at local-government cultural institutions and non-

11 THINK MICE

THINK EVENT governmental organisations), as well as the promotion of Poland’s value-based image abroad. In charge of the foreign programme, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute planned a number of events creating publicity for Poland. In addition, a grant programme for bilateral initiatives was also adopted.

HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS Pursuant to the Multi-Annual Programme “Niepodległa”, state budget’s total expenditure on the implementation of all tasks was assumed to reach approx. 210 million PLN. “About 80 projects were developed as part of nationwide activities – from series of exhibitions arranged by Poland’s largest museums and dedicated to the hundredth anniversary of regaining independence through concerts, theatre shows, educational projects to the new design of passports issued on this occasion”, lists Kamil Wnuk. “Furthermore, more than 400 projects were implemented as part of local and regional activities and focused on organising undertakings engaging local communities – re-enactments, running events and thematic walks (including kayaking ‘walks”), general knowledge quizzes and art contests, educational sessions, etc. We asked organisers of various types of events to join us; the main requirement involved preparing activities, which would get local communities involved in the celebrations. Local-government cultural institutions and non-governmental organisations were eligible for grants”, adds Wnuk. Besides coordinating communi-

cation activities and overseeing the “Niepodległa” grant programme, the ofﬁce was also responsible for the development of three leading events intended to make Poles even more engaged. “Hence the ideas of the Hymn for Independence campaign, the Independence Festival in Krakowskie Przedmieście Street and the Concert for Independence”, informs Kamil Wnuk.

WEEKEND OF THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY The obvious crowning point of celebrations lasting several months, the weekend of 10-11 November was when all the key and largest events took place. On 10 November the Ofﬁce of the “Niepodległa” Programme held the inaugurating Concert for Independence in PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw. The concert constituted a musical journey through the last hundred years of our country’s history. In addition, it summed up 1.5 years of preparations, hundreds of talks with artists, hours of planning the stage design and visuals. It is also worth pointing that it took six days to set up the stage alone. Traditional stage design was replaced by its virtual counterparts, LED screens and multimedia solutions. The Festival Group company was responsible for the event’s organisation, with Transcolor providing lighting. 40,000 spectators attended the concert right there in PGE Narodowy, while 7 million viewers watched its broadcast by ﬁve TV channels. On the next day of 11 November, major nationwide

events were staged as part of the main anniversary celebrations. “They were brought together by the Hymn for Independence action that invited all Poles to sing together the national anthem on 11 November at midday. Among the close to 1,000 sites participating in Poland and worldwide, there were places as diverse as Mt. Śnieżka and Lake Dywickie, hundreds of squares in cities and towns, as well as diplomatic outposts and Polish diaspora communities”, lists Kamil Wnuk. Right after the national anthem, the Independence Festival was launched in Warsaw’s Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, gathering approx. 300,000 participants. From 1pm to 9pm they could, i.a. enjoy live music, learn traditional Polish dances or try out Polish cuisine delicacies. Games and fun activities were arranged in a tent for the youngest spectators. The festival’s organisation involved the TOProduction company specialising in art and promotion. “Activities such as the discussed concert, festival and our Hymn for Independence action provided Poles with an opportunity to join the celebrations in a both convenient and interesting way. At every stage it was crucial to maintain an inclusive character of all events, which explains the ‘Independent Poland for everyone’ slogan of celebrations”, argues the Spokesperson of the Ofﬁce of the “Niepodległa” Programme. Also on Sunday, 22 halls in Poland and abroad hosted concerts staged as part of the “100 for 100. Music Decades of Freedom” project initiated and organised by Polish Music Pu-

SOCIAL MEDIA REACH OF THE HYMN FOR INDEPENDENCE ACTION

816,986 viewers of a YouTube video ad, 2,975,658

THINK MICE

Photo: Niepodległa/Tomasz Tołłoczko

1,137,584 viewers on Instagram and 43,406 viewers on Twitter.

Photo: Klaudyna Schubert

viewers of Hymn for Independence’s Facebook ad,

Photo: Radek Zawadzki

Information about the project reached

THINK EVENT blishing House. 100 masterpieces of Polish music composed between 1918 and the present day were played live in, i. a. Melbourne, Tokyo, Lviv, Paris, London and New York.

ALL OVER POLAND, ALL YEAR LONG Nevertheless, as already mentioned, celebrations of the hundredth anniversary of Poland regaining independence were not limited to events staged on the special weekend. Many events were held earlier and numerous other ones will take place in the weeks to come. For example, the day-long open-air Space of Freedom Festival was staged in Krakowskie Przedmieście Street and Zamkowy Square in Warsaw on 13 October. Its programme encompassed a wide variety of highlights, i.a. a concert of three tenor singers from the balcony of Hotel Bristol, a star-studded concert in Zamkowy Square, a concert of Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra and Voice Band featuring Ewelina Flinta. Mention is also due to the burial of a Time Capsule and a ﬂash mob whose participants were singing the Warszawa da się lubić evergreen. “Since the hundredth anniversary of regaining independence deserved an exceptional setting and we wanted to get Warsaw residents engaged, the ceremony was held in a place that is the calling card of both pre-war and present-day capital – Krakowskie Przedmieście Street and Zamkowy Square. Such an extensive area required ﬁrst-rate organisation and logistics planning – many highlights were set simulta-

neously in various points of the Royal Route. Another challenging task involved the coordination of all animators and artists invited to participate. There were more than 650 of them – choir members, orchestra musicians, actors and soloists. Finally, the concert of three singers from the balcony of Hotel Bristol also was not particularly easy from the viewpoint of organisation. Nevertheless, cooperation between Stołeczna Estrada’s technical staff and hotel personnel made it one of the most memorable features”, says Monika Arent, Head of the Department of Promotion and Advertising with Stołeczna Estrada. The number of Festival’s participants is estimated at about 100,000. The Capital City of Warsaw was the event’s organiser, while Stołeczna Estrada handled its production. Multimedia and lighting services were provided by the VES company, which supplied, i.a. LED screens of total area of 145 m2.

MAPPING IN WAWEL CASTLE Advanced technology and extraordinary means of expression are the advantages of a show inspired by the hundredth anniversary of Poland’s independence and staged in Wawel Royal Castle. Light Alchemy, an auteur project of the Tauron Dystrybucja company, combined advanced visual arts in the form of large-format three-dimensional mapping presented on Castle’s walls with lighting, music, singing and live dancing (performed by an ensemble of close to 100 artists). One of the world’s brightest multimedia projectors in the company of fully synchronised smart lighting devices were working during the show, which also applied advanced three-dimensional sound technology. The Visualsupport company was responsible for the event’s scenario, direction and comprehensive executive production. Still, the “energetic” show is not the only initiative planned by Tauron to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Poland regaining independence. Mention is also due to, e.g. two youth-oriented undertakings. The ﬁrst one, Tauron’s Ener-

getic Junior Cup tournament, involved 100 youth football teams from southern Poland. The second one consisted of supporting the Independence Cruise, a sailing expedition around the world whose crew is composed of more than 1,000 young people from all over the globe. The Dar Młodzieży ship has already visited cities such as, i.a. Copenhagen, Bordeaux, Dakar, Cape Town, Jakarta and Singapore. Los Angeles, Acapulco and Ponta Delgada are next on the itinerary. Tauron supports the cruise through photovoltaic solar panels installed in the ship’s deck, which provide the crew with electricity.

PRO-INDEPENDENCE BANNER Last but not least, representatives of the hospitality industry, i. a. the Chopin Airport Development company, also joined celebrations of the discussed anniversary. Already back in summer, in peak tourist season, an enormous white-and-red banner showing a boy ﬂying a plane was placed on the Courtyard by Marriott hotel right next to Chopin Airport. “The undertaking succeeded thanks to an initiative of Chopin Airport Development’s board in cooperation with Ofﬁce of the ‘Niepodległa’ Programme. We believe that it is our patriotic duty to become part of this sort of initiatives. In this manner, we are glad to be doing our part in making both fellow countrymen and foreigners visiting our country increasingly aware of the history of Poland”, argues Magdalena Szefernaker, Communication Manager with Chopin Airport Development. Moreover, at the initiative of Chopin Airport Development, the photo competition “Our Beautiful Independent Poland” was staged in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Tourism and Polish Tourism Organisation to showcase stunning, free and independent Poland by posting photos on the Instagram social networking service. The response was highly impressive and more than 1,200 photos were submitted. Agnieszka Jurewicz

13 THINK MICE

THINK INCENTIVE

POPULAR CHOICES VERSUS OFFBEAT DESTINATIONS

Photo. Fotolia

A DESTINATION PLAYS A KEY ROLE WHEN STAGING AN INCENTIVE TRAVEL. A SUITABLE SELECTION CAN WORK MIRACLES AND IMPACT A POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF THE WHOLE TRIP. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT CAN ALSO THWART THE PLANS OF A CUSTOMER. WHAT PLACES ARE PARTICULARLY WORTHY OF ATTENTION?

There are at least two reasons why the choice of a setting hosting an incentive travel is crucial. Besides the obvious factor of tourist attractiveness, it also has a considerable inﬂuence on the options of creating additional activities, which are an essential feature of each incentive itinerary. They should be exciting and original so that the invited guests remember them for a long time.

WEATHER FACTOR

14 THINK MICE

“Warm” destinations enjoy the greatest popularity among incentive travel organizers. Everyone dreams about a trip to a warm country in, e.g. the middle of the winter. We-

ather is precisely why Spain became one of the most popular settings of incentive trips. It attracts tourists with its wide and sandy beaches, pleasant and professional personnel, as well as high-quality hotels. Mention is also due to its wonderful climate boasting an average annual temperature of about 23°C. Andalusia seems particularly popular and offers everything that is best and most interesting about Spain: exquisite food delicious tapas and jamón iberico ham or the most famous, absolutely ﬂawless Jerez de la Frontera sherry. Andalusia is also the birthplace of ﬂamenco and castanets. This is where the tradition of folk games and fairs

originated, now acting as splendid highlights also applied when developing programmes of group activities, especially scheduled in the evening. Among the more distant destinations, Thailand is always a popular pick, probably the most recognizable tourist option in the whole of Asia. Several years ago it was enjoying a true boom within the incentive industry. It is safe to say that the country can offer virtually everything: the appeals of a large metropolis in Bangkok, breath-taking tropical islands and beaches plus mouthwatering cuisine. Everything is served with a smile and there is a wide range of intriguing

Photo. Fotolia (2)

THINK INCENTIVE

highlights, such as tuk-tuk rallies, massages and cooking lessons. What is more, all of this is available at very affordable prices, a factor of crucial signiﬁcance for many organisers. Frequently leading the rankings of oft-selected destinations, the United States never fail to enthral customers. Importantly, this is a country than you can often come back to – starting with New York through New Orleans and Chicago to California, the gem of incentive trips. The popularity of Unites States ﬂuctuates depending on the exchange rate of the US dollar. The more attractive it is, the larger number of trips in development.

EASY ACCESS In recent years it became quite noticeable that the selection of a destination is also influenced by convenient, preferably direct flights. This is the case of, e.g. the French Riviera. Despite its expensive character, the great network of flights to Nice had a considerable influence on making it increasingly popular. Many trips also set out to Georgia, which draws organisers with attractive prices, great food and a plethora of highlights, e. g. off-road rallies, baths, trekking in the mountains, tours of historical monasteries and, most of all, unforgettable Georgian feasts. Destinations representing the Middle East have also risen in popularity, as demonstrated by Dubai. Easy accessibility made the city a place almost the whole industry has already visited. However, this does not change the fact that it remains the perfect destination for new

groups. In addition to convenient connections, its status is affected by the attractive price to quality ratio of available services, easy transfers onsite and the sheer number of highlights (desert safari, desert dining, panoramic views from the top of Burj Khalifa, sightseeing local gold markets, etc.). Some organisers prefer the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, which offer all-inclusive packages (unlimited alcohol and meal options served in hotels usually between 9am and midnight). The topic of all-inclusive stays deserves to be discussed in more detail, as it remains a remarkably popular concept in the sector of incentive trips. While guests often believe that a solution of this type is automatically a major asset, a diverse and well-considered programme is really what counts. If the latter can be arranged, then an all-inclusive package is no longer necessary, as the participants spend most of their time outside of a hotel. They usually come back in late evening, already after a dinner in a local tavern, where they enjoyed the attention of a good-natured host, the concert of a local band plus a mixture of wine, beer and, e.g. Rakia. Such an evening might offer a much more interesting and entertaining experience than a standard meal served in a hotel.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS If you want to surprise your participants, it is always a good idea to propose a less popular destination or an exceptional, previously unfamiliar highlight. Several years ago I had

an opportunity to guide a trip to Amsterdam. This would have been an ordinary trip to an European capital if it was not for the fact that we went there during the so-called Queen’s Day (now: King’s Day), the one weekend at the end of April each year, when the whole Amsterdam turns into one big party. During our stay the entire town was filled with orange decorations. Our attention was drawn to sailing boats with music and dancing and parades. All of this created a truly unique and memorable ambience. As a result, the trip to Amsterdam received very positive feedback from all of its participants. You can also generate a “wow” effect of guests invited to an incentive travel by taking them to, e. g. a safari expedition. What is more, even this type of a highlight can be further improved. A recommended solution has inviting participants to spend a night in upscale tents set in national parks. The prices are comparable with hotel accommodation and the experience simply unforgettable. The tents offered to tourists attending safaris in Kenya, Tanzania or the Republic of South Africa are spacious (about 30 m2) and fully equipped. Inside you will find a bathroom, beds, lamps and furniture often distinguished by a highly attractive, colonial character. Nights spent in the bush, surrounded by the sounds of wildlife are sure to be remembered for the longest time. In the case of safari trips, a balloon flight might constitute an added value. It starts with participants waking up early in the morning, about 5am. Then, the

15 THINK MICE

Photo. Fotolia

guests are driven to a place where the balloons are set up. The beautiful journey begins in the dark, when Africa is slowly waking up. A balloon all set on the ground will also make a huge impression and awe with its sheer size. The ﬂight, which allows you to admire the landscape and animals from the high, is certainly an exciting adventure. All is crowned by a breakfast in the middle of the bush with participants receiving appropriate certiﬁcates. This sort of a trip will certainly be retained in the memory of its participants for a long time plus, importantly, will receive a lot of coverage in the industry. Another good idea involves combining an incentive travel with a sport event. However, in this case you need to pay special attention to the character of the group to which you are offering this type of trip. If this is a mostly male group then a FC Barcelona and Real Madrid match will be a fantastic one-in-alifetime occasion that is guaranteed to satisfy also some of the female participants. On the other hand, a trip to a Formula 1 racing event should be treated with certain caution. As a

rule, expensive seats are needed to guarantee a good view, while omnipresent thundering noise in the circuits might not be everyone’s cup of tea. When you also take into account the pricey tickets, the whole trip sometimes simply becomes a waste of money. In other words, in the case of Formula 1 it is best to make sure that this highlight is offered only to true connoisseurs.

FURTHER, MORE… The choice of a distant and expensive destination, such as Argentina, Australia or New Zealand is an unquestionably intriguing solution from the viewpoint of customers. Still, you need to keep in mind that in this case the ﬂight itself lasts more than ten hours. For example, it takes almost two days to travel to New Zealand from Europe. Meanwhile, an average incentive trip to a non-European destination lasts from 7 to 8 days, including ﬂights. In other words, it is recommended to dedicate a bit more time - even 10 days - when staging a programme in one of the countries listed above. In this way, you will make the

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

16 THINK MICE

Agnieszka Lewandowska, Vice President of Incentive Care, graduate of the Faculty of Geography at Jagiellonian University in Kraków and post-graduate studies in tourism management at Warsaw School of Economics. Specialises in developing and providing services aimed at the most unusual trips, large incentive groups, as well as more intimate, frequently luxury travels. Together with the Incentive Care team Lewandowska implemented more than 400 incentive trips on seven continents. A member of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and Association of Incentive Travel Organisers (Stowarzyszenie Organizatorów Incentive Travel; SOIT), in 2013-2017 SOIT’s board member. Two-time winner of MP Awards in the category of Meeting Planner – incentive agency. In her spare time Lewandowska likes to stay active, loves the mountains and trekking. She also cycled across the Republic of South Africa as part of the Nowak’s Africa project.

long-haul flights more tolerable and plan on seeing something more than only the capital and its closest surroundings. In addition, your guests will also be surprised if you place your bet on a destination, which up to now has not hosted an incentive trip. This is a somewhat difficult task, as the creativity of incentive travel organisers left very few blank spots on the map, while the unexplored choices tend to be dangerous. North Korea, Greenland and Chile with Easter Island are among the rarelyvisited destinations which might act as a source of inspiration. North Korea seems to be increasingly open to tourists, but small groups are recommended when planning a trip there. While it might not offer any truly spectacular highlights, the chance to stay in a place that was not visited by any of your colleagues remains the top selling point. Greenland and Easter Island are a different story altogether. They have no shortage of highlights but trips there require a decisively above-average budget. In Greenland you can organize whale watching, fishing expeditions and dog team rallies. Easter Island is best visited during the two-week-long Tapati Festival, which is usually staged at the turn of January. The island becomes genuinely swarmed by tourists, whose numbers are several times larger than in off-season. Unfortunately, this demand translates into growing prices, but Tapati is worth every penny as a veritable explosion of culture and tradition. Particular festival days are filled with numerous highlights – from swimming competitions, culinary contests and city parades to concerts of music ensembles. A marathon amidst the island’s green areas is one of the most spectacular sport activities, whose participant run with more than ten kilos of banana stalks, carrying them under their arms. As you can see for yourself, the selection of an appropriate destination is important, but the creative approach of an agency and the highlights it proposes can sometimes have an even larger impact on how satisfied you are with a trip. Agnieszka Lewandowska

THINK VENUE – PROMOTION

MUSEUM OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN GDAŃSK THE CHOICE OF A VENUE HOSTING AN EVENT IS INFLUENCED NOT ONLY BY FIRST-RATE CONFERENCE INFRASTRUCTURE, ADDITIONAL OPTIONS OF EVENT ARRANGEMENT AND A GREAT TEAM PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF TECHNICAL, PROMOTION AND CONTENT-RELATED SUPPORT. ANOTHER CRUCIAL ASPECT INVOLVES THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF A GIVEN VENUE, ITS ONE-OF-A-KIND CHARACTER AND THE VALUES IT REPRESENTS. Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk is an exceptional place on Poland’s event map. Launched in March 2017 its exhibition space draws thousands of visitors on a daily basis (4,171 guests is its impressive record). Set right next to the Motława river and in close proximity of the historical centre of Gdańsk, the venue occupies an area of approx. 23,000 m2. Distinguished by a remarkably original shape of an inclined prism, the building was created to adopt

a modern and moving approach to tell the story of Poles and experiences of other nations connected with the Second World War. Located 14 m underground, the main exhibition is the heart of the Museum and spans over an area of almost 7,000 m2. The Museum’s three underground levels also include a conference centre, a room of temporary exhibitions, a cloakroom, a bar and a two-level parking lot. A café, a restaurant, a library and three educational rooms can be found in

ﬁve levels above ground. Glassed-in walls of the building and scenic elevators make it possible to admire the panorama of Gdańsk’s Old Town.

ONE VENUE, MULTIPLE OPTIONS An intriguing and emotive exposition is among the high points convincing organisers to plan their events in the Museum. The list of other arguments includes distinct archi-

17 THINK MICE

MICE SPACES

tecture of the venue, well known in the international arena and recognised by architectural competitions, mixed-use event infrastructure and a wide range of additional highlights. The Museum’s Conference Centre offers as many as 2,000 m2 of space available for events. The largest conference hall is recommended for staging symposia, conferences or congresses for more than 300 parti-

Total space available for events and conferences: 2,000 m2

level +5 Café

CONFERENCE HALL – capacity: 301 (two first rows additionally equipped with tables with an electrical outlet - 47 seats), height: 8.8 m, area: 270 m2. Facilities: multimedia projector, screen (6.5 m x 3 m), theatre stage (9 m x 15 m), simultaneous interpretation booth. Hall’s backstage facilities include dressing rooms and cloakrooms for the staff. MOVIE THEATRE – capacity: 114, height: 6 m, area: 100 m2. Facilities: applied digital film projection system makes it possible to screen films in the 3D technology (8.8 m x 4 m screen) using the Dolby Surround 7.1 sound system. EDUCATIONAL ROOMS – capacity: 40, area: 102 m2. Facilities: projector, screen, sound system, wireless microphone. A room with individually controlled air conditioning and lighting in various configurations. FOYER – located in direct vicinity of the conference hall. More than 1,250 m2 of open space enables flexible arrangement matched to any event character, such as a cocktail party or an exhibition. RESTAURANT – set in the Museum’s tower and linked with a mezzanine hosting a café. The restaurant and café space put together has capacity of 120. SUITES – three two-level suites (area from 85 m2 to 116 m2) and five double rooms (area of 30 m2). An open-access fully-equipped kitchen, a TV room with a children’s corner, an outdoor patio and an underground monitored parking lot are all available for hotel guests. PARKING LOT – two-level underground parking lot offers spaces for 143 vehicles.

CONTACT

Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk pl. Władysława Bartoszewskiego 1, 80-862 Gdańsk, tel. +48 58 323-75-64, +48 58 662 -215 -184 konferencje@muzeum1939.pl SETTING: exact centre of Gdańsk, close to numerous tourist highlights, excellent connections with a railway station and the Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport

18 THINK MICE

in exhibition and temporary exhibitions, a ﬁlm screening or an educational lecture hosted by Museum’s personnel. In addition, the venue’s team ensures professional support for event organisers. “The Museum employs more than 120 people and the Department of Marketing and Sales alone has 18 employees. In other words, we are capable of providing organisers with a truly

level -2 Conference centre

level -3 Movie theatre

level -3 Museum store

level +4 – Restaurant level +2 – Library, educational rooms

level -3 Museum bistro

cipants. It comes equipped with, i. a. a theatre stage and two simultaneous interpretation booths. Right next to the conference hall, a foyer features more than 1,200 m2 of open space guaranteeing ﬂexible arrangement options. The foyer is a great choice both for a cocktail party and an exhibition accompanying a conference or a congress. Combination of raw concrete and warm wood provides the place with a singular character. A movie theatre with capacity of 114 is excellent for intimate projections combined with a discussion or lectures. Its excellent acoustics make microphones redundant when staging meetings. Smaller training sessions or workshops for about 40 participants can be arranged in educational rooms set in the Museum’s tower. This is also where you will ﬁnd a restaurant linked with a mezzanine hosting a café. The restaurant and café space put together is available for an event for 120 guests.

A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES Each event organised in the Museum of the Second World War can be supplemented with additional highlights. Meeting planners can incorporate into their agenda a tour of the ma-

level 0 Suites

level -3 Main exhibition, temporary exhibition, children’s exhibition

wide range of technical, promotional and content-related support”, argues Karolina Imianowska, Head of the Department of Marketing and Sales with the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk. “The room, technical facilities, accommodation and boarding are always most important when working on events. The Museum of the Second World War is capable of providing all the essentials”, declares Imianowska. Furthermore, the Museum also boasts its own accommodation facilities in the form of three two-storey suites and five double rooms. Business suites offer an excellent setting for hosting business meetings, official councils, assemblies and job interviews. Each guest also receives a free entrance ticket to Museum’s main exhibition. “Moreover, out of all catering companies operating in the TriCity we chose five reliable suppliers of diverse character. Their employees were trained by Museum’s security staff. As a result, they now know how to move around the building (by no means an easy task), provide professional assistance and, finally, deliver a delicious food and beverage selection for event guests”, assures Karolina Imianowska. AJ

THINK

VENUE – PROMOTION

CULTURE OF MANY DIMENSIONS “We strive to become recognised not only as a historical museum, but also a lifestyle venue, a place of meetings, where guests can spend an entire day because they have everything they need: science, culture, entertainment, food and a place to stay”, says Karolina Imianowska, Head of the Department of Marketing and Sales, Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk.

What makes Museum of the Second World War stand out on the map of venues hosting events? Why should event organisers pay special attention to the offer of the Museum? The mixed-use character of our venue is its distinguishing feature. In a single place, in a single space, you will find infrastructure indispensable for organising events of various kind. The list includes, i.a. a fully-equipped conference centre, a twolevel underground parking lot, a hotel section and a restaurant. In addition to obvious essentials, our package encompasses the chance to stage your event in a prestigious place that, together with the building’s impressive structure, was on numerous occasions nominated in architectural and cityplanning competitions. All of this was made possible by merging functionality with modernity and design. In the case of interiors such as ours, you do not need to make particular investments in decor, because they come out on top by echoing the latest trends, with raw concrete as the dominating material made warmer by applying wood. Still, it is its setting in the city’s heart and transport connections with a railway station and an airport that constitutes a particularly strong advantage of the Museum, along with the walking distance from Gdańsk’s main historical monuments. Event organisers should pay special attention to the fact that even in the low season we are visited by 2,000 guests a day, while peak season numbers reach 4,000 visits a day. These are certainly impressive figures that transform our advertising spaces into a carrier of information and advertisement boasting extraordinary potential. Museum of the Second World War is a venue that combines numerous functions – education, entertainment, culture. How can

meeting planners take advantage of this offer and, consequently, diversify their events staged in the Museum? Mixed-used venues in the vein of the Museum splendidly meet our needs to explore, discover and grow as an individual. This is the sort of place where guests will spend their time expanding historical knowledge, broadening cultural horizons or becoming familiar with major movie titles. Event organisers can naturally incorporate into their agenda a tour of the main exhibition and temporary exhibitions (also exclusive packages for event guests), arrange a dedicated film screening or an educational lecture hosted by the Museum’s personnel. Depending on the preferences of organisers, the event in question can be staged on Monday, when the Museum is closed for visitors and its whole infrastructure becomes available for special guests, or on any other day, also outside of the regular working hours. A tour of the so-called technical route is a singular highlight that never fails to enjoy exceptional popularity. The whole building of the Museum is highly advanced from a technical viewpoint and boasts a wide range of various installations that are best described by our investment and security departments. What I can tell you, however, is that the Museum has its own pool, is set in a foundation pit, and the building’s ventilation system is located on the sixth floor, the highest point of the tower, which is accessible only for a select few. What are the largest and most noteworthy events that have so far been held in the Museum? Do you place emphasis on any specific type of events that you would like the Museum to become associated with? The Museum has been operating for less than two years, but we have already managed to produce many interesting projects. The list includes conferences, concerts, theatre shows, as well as open-air cinema in the summertime in the square in front of the Museum. The World

Battlefield Museums Forum, which attracted speakers from all parts of the world (i. a. United States, China, France, Belgium and Turkey), was probably the largest international conference. It also served as a test of all our technical capabilities, from lighting, sound and simultaneous interpretation to the construction of a LED display on the stage. We also hosted the 100#wolność concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence and broadcast by the TVP1 channel. The show applied highly effective mapping on the Museum’s building and was arranged on two stages set up specially for this purpose. Still, the largest projects are still ahead of us. We need to remember that 2019 will mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War. For this occasion we are already planning events on an even grander scale. The Museum is open to all types of events and we will be happy to talk with each organiser and offer advice. At the same time, you should take into consideration that we are an institution handling specific, challenging subject matter and events focused on pure entertainment might not go hand in hand with our statutory objectives. What goals related to the MICE industry are you setting for yourself in the years to come? Our superior goal is to secure the position of a leader and a key event venue on the map of the voivodeship of Pomorskie (Pomerania). In addition, we intend to solidify our status as a lifestyle venue. We are aware of our high points and wish to emphasise them all – the one-of-akind and noteworthy architectural venue, the rich interiors filled with culture and history, the conference centre with comprehensive facilities, the restaurant together with a cafe on the highest floors of a tower boasting an extraordinary panorama of the city, the two-level underground parking lot and, last but not least, the setting in a central section of one of the most attractive cities of Poland - Gdańsk.

19 THINK MICE

THINK DESTINATION

EUROMIC – YOUTHFUL APPROACH DRAWING ON EXPERIENCE We sat down with Hasan Dinç, President of Euromic, to talk about the organisation, its objectives and ideals, as well as the future projects it is planning. What are the largest challenges you are facing as the President of Euromic? Established more than 40 years ago, Euromic is a highly prestigious organisation with an intriguing history. One of the more important goals that I set for myself involves making sure that the organisation maintains its democratic character. Key decisions concerning the association are made by all of its members together. This level of democracy tends to be time-consuming as it requires working out many compromises, but we are proud of it and consider it an excellent solution for organisations similar to ours. Furthermore, I should make it clear that while the word “challenge” might suggest hardship or strain, Euromic affairs are nothing but pleasure for me. It is also worth adding that we boast a very strong team. Several months ago we were joined by a new executive director, taking over from a predecessor who spent 18 years with us. This is our latest crewmember to bring valuable know-how to the table. All members of our organisation including the board, boast extensive industry knowledge, backed by many years of experience. Having been in the industry for 30 years I gained knowledge that, when combined with the experience of other Euromic members, makes it possible to develop optimal solutions. I also often draw attention to another essential Euromic Component, all members can express their views and are treated with the same respect. Before a decision is taken, we ﬁrst carefully consider all options and then vote. If a given Euromic member cannot afford an operation, we make joint decisions about what should be done. In other words, Euromic can be compared to a large family, whose particular members cooperate with each other, support each other and learn from each other’s mistakes.

20 THINK MICE

What then are your objectives for the current term? First of all, we wish to build stronger cooperation between

THINK DESTINATION association members. Since our team involves a great variety of directors and senior management, we need to work together on each decision. What is more, all of our steps need to be aimed at fulfilling the needs of members. This is why we are launching a technologically-advanced communication platform to address current expectations and improve efficiencies. We are also continuously working on increasing the number of members and the countries they represent. It is worth stressing that Euromic members must meet stringent requirements for entry. As a renowned association we have defined submission procedures to handle the large number of applications we receive. Firstly, a given company has to express its wish to cooperate. Secondly, we have a one country - one member rule, which explains why Mazurkas Travel is our sole representative in Poland. This restriction inspires us to carefully examine each member application. On such occasions, we first verify references by examining the local market and the position occupied by a given company. In addition, we also check if it has an impeccable reputation - we consider this aspect to be absolutely crucial. What other conditions do you have to meet to become a Euromic member? First of all, you need to be a leader in your country or region. I am mostly referring here to the MICE market, as it is the essence of business operations conducted by our member companies. Euromic is interested exclusively in DMCs. A company can have a more extensive portfolio of services (including, for example, leisure tourism), but this fact will not impact our decision concerning the procedure of accepting it into our organisation. Other conditions obviously include financial stability and the above - mentioned good reputation. Following the application procedure, the decision on whether to accept the applicant is to put to a vote of all current members. At present, Euromic membership encompasses 49 DMCs representing 54 countries. I believe this is a good result. From the viewpoint of companies - how can they benefit from joining Euromic? Membership in our organisation confirms and lends credibility to the quality represented by a given company. In addition, it is worth mentioning that it was Euromic that came up with and promoted the “DMC” concept. Back in 1974 our Swedish member began using the abbreviation to stand out from other companies or even carriers and tour operators. In other words, a “DMC” which stands for Destination Management Company - is our “invention”. Furthermore, we believe that probably the greatest advantage of becoming a Euromic member is the chance to transfer our mutual know-how. In addition, our members closely cooperate with each other, share exhibition stands at trade fairs and joint workshops and, most importantly, share knowledge. This is our foundation – working on growth and education plus the marketing side of things. It is interesting to note that this year we are working on a special programme especially for our younger generation and future leaders; earlier this year in July we held our our first-ever future leaders summer camp in Barcelona. This is how we are launching education to the next generation. Based on your observations: are event organisers interested in turning to

companies representing the DMC sector or do they prefer to arrange everything on their own? It depends, there is a trend of companies contacting hotels to ask for assistance with the organization of events they are planning for their participants; however, this only occurs in some markets. In the majority of cases when specialists and professionals who understand the intricacies of a successful event look for a dependable partner – they go to a DMC. We believe that DMCs will continue to be successful in the future as long as we are creative and offer unique ideas and solutions. DMCs remain a valuable component of the MICE market. It is also noticeable that particular markets are slightly different from each other. For example, Poland is more focused on seasonal highlights combined with nature and relaxing together, while in the U.S. a popular concept is to combine meetings with incentive activities, meaning that delegates take part in a meeting for the ﬁrst half of the day followed by extraordinary experiences shared with other participants in the afternoon or evening. This is where DMCs come in handy. Naturally you can call a hotel and ask about available highlights, but no one knows the destination better than local DMC professionals. What about countries struggling with political and social turmoil, such as Egypt, Ukraine or Turkey? They are recording significantly declining numbers of business tourists. Does Euromic support the local organisations in any way? Witnessing what was happening in those destinations over the last few years is a sad sight. This is why we are trying to support the markets in question. One form of assistance involves reducing the membership fee. Euromic member states affected by conﬂict, political, economic and social issues pay only a portion of their membership fee. In addition, we support the companies on many levels and any way we can. We do this as we embrace Euromic as one big family that stays together under good and bad circumstances. Jacek Słowik

HASAN DINÇ Launched his professional career in the TURSEM travel agency specialising in Scandinavian and American markets. In 1992 joined Tantur Tourism & TUI Group. In 1999 founded ODSTURKEY, which continues to operate up to this day. General Director in a global agency focused on MICE activities, President of the Euromic association of DMCs and Vice President of MPI Turkey Club.

21 THINK MICE

PROFILE

22 THINK MICE

PATRICK DELANEY. THE ART OF FALLING DOWN AND GETTING BACK UP CAN 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN MAKING MISTAKES BE USED TO MEASURE SOMEONE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS? THE STORY OF PATRICK DELANEY, OWNER OF THE SOOLNUA AGENCY, WHICH USES THIS SLOGAN FOR ADVERTISEMENT PURPOSES, CONFIRMS THE RELEVANCE OF A SAYING THAT IS OLD AS THE HILLS – IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL, BUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET BACK UP. GETTING BACK UP IS MORE FUN WHEN YOU DO IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE. Established as a result of the combination of Patrick Delaney’s operational experience and Pádraic Gilligan’s background in academia, for already ﬁve years SoolNua has been involved in counselling and conducting training sessions in the market of the meetings industry. Despite the passing of years and successive lucrative projects, the idea behind operations of the boutique agency specialising in marketing counselling remains untouched by time, similarly to its transparent moral values.

Listening is key Two Irish gentlemen leisurely stroll in a place neither better nor worse than any other. Both have their heads inclined and faces taut with thought – they seem to be contemplating a project’s strategy, the solution of another major commission. For example, the one that, as a part of cooperation with Ireland and North Ireland, is intended to combine the challenging task of promoting the region with Great Britain’s socio-political tension. Suddenly they become distracted by something else, they slow down and eventually stop to wave, just as if they have spotted someone and recognized an old friend, whom they have not seen for several years. After all, this is a good reason to stop. Patrick Delaney, the serious man on the right, otherwise a proud father of four and a happy husband of Mary, flexes his face muscles and flashes a carefree smile. He uses a greeting gesture of his hand to invite the passer-by on the other side of the screen to get in touch. If you had a chance to visit the official website of SoolNua you will know exactly what I am describing. To all agents, entrepreneurs, event organisers, customers, guests and perhaps future collaborators – you are also on the right track to join the group of people, whose presence im-

pacts the course of actions of Patrick and his business partner Pádraic. Obviously someone might say that the short video posted on SoolNua’s website was scripted and all the abovementioned gestures and cheerful facial expressions are an outcome of the work of make-up artists, the director and at least several takes. Perhaps. All of this to sell a product, a service. But is there more to it? Maybe the video is an effective metaphor of what the meetings industry is really about. A reminder that you should pause for a moment and invest your time in future cooperation and potential commissions. Take a closer look at the living organism of a company and check where its heart is beating, measure business market’s pulse, listen and tap. Check where an atrophy of ﬁnancial performance makes the system malfunction and employees suffer, as well as determine which tendencies are resiliently growing in prominence and act together to take advantage of an opportunity which for individual players would never be more than a vague eventuality.

Broader horizons, more options According to Patrick, life is not about being interesting, but rather being interested. He is referring to the natural willingness to explore the surrounding reality and another person, all the pros and cons included. In the context of this sensitivity to phenomena surrounding us, Patrick Delaney and his SoolNua are inspired by the basic values of curiosity not equal with nosiness and alertness not equal with keeping watch within strictly defined timeframes. This is precisely the approach that won our two Irish protagonists (the central figure of the profile and his business partner) the recognition of key events of the meetings industry, such as ICCA, IMEX, MCI, Norway Convention

23 THINK MICE

PROFILE Bureau, Artwalk San Diego, The Westin, Slovenian Convention Bureau and many others. Their expression of gratitude for help in developing dedicated strategies have already filled the company’s tab of testimonials. The recognition expressed by the industry is also confirmed by lifetime achievement awards and distinctions received by Patrick, also for widespreading the ideas of equality and inclusiveness in the MICE community. And although the two partners have already accomplished a lot, both together as SoolNua and on their own (i. a. IMEX Academy Award 2009, EIC Hall of Leaders 2016), fortunately their winning streak is far from over. The appetite and courage of Patrick Delaney, Pádraic Gilligan and the rest of the team did not slow down in the accomplishment of set goals. Nevertheless, several fateful events took place on Patrick Delaney’s path before he could capitalise on this status by cooperating with the most influential agencies and the largest associations of the industry.

The Irish tradition of coming home

24 THINK MICE

As Patrick recalls today, his beginnings were not the easiest. Ever since he came back from the United States to his homeland of Ireland as part of return migration and started working together with Pádraic Gilligan, the companies they successively founded were going through periods of ups and downs. We should also add that Ireland in the early 1990s was very much unlike the picture Patrick kept in his mind. It was also different from the country he expected to find after coming back from an economic migration lasting 11 years (back in the 1980s he decided to leave for the United States where he worked in Irish Tourist Board’s sales management department). He emphasises the huge transition from operational tasks he was responsible for when working in hotels in Ireland and Canada to the sales management department in the United States. But it was after his return to the home of Celtic legends that once again he had to place all bets on one thing and face surrounding market conditions. And this is when he set up his own company. In an interview with us Delaney stressed that the migration phase and first years after his return constituted a peculiar lesson of elementary rules of business craftsmanship, numerous attempts, first tries and a wide range of mistakes – both related to content and personnel. “Soon after coming back I was involved in the development and logistics of the Adare Music Festival. Since this was the first time I took part in organising a major music event, I was dependent on more experienced industry professionals. Unfortunately, in hindsight I can say that they not always knew what they were doing”, laughs Delaney. In this context, he particularly remembers the tour of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, which performed only three concerts during the month it stayed in Ireland. The stay and wages of the American group of musicians were obviously paid from the festival’s pool and absorbed a lion’s share of the whole event’s budget. A successive edition of the Adare festival was more successful and profitable, but after three years in the music in-

dustry it was high time for a change. Patrick decided to return to the promotion of regions and destinations, an area he was already more familiar with.

DMC misfire Still, it turned out that he had to wait to a bit longer to make a name for himself and his company in the meetings market. The experience obtained earlier and acquaintances within the hospitality industry failed to fully translate into recognition among DMC and MICE sectors (before leaving for the United States Patrick graduated from a Hospitality Management programme at Dublin Institute of Technology, worked for several hotels in Ireland and Canada and for the Failte Hotel Advisory platform). But first things first... In 1992, thanks to impressive management of the abovementioned Adare festival, he was recognised by SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) and received a proposal to assume the post of association’s honorary president (simultaneously becoming the first SITE president to be a non-US resident). It was precisely in the course of his term that so-called chapters, SITE regional branches, were established. Two years later he set up the Delaney Marketing Consultants DMC, the starting point of Patrick’s cooperation with Pádraic Gilligan, then a foreign language teacher. They got in touch through a mutual friend – a disabled boy living in the neighbourhood. “It is remarkable how much he taught us. That a person incapable of moving on his own has the inner strength that moves other people”, recalls Patrick Delaney. In the beginning the DMC was doing great – up to the moment it suddenly lost financial liquidity. “While this was a punishment we did not deserve, it simultaneously played the role of a valuable lesson. Ever since then I started to trust my own feelings rather than attractive tables that look good on paper”, he explains. It can be said that this was also the turning point in Patrick’s career. “In a situation when you are on the point of bankruptcy, you need to make a decision what is next. You have to think over whether to keep struggling with a business that nearly finished you off just a moment ago or perhaps try out something entirely new”, Delaney comments. Faced with this dilemma, Patrick had confidence in his skills. He knew what he was capable of and what the market needed. Thus the idea of Ovation’s takeover and rebranding, which eventually resulted in the launch of Ovation Group.

MCI multiplexer At the time the Ovation group was employing about 60 staff members. The time came to make a decision – what should be the next step? “Together with Pádraic we had to make up our mind if we would like to operate a niche business, which provides services to an upmarket group of customers, or rather expand to other continents. We chose the second option. However, to make it happen we needed

PROFILE someone strongly embedded in the industry’s reality, someone with an appropriate status in the MICE market of the time. This is when we received and accepted MCI’s proposal to join them”, explains Patrick Delaney. Since then Ovation has been operating under the auspices of MPI, together with other branches of the association. In seven years, the number of MCI’s manpower grew from 300 to 2,000 employees. “The company kept developing and we set up units in many regions all over the world (more than 100 branches in Europe, Asia, South America and the Middle East), which explains the demand for employees. In addition, the scope of our operations was becoming much larger and more diverse. We felt that we were doing a good job. On the other hand, we began coming to the conclusion that a corporate job is not quite what we were after”, he adds. The activities of MCI were then divided somewhat evenly between the tasks of a PCO (Professional Conference Organiser) and the implementation of commissions for corporations. “The experience gained in the international SITE and MCI environment made us increasingly open to different cultures, a respect for other traditions and deﬁnitions of what is considered normal. Hence the idea of continuing international business operations, albeit on our terms. Without the limitations imposed by working within the framework of an association”, says PaPATRICK DELANEY trick. This is how a brand-new company, SoolNua, was established soon after mutual success was achieved with MCI. With his business partner Pádraic Gilligan, Patrick Delaney is

Another perspective

Managing Partner at SoolNua, a boutique ﬁrm specialising in training sessions and marketing consultancy for destinations, hotels and MICE venues. Patrick holds a BA degree in Hospitality Management from Dublin Institute of Technology and worked for more than 10 years for the Irish Tourist Board in the United States. After returning to Ireland, he was the Sales and Marketing Director for a ﬁve-star luxury hotel brand and co-organised the Adare Music Festival. He started Delaney Marketing Consultants in 1994 with Pádraic Gilligan. Up to 2005 the DMC employed more than 60 staff members. Patrick has been honoured with the IMEX Academy Award in 2009 and was inducted into the EIC Hall of Leaders in 2016. He was the only Irish person to be recognised by Conference & Incentive Travel (UK) for inclusion in their Power 50 list.

Let us go back for a moment to the video posted on SoolNua’s website. Patrick Delaney’s gesture invites us to reach out to him. He seems to be saying that “a stranger is just a friend you have not met”. “The video is intended to showcase real people. The reason we established our own company was to reduce the distance between us and our customers. In addition, we wanted to have a larger impact on whom we establish relations with or, in other words, whom we cooperate with”, explains Patrick. Taking a partnership-based relationship to the highest level and simultaneously preserving an open attitude to the unknown is not only key to a company’s effective operations, but also a source of great satisfaction. And where does the name SoolNua come from? In one of interviews Delaney interprets it as a new perspective, the courage to take a fresh look at already well-known issues. It is synonymous with boldly calling into question old-fashioned and no longer relevant solutions in the everchanging dynamics of the industry’s daily life in the second decade of twenty-first century. Still, to discover a new quality under the surface of routine and oft-repeated patterns you need to be familiar with earlier trends. “If you are not aware of what happened in the past, you cannot define the concept of innovativeness and at least vaguely predict what might happen”, explains Delaney. This is why it is so important to boast experience obtained in many fields of the industry. Patrick Delaney certainly cannot complain about lack of it... Tomasz Nowak

25 THINK MICE

INSPIRATIONS

Stones can also be valuable, or why competing for awards is worth the effort Every day we work hard in pursuit of success. We wish to have a diligent work ethic and, most importantly, strive towards growth. At least these are the basic principles that managers in the twenty-first century should pursue. But let us ask ourselves a more complicated question: do we actually like actions that lead to victory, awards, distinctions, statuettes or precious stones…? The question is if and how we like to be appreciated. Perhaps we should go back in time even further… Do you keep diplomas commemorating your first pre-school competition? Do you collect awards, books and gifts dating back to your early school years? How do you feel about gifts from your relatives? Or, finally, have you ever received a simple stone that means a lot to you…? If you gave a positive answer to the last question, then stones are just as valuable and worthy of your efforts. Taking one step further… Have you ever asked yourself who presents the most important “stones” in the meetings industry? Each year more than 50 key industry associations hand out statuettes and recognise top or most hard-working members that not only pay attention to the future, but also remember about the past. The discussed awards relate to engagement, conducted projects, growth or simply sharing one’s knowledge. Boards of associations, a specially appointed jury or international groups composed of former winners oversee their granting. However, what is the most important thing for us, people involved in the meetings sector?

STONES ALONG THE PATH

26 THINK MICE

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2019 is the Year of the Pig (Boar) and the element of Earth, while brown is said to be its lucky

colour. As this is a time of friendly vibrations, it is recommended to smile, cooperate and, predominantly, create new projects. But what all of this has in common with winning? The right approach is key. First, you must play to win. Second, it is important to take part in the right competitions, which make it possible to position yourself and demonstrate your role in the industry. Another highly signiﬁcant component involves reading the terms and conditions, which allow you to understand what a given competition is about, if you have a chance of qualifying and if this particular competition is crucial from the viewpoint of

your personal and career growth. One of the ﬁnal ingredients involves making sure that a submission, a procedure or a material that needs to be prepared contains all the ingredients expected by jury members. By this I do not only mean the emotional dimension of your submission, but also a highly thorough answer to all the points and questions. The proverbial “I did everything possible” will not sufﬁce. Therefore, it is best to strategically plan your participation - how you intend to prepare for a given competition and how you want to showcase your best features in it - through a project, a submission,

INSPIRATIONS the right approach. Finally, you need to keep in mind that gathering experience is the most helpful thing you can do. Preparing a submission, working on materials or summing up your heretofore achievements and accomplishments will help you in successive activities, promotions or other projects. The time spent in this way always pays off.

SELECT STONES Reverting to the motif of stones or medals and diplomas… We need to ask ourselves which of them we hold most valuable and important. At this point I would like to share reﬂections on several select options that I believe are essential. Let us start with the “wow” effect, something that incentive travel organisers are usually looking for. Operating in the incentive ﬁeld, you usually do not have be concerned with and think about your motivation, but still the Crystal Award presented by the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) is key for everyone excelling at creativity connected with the development and implementation of incentive programmes. Speaking of motivation, while organisers are often brought up, we need to remember that destinations play one of the most important roles in the sector in question. I have in mind their availability, readiness, infrastructure and the essential factor – people that create the ambience of a given place. All these qualities together are the basis of undertaken marketing operations. The latter, in turn, with particular emphasis on campaigns and cutting-edge concepts, are recognised by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and its trademark Best Marketing Award. Two different associations, two different awards, but the same “stone”, press information and splendour. Both organisers of incentive programmes and destinations want to and can be recognised in this manner. The same holds true for involved staff members who wish their daily work to be acknowledged. Speaking of individual awards, mention is due to at least three organisations. Meeting

Professionals International (MPI), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) associate individual members and pay special attention to their growth, education and long-term wellbeing. “Member of the Year”, “Initiative of the Year” or “Activity of the Year” are examples of categories, in which it is not only recommended to make your presence known, but which are also distinguished by increased competition. The meetings industry is a sector of awards and people working in it are not afraid to showcase their initiatives.

TOP STONES Finally, it is worth drawing attention to what we care about most of all. A distinction that not only appreciates our business savvy but also us as an individual. A good example is provided by the annual IMEX trade fair in Frankfurt. I am not the only one to believe that it is among the industry’s top meetings and also a time when most prestigious awards are presented. Several categories, geographic areas and moments when the best competitors are elevated to a “celebrity” status. Awards handed out in the course of the IMEX gala are not only an important moment in the life of all of us. They mostly represent a sincere appreciation of our colleagues within the industry. After all, this

is the most important thing of all. In conclusion, I would like to mention a distinction that in my opinion deserves a top spot in the meetings sector. I am talking about the Events Industry Council (EIC) gala and an award connected with being inducted into the Hall of Leaders. The Academy Awards of the meetings industry is how I would describe these special “stones”. They undoubtedly occupy a unique place on the map of global awards. They are presented by former laureates and particular candidates are nominated by industry organisations. Regardless of age or geographical setting, EIC distinguishes individuals who truly changed the course of the meetings sector in a given region or ﬁeld.

LIKE A STONE THROWN INTO A POND … Awards and distinctions, statuettes and diplomas are all merely things. It is the actions that count. Such reﬂections are inspired by the Heroes gala staged by CNN. Global “miracle makers” recognised by the discussed competition earned highest praise. What I wish for myself and all readers is that in 2019 the meetings industry also has its heroes. Let everyone accomplish what he or she was looking for. Your efforts will then create ripples like the proverbial stone thrown into a pond. Krzysztof Celuch

ABOUT THE AUTHOR DR KRZYSZTOF CELUCH is a speaker, an academic lecturer, an entrepreneur and certiﬁed trainer (CMM, CITE, CIS, HMCC, CED). His company Celuch Consulting specializes in the meetings industry and event marketing helping organizations in a journey from content to impact. Head of the Poland Convention Bureau Polish Tourist Organization (2009-2017). Krzysztof gained professional experience by working in convention bureaus, being involved in international associations and organisations, as well as by conducting scientiﬁc research. As a lecturer he cooperates with, i.a. San Diego State University, Skema Business School and several Polish universities. He is an author of articles and books dedicated to the meetings industry, reports and research projects, including The Economic Impact of Poland's Meetings Industry. Finally, Krzysztof has been distinguished by numerous international awards and distinctions, i.a. MPI Rise Award, Events Industry Council Pacesetter Award and presented by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland, the honorary distinction "For contributions to tourism".

27 THINK MICE

INSPIRATIONS

GENERATION Z FORCES CHANGES Satisfying, surprising and seducing potential customers… We sat down with Stephan Jung to discuss the challenge posed by Generation Z for the MICE market. Both online and in other sources there are many definitions about who exactly the Generation Z concept refers to. Unfortunately, the ideas are not always consistent with each other. What would you say is the common denominator of people usually viewed as part of this generation? As is the case with definitions using specific time frames, also here we are dealing with certain discrepancies. I agree with my colleagues from all over the world, who believe that Generation Z unquestionably involves people born between 1995 and 2010. The designated time span is broad and the most common definition should be interpreted as meaning that while older representatives of Gen Z are now entering the labour market, their younger colleagues are still in school. According to data presented in commonly accessible sources, Generation Z youth compared with e.g. millennials are distinguished by lower teen pregnancy rates and less alcohol and drug abuse plus higher school graduation rates. Should we then perceive Generation Z as people who at all costs want to lead their life completely differently from their parents and older siblings, members of Generation X and Y? Generation Z nurtures slightly different values and people classified as part of this group are definitely characterised by behaviour unlike the one associated with their predecessors. Growing up is a longer process for them and they also need more time to try out and sample many things before becoming truly engaged in career. In addition, they want to keep their private life and work separate - only 6% of Generation Z members are planning to start their own business that, as it is well known, requires additional attention also after a regular eight-hour shift.

28 THINK MICE

How thus can the MICE industry attract the attention of Generation Z members? What type of customers and business partners can they expect? Generation Z can be hard to get along with. The U.S. bestseller Me, Myself & I describes their considerable self-preoccupation: 97% own smartphones, 90% of their decisions are dictated by social media. What is more, before making a decision of any kind, they ﬁrst consult a group of friends on Facebook and similar social networking services. They search for authentic but Instagramready experiences that will not only make great memories, but also go down in history of their social media proﬁle. We are talking about people who on the one hand avoid dangerous situations, but on the other hand can spontaneously shout out “YOLO” and go a little crazy, as long as it matches their expectations.

INSPIRATIONS To make them interested and secure their loyalty, the MICE sector needs to look for solutions based not on sales, but on building trust - when dealing with customers representing this generation you should be attracting them rather than simply pushing them to do something. Organisers of MICE events are constantly chasing the latest technologies. Do you consider their application to be an inherent and perhaps even a key element of a strategy making it possible to work out a common language with the young and dynamic Generation Z? Or perhaps there are other ways of building strong, credible and long-lasting intergenerational relations? For Generation Z the word “or” simply does not exist. They want it all and require a tailor-made and one-of-a-kind approach. If you want to draw their attention you need to not only simultaneously meet the requirements they set and surprise them with something, but also seduce them. Generation Z members check their social media profiles more than a hundred times a day, which takes them approximately four hours. As a result, to reach them you need to be present on the very same platforms and communicate using the same media as they do. It is simply not enough anymore to get your advertisement, profile or event agenda into social media channels. You need something more. You have to find a way to get the young people engaged and simultaneously leave as much space for interaction as possible. Only a creative approach of this sort, implemented on both sides, has the potential to guarantee credible intergenerational communication. On the other hand, do not let every failure discourage you. Do not be disappointed if a young customer suddenly turns his back on your offer and you the moment he finds something more compelling. While Generation Z has not formed a strong company or brand loyalty, this does not stand in the way of its representatives feeling good about it. It is thus our task to each time attract their attention all over again. Generation Z members also stand out due to their, i.a. above-average skills in handling mobile technologies and apps. However, is this fluency in moving around virtual reality not having an adverse impact on other areas of their life? How is this aspect significant for organisers of MICE events? We can draw some really interesting conclusions by taking a look at, for example, the way Generation Z travels. Family visits are the main reason to travel – Gen Z members are deeply attached to their families and simply love exploring new places and learning in the company of relatives. On the other hand, if they cannot access the Internet immediately after entering a hotel lobby, no extra facilities in the rented room will be able to get them out of a bad mood. Airplanes are also becoming slowly affected by the same phenomenon, albeit still to a smaller degree. Airlines are already working on solutions that will make it possible to effectively prevent such issues. In other words, the guarantee of constant Wi-Fi access is among the most important responsibilities of organisers of travels and other events. Generation Z is oriented toward the socalled plug and play mode, meaning that everything surrounding them must be quick and easy.

Speaking of travel. What would be your advice for organisers of incentive travel for whom Generation Z is the main target group? They love spending time outdoors and being active plus appreciate the folksiness and wisdom of the native inhabitants of a given region. Nevertheless, they constantly keep working on their bucket list. They are only happy when provided an opportunity to learn something new and then share this knowledge with people who are close to them. In the context of working for Generation Z, this approach is much more recommended than developing a traditional show, no matter how unique it might be. At the same time, event organisers should keep in mind to dedicate a sufficient amount of attention to things up to now perhaps not considered crucial by groups they were handling. I am talking here about the time needed to take selfies, engage in social media activities, etc. The agenda of a given trip must consider all of this. In addition, let us keep in mind that not every destination is fit for capturing and sending out into the world. Who is next after Generation Z? Every week 1.6 million children are born from the socalled Generation Alpha. In other words, there are now more than 650 millions of its representatives worldwide. Still, I believe it is too early to make any forecasts. It is now impossible to predict their behaviour. Nevertheless, we ought to keep in mind what we have already learnt in the past: each generation is distinguished by a different set of values. It will certainly be exciting to watch the progress of Generation Alpha. Tomasz Nowak

STEPHAN JUNG Stephan Jung is an innovation expert, lecturer and author. Owner and CEO of InoventiQ Group, a company dedicated to the development of strategies and preparation of expert opinions for people and companies working for TV, sport clubs, hotels, retail and real estate agencies. Within the industry he is predominantly known as a forward-thinking pioneer in the area of trends and lifestyles of the future. He is a speaker and member of the Berlin-based International Economy Association and the BrainReserve pool of Faith Popcorn in New York, dealing in retail and marketing counselling. His opinions are based on consistent and systematic market observations of global hotspots. He unerringly predicted the development of popular brands such as Red Bull, Facebook and Google plus the declining proﬁtability of many retail formats.

29 THINK MICE

REPORT

WE STILL NEED FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS Latest report and research leave no doubts that in spite of apocalyptic narration spun by some observers, meetings staged in a more “traditional” form are here to stay for a long time. To put it simply, technology is no replacement.

At least, this is the conclusion drawn by authors of the “Meetings Outlook” report. However, there are good news and bad news. As the meetings market is undergoing highly dynamic transformations, the number of risks that organisers have to tackle is also on the rise.

PROTECT YOURSELF WITH A CONTRACT

30 THINK MICE

When organising an event, companies are often required to deliver a comprehensive offer. This means that the customer expects that he will receive an event prepared from start to ﬁnish. On the other hand, this formula contains increasingly numerous unpredictable factors connected with the limitless opportunities that technology makes

available to us within arm’s reach. Accommodation is a great example. According to interviews and polls conducted for the purposes of the report in question, meeting planners encounter difficulties when planning accommodation for the guests of their events. This state of things is very often caused by an increasing self-reliance of guests, easier access to multiple accommodation options and individual preferences. As a result, it becomes difficult to book a sufficient number of beds in a hotel hosting an event and simultaneously negotiate attractive rates, as it often turns out that meeting participants prefer to find a place to spend the night on their own using Airbnb and other online marketplaces. This problem can be solved by placing emphasis on details and expanding

offers that include, for example, information on cancellation policy (e.g. until when a booking can be cancelled without any charges). Meeting planners note that contracts currently include many more provisions and points than it used be the case several years ago. This trend goes hand in hand with growing requirements in relation to meetings themselves.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE SERVICE OF EVENTS Today the requirements in question are closely connected with demands placed on spaces hosting events. The must-have list currently includes issues connected with appropriate audio equipment, the option of displaying presentations and access to broadband Internet.

REPORT In the latter case, broadband connection is often required for the purposes of live broadcasts via social media. The report clearly shows that concerns about live meetings being ousted by their online counterparts were exaggerated. As many as 60% of all respondents believe that live broadcasts have a positive impact on attendance ﬁgures. 19% of meeting planners claim that they do not have any impact whatsoever and only 21% emphasise the negative effect the option of staging an online event or broadcasting it eventually has on a given event. People arguing that broadcasts enable event promotion draw attention to the fact that event-related information reaches a much larger group of potentially interested participants. “It seems that the virtual experience intensiﬁes an event’s overall impression and thus supports the event industry”, says Bill Voegeli, President of Association Insights of

Atlanta, the company behind the examined study. What is more, for the ﬁrst time in three years attendance forecasts for on-site meetings are higher than in the case of their virtual counterparts. The changing approach to applied video format is also worth mentioning. Only several years ago organisers focused on post-event video coverage rather than live broadcasts and attached great importance to video quality. Today their attention shifted to showcasing an event’s centre of activity, even through a smartphone used to launch a broadcast. Besides quality, the engagement of viewers, spontaneity and topicality are all equally important.

SPREAD THE WORD WITH SOCIAL MEDIA Up to now the dynamic growth of the sector of meetings was inspired by good results recorded among employees. Since re-

cently, an element of influence marketing is also significant. The “Meetings Outlook” report mentions the development of components that would be attractive from the viewpoint of social media. In this particular context, such an approach should be a good match for highlights known from incentive-type events. The examples discussed in the report in question concern ingredients that deliver the “wow factor” (that makes you want to share it through social media). Nowadays this is an essential trend of events and an excellent form of their promotion – participants themselves share their positive experiences with the help of photos or videos posted on Instagram or Facebook. The „wow” elements can be found everywhere – from highly finesse presentation of dishes through meeting forms to technology-centred highlights and personal, empirical experiences of event guests. Jacek Słowik

unique venue opening roof adaptable space of the main auditorium courtyard and terrace modern building rooted in XVIIth century PERFORMANCES / CONCERTS / CORPORATE GALAS / CONFERENCES / WORKSHOPS / EXHIBITIONS / GUIDED TOURS

Contact: wynajem@teatrszekspirowski.pl +48 535 696 787; +48 58 351 01 51

31 THINK MICE

TECHNOLOGIES

FACIAL RECOGNITION – HOW MUCH CAN YOU LEARN BY LOOKING AT A FACE? They attract the attention of the audience, emphasise the innovative character of events and, most of all, facilitate the work of meeting planners. Facial recognition systems are taking the MICE industry by storm. The meetings industry brings to mind advanced technological solutions. Today their application in the production of all types of events seems to be essential. Interactive, engaging and unforgettable experiences are intended to generate not only a “wow effect” for the spectators, but also create the so-called fear of missing out (FOMO). Increasingly advanced and original technologies, making it possible to stand up to this task, are springing up in the market. Facial recognition systems are unquestio-nably among the most prominent options.

POPULAR TOOLS

32 THINK MICE

Photo: Mega Camp (4)

Although it has not been applied on a wider scale until recently, the facial recogni-

tion technology itself should not come as a surprise to anyone. After all, owners of the latest iPhones are using it every day to unlock their smartphones with the Face ID feature and authorise their purchases from the iTunes Store and App Store. Airlines are also investing in systems of this kind, perceiving them as a faster and safer method of verifying the identity of travellers. DeepFace and FaceNet algorithms introduced by Facebook and Google enable automatic facial recognition that achieves nearly 100% accuracy rate. The increasingly popular tool is now also entering the MICE realm, winning acclaim of jury members of industry’s most important competitions as the best way of speeding up the process of event check-ins.

MARKET LEADERS The largest progress in the implementation of facial recognition in the meetings sector was made by two start-ups – Belgian Fielddrive and the US Zenus Biometrics. In last year’s edition of IBTM World Tech Watch Award and Event Technology Award competitions the two companies were recognised as top partners specialising in providing the discussed technology. The product they developed together combines the high functionality of self-service checkin kiosks (part of the Fielddrive portfolio) with a facial recognition application created by Zenus Biometrics. It has already been successfully applied in more than 30 events in Europe and United States, including Mega Camp held at Austin Convention

TECHNOLOGIES Center in Texas in last August. This was the second event staged by Keller Williams Realty to deploy the technology in question. According to data compiled by Fielddrive, 69% of Mega Camp’s 8,000 participants decided to register via a facial recognition system, an increase of 17% in comparison with Spring Masterminds, a previous event held only several months earlier in May 2018. “The gathered results only conﬁrmed our expectations. The ratio of people interested in the product is considerably higher in the case of recurring events, as their participants had enough time to become accustomed to the registration process”, explains Zuzanna Rachowska, Marketing Manager & Event Project Manager at Fielddrive. This February the innovative registration method will soon be put to its most demanding test during a New Orleans conference, which will be attended by approx. 17,000 delegates. NeoFace is another noteworthy company offering similar technological solutions, whose NeoFace® Watch and NeoFace® Reveal software is put to use mostly in the ﬁeld of security. The US company Expo Logic is a trusted supplier of registration services, including mobile applications.

QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY Fielddrive features API (application programme interface) integration with most re-

gistration platforms, such as i. a. Eventbrite, Aventri and EventMobi. Data needed to print ID badges are downloaded from a given platform. In addition to basic information, they might include a personalised event agenda or the individual dietary preferences of participants. The ID badges are then printed in self-service check-in kiosks and the whole procedure does not take more than six seconds. Even though we are dealing with a high-tech product, it is actually highly intuitive and user-friendly. At the stage of online registration, a participant is asked to agree to a check-in using the face recognition technology and to send a portrait photo or take a selﬁe with the help of an in-built camera. Next, the photos are converted into anonymised biometric data that are stored in the cloud until an event begins and then automatically deleted after its wrap-up. On the day of an event, a participant is asked to “smile” to a camera set in a kiosk and thus enable error-free facial recognition. Five seconds later an ID badge is printed and information about successful registration of a given participant is sent to the system. Before a facial recognition application was introduced, the registration consisted of scanning a barcode included in an e-ticket or entering a name into a search engine in the software installed in a kiosk. “Despite numerous advantages resulting from the applied technology, which i. a. eli-

minates the need to print individual ID badges in advance, organisers – particularly of major meetings – opt for the so-called soft check-in on the day before the event. Their decision is inﬂuenced by long lines of people waiting to kiosks and a concern that several thousand participants will not be able to check in simultaneously on the day of the event”, explains Zuzanna Rachowska.

BROADER APPLICATION In addition to the function of on-site event registration, facial recognition systems boast several other applications in the meetings industry, which were discussed by Julius Solaris, editor of Event Manager Blog, in his report “Facial Recognition and Events: A Comprehensive Guide (2018)”. The list includes: Watchlists – when an organiser anticipates the arrival of people not welcome at a given event, he can add them to the so-called watchlist. This innovative method makes it possible to immediately identify them with the help of a video camera at the registration phase or even during the event. An additional advantage involves the option of programming the system so that it informs security staff and police about the presence of a person that should be kept out of the venue. “Our customers, especially the ones specialising in supplying accurate technological solutions (such as Synopsys) are con-

33 THINK MICE

TECHNOLOGIES cerned with preventing ‘data leakage” and making sure that the corporate know-how remains safe. A face recognition tool makes it much easier to guarantee that unwelcome attendants will not become involved”, explains Zuzanna Rachowska. Moreover, the technology makes it possible to compile so-called whitelists for very important persons, whose satisfaction with the meeting is a priority for the organiser. Session tracking – face recognition systems also supply information about attendance ﬁgures and participants’ interest in a given educational session. Such feedback can be exceptionally helpful when booking

facial recognition technology. A great example is provided by RAI Amsterdam Exhibition and Convention Centre, the ﬁrst venue planning to add a face recognition tool to its offer.

IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE AFRAID OF? Despite numerous advantages of facial recognition systems, only 20% to 70% of participants (depending on event type) decide to register using the discussed method. The protection of personal data is among the most troubling issues. Panos Moutaﬁs, co-founder and President of Zenus Inc., argues that the procedure is in full

emphasis on the optional character of the service.

WITHIN ARM’S REACH The future of facial recognition looks promising. “Brand-new technological solutions will make it possible to recognise the emotions and mood of event guests. Soon facial features of participants of an educational session will tell us if they are bored or excited”, explains James Morgan, owner of Event Tech Lab. This knowledge not only constitutes direct feedback about an event’s success, but also makes response to the needs of participants much faster. The Emogram application, currently available only as a beta

FACIAL RECOGNITION PROS Safety and low risk of unwelcome guests attending

CONS Dedicated Wi-Fi network required for registration purposes

Staging a so-called soft check-in on the day before the event is no longer necessary, impacting i.a. the reduction of venue hire costs

Correct identiﬁcation depends on camera angle

Registration process time reduced (to 6 seconds)

Frequent database updates

An eco-friendly solution eliminates the need to print invitations

Slight changes in appearance (e.g. facial hair), wearing a hat or sunglasses can lead to unsuccessful registration

A technological novelty that awes participants Reduced number of employees required for conference services

conference rooms or selecting speakers for an event’s successive edition. “Session tracking with face recognition can be as simple as putting a tablet or cell phone on a stand near the entrance of each room. (…) There is no need for special hardware and expensive installation costs”, Julius Solaris emphasises in his report.

34 THINK MICE

Heatmaps – data concerning the number and proﬁle of people visiting an exhibitor’s booth at an industry trade fair will help him prepare much better for the next edition and thus impact his ﬁnancial results. The same information can be applied by an organiser when working on a pricelist of exhibition space hire. Managers of event venues also recognised the potential of innovative

compliance with GDPR regulations. “The photos sent by users are then converted into biometric data applied in check-in kiosks. They are deleted immediately upon reception, while the database is removed from Fielddrive and Zenus servers within seven days from an event’s completion. What is more, neither photographs nor biometric data are linked with the personal data of participants, but rather with identification numbers that simply cannot be linked with the concrete profile of a given person”, explains Panos Moutafis. On the other hand, distributors of the technology in question unanimously emphasise that it is the duty of an organiser to inform guests about the course and advantages of registration using facial recognition, placing distinct

release, measures 11 basic human emotions in about five minutes. Fielddrive is working on introducing facial recognition technology into HoloLens, Microsoft’s mixed-reality device. Finally, in addition to improving security, the innovative tool can also perform other, more advanced roles. Based on information made available during the registration process, a hostess will be able to welcome participants with their favourite cocktail and show them to the place of their first meeting. Another high-tech product, the Zenus smart camera allows to measure the level of participant satisfaction and the popularity of exhibition booths at trade fairs. The latest Zenus devices will be launched to a wider audience by the end of the first quarter of 2019. Magda Klimczyk