www.events-magazine.com

Event Awards 2008 – an overview

Seehotel Zeulenroda – a success story

Øresund Region – green as can be

ICCA in Victoria – why?

Issue 5 – December 2008

The International M.I.C.E. Magazine

The International M.I.C.E. Magazine

The International M.I.C.E. MagazineThe International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

The International Management Magazine forMeetings, Incentives, Congresses, Exhibitions

A page focus: 2009 – opinions prevailing in the trade10The times, they are a-changing!

Single Price: € 9.40 €

EINAUSSERGEWÖHNLICHESTAGUNGSKONZEPTEin Meeting, in dem Sie sich einfach nur auf Ihre Arbeit konzentrieren können,klingtfast schon revolutionär. Für uns ist es selbstverständlich. Unser TagungskonzeptT.E.A.M. stellt Meetings in ein neues Licht: persönlich, professionell, perfekt. Wirgestalten eine entspannte Arbeitsatmosphäre – Sie gewinnen Freiräume für krea-tive und effektive Lösungen.

www.mercure-tagung.de 120 Hotels in Deutschland M E E T T H E M E R C U R E S

MERC_MEETING_204x287.indd 1 30/05/08 10:37:46

Wenn es um unsere Autos geht, haben wir uns bereits an die regelmäßigen TÜV-Inspekti-onen gewöhnt. Auch die Umweltplaketten, die in vielen deutschen Großstädten bereits ein-geführt wurden, sind nichts Neues mehr. Nun ermöglicht es der unabhängige Prüfdienstlei-ster TÜV Rheinland auch Hotels, ihr jewei-liges Umweltmanagement zu durchleuchten und nach eingehender Prüfung und - wenn nötig, Verbesserungen - zertifizieren zu lassen. Ziel ist hierbei, gemäß der international aner-kannten Norm ISO 14001, die systematische Reduzierung von Risiken für die Umwelt und die Verbesserung von Umweltleistungen.

Im Rahmen unseres „Responsible Business“ Programms haben die Radisson SAS Hotels in Deutschland gemeinsam entschieden, sich um diese sehr aussagekräftige Plakette zu bewerben. Als erste Häuser haben bereits das Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel in Düsseldorf und unser Kölner Haus das Audit erfolgreich bestanden. Wir, das Radisson SAS Hotel in Frankfurt, und weitere 12 unserer Schwe-sterhotels in Deutschland folgen bis zum Jahresende. Alle umweltrelevanten Bereiche des Hotelbetriebs stehen gerade auf dem Prüfstand: von Fragen der Entsorgung und Abfalltrennung über die Klima- und Energie-technik bis hin zu Sicherheitsaspekten und Unfallvermeidung. Zudem schulen wir unsere Mitarbeiter und informieren unsere Gäste über unser Engagement. Nach Erhalt der Umweltplakette werden wir jährlich kontrol-liert und nach drei Jahren werden wir uns wiederum einer komplett neuen Inspektion stellen.

Mit dieser unabhängigen Überprüfung doku-mentieren wir unseren eigenen hohen An-spruch gegenüber Mensch und Umwelt. Wir wollen Ihnen, unseren Gästen und Kunden, nicht nur First-Class-Service bieten, sondern dabei auch unserer gemeinsamen ökolo-gischen Verantwortung gerecht werden!

Johanna Lamke, Sales Manager

Die TÜV-Plakette für Hotels

Radisson SAS Hotel Franklinstraße 65D-60486 Frankfurt

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Loud noises often cause most alarm. There is frequently nothing more than an empty resonance behind it all and one tends to assume it will not be of long term relevance, as one is already acquainted with those making the clamour. Even so: the publishing house Springer has already cancelled all major events for 2009, including classics such as its ‘Goldene Kamera’ and ‘Goldenes Lenkrad’. The Goldene Kamera award ceremony was cancelled only 6 weeks prior to the scheduled date, meaning that Springer incurred considerable expenses. This illustrates what overhasty cutbacks do - although they may have been originally designed to meet current spending restraints, they end up merely serving the mantra of “setting a clear example” (what-ever that may mean). The fact that the cancellations will apparently save Springer a total of € 13 million in 2009 speaks a clear language – assuming these figures are correct. So, the ‘crisis’ is picking up speed and has begun to impinge on the entertainment branch – and thus on our industry; this terrify-ing monster has already begun to loom on the horizon of 2009. We need not sit back and patiently await our fate. Spectres haunt us more frequently now, us, the spoiled brats of the economic wonder years. But they are vulnerable as they are created from a hodgepodge of assorted elements and are, to a certain extent, easy to see through. They consist of lame rationalizations for stupid failures made by ourselves (vide the automotive industry) by which the need for commercial reassessment is repeatedly buried under a plethora of artificial hype, and also of pre-emptive statements of justification made because of the dark foreboding that our future may not be quite as rosy as we had hoped. Just as futile are often the initial measures taken in the hope of exorcising these phantoms: those who realise that they lack neces-sary fat reserves to survive the effects of the coming dearth, tend to rein in their spending. And anyone who was quite happy to live on credit begins to panic, sowing dismay and despondency among his neighbours. On the other hand, those who have kept an orderly and to some extent successful house may find themselves confronted by certain risks, by the possibility of set-backs, but will refrain from running through the streets howling like Cas-sandra in predicting the coming doom. These persons may have had enough of simple-minded “let’s all pull together” and “it’ll come out alright in the end” slogans. They are aware of the potential seriousness of the oft conjured paradigm change, the depth of the problem compounded by ignorance due to trust and an unwillingness to depart from the familiar comfort zones. A crisis representing a threat to one business, can be an opportunity to another. Change is an essential element of life. Attempts to gloss over or avoid it are inimical to life itself, while healing can be achieved by accepting that things will be different. Couples facing break-up and people buffeted by bad luck are aware of this. We should pause and reflect and should know that growth has its limits. Our logical conclusion should be that our infantile delight in the superlative is unsustainable. That is the way things are: those who refuse to slow down often run into a brick wall. So please do not rush out and hit the road to Panic City and keep a wary eye open for the traffic. Do you still re-

member Paragraph 1 of the Ger-man highway code? You might find it helpful in getting through the coming (crisis) winter!

Stay healthy and confident in 2009!

Hans J. Heinrich, Editor-in-Chief

Crunch time?

E dI tORI A l

4 events 5/2008

CON t E N t S 5 / 20 0 8

Trade FairsWorld of Events: the fair, the congress, the party .......................................... 6Beaming from ear to ear: Messe Frankfurt .................................................... 8New trade exhibitions in Slovenia and the Canton of Ticino ........................ 10

ManagementThe ‘crisis’ as the Meetings Industry sees it .................................................. 11Part 2: Taxation of Incentive Trips ................................................................ 22

IdeasThe taming of the stallion: Rodeos – a brand-new trend .............................. 24Pimp your Wine Tasting: Here comes Casino Vinophil! ................................ 28

Congress WorldAn historic treasure becomes HCCE-member: Festhalle Frankfurt ................ 32Nikolaus Breisach: How is he faring? ........................................................... 35

DestinationsFlying visit to Toledo .................................................................................... 38Finnish Lapland – invitation for a very cool Fam Trip .................................... 39 Lyon – warms the heart and fills the stomach .............................................. 40

What happens in agencies? .................................................................... 46

LocationsA 220 million package for the Nürburgring Racetrack ................................. 52An oriental dream in Marrakesh .................................................................. 55Take care, Tempelhof! ................................................................................. 56

HotelsAbama – an oasis of luxury on Tenerife ....................................................... 58Seehotel Zeulenroda – how did they do it? ................................................. 62Helpful: Benchmarking for Hotels and Destinations ..................................... 66Notes .......................................................................................................... 68

Focus AwardsAwardsAwardsGripping the prize – year by year ................................................................. 72

CSR/SustainabilityGerrit Jessen (MCI) about the green future of the trade............................... 841st International Sustainability Conference in Nuremberg ............................. 85Green standards for Germany – a prelude in Bonn ...................................... 87The greener the cleaner: The Øresund Region in Denmark .......................... 90

AssociationsICCA World Congress in Canada – a review ................................................ 93Montreux: Incentives specialists discuss ‘the change’ ................................... 96

Imprint .................................................................................................... 106

The times, they are-a changing...

How a panel during EIBTM 2008 saw the ‘crisis’, what occupies the minds of thought leaders and why Hugo Slimbrouck believes in Live Communication more than ever

Page 11

The icing on a Fam Trip: Finnish Lapland

Page 39

Trade FairsWorld of Events: the fair, the congress, the party .......................................... 6Beaming from ear to ear: Messe Frankfurt .................................................... 8New trade exhibitions in Slovenia and the Canton of Ticino ........................ 10

ManagementThe ‘crisis’ as the Meetings Industry sees it .................................................. 11Part 2: Taxation of Incentive Trips ................................................................ 22

IdeasThe taming of the stallion: Rodeos – a brand-new trend .............................. 24Pimp your Wine Tasting: Here comes Casino Vinophil! ................................ 28

Congress WorldAn historic treasure becomes HCCE-member: Festhalle Frankfurt ................ 32Nikolaus Breisach: How is he faring? ........................................................... 35

DestinationsFlying visit to Toledo .................................................................................... 38Finnish Lapland – invitation for a very cool Fam Trip .................................... 39 Lyon – warms the heart and fills the stomach .............................................. 40

What happens in agencies? .................................................................... 46

LocationsA 220 million package for the Nürburgring Racetrack ................................. 52An oriental dream in Marrakesh .................................................................. 55Take care, Tempelhof! ................................................................................. 56

HotelsAbama – an oasis of luxury on Tenerife ....................................................... 58Seehotel Zeulenroda – how did they do it? ................................................. 62Helpful: Benchmarking for Hotels and Destinations ..................................... 66Notes .......................................................................................................... 68

Focus AwardsAwardsAwardsGripping the prize – year by year ................................................................. 72

CSR/SustainabilityGerrit Jessen (MCI) about the green future of the trade............................... 841st International Sustainability Conference in Nuremberg ............................. 85Green standards for Germany – a prelude in Bonn ...................................... 87The greener the cleaner: The Øresund Region in Denmark .......................... 90

AssociationsICCA World Congress in Canada – a review ................................................ 93Montreux: Incentives specialists discuss ‘the change’ ................................... 96

Imprint .................................................................................................... 106

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14_D_204x287_12698.indd 1 06.01.2009 16:27:10 Uhr

Dateiname: 797_Tuerkei-neu.pdf; Nettoformat:(204.00 x 287.00 mm); Datum: 07. Jan 2009 10:00:41; PDF-CMYK; L. N. Schaffrath DruckMedien

tR A dE FA IR S

6 events 5/2008

The Kurhaus in Wiesbaden will also be opening up its festive halls and reception rooms in 2009 for the traditional “WoE night”. At the end of the first day of the trade fair, visitors and exhibitors have an oppor-tunity here to continue their personal and business conversations – and to launch themselves into a lively night’s partying. To start with, a large speciality buf-fet from “Käfer’s” will await the guests in the festive concert hall, beginning at 7:30 pm. The subsequent programme of music and stage entertainment starts with the group “Have You Met Miss Jones?”, who are probably one of the best European quartets; the guests at the “WoE-Night” can look forward to a rep-ertoire of jazz, bossa, pop & soul, virtuoso musicians and above all the unique voice of Miss Jones. The magician André Sarrasani and international acrobats

11th World of Events

Meet 400 exhibitors, party and: learn a thing or two!

will present spectacular excerpts from the current Sar-rasani dinner show “Trocadero” in Dresden. Later on, the ultimate mood on the dance floor for the remain-der of the evening will be provided by the nine-man soul and party band “The Goodfellas”. Practical in-formation: For just € 79 you can travel to Wies-baden by 1st class rail! There and back from any station in Germany. Bookings via the Hotline 01805/311153 mentioning: “World of Events“.

Brainfood: VOK DAMS : ILM Live Marketing Convention

You can find out everything that is worth knowing about current trends in live marketing at the 2nd Ger-man Live Marketing Conference being held on Janu-ary 21 and 22 in Wiesbaden as part of the World of Events. The focus is on the strategic and emotional success factors of live marketing and how to inte-grate them into communication strategies. So under the title “Moving the Future: Live Marketing in the Integrated DB Group” Gabriele Handel-Jung, Manag-er, Group Marketing Services and Media, and Steffen Straub, Team Manager Trade Fair and Event Manage-ment of DB Mobility Logistics AG, will provide an in-sight into the communications mix of the DB Group and cast light on the particular value attached to live communication. Professor Rück from FH Worms [Worms University of Applied Sciences] will speak about the apparently ageless current “pitch madness” and Thorsten Terlohr, Manager Sponsoring/Events at the WARSTEINER Brewery will present a particular as-pect of live marketing in his lecture: “Innovative Live Marketing. WARSTEINER Brewery and the Experience Region of the Nürburgring.”The Nürburgring is one of the best known brands worldwide in the events sector. A complete new in-frastructure is currently being constructed in the Eifel,

On January 21 and 22, 2009 the events sector will again be gathering in the Rhein-Main-Hallen in Wiesbaden. the organizer of the event Bea Nöhre seems to be unaf-fected by the crisis and has no cancellations to report.

Events organiser Bea Nöhre has every reason to feel satis-fied. The 11th WoE is well within her sights, and the branch asso-ciation FAMAB is also fully involved for the first time.

events 5/2008 7

11th World of Events

Meet 400 exhibitors, party and: learn a thing or two!

M E S S E N

Not to be forgotten in WoE circles: Jochen Nöhre, the founder of the WoE, here in a photo at the WoE 1999 shortly before his sudden and very premature death.

with the focus amongst other things on the theme of Adventure and Entertainment. Thorsten Terlohr will present the involvement of the WARSTEINER Brewery, whose active involvement in terms of brand experi-ence and appealing to consumers and the creation of new subject areas is very different from classic spon-sorship.

Glamour: Barbara Schöneberger is coming

Celebrities in live marketing is the theme, where an object lesson will also be offered through the pres-ence of Barbara Schöneberger. GALA editor in chief Peter Lewandowski and Alexander Elbertzhagen, CEO of Pool Position Management, are the speakers during this talk which closes the first day of the con-ference. The second day of the conference then starts with a highly current topic, especially in view of the financial crisis: Creating trust through communication.Dr. Mark Weigelt, Executive Director, Head Market-ing & Communications of UBS Deutschland AG will report on live marketing as a driver of success in fi-nancial business.The VOK DAMS : ILM Live Marketing Conference takes on particular significance through the support of the specialist press, also at the closing event. The future of events communication will be discussed in a sector talk with 10 journalists from the sphere

of the 14 cooperation partners. A theme which is important not only for the doers in the communica-tion sector, but also and in particular for the decision makers in sales and marketing, who want to use their budgets sensibly and successfully in the future too. www.deutscher-live-marketing-tag.de

FAMAB officially on board for thefirst timeThe FAMAB “Business Forum on Direct Business Com-munications” will celebrate a real first at the coming WoE, where the focus of its contribution to the con-ference will be on the themes of event communica-tion and trade fair marketing, along with multimedia productions and integrated direct communication. In the context of this cooperation, the FAMAB Associa-tion for Direct Business Communications will again also be represented in Wiesbaden with the FME “Fo-rum Marketing-Eventagenturen” [Forum of Market-ing Event Agencies] on their own trade fair stand.

8 events 5/2008

tR A dE FA IR S

103.8 million Euro – one quarter of the total turnover in 2008 – was generated by 62 foreign trade fairs only. An expansion of the portfolio of the Messe’s own trade fair brands took place with the latest baby, Intersec (on the theme of security), which - following

Messe Frankfurt on the Zeniththe economic press conference at the end of November 2008 went on a hap-py note: no wonder, as the figures an-nounced gave good reason for a collec-tive shot of endorphins. “With a turnover of 436 million Euros we are looking for-ward to a new high in the group’s his-tory,” declared Michael von Zitzewitz, Chairman of the Board of Management to Messe Frankfurt in high spirits. this excellent result was achieved through 67,400 exhibitors at 104 trade fairs and exhibitions attracting 2.56 million visi-tors. In 2009 it will most likely be a hand-ful more, thanks to IAA events cycles.

When you’re success-ful, get building – Hall 11 presently is the last step of a total investment of 570 million Euros over the past 10 years.

Argentina and Dubai in 2008 – took place for the first time in up-and-coming China; there the newly estab-lished Water Expo China successfully took the stage in November 2008.

Conventions and seminars

On the domestic market the Group is not only suc-cessful with trade fairs:The metropolis on the River Main counts as one of the leading convention destinations in Europe and has met with unabated interest from the organizers of 110 conventions and conferences. The offering of seminars and further education has also enjoyed a strong level of take-up and still offers room for ex-pansion: over the last year the Academy of the Messe Frankfurt has already recorded 160 such events with around 1,500 participants.

What about 2009?

Difficult! But optimistic! Experience has shown that in times when the economy is weak, exhibitors prefer trade fairs as their platform and tend to cut back on resources for other marketing activities (although in turn 80% visits of buyers are said to be depending on the trade cycle). “Despite the difficult economic situ-ation we are still in an optimistic mood. The Messe

Frankfurt is fortunate in being able to invest counter-cyclically,” says von Zitzewitz.Such as in Hall 11, whose construction is smoothly running on schedule (it will definitely be finished right in time for IAA 2009!), in the relaunch of the Internet presence or in strengthening the Messe Frankfurt as a brand. An investment of 570 million Euro has flown into the trade fair site alone over the past ten years. www.messefrankfurt.com CF

Gerald Böse, CEO of the Koelnmesse, has been chosen as the new Deputy Chairman of the European Chapter of UFI (The Glo-bal Association of the Exhibition Industry). This makes him one of the four leading brains in the largest regional UFI section, which represents 273 trade fair organis-ers, owners of trade fair facilities and trade fair associations from a total of 33 countries. The term of office is two years.

“Trade fairs are the most efficient market-ing and communication instrument of all. They can move individual companies for-ward just as much as entire sectors. Of-fering an equally high quality standard for events worldwide is one of the main tasks of the international trade fair industry”, emphasizes Gerald Böse. “Particularly in Europe, due to the large number of me-dium-sized structures I see great opportu-nities for introducing more companies to the trade fair as a medium, for example through more and regionally specialized training and development programmes. Out of the 20 million smaller and medi-um-sized companies in Europe, no more than 10 percent regularly go to trade fairs. There is still a great deal of potential here.” The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry UFI comprises 530 members in 84 countries.

Head of Cologne’s trade fair now on the UFI Board

CEO leaves Koelnmesse

The Supervisory Board of the Koelnmesse and Ex-

ecutive Vice President Dr. Gerd Weber (43) have

agreed not to extend the latter’s contract, which

runs until December 31, 2009. Dr. Weber has been

responsible for the development and implementa-

tion of a master plan which has made the Koel-

nmesse competitive again on an international scale

since the year 2000.

The reason for the decision is said to be that no

comparable major projects are planned for Koel-

nmesse in the near future.

Organisation : Conevex, an easyFairs companyRoderveldlaan 3, BE-2600 Berchem • Tel.: +32 (0)3 280 53 00

Fax: +32 (0)3 280 53 53 • emif@easyFairs.com

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10 events 5/2008

New 1st deputy Chairman of the FKM – Egon Galinnis

In December 2008 Egon Galinnis (56), CEO of Messe Essen

GmbH, was selected as 1st Deputy Chairman of FKM – a

company for the voluntary control of trade fair and exhibition

figures. He succeeds Dr. Joachim Henneke.

Michael von Zitzewitz, Chairman of the Board of Manage-

ment of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, remains as Chairman of FKM,

while the 2nd Deputy is Heiko Könicke, Managing Sharehold-

er of AFAG Messen und Ausstellungen GmbH, Nürnberg.

The members of FKM comprise 69 German events organis-

ers and three guest members from Hong Kong, Moscow and

Verona. It examines exhibitor, space and visitor figures and

the visitor structures of trade fairs according to unified stand-

ards.

Brand identity pepped up: coloured diamonds for Reed Exhibitions

To the flagship EIBTM there has al-

ways been a glittering red diamond.

In order to make the different shows

in the constantly growing Reed port-

folio instantly recognisable, each of

the events is to receive a different

coloured diamond with the name of

the respective trade fair in the cen-

tre:

GIBTM in Abu Dhabi: yellow,

CIBTM in Beijing: blue and

AIBTM in Baltimore, USA: green.

Paul Kennedy considered the timing

of this brand makeover ideal in light

of the new baby AIBTM and thinks:

“Our events are designed as the ba-

sis for best business practices, best

further training offerings and best

networking. The new IBTM brand

identity is fresh and clear and reflects

our global coverage and spread, our

professionalism and our reputation

in the events sector throughout the

world.“

New luxury trade fair in the TicinoIn cooperation with the tourism authorities of the canton of Ticino, a new international trade fair will be held in Lugano from February 4 – 6, 2009, the “MeetingLuxury”. The event is intended to present new trends in the luxury sector and at the same time become a meeting point for the suppliers involved in this segment.www.meetingluxury.com

New MICE trade fair in Slovenia

At this year’s EIBTM in Barcelona 47% of all visitors expressed an interest in or-ganising events in Eastern and Southern Europe. Encouraged by the general trend towards events in the local area, the Slovenian Convention Bureau has decided to launch a smaller MICE trade fair in Ljubljana. As well as other visitors, 150 hosted buyers will meet with 120 providers. Conventa will take place for the first time on 22 and 23 January 2009.www.conventa.info

events 5/2008 11

M A N A gE M E N t

How this affects the meetings industry, or rather how it per-formed during 2008, was revealed in a survey undertaken with 700 European events organisers. The results were presented be-fore a panel of three (Christian Mutschlechner, Prasamt Saha, Elizabeth Rich) at EIBTM 2008 by Sally Greenhill from The Right Solution Ltd. , the responsible agency.

Panel EIBTM 2008 – The Mood of the Market

The Times, they are a changing!

Summary: In comparison to 2007, 2008 was a good year. And 2009?In light of the current economic climate, 64% expect pressure on

their budget, 39% admit that this has already been reduced, and 30% expect a significant drop in the number of events, with a similar number of participants and duration. 86%

Quicker, it seems, than back in Bob dylan’s day. And more rapidly than bad tidings pouring down onto global communities from every business sector could be digested collectively or even individually. the overly strained ‘financial crisis’ has now wrapped its ugly tentacles also around hideouts previ-ously considered untouchable, using its powerful suckers to pull the prosperity of spoilt industrial societies to the edge of the abyss. At the beginning of december 2008, unemployment figures re-corded in the USA soared to their highest level in 15 years and the real estate market hit rock-bottom, whilst the abused cash cow Credit Card wastes away miserably. International stock markets are subjected to merciless rollercoaster rides, the german industry records 6.1 percent fewer contracts in October 2008 compared to September – with 8.3 percent already displaying the most dramatic deficit since the country’s reunification – and the prognostic gross domestic product for 2009 hov-ers uneasily at a zero decimal point.

> Economists say: Events will become more reasonable in

the coming year.

12 events 5/2008

M A N A gE M E N t

Mihaela Djuranovic – Estrel BerlinThere are absolutely no indications of a drop in or-ders. New Year business is buzzing and 2008 was our second-best year ever!

Claudia Delius-Fisher – Congress FrankfurtThe one effect here in Frankfurt this autumn fortu-nately didn’t affect us: The Euro Finance Week took place with us immediately after the G20 summit in Washington and there was a high turnout.

The “associated” gala had been planned in the old Opera building and was cancelled at short notice.

Any forecasts are difficult, as in many places the ex-tent of the impact can not yet be estimated. I feel

view CSR and the environ-ment as relevant to very im-portant.Although location and price play a significant role when choosing a venue, quality and the services provided score higher. Bad qual-ity in services and food – long journeys with possible delays – a boring programme – unimaginative presentations or unsuccess-ful organisation are considered as recipes for disaster. Easy ac-

cessibility and clear communi-cations are decisive factors in choosing a venue – and their importance was ranked higher than content! On the popular-ity scale, Germany occupies the throne (well done, GCB!), followed by Spain, France and

Italy. In contrast to this are a number of hesitantly emerging des-tinations such as Uganda, the Philippines, Bulgaria and Trinidad & Tobago! The attractiveness of a destination influences choice making by 70%, followed by easy access, with 57%.The detailed report can be downloaded at www.eibtm.com.

The events survey: The consequences of the crisis in the financial marketOur questions were: What effects do you expect the so-called crisis to have on the development of your business in 2009? In what form has there already been a drop in bookings? the answers are as varied as the events industry is heterogene-ous – yet they still display many parallels!

that we are in the calm before the storm: Is the crisis tsunami really underway? Will it sweep over us? It’s really hard to say. What is certain is that:

“Crisis is the mother of all invention...” ... states Pras-amt Saha, Subcontinent- representative on the panel. One should sit down calmly with his clients and have

the courage to touch on emotional as well as economic aspects.“No sense in doom and gloom” comments Elizabeth Rich from Australia. Just don’t allow the ‘end of the world’ atmosphere to creep in! In general, she advises towards new directions and more long-term contracts, and draws attention to ‘stimulus pack-ages’ from the government, sinecures which should be tracked down. She is convinced that the future lies in national markets.

“Associations and governments will continue to hold conferences, whilst company events will, in all likelihood, decrease”.Christian Mutschlech-ner, the freshly-crowned EIBTM 2008 Industry Personality of the Year, makes it short and sweet with: “Be optimistic!”Could you do with a Plan-ner’s Little Helper in these turbulent times? The Genius Works at www.einsteinpicasso.com helps to minimise your plight.. CF

> Christian Mutschlechner: New forms of communication such as the Internet will not let face-to-face net-working die. And – unlike the survey:

Content is up, up, up!

> China and the Middle East are full of promises for 2009. There,

the average planner has a budget of 1.1 and 2.15 million US dollars

respectively.

> Christian Mutschlechner: Long-term growth cannot be expected. Don’t reduce your marketing! Streamline, find key issues. The delegate is

the client!

events 5/2008 13

- Inquiries on events are currently being received on very short notice.

- A great deal of flexibility is being expected.- As 2009 has already shown itself to be a strong year for trade fairs and a weak year for conventions in our long-term planning at the Frankfurt trade fair grounds

- our eyes are more directed towards 2010 and 2011. Both of these years still appear to be developing into good convention years.

- There have been some bookings for the first half of 2009 which hadn’t been secured contractually and were cancelled due to the financial crisis. So the first half of 2009 doesn’t look very good, but on the other hand the slots available in the second half of the year have largely been taken.

Friedhelm Lenz – CCN CongressCenter NürnbergWhen the economic engine starts spluttering, then sooner or later conventions and events will start to feel it too. Above all when the economic situation is running out of steam all over the world. Ultimately we see ourselves as a mirror of the sectors, so for the year 2009 the CCN CongressCenter Nürnberg is taking into account a three percent drop due to the economic situation. This is purely preventive – at the moment we can neither foresee nor feel any effects on our events. Quite the opposite: We will finish the 2008 events year with a new record turnover of clear-ly above 11 million Euros, whereas we had planned for 9 million Euro for the year.

The CCN is holding back on concrete forecasts for 2009. The main theme for us is the lack of confi-dence. Conventions and events live by confidence and optimism about future developments. However, the experience of past economic downturns has taught us that when times are hard, companies save less on attendance, but more on their appearance.

Hugo Lichtinger – INTERPLANAs we are active solely in the scientific sector, and have scarcely any corporate business, the recession clearly has less effect on us – thank goodness.

The “quality” of evening events at our conventions started cooling off a while ago and have less to do with the economic options for the events and more with the restrictions imposed on us by the Pharma-ceuticals Codex.

Of course we have specialist areas where the indus-try’s money is no longer flowing so generously as

was the case five years ago. But this trend too took hold earlier and has more to do with the companies’ marketing strategies and in many cases also with the expiration of patent rights. In this respect we have been seeing constant ups and downs for many years

– but fortunately the underlying trend seesaws at an acceptable level. Due to our orientation we are also looking forward to the next few years quite optimisti-cally.

Joachim König – Hannover Congress Centrum The ultimate significance of the current crisis is cer-tainly difficult to assess. When the detailed insights and the real insider knowledge, if such a thing ex-ists, are lacking, then it makes sense to concentrate on your work and provide optimal service for your customers. The effects for the events sector distinctly lie mainly in the individual cuts we have already noticed in the sectors which have been substantially affected (banks, insurers, financial services providers, the automotive sector), but even here not everything is going to col-lapse, because you don’t get out of a crisis by doing nothing. Christmas business in the corporate area was also rather difficult this year.But otherwise we are actually expecting a good busi-ness year in 2009, as business with existing customers and the developments over the last few years have given us some good preliminary work. Possibly the maximum planned numbers of participants won’t always turn up, and savings may possibly be made here and there on the extras in the gastronomic and technical areas, but the substance is alright.

In this sense we shouldn’t add to the crisis by talking it up into a self-fulfilling prophecy. It won’t make things any better anyway! And anyway, nobody in the real business world knows whether there may not still be a few more “Lehmann Broth-ers” or not.

14 events 5/2008

Bernhard Conin – KölnKongress GmbH In times of increasing uncertainty about economic trends, KölnKongress has applied greater commercial caution as a basis when forecasting the rudiments of its business plan compared with previous years. Al-though up to now KölnKongress has only had to cope with two actual cancelled events (in the automotive sector), the further effects in the near future are hard to assess at the present time.

However, based on the variety of unusual events cen-tres and the associated numerous different options

for using them, KölnKongress is assuming that there will not be any substantial slump in the number and sales of events.

Laurence Garino – Commercial Director, Grimaldi Forum MonacoSome cancellations, but few volume there-fore, have penalized our Orderbook 2009 on the first months of the year in particular. The trend of requests declined sharply since No-vember. Very few last minute and therefore lit-tle or no opportunities to replace the cancel-lations, nor to finish out our 2009 schedule. Large files under negotiation for years to come are put on waiting list – the decisions are hampered by lack of visibility. The image of the high level destina-tion Monaco is not on our side in times of crisis. The portfolio return customers (large accounts and faithful clients) allows us to maintain a level of activity generally stable throughout the year. Our customer portfolio is composed of very varied indus-

M A N A gE M E N t

tries, some of which seem not directly affected by the crisis The association industry will keep busy significantly our calendar in 2009 and generate a high level occupan-cy during the autumn and offset a quieter early year. Our order book before the actual onset of the crisis had a significant advance that allows us today, de-spite some cancellations, to ensure that the 2009 target had been fixed before the crisis (subject of course we do not suffer other major cancella-tions at the last minute that we could not replace). Our new approach Act Green and our concrete offer Green Event represent a real competitive advantage and give us a new visibility in the MICE industry.

Colja Dams – VOK DAMS We are cautiously optimistic about our business de-velopment. German / Europe will stagnate – the USA is already declining slightly.

The events agency market will continue to consoli-date. A concentration process will set in, just as it did in the 1993 crisis. The proof of this for instance is the fact that the first trainee events organizers from agencies which have gotten into difficulties are con-tinuing their training with us.

In times like these clients turn to the solid and high-performing agencies which can look back on many years of experience in the market. The smaller agen-cies often face the challenge of having to fulfil in-creased requirements for project pre-finance, which they cannot resolve.

events 5/2008 15

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Dateiname: Image 4c 184 133 HV events 05.08.pdf; Nettoformat:(206.00 x 154.17 mm); Datum: 10. 12 2008 09:00:30; PDF-CMYK; L. N. Schaffrath DruckMedien

…Drop in bookings?We are currently seeing a fall in the number of events of a purely entertaining nature. This is often hard to illustrate – we are also seeing it in the fact that cus-tomers are reporting back about events less.

The demand for staff events at short notice has in-creased noticeably. Uncertain times in particular lead to the need to talk to staff (and customers) urgently. Well-intended emails and in-house communications aimed at cheering people up are not much help. Es-pecially at times like these staff expect clear leader-ship, direction and sincere visions. These have to be communicated and they are only credible when they are done live.

In this context the demand for events for managers has also increased strongly. The demand for incen-tives (travel and prize programmes) has increased slightly. Short-term competitions are being set up so as to boost sales.

Peter Gastberger – scalariascalaria is well established in its existing market niche. Of course we are also concerned with the current cri-sis and are facing a less profitable year in 2009 with a flexible and dynamic team. This is expressed above all in a reduced marketing budget, tighter financial planning and increased commitment in the sales de-partment.

In addition we are expanding our portfolio to include a staging environment which will offer room for 1,400 guests. This will put us in a position to offer and pro-vide major events for all sectors. The uniqueness, ver-satility and options offered by this complex will mean we can appeal to existing and new customers.

Ronald Schwär – Confertainment Europa-ParkWe can foresee that in 2009 we won’t have any fewer events than in 2008. A slight tendency towards a somewhat lower budget per event can be seen in

16 events 5/2008

a few of our regular customers for 2009. With new customers it is impossible to make a statement like that, due to the lack of comparisons to events in pre-vious years.

The number of events for 2009 which have been can-celled has also remained comparable to the figures for previous years.

Gerrit Jessen, MCI To date we haven’t received any cancellations for cor-porate events for 2009. It remains to be seen to what extent the participant numbers for scientific conven-tions will decline in 2009.

Dr. Achim Stegmann – welcome Veranstaltungsgesellschaft mbH We are feeling the first effects. Our customers are be-ing cautious to restrained; unlike previously, for many of the events that are planned for 2009 we have had to develop detailed cancellation terms along with the concept so that the customer can react accordingly if things get even worse. For formal jubilee events for example we are now implementing the “new simplic-ity”, far removed from any ostentation. Some budg-ets have been reduced (further) and they are operat-ing under “new austerity”.

We are anticipating a difficult year in 2009 (see be-low) and are arming ourselves accordingly. We are being calculatedly optimistic and applying two say-ings from Cologne: “Et hät noch immer jot jegange”

(learn from the past) and “Et bliev nix wie et wor” (be open to new things) ...

… Drop in bookings?A pile of cancellations in a short space of time. We expected and received the cancel-lation of a marketing forum by a production company associated with the automotive industry, whose parent company is based in America. The Americans are always re-ally radical business-wise and revert to tabula rasa very quickly if the figures aren’t right. We didn’t expect but have had cancellations from companies far removed from the auto-motive industry, which could be considered as the “domino effect”. Major trade fairs and events are being cancelled; with the troubled mood due to the global economy, markedly

fewer customers of these companies are coming to planned events. “Imagine you organized an event and nobody came ... “

M A N A gE M E N t

Georg Lamp – Congress & Messe Innsbruck GmbHThe way it looks in Innsbruck is that naturally the first cancellations from the corporate area have come in, although on a fairly small scale. The order books for 2009 don’t look rosy at all, demand has fallen by about 30% and acquiring orders has become harder, affecting the corporate area above all. In the union business there is no drop to be seen yet.

André Rasel – member of the management of kogagAt the present time we know that some of our cus-tomers have made budget cuts for 2009, but to date our measures for these companies haven’t been affected by this. How these budgets will develop further is impossible to predict at the moment. I get the feeling that a large number of companies are currently on standby, and are governed by a sense of uncertainty. In gen-eral the individual sectors of the German economy have been affected by the crisis to different degrees. Our advantage is that we benefit from our very wide customer portfolio.

Up to now there have been no cancellations or re-strictions placed on measures. Based on our experi-ences of the brutal collapse of the events sector after September 11, 2001 of course we are now watching out for any sign, but we feel we are very well armed!

Christian Mutschlechner – Vienna Convention BureauGenerally we are looking towards the convention (un-ions) and corporate business with optimism for 2009. Particularly with the major company events we have had no cancellations to date.

However, the business from smaller companies is very volatile – more remote markets sometimes do not fol-low through with their enquiries, or they come less often, but on the other hand we are seeing an in-creased volume of enquiries from the closer markets. It is hard to say anything definite about 2009 here ....

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und Tagungsräume mit einer Kapazität von insgesamt22.000 Plätzen und großzügige Ausstellungsflächenstehen Ihnen zur Verfügung. Dazu Ausstattung,Technik, Personal und Catering. Alles wird individuellund professionell auf Ihre Wünsche abgestimmt.Wann dürfen wir Gastgeber Ihrer Veranstaltung sein?www.congressfrankfurt.de

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Live events are the way to the future –

now more than ever! leaders of the global meetings and event management industry have gathered again in Barcelona in early december. With an industry, both in public as in private sectors, that is affected by the recent downfall of the financial services industry in the US, event planners (both corporate and association) as well as their procure-ment agents are confused. Corporations are cancelling events or put them on hold at a time that they should actually do the opposite! So what are the options for the people working in the Meetings Industry? What are the alternative options for the CEO’s of corporations and associations who are their clients? Shall we all go fish-ing, go sailing, hike in the mountains, merge or consolidate, look for other clients, change in our differentiation or just give up? do we need to change our image? And what about our noble causes: CSR and the greening of the meetings and events industry?

events 5/2008 19

tures need to adapt to a new winning styles and high value talent will need to be retained and re-trained. > Establish clear measurement criteria that show the ROI (Re-turn on Investment) or ROO (Return on Objectives) of meetings & events. Which brings me back to the most important ques-tion we should ask any client or prospect: why do they plan this event? Because that is the ultimate goal of the communication exercise and it defines the desired outcome, but also the invest-ment, which one wishes to spend in order to make this happen.> Share success stories: by aligning, measuring and reporting business results of meeting and incentive programs across the entire organization, its channels and its clients. Use personal references from your clients more than ever. Use the industry awards that set you apart from the rest.> Communicate the value, power and profile of our meetings and events industry to all stakeholders, including the public, reg-ulatory bodies, employees and channel partners. A fine example of this is for instance the comparison of scope and size of the tourism, business and events industry in the UK which appears to be bigger than the agricultural sector, or the pharmaceutical sector.> Show more transparency in the investment, services and pricing models that are accountable for business results. Corporations are very much under scrutiny now with procurement taking on a bigger role in purchasing. Corporations want to spend smarter and save money. In making our pricing models more transpar-ent we will create trust and win business. Never before has trust been a more crucial asset or a more career-critical skill for organi-zations than it is right now. Trust, more than Euros, Pounds, or dollars, is the new currency of business.> One has questioned what was to become of CSR (corporate social responsibility) in these difficult moments but we tend to believe that CSR is part of the solution. CSR can help you make events affordable by cutting out the extra fat and focusing on the core purpose of the deal, making the events less expensive and more affordable.> In general, emphasize on a greater personal commitment to business goals. Where relationship marketing was very much un-der pressure from the procurement side, it will play an increasing role if we want to be successful in a down economy. Go out there and sell! Not just the sales people in your organization but also other members of your management. Include staff that is normally working on-site because this is a valuable experience for both parties. For your staff to learn more and understand better the thinking and negotiation process of the prospect/client. For the client it means greater value bought in through the know-how of non-sales staff. Bookers will work with tighter budgets and the input from operations staff on how to deliver the same service but to a lesser price will help you win the business. The advantage will have a double effect: it will enhance creativity into a more transparent pricing model. > Improve efficiency. Primarily by organizational measures, look-ing into which business has been key to your results in the past

So what is the value that meetings generate in terms of profes-sional development, knowledge transfer, investment generation, technical progress and all the other areas that define why these events happen in the first place? In reality, meetings, conventions and exhibitions are primary en-gines of both economic and professional development – key ve-hicles for not just sharing information – something that in many cases can be done just as effectively on the Internet – but build-ing the kind of understanding, relationships and confidence that can only be achieved on a face-to–face basis. The importance of this factor is well understood by marketers, association leaders and corporate leaders, who consistently rate meetings, conventions and exhibitions as primary tools for ad-vancing their objectives, and who continue to invest accordingly. As the world enters new, and inevitable, stages of economic and political challenges, they will only increase in importance. What we as a meetings industry should all do in dealing with our clients and prospects, is to showcase the importance and value of face to face meetings, travel and motivational programs. Incen-tive travel and motivational meetings in particular have the pow-er to reward higher performance, ensuring effective communica-tions to customers, staff and distribution channels. Motivational programs and meetings show high improvement in customer services and spur innovation through enhanced collaboration be-tween employees and channel partners. This is exactly the com-munications tool that corporations need in this time of trouble.

What can we do, in our relationships with our cli-ents and business partners, to ensure business in 2009?

> Define the business value created through improvement of product and services knowledge. If corporations cut events and meetings, what impact will that have on their internal and ex-ternal communication? How does this affect the motivation of their staff and distribution channels that need motivation and education now, more than ever? Those who continue now to motivate and communicate better will be the survivors of this recession and will be ‘lean and mean’ at a time when business picks up again.> Show how to improve selling performance through live train-ing and motivation modules. Communication experts around the world have seen this shift to live communication happening in the recent past. If you can live through an experience, the qual-ity of the message is stronger than through any other means of communication, because it speaks to the heart of the people as well, not just the mind (the left brain/right brain story).Business need to survive and win through to the other side. There will be down sizing hence the need to outsource more to teams that can deliver on specifics. Customers will be under massive pressure to deliver results with less. Organizations will need to energize people to keep their heads high and drive forward. Cul-

20 events 5/2008

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but also internally, how you can improve organizational set-ups. Time to clean out the office and review your filing systems, pick up forgotten ideas and analyze why you lost clients or specific pieces of business. There is a great deal of value in your client data. Instead of leaving this filed away, use that data to revive old contacts or to follow up, better prepared, when calling on clients. Train your staff that that any small call for information can become a confirmed piece of business so give it the attention it deserves. Time as well to analyze how quickly you can reply on RFP’s. Be-cause the business will be much more short term which means as well short term negotiations. And follow up pro-actively, do not just wait till the client calls you back, make it happen!> And above all: stay in touch with your clients, suppliers and prospects. Strengthen industry partner relationships. Educate and certify. Maintain your visibility top of the list by being in touch with your prospects and clients. It is time for you to host a client event or even a supplier event. Focus on new and emerg-ing markets or client segments too. The reason why they meet and create events is not going away because there is a recession. That basic need still remains and needs fulfillment..We indeed will have to cope a little bit longer with low demand, event cancellations, budget restrictions and over-capacities. Dur-ing times of economic turmoil, the need for personal communi-cation increases; but regardless of this there will be a push and pull between quality and sustainability on one side and price and speed on the other. The crisis is not something we brought upon ourselves but nonetheless we are experiencing its consequences and the situation may last for another couple of years. The use of time within an event and the use of resources (financial and non-financial) will be at the core of every negotiation of a live communication event.

But it is a perfect opportunity for upgrad-ing our internal and external efficiency. Business opportunities remain the same and healthy ongoing business will remain

in some quarters. Re-structuring and consolidation of organiza-tions will create new opportunities for face to face meetings, education and motivational events. In the given circumstances, an organization, that does not see their events department as a core activity, will outsource their business.We are committed to helping make things happen for our clients. Let us be thought leaders that inspire to do better business than we all expect in 2009. But you, our clients and prospects also need to tell us how we can help even more in the planning of your events, meetings and any other forms of live communica-tions.

So how is our group coping with the storm? I questioned our president Roger tondeur during the MCI group annual conference in granada and here are his views:MCI suffered, as most of its colleagues and competitors, from project cancellation and many projects were postponed to 2009. The top reason cited for the change in plan is “perception” and no specific business reason is cited. We believe that strong brands will continue to work with strong brands, therefore MCI feels very confident with its competitive positioning.MCI sees meetings and events as a key strategic communication tool of organizational strategies. Our message is that meetings and events budget should NOT be cut and are of critical strategic importance in volatile times. Reason why we went ahead with the Granada conference gathering 400 talents from all over the world.With the headcount freeze in place at some of our client organi-zations, we see a potential for companies and associations to outsource more programs than in the past.One of the most inspiring quotes I have read in the last few months comes from Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi, who said that traditional forms of marketing are dead and that brands now need to focus their attention, investment and strategies on relationship building, live experiences and face to face market-ing. Live events are the way to the future! So says one of the gurus of marketing, and so say all of us...Hugo Slimbrouck – www.ovationdmc.com

So how can the Meetings Industry help to fight the crisis?The fact is that meetings, conventions and exhibitions – the kinds of events that together comprise what we refer to as “The Meet-ings Industry” – have three critical areas of interface with the

Hugo Slim-brouck is a Director with Ovation Global DMC and Past President of SITE and JMIC.

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broader economy, whether that be at a global level or in the context of an individual community. Each alone makes an important contribution to the development process; together, they comprise an absolutely critical combi-nation.First, the industry has an economic role – for lack of a better description, it generates revenue for the economy, be it local or global. This revenue arises from a number of factors, but largely it is a product of the spending that takes place by delegates, exhibitors and organizers who make up event at-tendance. This spending is so diverse that it spreads into many areas of the economy, from transportation and accommodation to restaurants, retail and entertainment. In fact, many beneficiaries have no idea of the extent to which they owe at least part of their income to the meetings industry.Second, there is a business development role, which reaches far beyond the immediate effects of event related spending. For a start, meetings, conven-tions and exhibitions attract business audiences that wouldn’t necessarily otherwise visit a particular destination, and who are more likely to be inves-tors and decision makers than other types of visitors. In this way, events serve to expose the host city and its investment opportunities to a whole new au-dience – a process that can rival even the most highly evolved economic and investment development programs mounted by the business community. At the same time, they provide a vehicle for local business and professional groups to host colleagues and create a showcase for local products and services, all key elements in the economic development process.But above all, there are the benefits associated with the community enhance-ment role – because these are the ones that most directly impact the largest number of people in a community. For a start, meetings and conventions create access to a wide range of professional development opportunities for local residents by making these more accessible to those in the community. Major or even regional gatherings bring what is often world class know-ledge and expertise within the grasp of local businesses and professionals, improving overall knowledge in ways that would not otherwise be possible. When such gains are made in areas such as the medical or research fields, the benefits to the rest of the community can be very profound in terms of how they improve the overall quality of life.But even without this effect there are ways that local communities benefit in a very tangible way from the meetings conventions and exhibitions taking place there. For a start, it justifies and in large part finances the development of facilities that can then be used for the community’s own events and cele-brations. But best of all, the arrival of non-resident delegates means a lot of new tax revenues from outside of the usual local tax base which can and will be applied to supporting ongoing community services.All of these are key roles – and all arise from the kinds of events that the meetings industry represents. But in an age of ongoing and growing global uncertainties, there is an even more important role for the future.That role goes to the very heart of what meetings are all about, which is the importance they have in bringing together diverse interests and cultures to address common challenges. Meetings, conventions and exhibitions not only support professional, research, technology and academic development

– the pivotal activities that underpin global progress – but they also help build networks and bridge cultural differences that threaten world order and ad-vancement. The simple fact is, meetings are vehicles for finding solutions to global issues – and that is something we will have no shortage of in the years ahead! Source: JMIC – www.themeetingsindustry.org

22 events 5/2008

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It must also be borne in mind that, because of the many special and individual rulings and exceptions, it is only possible to provide simplified examples of how gratuities are taxed from the point of view of the donor. It is not possible in this context to discuss specific exceptions to the rules. Where gratuities are classified as tax-deductible operating expenses, they are subtracted from profit, reducing the overall sum subject to tax. It is thus a matter of considerable interest to donors to know what gratuities are considered tax-deductible and how much can be deducted from operating profit.

Example 1: A weekend for employees

Company F arranges an incentive trip over a weekend to a well-ness hotel in spring 2008 for its employees M, N and O. The

Hiding one’s head in the sand is not the way to approach the law on taxation of gratuities

Additional payment or intended to strengthen a business relationship?

weekend costs F € 500 per person, but actually has an intrin-sic value of € 800 per person. Over the weekend, F provides all meals for its employees, who receive a gift hamper worth € 40 at the end of the weekend.

In this case, all expenses – i.e. the actual costs of travel at € 500 per person, the costs of hospitality and the gift hampers (worth € 120 in total) are all tax-deductible operating expenses. The profit subject to tax can thus be reduced by the full total value of these gratuities. However, as far as employees M, N and O are concerned, the weekend trip represents an additional benefit when the cost is compared with that of an equivalent trip at the place of donation. M, N and O must thus each declare € 800 as additional income and the donating company, F, must pay the appropriate employer contributions due on this income.

the theoretical aspects of legal problems are generally easy to understand, but the difficulties arise when these need to be practically implemented. In order to provide greater insight into the guide-lines cited in the first part of this series (events 4/2008, pages 90-91), the basic principles are again illustrated by two examples.

Putting your head in the sand with regard to the tax regulations as they apply to gratuities may lead to unpleasant surprises during the next tax audit...Did you know that one eye of an ostrich weighs more than its whole brain?

events 5/2008 23

An alternative variant: the donating company F has its own holiday accommodation and invites the three employees to stay there. The costs of accommodation and hospitality in this case are also tax-deductible. One point to note, however, is that if the owner of company F also participates in the trip, the expenses incurred for this person are not tax-deductible.

Example 2: A successful business deal

As a result of completing a deal successfully with its business partners, company F decides to donate an incentive trip in sum-mer 2008. Employee U of company F participates in the trip as representative of F, together with the business partners A, B and C. The trip costs € 1,000 per person (instead of the customary € 1,500 charged for such events). Company F also assumes the hospitality costs arising at the venue. In addition, F presents all participants with a coffee-table book on the region visited as a souvenir (value € 29.90) while A and U are also given a high-quality writing set (value € 99.90).

It should be noted that, from the point of view of the tax regula-tions, it is irrelevant whether the actual business partner or one of the business partner’s employees participates in the trip.

In determining what the tax-deductible expenses in the case of A, B and C are, it is first necessary to determine whether the trip is to be considered as an additional payment made for services provided as a result of the successful completion of the business deal (variant 1) or whether the purpose of the trip is to initiate, strengthen or improve a business relationship (variant 2).

In the case of variant 1, the actual costs of travel and accommo-dation (€ 1,000 per person) are tax-deductible operating expens-es, while 70% of the costs of hospitality donated to the business partners can also be deducted from pre-tax profits. A further dif-ferentiation, however, is required in the case of the other benefits in kind (called “gifts” when donated to non-employees of the donor) – the coffee-table book and the writing set. If the book is the only gift presented to B and C in 2008, the costs can be deducted from operating proceeds. In the case of A, the total value of the gifts, the book and writing set (€ 129.80), exceeds the threshold limit of € 35. Where the value of benefits in kind given to a single recipient per year exceeds € 35, the full cost is not tax-deductible. This means that F is permitted to deduct only € 35 from profit for the gifts given to A. The balance of € 95.80 is disregarded for tax purposes and is not considered a tax-deductible operating expense.

In the case of variant 2, where the donor’s intention is to initiate, strengthen or improve a business relationship, the costs of the trip also represent gifts from the point of the view of the donor (as defined in § 4, Section 5, Subsection 1, No. 1 of the German Income Tax Regulations [EstG]), and are to be treated as benefits

in kind. In other words, these are tax-deductible only up to a value of € 35 per recipient and year. This means that the cost of the trip, the book and the writing set must be added together for A and only € 35 can be deducted from profit from these total expenses. Hospitality costs are treated as in variant 1, so that 70% of these are tax-deductible.

For the costs of the gratuities given to employee U, the following rules apply: The actual costs of the trip are tax-deductible for U – i.e. the full sum of € 1,000. Again, however, this employee must declare the value of a comparable trip at the place of donation

– i.e. € 1,500 – as additional income, and the employer or donor must pay the relevant employer contributions on this sum. Only 70% of the costs of hospitality provided for U are tax-deductible. However, the total cost of the book and the writing set - €129.80

– is tax-deductible as these items are benefits in kind. But as the cost exceeds the threshold limit of € 40 permitted for each em-ployee, U must declare these gratuities as supplementary income and the employer must pay the employer contributions on the sum.

Alternative variants: The participants are accommodated in resi-dential premises owned by the donor that are not located in the vicinity of the donor’s business (i.e. not within the district admin-istered by the same communal or municipal authority). In this case, the costs of accommodation and hospitality for A, B and C are not tax-deductible. On the other hand, if the participants are accommodated in premises owned by the donor that are located locally to the business, the related costs are tax-deductible. The costs of providing accommodation and hospitality for employee U are tax-deductible, irrespective of the location of the premises owned by the employer (cf. also the variant for example 1).

In certain circumstances, the costs arising in connection with ac-commodation and/or hospitality provided to a spouse accompa-nying a business partner or employee on such a trip or to a busi-ness lunch may also be tax-deductible. However, it is not possible to discuss this aspect adequately here.

When considering the tax status of gratuities, incentives and benefits in kind, it must always be borne in mind that the actual situation must be carefully analysed: it is also essential to ensure that the case does not represent an exception to the regulations or is subject to any special rules drafted by the fiscal courts.

Thomas Waetke (Legal Consultant), Ricarda Vocke (Legal Trainee)Kanzlei Schutt, Waetke Rechtsanwälte, www.schutt-waetke.de

24 events 5/2008

It will never really be possible to get to the bottom of who set which trend and when which form of events spilled across the pond. The Oktoberfest in Miami or Halloween in Braunschweig-Nord – they were both part of a two-way process and belong to the fixed in-stitutions of the events culture of both nations. There hasn’t been a comparative study to evaluate who has unearthed the more creative or innovative events, and we don’t need one. Our impressions of the Amer-icans’ events world are stamped by Hollywood films or the election parties we have seen a lot of lately. Confetti guns, bands on stage, huge stages framed by XXL screens and a clearly choreographed perform-ance by all involved on the stage: They are fascinating spectacles. If we wanted to compare them with Ger-man election events, then the Americans are clearly in the lead 1:0. German election events tend more to have the feel of a PHS course on “modelling with potato salad” held in the shopping centre in Baunatal. “And we like it the way it is!” shout some people, while others are already ordering the necessary number of potatoes.

When the boss flies...Everyone knows the story about the spider in the Yucca plant and many other mod-ern fairytales, including for instance the one that the most innovative events come from the USA. So what are events like in the land of unlimited opportunity? Is the entire event nation sitting in level hotel ballrooms or are people getting together for a BBQ in white trainers in the office car park? Both are possible, because we germans also don’t just wear lederhosen and goatee beards.

But apart from Halloween there is one other great American event which has reached the European mainland: the rodeo

...there are sometimes bulls and bron-cos involved!

Rodeo is the sport of cowboys and cowgirls in the USA. Wildly bucking bulls and wild horses, cowboys with their lassos and cowgirls on their fast horses dur-ing the barrel race – scenes that everyone in America knows well. But in Good Old Germany too cowboys try to stay on the wild horses for all of eight seconds or dare to try to ride a Tornado, a bull weighing near-ly 1,000 kg! Rodeo in Germany is an extreme sport, which made its way to Europe more than 30 years ago. Every year between ten and 15 rodeos are held in Germany and the neighbouring countries.

More than 100 cowboys and cowgirls come to every rodeo from the specially founded ERCA (European Rodeo Cowboy Association) and the GRCA e.V. (Ger-

man Rodeo Cowboy Association e.V.), comprising more than 200 American and German members. Dis-ciplines such as wild horse riding, working with the lasso, fast races around barrels and of course the high point of any rodeo, the bull riding, delight thousands of spectators.

European companies have discovered this event with its family party character for their staff and custom-ers.

Behind every 8-second ride in front of the applaud-ing public there lie endless hours of training, muscle aches, lots of hours on the motorway and countless kilometres to drive to the next rodeo. Cowboys and cowgirls nowadays are more than the cliché which precedes them. They are athletes striving for sporting success in the arena.

Rent a Rodeo for your stakeholders!

The goings-on around the rodeo are reminiscent of a travelling circus. It is well known that you can hire a full circus from acrobats to zebras for corporate events. It is similar with rodeos, as here too you can get eve-rything in one stop, from the bull via the arena right down to the daring cowboys. Over recent years the rodeo has mainly been present in the public events sector. It has taken a long time for the rodeo busi-ness to reach German companies. Some 35 years ago, Alan Jacob was the founder of rodeos in Germany and the first to import the American Quarter Horses from America to Germany, as well as being a founder member of the DQHA (Deutsche Quarter Horse As-sociation). Today you can book rodeos via the organi-sations or from rodeo operator Dieter Brand (contact addresses in the appendix). You can get everything in one stop here and the events organizer will even look for an area to hold it in.

The people who take part in the rodeo are organised in an association, either the ERCA (European Rodeo Cowboy Association) or the GRCA e.V. (German Ro-deo Cowboy Association e.V.). There are both Ameri-cans and Europeans practising this sport in Germany. The rodeo has different disciplines in which cowgirls and cowboys can compete against each other.

Rodeo is a highly varied spectacle which is divided into different disciplines. The classic rodeo is Saddle Bronc Riding, which originated in the historic Wild West. As the name suggests, a saddle is used for saddle bronc riding. This is very similar to the usual

Western saddle. The major differences are the shorter stirrup straps and the absence of a saddle horn. With one hand the cowboy finds a hold on the rope fas-tened to the halter. The other hand is stretched out upwards. The cowboy has to last for eight seconds on the wild horse, as only after this is his ride valid so that he will get points for it. The maximum number of points available is one hundred. The number of points is made up half from the cowboy’s style and control of the horse and half from the wildness and bucking of the horse. If the rider touches the horse, himself or the equipment with his free hand, he is disqualified. The same applies if he slips from the stirrup or misses his “marks”. ”Marks” means placing the heels of his boots on the horse’s shoulders when it first jumps out of the starting box. If you want to set a challenge for your boss, you can register him for this contest, as anyone who is confident enough can have a go: Yes, we can!

Do 2,000 pounds of live bull meat sound good?

Other disciplines such as bareback riding, break away calf roping or the rapid barrel race ensure spectacu-lar appearances in the arena. The biggest Oooh´s and Aaah´s can be heard during the bull riding. Bull riding is the main attraction of any rodeo. 2,000 pounds of concentrated muscle mass awaits the cowboys, who have to sit on the bull and let it rampage underneath them for eight seconds. It is the most dangerous ro-deo discipline.

26 events 4/2008

IdE A S

The bulls are fast, agile and dangerous, as they will usually attack the rider directly if they get the chance. The rider places his hand in a bullrope which is slung round the bull’s belly, and then wound around the rider’s hand again. The other hand is again stretched up into the air. The cowboy closes his fist and with his body slides close up to the rope and his hand - slide and ride! A short nod of the head and the bull shoots out of the starting box! The judges assess the rider’s style. This involves body position, leg work and the use of the “free” arm. The rodeo clowns play an important role in this discipline: when the ride is over they distract the bull so that it can’t concentrate on the rider and won’t attack him when he is trying to get away from it.

Affordable Calgary feel in Recklinghausen – with a saloon evening included!The rodeo is rounded out with the so-called mount-ed shooting, a discipline which was first carried out in Germany during a rodeo by Keith Lannigan from New Mexico in 2008. Here the cowboy rides around man-made obstacles in the arena and shoots at bal-loons with his gun at the same time. Every balloon he doesn’t hit means a five-second penalty. The shooting is done using blank cartridges, whose pressure bursts the balloons. The fact that this truly poses a challenge can be confirmed by events columnist Günter Mainka, who shot his way round the arena on a crazy stallion, yet as a “former Western rider” managed to come away with a highly respectable 4th place.

The spectator encounters a variety of different im-pressions and experiences and discovers that a rodeo is more than just an open-air event. Rodeo represents the synergy of tradition and real tough cowboy ac-tion in its most original form. It is the horses and bulls who guarantee a lasting impression, hence rodeo in Germany is subject to strict controls in terms of the way the animals are kept and handled. According to information from vets, the way the animals are han-dled is exemplary and there have been no complaints! The animals are in good health and it tends to be the flying cowboys who hobble off into the sunset with bruises, grazes and other injuries. As the vet says: That’s what you get when you do that.

After the action in the arena the evening continues on stage with live bands and dancing can go on till late at night.

Rodeo is a breathtaking experience and also afford-able, even considering the tighter budgets at the mo-ment. Looking at it like that, the next summer party or incentive can happen after all! The recommended visitor numbers are from 200 to 10,000 guests.

“Fetch me my horse, Harry!” saysGünter Mainka (Autor)

Contacts: www.grca-ev.de – www.rodeoamerica.de – www.westernreiten.tv

Arbeiten. Leben. Alles verbinden –mit dem kostenlosen Service Link@Sheraton

Willkommen im BusinessUnterwegs sein, die Welt kennenlernen, neue Menschen treffen und Kontakte knüpfen:

Reisen ist spannend und aufregend. Für Menschen, die viel unterwegs sind, ist jedoch vor

allem eines verlockend: an einen Ort zu kommen, an dem man nicht nur ein Reisender ist,

sondern sich sofort zu Hause fühlt. Ein großer Anspruch – den Sheraton Hotels auch für

Tagungen und Kongresse perfekt umsetzen.

Mehr als 93 Prozent aller Reisenden welt-weit kennen es laut einer kürzlich veröffent-lichten Studie: Das berühmte S mit demumgebenden Kranz ist das bekanntesteSymbol für Gastfreundschaft. Kaum eineandere Hotelkette kann auf solch eine hoheWiedererkennbarkeit und zudem äußersterfolgreiche Geschichte zurückblicken.

Eine Insel des Wohlgefühls: Bei Sheratonkommt niemand nur irgendwo an – mankommt nach Hause. Und auch bei Meetings,Tagungen, Konferenzen und Galas genießenalle Sheraton Gäste dieselbe zuvorkom-mende Aufmerksamkeit – ganz gleich, ob 10oder 1.000Teilnehmer.

Neue Ansprüche, besserer Service

Als sehr bekannte Marke steht Sheraton unterdem Druck, sich permanent neu zu erfindenund dennoch seiner Philosophie treu zu blei-ben, sich neuen Ansprüchen anzupassen undgleichzeitig den Gewohnheiten der Stamm-

Kontinent, für die anderen sind es die Kollegenzwei Städte weiter.Gemütliche Sitzgelegenheiten und Fernsehermit Plasmabildschirmen sorgen für ein Rund-um-Wohlfühlerlebnis.

gäste – vor allem Geschäftsreisende undVeranstaltungsteilnehmer – zu entsprechen.

So legt man höchstenWert darauf, gestress-ten Geschäftsleuten und Eventmanagernimmer, zu jederTageszeit und Angelegenheit,einen gelungenen Aufenthalt zu bereiten.Und wirklich – wenn man ein SheratonHotel betritt, empfängt einen das ange-nehme Gefühl, sofort dazuzugehören. Wiesie das denn machen? Die Rezeptionistinlächelt und erwidert mit einem Augenzwin-kern, dass das zu den am besten gehütetenGeschäftsgeheimnissen gehört.

Link@Sheraton – das Büro in der Lobby

Der Link@Sheraton ist ein separater, mitmoderner Technik ausgestatteter Lounge-Bereich in der Lobby, der allen Gästenkostenlos zur Verfügung steht. So hat jederGast die Möglichkeit, sich mit denen in Verbin-dung zu setzen, die ihm wichtig sind. Für dieeinen ist das die Familie auf einem anderen

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www.sheraton.com

28 events 5/2008

IdE A S

In this amusing game involving wine tasting, sommeliers take the role of the croupiers at typical casino tables with specially de-signed game cloths whose fields represent various wine-related aspects. So taste and place your bet – “et rien ne va plus”. Is your nose sensitive enough? Have your taste buds deceived you? Are you able to collate all your sensory input correctly? This exclusive team game is concerned with aromas and bouquets, flavours and taste, grape varieties and colours, regions and vintages.

Casino Vinophil combines gaming and wine. There are three casino tables:

“Grape variety roulette” tableAlthough the basic concept is similar to casino roulette, the bets are not placed on numbers, but on the name of the grape variety and wine colours.

“Sommelier poker” tableIn this game, the players must identify the country of origin, the region and vintage of the wine they have just tasted and bet their chips accordingly.

“Wine blackjack” tableThis game has seven levels. The wine that is the subject of the game is tasted from a black glass. The players then have to spec-ify whether the wine is white or red, sweet or dry, from a wood or metal barrel, etc.

Putting the fun back into wine tasting:

Here comes Casino Vinophil!

The tables are all run by qualified sommeliers who have been specially trained to work within the wine casino environment. Their skills mean that they can provide players with tips and hints while inviting them to accompany them on an entertaining trip through the world of wine. In contrast with gambling casinos, the wine professionals provide information that – with a little bit of luck – will help players win.

The Casino Vinophil can be used to give events that extra some-thing. It provides light entertainment and promotes communica-tion. The wine casino can be erected anywhere within an ap-propriate setting. It can be used, for example, as part of a stylish evening programme or as an attraction at thematically-related trade fairs.

The Casino Vinophil will be of particular interest to corporate clients, agencies, venues and hotels. It is transported to the venue and set up there. The casino can be hired as standalone element, but there are additional features available, ranging from elegant room decoration, through a top-class singer and the amusing stilt walking act and even additional gourmet attractions.

‘Wine’ chips and suitable tasting glasses are supplied. Special “wine packages” are available for the casino. The event organ-iser can even select the wines to be used in the games in prior consultation with the sommeliers. Each of the players is given a certain number of chips to play with and they themselves de-termine the risk and the size of their bets. Another feature: on request, the tables can be branded through a company logo or an event motto.

The Casino Vinophil is an event product of the welcome Veran-staltungsgesellschaft mbH. This original concept was developed in collaboration with Sommelier Consult, a unique alliance of wine lovers and experts from throughout Germany.

www.welcome-gmbh.de; www.wein-casino.de, www.casinovinophil.de

the “Casino Vinophil” is an innovative ‘wine casino’ game concept that provides original gourmet entertainment. “Faites vos jeux” – but in this case, unlike in real life, you will win every time! What you will win will be a sensuous, interactive and entertaining taste experience.

Anke and Julien Wright have a flair for finding the best in culinary pleasures and treasures concealed behind cellar doors in palatial chateaux and leading wineries, not to mention truffles lurking in oak forests in the Champagne, Burgundy, Bordelais and Périgord regions. They personally check out each element of their programmes. These can be incorporated in a prespecified tour or can be combined to create a complete gourmet experience at the wish of corpo-

Wallow in wine after truffle hunting and hard work at the riddling rack...

rate clients planning events or incentive travel. They offer activities such as champagne tasting in a world-famous cha-teau, visits to a chocolatier and clients can also join in hunts with truffle hounds. Accom-modation is provided in luxury class hotels, chateaux and win-eries or in lovingly cared for mid-class country inns. “We spend a lot of time and care analysing the requirements of our clients to ensure that we meet their needs down

to the very last detail. We are personally present at all our venues to provide advice on the de-lights available, act as interpreters, and where necessary, help with the selection from menus in three-star temples of gastronomic excellence. We accompany our clients all the way on the route from cookery course to cultural monu-ment”, says Anke Wright. www.delikatours.com

events-quer_final.indd 1 30.12.2008 09:25:40

30 events 5/2008

CONC R E S S W OR ld

Three years of the KLCC...… and pretty good ones, too. Peter Brokenshire, GM of the Centre, is delighted about “his” contribution to the financial wellbeing of Kuala Lumpur: half a billion US dollars has been generated for the city with more than 1,700 events and 6.1 million participants. Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall are reliable partners here who provide help in bringing an international public to Malaysia. The KLCC has a central location in the city, and is so highly regarded that it has even been allocated its own postal code.

...and just a few months of the Convention Bureau Karlsruhe Karlsruhe already ranks amongst the top ten most successful convention destina-tions. The Convention Bureau, which was newly established in 2008, will continue to be a supporting pillar in marketing the location for national and international events. “As a service point, the Conven-tion Bureau is the first contact for every-one who is planning MICE in Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Technology Region”, says Klaus Hoffmann, CEO of Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress GmbH and the Con-vention Bureau. “From providing contacts right through to a full service offering, everything is on hand from one source at the Convention Bureau. Our aim is to increase our competitiveness as a MICE lo-cation and strengthen Karlsruhe and the region”.

Spruced up: www.weimarhalle.deIn its day, the previous look had been honoured with the Events Award and the EVVC Marketing Prize, but after a number of years it needed a facelift. Now it is more compact, clearly structured and easy to navigate. In developing the site great value was placed on functionality for visitors. A list of the technology which is available and details of all the layout variations, together with the

booking options for incentives or rooms, are a great help in planning. A vir-tual tour and a film show the centre from a variety of perspectives.

f ü r k ommu n i k a t i o n

Hören. Sehen. Verstehen.

Kommunikation zum Anfassen.

Sich kennen lernen. Sich näher kommen.

Von Mensch zu Mensch

KölnKongress steht für eine besondere

Kommunikationskultur: für die Kunst

des Gastgebens.

KölnKongress | fon +49 2 21 . 8 21 - 2121 | www.koelnkongress.de

raum

Dateiname: 173976_Koelnkongress.eps; Nettoformat:(100.00 x 287.00 mm); Datum: 28. Nov 2008 07:28:32; PDF-CMYK; L. N. Schaffrath DruckMedien

Wagner accompanies hall merger, Junker leavesKnut Seidel attended the celebrations on October 20, 2008 as a Director of the EVVC [European As-sociation of Event Centers] to say goodbye to Hart-mut Junker, who retired after 30 years. At the same time Johann Wagner was presented as CEO of the Stadthalle Böblingen and future CEO of the Veran-staltungs- GmbH Sindelfingen-Böblingen, which will be a newly merged company as of January 1st. The merger of two convention centres which were previ-ously independent, and in fact in competition with each other, is a real first on the convention scene. Wagner was a front man in Lübeck for a long time (MUK [the Lübeck Music and Convention Hall] and in tourism) and following a short interlude as press spokesman for the Dräger works, he has now re-turned to hall management.

Forever young in Mainz! In October 2009 more than 1,000 participants from all over the world will meet in Mainz for the three-day European Congress on Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Medicine. “We are delighted about this new addition. We were able to win out against the competition (such as Düsseldorf and Vienna) with the exceptional-ly good hotel infrastructure in Mainz, combined with the optimal conference facilities of the Rheingoldhalle. Mainz also scored with its outstanding position in the most important economic region, Rhein-Main. The direct proximity to the Rhein-Main Airport and the good connections to Hahn Airport in the Hunsrück are also reasons for choosing the state capital as the venue for the 2009 European Anti-Aging Congress”, comments Franz Ringhoffer, head of the finance de-partment of the City of Mainz and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Congress Centrum Mainz GmbH (CCM).

“We are proud that with this event we join the ranks of the Anti-Aging congresses held in Las Vegas, Du-bai, Sydney and Singapore. The congress is not only greatly significant for us as the CCM, but also for the City of Mainz and the hotel industry. On average every participant at an event spends € 260 a day in the city during their visit”, says August Moderer, CEO of the CCM.

32 events 5/2008

CONC R E S S W OR ld

ICC Berlin: the “world-leading congress centre” proudly announces a record year The congress area of the Messe Berlin can look back over its most successful busi-

ness year to date, which has helped the destination to take its place as the world’s

number two congress destination. Raimund Hosch, Chief Executive of Messe Berlin

GmbH: “Berlin is booming as a trade fair and congress destination and is developing

dynamically. Berlin comes out on top in congress business. The unique connection

between the conference areas of the ICC Berlin and the Berlin trade fair is unbeatable.

This layout constellation is almost ideally tailored for events which involve conferences

and supporting industrial exhibitions which are increasingly in demand. And last but

not least, the perennial attractiveness of the capital city Berlin and its region, with its

cultural variety and ideal tourism infrastructure, are the deciding sales arguments to

hold conference events in the German capital”. In 2008 a total of 623 conferences and

shows took place, with more than 280,000 participants. Of around 226,000 confer-

ence participants foreign congress visitors stood at approximately 70%, the highest

proportion recorded within one year to date.

Europe’s largest convention centre to be created in MilanDue to open in January 2011,

it will provide space for 18,000

delegates.

The complex on Mario Bellini’s

drawing board will provide: a

1,500 seat auditorium, a ple-

nary hall for 4,500 visitors, 73

modular halls seating between

20 and 2,000 and an incred-

ible 54,000 sq. m. of support-

ing exhibition areas.

Congress Frankfurt’s Festhalle is a “member of the club”! With the Festhalle Messe Frankfurt, Congress Frankfurt ranks amongst the members of the exclusive European association “The Historic Conference Centres of Europe” (HCCE). Founded in 1996 and based in the Nether-lands, this is the only international consortium of historic conference centres, its members being 25 historic convention centres in 13 European countries. These have to be at least 100 years old – and yet offer ultramod-ern technology and comprehensive service.

“We are totally delighted that Congress Frankfurt with its historic Festhalle has been included in this exclusive association; membership will offer us new networking routes”, says Claudia Delius-Fisher, Manager of Con-gress Frankfurt. The Congress Center at the Messe Frankfurt was opened in 1996. Together with the Festhalle

inaugurated in 1909 and enjoying the status of a protected historic monument as well as the Forum which was built in 2001 and the adjoining exhibition halls, the Frankfurt exhibition centre is ready and waiting with a wide variety of events options. The range of rooms for conven-tions and conferences currently comprises seating for more than 20,000 participants. With the completion of exhibition hall 11 and the adjoining entrance building, both in the Western section of the exhibition grounds, further conference areas will be available beginning from summer 2009. www.congressfrankfurt.de

Something as attrac-tive and historic as this simply has to be a member of this historic group!

Hilmar Guckert now spokesman for the Executive BoardHe has cause for double celebrations: firstly because his contract with DüsseldorfCongress has been extended by five years, and also because he has now been appointed as spokesman for the Executive Board. Guckert has been Managing Director of the company since it was founded in 1995. Under his auspices the subsidi-ary company of the Messe Düsseldorf has grown to be one of the largest events companies in Europe. In 2007 DüsseldorfCongress registered a total of 2,845 events in nine premises with more than 1.8 million visitors and a turnover of 27.4 million Euro. Starting in 2009, DüsseldorfCongress is also taking over the marketing for the new event location Station Airport, which has space for a maximum of 1,650 people and offers a unique view of the runways of Düsseldorf International air-port (see photo). And now Düsseldorf-Congress is also getting involved in re-search – and launching its cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute and their new inHaus2 in Duisburg. Behind this name lies a research facility for residen-tial and commercial property. As well as new ideas for housing, offices and hotels, the events areas of the future will also be tested here with immediate effect. DüsseldorfCongress is the exclusive partner of inHaus2 for this.

Airy and with a view to dream of: Station Airport

events-quer_final.indd 2 30.12.2008 09:26:00

34 events 5/2008

CONC R E S S W OR ld

The Design Center took 1st place in several categories in the European benchmarking comparisons of similar businesses (in terms of size, capacity and functionality). Two years ago the Upper Austri-ans reached 3rd and last year 2nd place in the same ranking.

The initiators of this field study were the EVVC (= Europäischer Verband der Veranstaltungszentren / European Association of Event Centres) and Symbios AG. The working group from the participants

which were compared with one another consisted of a total of 14 events centres within the German-speaking area, whereby the 2007 business year was evaluated. As well as the positive operating result of the Design Center, its other outstanding performances are also noteworthy. In the areas ‘Operating result in relation to’: > lettable rooms > visitors per event> total area> staff per 1,000m²> staff numbers

the Center run by Magister Thomas Ziegler scored first.

The Science and Convention Centre darmstadtium counted 160,000 visitors in the first year after it opened. “We are highly satisfied and have more than met our goals”, emphasized the CEO, Klaus Krumrey, who had himself reckoned on 150,000 visitors.

Bookings through 2012 / Numerous re-bookingsAround 270 events have taken place in the darmstad-tium since the beginning of December 2007, includ-ing cultural events such as the “Associations Day” for the Darmstadt public, but above all conventions and meetings held by companies, foundations and or-ganisations. These included the third National IT Sum-mit with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the Deutsche Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress [German Air and Space Conference]. According to Krumrey book-ings are already in hand through to 2012. A “not in-substantial” proportion of these are from customers who have already visited us. “This shows the high level of satisfaction of nearly all our events holders”. In 2009 amongst other events, the DSAG Technology Days 2009, Software AG with their international Kick Off Event and the 6th Sparkas-sentag Hessen Thüringen are planned at the darmstadtium. Brand marks: “Green Meeting” and multimedia technologyIn the coming year Krumrey also wants to anchor two special features in the national and international convention land-scape: “For the events sector our brand marks are the “Green Meeting” and the exceptionally high multifunctionality of the building”.

10,000 visitors “too many” in darmstadtium’s first year

DESIGN CENTER LINZ 1st in

EVVC ranking

events 5/2008 35

Award winner and loyal for 27 years: The sector is familiar with Nikolaus Breisach as the innovative head of the Grazer Congress, with an unmistakeable feel for the “art of advertising” – resulting in an ex-cellent reputation of his venue with lasting success and recognition – all inseparably connected with his own personality: that hurt too. Since mid 2007 Nikolaus Breisach is longer the boss of Grazer Congress.

Nikolaus Breisach, no lemon and an artist named Breisach

Suddenly there was time at hand: first to relax, then to reflect, then to act. Or quite simply: to live, and – fi-nally – plenty of time for his beloved art. But there was also time for work. For example, to implement art in management and architecture (Art Consult) and – fun again! – to expand collections. He gave up his chair-manship of the sculpture park (meanwhile standing on its own feet); now he devotes himself, his knowl-edge and the many years of experience to the Friends of the Neue Galerie at the Landesmuseum Joaneum,

How is Dr. Nikolaus Breisach faring?

Nikolaus Breisach, a lemon and an artist named Wurm...

“Being involved with art in its various facets has always been part of my

life; now I have more time for it.”

that’s popular in Austria: a youngster studies law, gets his doctorate – and then devotes himself to something totally different. For someone who has never run with the pack it offers an excel-lent basis: venture out and assess things, test them out and push them to the limit till it hurts

– at least the others! Having a few paragraphs ready now and then comes in handy. And in order to en-joy art at all times, he takes over the chairmanship of the Austrian Sculpture Park, despite a tight schedule; a book is being published.

where he is part of the Execu-tive Committee. In his private life

he now lends a helping hand to his wife, finally wants to learn how to cook and is adding the odd fine photograph or two by classical modernists to his own art collection. In fine weather he luxuriously rolls along the banks

of the river Mur in his rakish vintage car and lets the Styrian mountain breeze stir new ideas.And now he has even become a photographer him-self! “Kleidergraphie” is the title of the coffee-table-

book to be published soon. The man is bril-liant! Forgotten al-ready? CF

36 events 5/2008

dE S t IN At IONS

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“Meanwhile they came across a good thirty or forty windmills standing on the field, and as soon as don Quixote caught sight of them he said to his equerry:

“Fortune favours our matters even better than we could have wished, for look, Sancho my friend, there are thirty or even more huge giants, with which I am disposed to have a battle and take the lives of all of them...” “Which giants?” asked Sancho Panza. “the ones you can see there” answered his master, “with the mighty arms which in some cases must be two miles long.” “But look Sir,” said Sancho, “what you can see are not giants, but windmills, and what you think are their arms are the sails which the wind turns, which sets the millstone in motion.” ... And thus began don Quixote’s “terrible and unequal battle”.

In the footsteps of Don Quixote

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On a knife’s edge and marzipan with saffron in Castile-La Mancha

How do we know that Toledo is Toledo? Because it is the name of a small car? Or because our intellectual subconscious remembers that the painter El Greco worked there? No! It’s the saffron: the valuable red filaments of the crocus flower which are painstakingly harvested, come from the province of Toledo! You wouldn’t have chiefly associated it with marzipan – a mistake! More with sabres, knives or daggers! Cut-ting tools and thrusting weapons of the finest finish have been created here glowing in red-hot smithies for centuries in time-consuming processes. Everyone knows that! The heights of craftsmanship produce aristocratic swords with flashing steel blades, either smooth or finely engraved. If you have a meeting in

Toledo, then in any case should you find the time to look over a blacksmith’s shoul-der. For a souvenir with local colour, in-stead of a sword, which is a bit difficult to transport, you could go for a handy pock-et knife – a true friend for the resource-ful planner, who will thus be armed at all times for the duel with everyday organis-ing life, and in an emergency will even be able to splice a cable all by themselves…!

… whereby the battle with windmills armed with a pocket knife would be even more

futile. In the group activity “One night in La Mancha” the burlesque – together with professional actors – is simulated just for fun though.

The archbishopric of Toledo, stamped over the cen-turies by the three cultures of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, has approximately 77,000 inhabitants and is enthroned around 100 m above the river Tajo, which meanders out from deep in the cliffs of the plateau. Always visible is the fortress of Alcázar in the upper town: Shortly after the start of the Civil War in July 1936 a colonel, José Moscardó, barricaded himself in there for several months with officers and soldiers, men of the Guardia Civil, members of the Falange and a number of cadets from the military academy, together with around 550 women and children as well as several dozen Republican hostages. Franco’s troops finally conquered the town.

Special locations for meetings are easy to find in To-ledo: old monasteries or churches, medieval palaces or majestic Renaissance buildings are venues which are in high demand by Central European minds. Operators of vineyards in the area, such as Pagos de Familia des

Marqués de Griñon (www.pagosdefamilia.com), Gonzalez Byass with the “Finca Constancia” (www.gonzalezbyass.com) and Osborne with the Bodega

“Osborne Malpica” (www.osborne.es) present their products at wine tastings and special dinners. Settings for smaller events can be found in the “Cigar-rales”, traditional houses surrounded by olive, almond or cypress groves and with outstanding views – or in castles, stately homes and other historic buildings – dignified alternatives to events held in modern hotels. The food is high class too, with a cuisine dominated by game dishes. Typical Toledo products also include the Manchego sheep’s cheese and of course marzipan

– introduced by the Arabs in times long gone by.Close to town: Cigarral de las Mercedes. With five reception rooms and capacities for 48 – 175, plus a marquee for 500 people, the Cigarral is well equipped for presentations, gala dinners and meetings. In the evening the well-groomed garden with a view over the town glows under romantic lighting to create a stylish atmosphere; the establishment’s cuisine has won several awards. Over the next year 20 luxurious bedrooms are going to be opened. www.cigarraldelasmercedes.com Accommodation is well taken care of with more than 3,000 beds in hotels in the ***, ****and *****-star categories; some establishments have tuned in to the needs of meetings and incentives and offer well equipped capacities for up to 2,000 guests.

Hotel tips: Boutique-Hotel Fontecruz Palacio Eugenia de Mon-tijo*****www.palacioeugeniademontijo.com Hotel AC Toledo**** www.ac-hotels.com Trade fair and convention centre: Talavera Ferial . From 2009: El Miradero with an auditorium for ap-prox. 1,000 participants and a trade fair centre.

Toledo is just some 80 km from Madrid’s Barajas International Airport. The new Don Quijote Inter-national Airport in Ciudad Real can be reached in approx. 75 minutes (130 km). 22 high speed AVE trains a day commute to the capital and back in just 30 minutes, and there are direct bus connec-tions.

We have only selected out some of the most attrac-tive of a whole wealth of activities. The Toledo Convention Bureau knows more: www.camaratoledo.es/tcbwww.spain.info CF

dE S t IN At IONS

Must not be missed: the works of El Greco. Most famous: “The Burial of Count Orgaz” in the Church of Santo Tomé.

events 5/2008 39

Invitation to a Fam Trip to Finnish Lapland!From March 6th to 9th the REAlIZE live Marketing Event Academy invites you to a FAM trip of a most unusual kind. Plunge into an impressive destination with a variety of opportunities, unique beauty and breathtaking nature! With the start of spring the daylight has also returned to the world around the Arctic Circle. Already by March the days here are longer than in Central Europe.

After a visit to Helsinki, the real adventure starts in Kuusamo. From the airport you will travel across the endless expanses to the wilderness camp at Pohjan-seita, where participants will receive a fitting welcome with an exquisite 3-course dinner featuring Lapland specialties. Unusual activities await you over the next few days in the snowy wilds of Lapland between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole. A racy snowmobile safari will take you through the fascinating nature to a reindeer farm – with lots of ac-tivities to raise a sweat around Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer & co! Then to the world famous Snow Castle with its fascinating ice creations, to the wilderness camps of Savotta and Kivalo and to the World Cup location Levi. The quaint Restaurant Kammi offers the perfect atmosphere for a typical reindeer feast with plenty of delicacies. A stop at the unique Wilderness Spa offers the perfect opportunity to get really warm and relax your muscles a bit. During the entire trip participants will stay overnight in high quality and

sometimes unusual accommodation. The REALIZE Live Marketing Event Academy and its local partners are keeping plenty more exciting surprises ready for you – but we can’t reveal what they are yet!

After some thrilling days you will fly back to Mu-nich with great long-lasting memories in your suitcase. You can look forward to a fascinating and exclusive winter adventure in the trendy in-centive destination of the Far North!

Note: We reserve the right to make changes to the programme. Registration does not entitle you to participate, as participation in the fam trip is limited and only effective after confirmation. A cost contribution will be charged, which has yet to be determined.

last name: First name:

Company: Function:

Street address: town, postal code:

telephone: Email:

Registration coupon

Please fax to: +49-89-660799-66I am interested in taking part in the fam trip from 6 – 9 March 2009:

With friendly support from:

40 events 5/2008

Not just a slender volume, but a background bible for grownups: “The Little Prince” is such a literary success that right up to the present day it is impossible to imagine bookshops or home bookshelves without it. The author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, was born in Lyon. Paul Bocuse, co-inventor of Nouvelle Cuisine, who rigorously de-cluttered chaotic plates and instead decorated them with delicately placed, microscopically small portions is also from here. A popular destination for gour-mets is his restaurant, the “Abbaye de Collonges” five kilometres outside Lyons (max. 490 guests/seated). Fine wines from the neighbouring vineyards of Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône provide an enological contribution. The diocese of Lyon with around 466,000 inhabitants is picturesquely situated along the Rhône and Saône, and it is here that Interpol has its headquarters. The Lumière brothers, who turned the static world upside down with their Cinematograph, once lived here and the splendid light show, the Fête de la Lumière, is witnessed by crowds every year. The Old Town with lovely inner courtyards, Renaissance-style galleries and the typical traboules (skintight clandestine passages be-tween houses) is on the UNESCO list.

It is only with one’s heart that one can see clearly* - but the stomach has a say too!

A 1,000 sq m stage is visible from the 2,800 seats arranged in a semi-circle, which can be increased to 3,200 seats when needed.

Lyon

events 5/2008 41

Once again it was the renowned architect Renzo Piano who created this unusual convention centre with a modular total area of 25,000 sq m.

With two major conventions just before the end of 2008, the CCC Lyon hasn’t been short of orders.

ICT 2008 – Europe’s largest event on the theme of Information and Communication Technologies was organised in No-vember by the Directorate General of the European Commission and hosted by the French Presidency of the European Union. The subject of the convention was the substantial changes in the Information and Communication Technologies landscape during the next decade and also the research and innovation activities which will arise as a consequence. Emi-nent speakers from industry, the economy and politics shared their findings and visions with the participants in numerous seminars.

Business people from Europe and China met once more at the 5th EU-China Summit – every year they choose a destina-tion for their meeting alternating between China and Europe; thus the last summit took place in Beijing in 2007. Again under the French EU Presidency, during a whole day of plenary sessions and workshops business owners and managers from Europe and China exchanged views including a debate about the turbulence raging on the world markets, in order to be able to jointly face the challenges arising. The “Joint Declaration” which they issued will be sent to the Presidents of France, China and the European Commission. www.ccc-lyon.com CF

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Turismo de Portugal now in Berlin

At the end of 2008 the Portuguese National

Tourist Office moved from Frankfurt to the

centre of Berlin, in the immediate vicinity of

the Portuguese Embassy, the Consulate and

aicep Portugal Global, the state investment

and trade agency.

The new Manager of Turismo de Portugal is

João Sampaio e Castro. The 52-year-old was

previously active as a management consult-

ant for travel sector companies in Switzerland

and the Azores, and before that Manager of

the airline Portugália.

New address:

Turismo de Portugal, I.P.

Zimmerstraße 56

10117 Berlin

T: 030 254 10 60

F: 030 254 10 699

Sun international gets involved in ChileThe South African hotel, resort and casino operator Sun Interna-tional has fired the starting pistol for one of the most ambitious tourism projects in Chile: With an official ceremony, the Monticello Grand Casino was opened in Mostazal, 57 kilometres south of San-tiago de Chile. Sun International has thus laid the first milestone in the construction of an integrated leisure and tourism complex. The Grand Casino & Entertainment World is the largest exclusively pri-vately financed tourism and leisure project ever seen in Chile to date. Sun International has been entrusted with the management and has a 200 million dollar involvement in the project.The new casino is part of a complex which covers 66,300 square metres in total. The opening of the adjoining hotel facilities with a total of 150 beds, a shopping passage and numerous entertainment facilities is planned for 2009.For the Monticello Grand Casino & Entertainment World Sun In-ternational for the first time has applied its experience in the de-velopment of combined resort, hotel and casino projects in South America.

“We are proud to be able to pass on our know-how as a leading ho-tel chain and casino operator in Southern Africa on to Chile,” says David Coutts-Trotter, CEO of Sun International. www.suninternational.de

Three Swiss cities dominate global rankings for best quality of living

The most recent Mercer city ranking survey again ranks Zurich high-est in terms of quality of living. With an index score almost identi-cal to that in 2007, Zurich retains first place, followed by Vienna and Geneva. Among the top ten are the German cities Düsseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt (rankings 6 – 8), as well as the Swiss capital, Bern.At the bottom of the list is, unsurprisingly, Baghdad. Moscow ranks as most expensive city in the world, while Asuncion in Paraguay is the cheapest. In the list of cities with the highest personal safety ranking Luxembourg comes out top. For more interesting details of the survey, go to www.mercer.com

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Successful entry into the Swiss market by Kofler & Kompanie

Kofler & Kompanie in Berlin reports that its acquisition of a “majority stake” in the Swiss top caterer Oggenfuss has been successful. Roger Wilfinger, the former owner of Oggenfus Catering, continues to hold 20% of the company’s shares and manages the skills of the Swiss branch from Küsnacht-Zürich, where there is also a showroom and a dedicated production operation, managed by chef Alex-ander Kunert. There is a further branch in St. Moritz. In addition Kofler & Kom-panie looks after a series of event spaces in Switzerland as an exclusive caterer, for example the “Davidoff ship” on Lake Zurich, and the Zurich locations Schloss Sihlberg and Bost Productions, both designated as preferred partners. Details at: www.koflerkompanie.ch

Air Partner happy with annual figuresFor the third time in a row Air Partner, one of the world’s largest charter aircraft suppli-ers, has announced record re-sults. Turnover worldwide rose by 35 percent to 308 million Euro, and at 11.3 million Euro worldwide profits were also 21 percent higher than the previ-ous year. Major contributions to the positive annual figures came from the strongly grow-ing government sector, a dou-bling of the share of sales held by wealthy private customers and an outstanding business result in Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany. The turno-ver of the German Air Partner GmbH increased by 14 percent. The strongest growth was ob-tained in the freight sector and the automotive manufactur-ing segment. Profits remained roughly constant in Germany and Austria.

Tourism/Transport Department of FH Worms:Plenipotentiary of the Steigenberger Group becomes member of the Advisory Board

Claus-Dieter Jandel is now a member of the Advisory Board of the Tourism/Transport department of the Fachhochschule Worms [Worms University of Applied Sciences], which is very proud to have the Executive Vice President of Steigenberger Hotels AG and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHO) on board. Jandel’s precipitous career began in 1974 at the Steigenberger spe-cialist hotel school in Bad Reichenhall, and by 1993 as the Regional Direc-tor for the South based in Frankfurt/Main he was already responsible for up to 25 hotel businesses belonging to Steigenberger Hotels AG in Ger-many, Austria, Switzerland, France and Spain. General power of attorney in 1994 was followed in 1998 by his being appointed as Fully Authorised Representative/Senior Vice President. In parallel he has undertaken a large variety of functions (executive activities) in the company’s subsidiaries.

Do you recall our last editorial? For some years powerful associations have been eager to abolish the acronym MICE in exchange for ‘Meetings Industry’. As so often, reality proves different – as above photo confirms: It was taken at random during EIBTM 2008. Players of the trade seem of have grown fond of it – MICE is nice and practical and comes in handy, and they couldn’t care less about what megalomaniacs cry for.

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American Express: higher airfares and hotel prices in Germany in 2009

Business travellers are going to have to pay more in 2009 – this is the prophecy of the Global Business Travel Forecast 2009 from American Express. Flight tariffs are set to rise by up to seven percent worldwide and up to nine percent in Germany/Europe. Tickets are becoming more pricy because airlines are offering lower capacities and suppliers will be disappearing from the market; this reduces competition. Hotel accommodation will prob-ably be up to six percent more expensive worldwide. In Europe and Germany an average increase by up to 6.5 percent is assumed.

Brussels Airlines soon to be member of the Star Alliance

The CEOs of the Star Alliance member airlines have voted to include Brussels Airlines in the airline alliance. Users of the Privilege frequent flyer programme from Brussels Airlines will initially be able to collect and redeem miles from Star Alliance member companies. In order to be able to offer all the advantages of the airline alliance, the teams put together especially for this purpose by Brussels Airlines, Star Alliance and the member airlines will drive the integration process ahead. Once this has been concluded, Brussels Airlines will be a fully-fledged member of the Star Alliance network, which currently includes 21 airlines.

Klaus Laepple remains President of the DZT

In December 2008 at the general meeting of members of the Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT) new elec-tions were held for the members of the Administrative Board. Klaus Laepple, President of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft e.V. (BTW) will con-tinue to be President of the DZT Administrative Board for an additional three years. As Vice-Presidents the mem-bers voted in Ernst Fischer, President of the Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststättenverband e.V. (DEHOGA), who was also confirmed in his position as President of the DZT advisory board, Reinhard Meyer, President of the Deutscher Tourismusverband e.V. (DTV) and Martin Zeil, Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology.

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heinrich & kappler win silver at EVAIn front of 1,100 guests in Bochum’s Jahrhunderthalle, CEO Jens Heinrich and Susanne Stobitzer of SAP accepted the silver EVA Event Award in the category “Exhibition Event” for the showcasing of SAP at CeBit 2008.

How to enable SAP to reach the relevant contact persons in the target group small and medium enterprises amidst all the hustle and bustle at CeBit? With this aim in view, heinrich & kap-pler, working closely with Be One Entertainment (Mannheim), Messebauer mac (Langenlonshe-im) and the clients, developed a comprehensive concept that was implemented in Hanover. The result after the six days of the trade fair: SAP not only experienced a 44% boost in visitor num-bers over the previous year, but the increase in the rate of qualified contacts exceeded even the most sanguine expectations. The 194% increase represented a near threefold rise over the year before – a very real ROI! The jury said: “The showcasing event represented stringent orien-

tation towards success and a reduction of concomitant shortfall while achieving an increase in client contacts. The multilayered fair and event concept concentrated on and was specific to the required target group. Using such varied techniques as stage productions through small workshops, the target group was provided with precise details of the benefits of the products. Worthy of particular mention is the successful way the project managed to pinpoint a very specific target group – ‘medium-sized new clients’ – who are otherwise difficult to identify during a trade fair.“ www.heinrich-kappler.de

Michael Quade pilots Bureau Q towards innovationNexus is followed by Bureau Q and ‘Q’ stands for quality: quality services, quality lateral thinking and quality creative ideas. Michael Quade explains: “The words of the recent song ‘Haus am See’ by Peter Fox express ex-actly what inspired me to found Bureau Q: ‘…the world behind me is getting smaller. But the world before me is made for me! I know it’s waiting and I’ll go and get it!’” With well-established clients like Wempe and the Deut-sche Bank already in its portfolio, the start-up of the new event agency is likely to go off without a hitch. To follow the career of Bu-reau Q from January 2009, go to www.bureau-q.de

ProFlight: new Internet look for “experienced” fliers and novicesProFlight, subsidiary of the Bremen-based aviation and space travel event organiser PRO TOURA, has given its website a facelift.

“We have a range of attractive events on offer that deserve to be given a presentational overhaul,” explains director and ex-flight captain Walter Drasl. Dreams of flying made real – anyone can be a temporary ‘pilot’ in a genuine flight simulator. There are simulators replicating the experience in the cockpits of 14 dif-ferent aircraft in the training centres in Berlin, Bremen, Frankfurt and Vienna while trained ProFlight personnel are also on hand to provide professional help.If you are planning a presentation or gala event in addition to flight simulation incentives, just contact the parent company of ProFlight, PRO TOURA, for more information.

events 5/2008 47

TAS revs up for “RWE ProKlima Strom 2011” tour

“This will be the future trend,” claims Thomas Siepmann, director of TAS Emotional Marketing. “Clients want an authentic link between the clas-sic form of the campaign and live communication.” The manager of the Essen agency knows what he is talking about. Together with his team, he will be implementing the major “RWE ProKlima Strom 2011” campaign on behalf of the German utility company RWE throughout Germany. More than 100 days of events from December 2008 to late March 2009: for a six-figure sum, TAS has agreed to devise and realise the promotional concept for the new RWE fixed price product. The “RWE ProKlima Strom 2011” model developed by RWE offers cus-tomers a price guarantee for the next three years. The utility company is hoping to win customers for its new concept by means of a major pro-motional campaign featuring the German band “Trio”, who made their name in the 1980s. The next stage will involve exposing the target group to live events. As far as Siepmann is concerned, “A stable energy price over a period of three years is an absolutely unique selling point in the rapidly changing utility market. We intend to use playful and interactive techniques to make potential customers aware of this.”The “RWE ProKlima Strom 2011” promotional tour will be visiting nearly 50 different towns and cities in Germany and will be providing interactive and game modules on sites up to 100 m2 in size. The features will include a full life-size game

“3 Bleibt”, a Segway driving course, scratch cards and a plethora of give-aways. There will be an information counter at which potential customers can get advice and even change to the price-fixed RWE tariff. Six branded electro scooters with poster trailers will also be on the road at the venues. TAS Emotional Marketing has been conceiving and implementing events and promotions for RWE since 2006. These include the RWE “City Duel”, the “RWE Hautnah” and “RWE Erleb-niswelt” roadshows, the “RWE Bädertour” and the “RWE Energieaktionshaus”.

Michael Hasselbusch to head kogag CreationThe kogag Conception & Creation team now has a new supervisor: Michael Hasselbusch was recently ap-pointed Creative Director. The 38-year-old was previously employed by kogag from 2004 to 2006 as Senior Conceptualiser before moving to the Uniplan agency in Kerpen near Cologne for an 18-month stint as Head of Concept Design. The qualified media and communication designer not only brings with him to kogag his extensive live communication skills but also his well-based know-how in advertisement copywriting thanks to his previous experience with the BBDO Group, Detterbeck Wider and Klementine (all based in Hamburg) and the JK advertising agency in Bielefeld. According to Michael Hasselbusch: “Original creativity is still in

short supply in the live commu-nication branch. There is plenty of opportunity to make a name for oneself.” The new Creative Director also defined his future strategy: “Our aim is to develop innovative creative solutions and to implement these in the best possible quality.”

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munich one goes BerlinTogether with his team, Raffaele Castelli, in the recently established munich one creative lab in Berlin, is planning to make original and innovative ideas reality. The new creative lab will be offer-ing below-the-line concepts, with particular focus on the sectors live communication, PR, celebrity management, guerrilla marketing, viral marketing and film in the areas lifestyle, beauty, fashion and automotive. The services provided will range from idea generation, through conceptualisation to implementation. www.creativelaboratory.deIn common with all members of the FME, munich one has undertaken to observe the FME best practice guidelines and thus ensure that the greatest possible transparency and security are ob-served during commissioning and project realisation. The guidelines drawn up by the Forum Mar-keting-Eventagenturen (FME) also require members to pledge that they will abide by current laws, provide for sustainability and observe ethical standards and values, while ensuring that strictly defined criteria are applied with regard to quality and project management. The purpose of these detailed guidelines is to provide the best possible level of transparency and trust between principle, agency and partners in cooperative projects and to enhance the perception of the quality of the services provided by members of the FME.

New agency founded in Frankfurt: 42 IncentiveSilvia Ganser, for many years director of Marketing and Sales at Club Med Deutschland GmbH, has decided to swim against the tide and start her own agency – 42 Incentive. In a time of financial crisis and the fear of recession, a very persuasive concept is required if a new agency is to assert itself in the incentive marketplace. Silvia Ganser explains that one of the reasons she decided to found the agency was her belief that even greater emphasis will be placed on marketing in the future and that incentives will also become increasingly important for companies as motivational elements. However, it is essential that the agency can meet the altered needs of individual clients, and has sufficient experience and resources to implement projects – even the most unusual – within Germany and abroad. This is to be provided for by means of close col-laboration with VOK DAMS. With its global branch offices and range of cooperation partners, the agency can provide on-site support and is aware of those regional differences that need to be taken into account if international travel is to be successful. The VOK DAMS: ILM, Institute for Live-Marketing (also part of the VOK DAMS GROUP) also has the exten-sive know-how of flourishing communication agencies and is a specialist in motivation, communication and training relating to ambitious incentive projects. As a consequence, 42 Incentive will not only be offering the standard incentive travel packages but also complete reward and bonus systems, client binding programmes and hospitality events, in addition to VIP and client travel options.Asked about the remarkable name of her new agency, Silvia Ganser ex-plains, “You’ll have heard of the number 42. It is, as the famous quota-tion from Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy puts it, ‘the answer to life, the universe and everything.’ The message we hope to put across through our name is that we have all the answers in the incentive sector.” Well then, bonne chance! www.42incentive.de

PLEON entices Patrick Hertner away from Roth & Lorenz

PLEON Event + Sponsoring strengthens its management team: effective immediately, Patrick Hertner will be head-ing the Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN) team as Senior Consultant. In this capacity, Hertner will be mainly respon-sible for strategic support and the management of events and sponsoring engagements. In Hertner, the Bonn-based agency has acquired an ac-knowledged specialist in brand management and marketing and corporate communica-tion. Over the past eight years, Hertner was a major contribu-tor at Roth & Lorenz, where he was entrusted with numerous projects in the brand position-ing sector and the implemen-tation of integrated marketing strategies for top-shelfclients, such as Coca Cola, Lancaster and Procter & Gamble.

A successful evening in the MICE field! On November 12th a select group of around 60 planners and friends of the company had a site meeting in the MICE field – or to be more precise at the Berliner MICE AG. To start with, Directors Gabriele Schulze, Marcus Wiesner and Günter Mainka presented their newly-occupied 1,500 sqm offices at one of Berlin’s best addresses on Friedrichstraße, which received a highly enthusiastic re-sponse. After a wittily commentated evening bus tour through Berlin, the last stop was at Queens 45. The evening began in true Berlin style with curry sausages and peach liqueur in the bar, and the subsequent dinner in the lovingly restored theatre hall was announced by live menus (“Food is a matter for the belly!”). After an artistically appealing laser performance, the thoroughly sophisti-cated guests were finally thrilled for more than an hour by the Cologne a capella group “Basta!” in an unusually intimate performance, which could almost have taken place in their living room. Witty, entertaining, superb quality – well done, MICE AG!

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“Event Agency” becomes POMMEREL – Live-Marketing After 11 years of market activity, the event agency Pommerel (based in Berne near Bremen), has decided on a complete relaunch. The company has revamped its name, logo and internet site, and is now presenting its regenerated self under the name “POMMEREL – Live-Marketing“. A rectangular logo that accentuates the name is also a major feature of the new corporate design, which is also characterised by reiterated coloured rectangular elements intended to express the emotive qualities of the industry.The agency has been providing event-related services under the management of its owner since 1997, includ-ing consultancy support, concept development and production and has had a hand in the realisation of many hundred events since that time. One reason for the transformation was the development of the agency in recent years: additional personnel have been hired, the facilities expanded, larger and more complex projects have been taken on and the agency – as the only one in this branch in Lower Saxony – has joined the industry’s umbrella organisation, the Forum Marketing-Eventagenturen (FME). All these are an indication that the owner-run agency is well placed to meet future challenges.

“Let’s not forget that the way we understand the concept ‘event’ has changed,” claims the agency director and owner Reinhard B. Pommerel. “While it is true that everything can now be described as more or less ‘an event’, it is also true that events have become a key element of marketing that needs to be taken very seri-ously. ‘Live marketing’ is, in effect, what we can achieve for our clients by means of strategically planned and professionally implemented events.” Although POMMEREL – Live-Marketing is also keeping a wary eye on current economic developments, it hopes that event and promotional-related activities will prove resistant to the downward trends. The agency is already involved in planning events for a major energy supplier and for the anniversary of a leading foodstuff supplier that are to take place in 2009.

East or west – home’s best!Commissioned by its client Vredestein, Frankfurt-based event and incentive agency MIT staged an event with an authentic local atmosphere – based on themes in and around Frankfurt – the Main Tower and Stock Exchange, Skyline and Römer, Goethe and Badesalz, Frankfurt lifestyle and staged events – not forgetting Frankfurt’s own version of cider “Ebbelwoi” (as “Apfelwein” or apple wine is called in the local dialect). More than 100 of Vredestein’s German busi-ness partners were transported by MINI-promotion vehicles to the three-day event in the capital of the Main region, where they competed for the “Bembel Trophy”. Even a specially-made film was shown as part of the programme, its subject: the first quotation of “Apfelwein” stock! Highlights were presented and prizes were awarded during the evening event.

Im Prinzip: Ja!

Schon eine gute Sache, diese aufblasbaren Hilfsmittel.Handlich, mobil, robust und sofort einsatzbereit. Ebenso unserX-GLOO Event-Iglu, der erste aufblasbare Pavillon. Staudruckgefülltund ohne Gebläse, kann er im Handumdrehen von einer einzigenPerson aufgebaut werden. Ob Indoor oder Outdoor, auf Asphalt,Stein, Sand oder Schnee – das UV-beständige, wasserabweisendeX-GLOO mit seinen individuell gestaltbaren Flächen präsentiertIhre Produkte oder Dienstleistungen stets optimal – aus Prinzip.www.x-gloo.com

BRAN

DAC

TIVE

SKY 001-08 RZ Anz X-Gloo 204x145.indd 1 15.10.2008 17:02:21 Uhr

Eventgruppe relocates

Munich’s EGM Eventgruppe GmbH is ex-panding and has relocated to new facili-ties on the sixth floor, high over the roofs of Munich, in December 2008. The many commissions taken on by the company meant that it needed to hire more staff, necessitating its move to Landsberger Straße 68. The agency has retained its email address and telephone number.

Michael Vagedes expands his teamMichael Vagedes GmbH continues to ex-pand: two new trainees have been ap-pointed as Account Assistants. The close collaboration with the IST-Studieninstitut will be further facilitated by the establish-ment of the new branch in Hamburg. It will now no longer be necessary to travel all the way to Düsseldorf to attend the mandatory six to eight weekend seminars.

18 successful months for VOK DAMS in DubaiFree Zone – Dubai Studio City: the international team (Dutch, Irish, Belgian and German) under director Jeroen Berghuis specialises in corporate event manage-ment in the Gulf region and has already arranged events for clients such as Bugatti Automobiles SAS, Microsoft, Gulf, METRO Cash & Carry, Rotary Dubai, Arvato Finance, Khasawneh & Associates (in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Economy), the Dubai Government Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and the Dubai Printing & Publishing Group, not to mention planning a conference for 1,100 personnel of the HSBC Bank. “Every country has its own characteristic values,” states Jeroen Berghuis. He was responsible for the global expansion of the VOK DAMS GROUP in 2004.

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lO C At IONS

220 million Euros for the “green hell”On december 16, 2008 the legendary “green hell” was more like a frosty white bank of cloud, which swallowed up the celebrities and representatives of the press gathered for the topping-out ceremony. A little over a year after the first spade went into the ground, the topping-out ceremony for the 220 million Euro investment is like a palpitation in advance of the heart-stopping finale in summer 2009. this is when – assuming the winter is kind to the builders – a substantial leisure and business centre is set to go live, creating up to 1,000 new jobs for the structurally weak Eifel region and opening up a major new playground which is not only for firms with a close affinity to motor sports. the legendary racetrack, which following the massive investments should (and surely will) trigger hot flashes even in the numerical heart of Bernie Ecclestone, has been offering much more than simply racing sport for 80 years: around 100 motor sports events a year and around 200 other events

– including such well-known major events as Europe’s largest music fes-tival, Rock am Ring.

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Germans put the Nürburgring in 9th place on a list of their most popular national monuments, and have been taking pleasure in it for many years dur-ing tourist trips around the north loop, driver training and formula courses, off-road vehicles or quad bikes through the off-road park, ATV tours, mountain bik-ing round the north loop, drift taxi on the dirt track, BMW ring taxi, as a co-pilot in a Viper jet, on helicop-ter sightseeing flights and motorbike tours in the Eifel. Non-motorised offerings such as paintball, Western riding, karting or the high ropes course complete the portfolio. But what was missing was a contemporary peripheral offering which would be competitive even outside the immediate region.

This is now under construction. With the addition of a wide range of overnight accommodation in the im-mediate vicinity of the racetrack, plenty of new of-ferings for demanding corporate customers such as presentation and events areas which are not affected by the weather, and a so-called “ring°werk” (an in-door attraction similar in content to the “myth of the Nürburgring” and with the fastest rollercoaster in the world). Four business areas will set the tills ringing after the investment, the amount of which is entirely undisputed: Racing, Adventure, Business and Holiday: These four channels focus on the four core target groups of the Nürburgring: Racing sport fans, partici-

pants and organisers, men and women active in the areas of driver training, mountain bikes, Nordic walk-ing etc., corporate customers from the automotive industry and its suppliers, convention and conference organizers and last but not least tourists and people on day trips in the region.

The largest economic development measure in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate excluding the Hahn Airport has been extensively analysed by the Deloitte auditing institution. The experts have con-firmed that the calculations for the business plan are realistic and conservative, the further development of business as a result of the expansion will generate substantial additional profits and as a result the com-pany can sustain this investment. And what if not? Then it won’t only be the Finance Minister Professor

Marketing-Leiter Stefan Cimbal verbreitet genau den Optimismus, den Großprojekte vor der Eröffnung brauchen.

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Eventframe AG of Zurich, created last summer from the former K&O agency, has become a special-ist in recent years in providing event venues in the Zurich area. On its books are ‘Chicago 1928’, the EventDome (in Pfäffikon on Lake Zurich), the Giardino Verde and StageOne in Zurich and the Trafo-Hallen in Baden. Director Charles Krabichler’s team already has 18 years of experience in the event sector. www.eventframe.ch

Wide range of event venues in the Zurich area

Dr. Deubel, who has champi-oned the development with commitment, who will have one heck of a problem. But it is essential all the same that ma-jor investments on this scale in Germany are made boldly and above all without all the indeci-sion and quarrelling that were well known in the past. No guarantee of the future can be expected from those who usu-ally harbour misgivings or criti-cism of any major investment, especially in regions which are weak structurally. So we must just cross our fin-gers, and hope that the fasci-nating new adventure resort will go down well with the 28 million people in the catch-ment area of just two hours’ travelling time.

Fine-tuned concept made up of individual modulesThe ring°boulevardThe boulevard along the start-

Facts – ring°werk: 15,000 sq m indoor theme park which takes around 4 to 5 hours to get round. Mix-ture of science centre, museum and adventure park. Themes: the myth of the Nürburgring, history, racing sport (Formula 1, 24-hour race, DTM, truck Grand Prix, 1000-km races), technology lab, Nürburgring Academy (schools programmes), simulators, 4D cin-ema on the 24-hour raceFacts – ring°racer: Fastest roller-coaster in the world with stretches along the starting and finishing straights and through the boulevard. Acceleration and bend speeds like those of a Formula 1 car: Maxi-mum speed: approx. 215 km/hFacts – welcome°center: as entrance gateway to the Nürburgring and central access to the ring°boulevard, ring°werk und ring°arena. Bus and car driveway. Facts – new main grandstand + business lounge: Construction of a new modern main stand with 4,760 seats directly connected to the ring°boulevard, with business lounge for up to 600 people and a mobile grandstand with 1,000 seats

Well differentiated accommodation offering

In addition to the already-existing Dorint Hotel, above all the Lindner Group is involved with a great new facility: the Lindner Congress & Motorsport Hotel will consist of a 4-star-plus inn with 148 rooms and 6 suites, with a direct connection onto the boulevard, and an integral gaming casino, business & wellness area and helicopter landing pad. In addition, a mo-tor sport resort is being created close to the racetrack with themed architecture and around 100 holiday home units / 574 beds for family and group holidays, and the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle opposite the boulevard, which offers a gastronomical experience of an Eifel village character for up to 5,000 visitors, several res-taurants, themed bars and discotheques. Plus a 2-3 star hotel with approximately 65 rooms / 130 beds, and a staff accommodation building with 100 staff apartments nearby in Adenau.

ing and home straights accommodates the brand ex-perience area for leading automotive manufacturers and accessory specialists, the new ring°werk indoor theme park, the ring°arena plus the WARSTEINER event center and the welcome center. All in all around 92,000 sq m of covered areas for strolling around, and which are directly connected to the ring°arena, WARSTEINER event center, ring°werk and the multi-storey car park, and 3,468 sq m of brandworlds (pure-ly exhibition space without secondary areas) Facts – WARSTEINER event center: 1,770 sq m of playable area without pillars + 200 sq m foyer

events 5/2008 55

AnaYela is still fairly new, but even so, it is already one of the most famous hotels in the world. More than 250 articles on it have been published. Harper’s Bazaar calls it “a hotel to die for”, Forbes Traveller considers it to be “Morocco’s sexiest hotel”, while the New York Times raves about what it calls “a getaway with a story to tell”. The aim of Bernd and Andrea Kolb, the owners, is to create the ideal setting for unforgettable, emotional experiences, to tap into the souls of their guests and to stimulate all their senses. And it would seem that that is just what they have achieved. They could well win a World Hotel Award in the (appropriate) category “Soul Experience” in the first quarter of 2009. In any case, AnaYela has been nominated. www.anayela.com

Want more AnaYela? Write to andrea.kolb@anayela.com for information on inspiring incentives and events – outside the everyday.

A Hotel to die for:

AnaYela – a ‘riad’ in Marrakesh

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The end of a story…? It was the first commercial airport in the world, inaugurated in October 1923 by the German Reich’s Ministry of Transport. The first route operated to Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) in

Berlin Tempelhof Airport is closed since late October 2008

Tke care, Tempelhof! former East Prussia. The newly founded “Deutsche Luft Hansa” had its maiden flight from here to Zurich and even gigantic Zeppelins started from Tempelhof. By the 1930s, it was the busiest airport in Europe, ahead of Paris, Amsterdam and London. It became legendary for the dramatic role it was to play in post-war Germany.At the time, Berlin still largely lies in ruins and debris. It is carved up between and occupied by the four vic-torious allied powers – USA, Britain, France and Soviet Russia. The currency reform in June 1948 in the west-ern occupied sectors of Berlin sees the introduction of the Deutschmark to replace the old Reichsmark. Rus-sia, in the eastern sector, feels sidelined and decides to retaliate with a blockade: all road, rail and water-way transport connections into the western sectors of

lO C At IONS

1st Lt. Gail Halverson

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Berlin are disrupted or completely severed, electricity is cut off and two million people still suffering after years of deprivation, suddenly find themselves isolat-ed from all sources of supply.

322 days: airlifts to provide bare necessities – chocolate by parachute

Retaliation by the American military governor, General Lucius D. Clay, is immediate. He initiates “Operation Vittles”, thus ensuring survival of allied service per-sonnel and civilians of the western sectors alike. The first American airfreighter lands on June 26, 1948; later, up to 50 aircraft simultaneously are crowding the skies over Berlin. During the April 1949 “Easter Parade”, 12,000 tonnes of supplies are flown in by means of nearly 4,000 starts and landings. “Little Vit-tles”: When US pilot Gail Halverson happily dips the wings of his aircraft Spirit of Freedom – the Rosinen-bomber - to wave Hello, the faces of thousands of children light up brightly: Like snowflakes tiny para-chutes made from handkerchiefs are circling through

the air, carrying a long-missed freight priceless for them: sweets!

“People of this world…look upon this city...” (Ernst Reuter)

Many of the pilots lose their lives during the airlift. The Soviets lift the blockade in May 1949 and the operation is discontinued in September. This unparal-leled relief effort is still considered the most remarka-ble logistical challenge to aviation in history. It clicked like clockwork, with the planes maintaining a regular 90 seconds between landings despite frequent dis-ruption emanating from the Soviet sector.2008 saw the 60th anniversary of the airlift. It was worthily remembered during the International Aero-space Exhibition (ILA) held in Berlin. Gail Halverson had come, too.

What now?

”Tempelhof should be converted to a trade fair site”

“...the main hall at Berlin Tempelhof Airport may in future serve as a venue for trade fairs and congresses. Despite the proposed selling off of the airport grounds, there are no plans to sell the main hall because of the historical links...”

“Director of the German Historical Museum: move Allied Museum to Tempelhof“

“...the Director of the German Historical Museum, Hans Ottomeyer, has suggested that the Allied Mu-seum could be moved from Berlin-Dahlem to Tempel-hof Airport.”

“Film studio shows interest in Tempelhof““Tempelhof could become the third Berlin-based film studio in addition to those in Babelsberg and Berlin-Adlersdorf.”

“Following the failure of the referendum on whether Berlin Tempelhof Airport should continue to operate commercially, Studio Babelsberg AG has announced its intention to develop the site as a film studio.” CF

Luftbrückendenkmal am Platz der Luftbrücke –

„Hungerkralle“ für die Berliner!

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x x x

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If so, hop on the next flight to Tenerife and make your way from Tenerife South-Reina Sofia Airport to Guía de Isora about 30 km to the west. Keep your eyes peeled for a banana plantation and head for the Cita-del that towers over it. Now all you need to do is book a table in the restaurant ABAMA Kabuki, whose head chef, Ricardo Sanz de Castro, prepares exquisite Japa-nese/Mediterranean fusion dishes – such as *slivers of sea bass with Canarian wrinkly potatoes and green sauce. Usuzukuri as it should be. And with any luck, those tiny potatoes will have shrunk to their perfect dimensions by the time you arrive! But don’t forget the nine other restaurants that serve food of a quality vouched for by star chef Martín Berasategui, who has three Michelin stars to his name.

The ABAMA Hotel Resort, which proudly sports five Canarian stars on a rust-red background, may be situ-ated very near to the water, but it is perched at a safe height on a rocky plateau with a simply unbelievable panoramic view of the deep-blue Atlantic. The resort occupies a total of 160 hectares – an area sufficient for a main building (the Citadel with its unusually spa-cious 330 rooms and suites that are up to 50 m2 in size) and the exclusive villas grouped around it, provid-ing accommodation in an additional 148 rooms and suites. Should you find that you need a little more room than usual because you have been unable to withstand the temptation to sample the delights on offer in all the gourmet restaurants at the resort, then the Presidential Suite, with its 220 m2, is for you!

Got a fancy for Usuzukuri de cherne con papa arrugada y mojo verde*?

There are, however, also somewhat more low-priced options for coping with those extra pounds, such as salsa, belly dancing and sevillanas courses. If that is too strenuous for you, get your head down – under the water in the Cueva de los Cerebros (‘Brain Cave’) for example. Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to perform feats of mental agility, just admire the won-derful effect of the natural light that penetrates this 60 metre wide and 10 metre deep submerged cavern. Thanks to the volcanic origin of the island, the entire seafloor here is studded with mysterious, multifac-eted sculptures spat out by an eruption millions of years ago.ABAMA considers itself a “luxury oasis in which or-nate architecture and subtropical landscape are com-bined in a perfect symbiosis. Rising above the 90,000 palm trees, the vividly coloured flora and the water-falls is the majestic Citadel, while the ensemble of exclusive villas integrates perfectly with the surround-ings.” It could hardly be better expressed. Also on hand are a Meeting and Events Centre, eight themed bars, fitness, wellness and spa facilities, an 18 hole golf course (with lakes), tennis courts, eight swim-ming pools and much, much more.And if you need to hold the odd meeting or two among all the leisure activities, there is a 1,500 m2 modular conference area equipped with the latest technical aids available in the resort. The ABAMA Ho-tel Resort is run by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. www.abamahotelresort.com CF

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Located in Zeulenroda (who would have thought it?) is a conference hotel that has won more awards than almost any other in Germany: Best Congress Hotel in Germany (2005), first and only Organic Congress Hotel in Germany, Best Event and Congress Hotel in Germany (2006), winner of the International Spirit-at-Work Award, Best Event Hotel in Germany, No. 1 among ‘Tagungshotels zum Wohlfühlen’, among the top ten for the Conga Award (2007), again in the top ten for the Conga Award and Best Event Hotel in Germany in 2008. Not bad at all!In this instance, the motivation behind this remark-able series of awards was provided by one Prof. Bau-erfeind, who is the owner, initiator and supervisor of the Bio-Seehotel Zeulenroda. He is also the third generation director of a company – Bauerfeind AG – which produces medical excipients and products. The company has nearly 1,800 employees and a turno-

Bio-Seehotel Zeulenroda

A success story soon gets around – if you know how!A car trip through the german countryside. Place names: Magdala, Sömerda, Apolda

– have we strayed into Sweden? No, we are on our way to Zeulenroda, in the heart of germany, in the forested and very tranquil region known as the thuringer Vogtland, rich in rivers and lakes. But where we are going might well be the german coun-terpart of the “little gaulish village” known from the Asterix comics, as Zeulenroda too has become world-renowned for its remarkable magic! And let’s not forget the menhirs, joie de vivre, and enthusiasm.

ver approaching € 200 million – in other words, is a healthy enterprise in the mid-sized sector with a full order book. Just another illustration of the famous quotation by Helmut Kohl that has actually turned out to be true. It was Kohl who spoke of the “flour-ishing landscape” in the east of our republic.The Seehotel, built prior to reunification for the Free German Trade Union Federation (FDGB) as lei-sure accommodation for commended union officials, originally provided 1,000 beds. In 1981, Bauerfeind decided to buy the “old ruin”. He was particularly im-pressed by the wonderful Vogtland landscape and the light-hearted attitude of the people who lived there. Everyone advised him against it, but he had had an inspiration that would keep him occupied for many years to come. His concept was to convert the build-ing to a congress hotel with some 300 beds and he has invested (to date) € 26 million in his project.

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A quantum of luck after four worn-out managersHowever, initially there was resistance to booking at the hotel. It was a while before the hotel was able to shake off the stigma of having been a home for the ‘privileged’ under communism. People continued to peer through the windows, rather than coming in, just as in the days of the former East Germany. It took an-other three years before the grand opening was held and during this period four managers fruitlessly tried their luck. But then a quantum of solace appeared in

the shape of Stephan Bode. Blown in on a wind from Heligoland (where he was discovered by Bauerfeind), Stephan Bode took the fate of the hotel in his hands as Managing Director. He (literally) opened doors and with the help of a creative agency (Twilight) based in Berlin, he arranged events that were media-relevant and at last managed to capture the attention of ap-propriate target groups. Now business is booming – the hotel has registered double figures in terms of its business growth index. The “hardware” required for a good congress hotel is all in place. The nine light-flooded congress rooms,

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The ‘Karpfenpfeifersaal’ is good for 500 guests. Why is it called that? Citizens once rejected a carp tasting of mud that was presented to them shouting out loud to the chef: Get lost with your carp, and born were the Get-lost-with-your-carp-people – after whom the ‘Karpfenpfeifersaal’ was named…

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About the author: Marie Fink is a graduate designer, lawyer, share-holder and crea-tive director ate-Factor GmbH (8 years) and Media Network GmbH (12 years) in Co-logne, Berlin and Majorca, but also a (guest) lecturer in visual commu-nications, creator and consultant on live communica-tions and confer-ences for various events agencies. She is also a co-initiator of the Conga Award. And she enjoys writing her excel-lent contributions to events!

named after the 27 species of fish in the Seetalsperre reservoir, provide congress participants with a superb outlook. The coveted awards began coming in in 2005, a result that would have many a hotel manager (not just in the provinces) reduced to tears of joy.But this is not the end of the story. The “software” here is represented by a policy where added value is generated through added attractions. A massive new enterprise culture opened new doors and helped the Seehotel become the ‘Bio-Seehotel’, or organic hotel. Not just the first organic hotel in Thuringia, but also the first organic congress hotel in Europe. ‘Manage-ment by love’ is not a concept that is treated with dis-dain here; it is a strategic element that has produced very genuine concrete successes.

“I am really lucky to have my wife”, says Stephan Bode. How romantic. But is this relevant to the hotel? She is an alternative practitioner and looks after the wellbe-ing of the 130 staff, who receive her services free of charge. That is indeed a piece of luck for all involved. When the staff is happy and contented, this ensures that guests are also happy and contented.

‘Systematically organic’ as the route to success

Wellbeing is the factor that dominates. All the cui-sine is prepared from foods that are certified 100% organic and are, of course, locally sourced. Sustain-able raw materials are used for office stationary and printed matter. The hotel’s cleaning agent supplier has been required to use biodegradable substances only. Rooms are chemical-free and electrosmog-reduced.

“So, what’s your carbon emission level?” Here’s where it becomes unusual. Guests are encouraged to get interactively involved. They can use the climate ter-minal provided in the hotel to calculate their carbon footprint and offset their environmentally-damaging emissions by sponsoring a wind power plant or a re-forestation project! This is more than simply ‘green lifestyle’. And when the Seetalsperre is opened, as is planned, there will be no going back. Water means life. Zeulenroda will no longer be the Davos of Germany but a location

“with a presence that is globally unique, with oppor-tunities to off-set and slow down climatic change,” claims Stephan Bode. Onwards and upwards. ‘Angie’ is coming. As com-merce in the east of Germany is booming, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is happy to act as patron for a project that will contribute towards the success story of the hotel. In March 2009, the second future conference for mid-sized and family enterprises – the ‘Arena for Sustainability’ will be organised by the Bio-Seehotel. Talks on aspects of ‘sustainability’ in the commercial world will be given by leading authorities, while expert teams, such as those from B.A.U.M. (the Federal Task Force for Environmentally-friendly Man-agement) and the Fraunhofer Society will be on hand to provide advice. www.nachhaltigkeitsarena.de

Is this the tale of an everyday congress hotel? Clearly not. It represents the realisation of a dream that, start-ing in 2009, will not only result in transformation of the 10 hectare hotel site, but will see the whole of the Zeulenroda-Treibes district converted to a bioen-ergy region. A viability study has already been com-missioned. Where entrepreneurial courage and co-operative management style result in such a positive economic outcome, hotel manager headhunters be-gin to lick their lips. But they have no chance here. Stephan Bode has found his niche. He has plans to go even further and is considering the option of using the hotel as a research and development tool to generate a new business model for an entire hotel chain. A glo-bal hotel chain, of course.

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Here, condition is asked for, and the players in the past have been shaping up also on the (eight) pitches at the La Manga Club Football Centre. In January 2009, Hamburg SV will return to the mild Mediterranean climate to get fit for the second half of the Bundesliga season. The grandstand offers some 600 spectators the chance to soak up the atmosphere, as professional clubs go head to head on the pitch below.

Tennis28 sand, hard and Astroturf courts, some of which are floodlit, provide an excellent setting also for large-scale corporate in-centives. Matches for the Davis or Federa-tion Cup are a regular occurrence, whilst

Space for Shooting Stars

the Lawn Tennis Association and the Ba-varian Tennis Association feel at home here so much so, that they have chosen the premises for their official winter train-ing camps. Less presentable skills can be honed at the tennis academy with the aid of the latest digital V1 analytical technol-ogy and highly experienced trainers.

Golf3 x 18 hole courses in Masters quality ca-tering for different levels and continuously improved over 30 years, are not only an at-tractive environment for demanding tour-naments; they are also host to the Ger-man PGA during the winter months. The courses are complemented by a range of practice holes, a golf academy and an 18-

hole pitch & putt course (par 47), helping rising talents to conquer their handicap.

Residing on five and a half hectares – indulging in 20 restaurants and barsGuests are free to choose: The Hyatt Re-gency La Manga***** featuring 192 rooms and 400 sqm of conference premis-es beside two Golf courses or: the newly-renovated Hyatt Las Lomas Village Apart-ments**** for practical self-catering and magnificent views from one of the highest points in the resort. The Las Lomas Village offers a total of 111 villas and apartments, 60 guest rooms, 410 sqm of meeting and banquet halls, a Spa with leisure facilities, pools and restaurants. And for those who wish to buy: 1800 villas and apartments are privately owned.

LocationThe La Manga Club is situated in Murcia in the South of Spain, just 20 minutes from Murcia-San Javier Airport. Low-budget flights operate from Central Europe to Alicante. From there, the resort is approxi-mately one hour’s drive. www.lamangaclub.com CF

the meteoric career of the sensational tSg Hoffenheim-team con-tinues to baffle the world of sports. Certainly they will defend their enviously eyed top position in the Bundesliga they clinched in their stride – and not only through strategy, tactics and chutzpah.

SPANISCHES FREMDENVERKEHRSAMT • www.spain.info/de10707 BERLIN. Kurfürstendamm 63, 5 OG. Tel: (030) 882 65 43 - Fax: (030) 882 66 61 - berlin@tourspain.es

40237 DÜSSELDORF. Grafenberger Allee 100 “Kutscherhaus”. Tel: (0211) 680 39 81 - Fax: (0211) 680 39 85 - duesseldorf@tourspain.es60323 FRANKFURT / MAIN. Myliusstrasse 14. Tel: (069) 72 50 38 - Fax: (069) 72 53 13 - frankfurt@tourspain.es80051 MÜNCHEN. Postfach nº 151940. Tel: (089) 530 74 60 - Fax: (089) 53 07 46 20 - munich@tourspain.es8008 ZÜRICH. Seefeldstrasse 19. Tel: 044 253 60 50 - Fax: 044 252 62 04 - zurich@tourspain.es1010 WIEN. Walfischgasse 8/Mzz. Tel: (01) 512 95 80 - Fax: (01) 512 95 81 - viena@tourspain.esNur für Prospektbestellungen innerhalb Deutschlands: Tel: (06123) 99 134 - Fax: (06123) 991 51 34

www.spain.infowww.spain.info

Das wirkliche Meeting beginntnach Feierabend.

EVENTS-204x287-KURSAL:Document 1 16/12/08 13:00 Page 1

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Market developments made transparent

“It would be good if as many colleagues as possible would get involved so that we can benefit from one another. A lot of businesses think they have a poorer

“revenue per available room” (RevPar) and thus can’t compare themselves. But here it is all about seeing the market trend and drawing conclusions. If for in-stance the RevPar in the market moves upwards at a weekend because of an event, then we can obtain valuable findings from this. We used to have to rely on statements from tourism associations and market research institutes. Nowadays, provided everyone

City & Hotel-Benchmarking:

Do you know your market position?By using a new market monitoring tool individual hotels can now generate market comparisons for whole regions and establish their own competitive position. Once they have joined, businesses can have their data imported into the benchmarking system on a daily updated basis, where it can be evaluated and compared at a local or regional level with the anonymised results of the competitors. Reports on trends are possible in terms of occupancy and the average rate. A comparison with index data can be viewed without any difficulty, and comparisons in the context of trade fairs and events can be generated along with ranking lists.

submits their figures in good time, we have the ability to recognise trends in real time – and even on a daily basis – and not a year later in some report or other”, says Rainer Weiglein, Director of the Holiday Inn Hotel Heidelberg-Walldorf.

Evaluate market data – legally

The company Fairmas has obtained a statement of ac-ceptance from the German Federal Cartel Office for the benchmarking system, which means that market data can be evaluated and viewed legally. Each par-ticipating business decides for itself, which establish-ments and regions are to be compared. At least five establishments in any category or price segment must be represented for a personal benchmarking-set to be defined and, in addition, predefined comparison- sets within a cluster can also be used. The customer receives all the key figures on the competitors’ daily in anonymised form, and thus constantly has up-to-date information on his own market position compared to the competition. The regions in Germany which are currently available are: Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Dresden, Düssel-dorf, Erfurt/Weimar, Frankfurt, Hanover, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich, Rostock, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden. In cooperation with the company Rubi-con, as a complement to its own range of offerings,

SONNENALLEE 225 · 12057 BERLIN · TEL. 030 / 6831-0 · FAX 030 / 6831-2345 · SALES@ESTREL.COM · WWW.ESTREL.COM

ESTREL CONVENTION CENTER BERLIN

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Als Europas größter Convention-, Entertainment- & Hotel-Komplex ist das Estrel Berlin Spezialist füraußergewöhnliche Events. Das exklusive Ambiente, modernste multimediale Technik und die enormeWandlungsfähigkeit bieten ideale Rahmenbedingungen auch für Ihre Veranstaltung.

Wir informieren Sie gern unter Telefon 030 / 6831-22225.

Fairmas also allows smaller hotels and hotel chains special access to the Rubicon MarketVision® Report, enabling it to accelerate the pace of web-based data analysis in the German hotel industry. Benchmarking must ensure that all the figures entered are reliable, in terms of being both up-to-date and credible in terms of content. So how is this ensured? Fairmas: “Cus-tomers enter their key figures on a daily basis. The Fairmas system has its own plausibility controls. If data is not input in time, firstly the customer is not able to access the reports and secondly a reminder email is sent; Fairmas also contacts them personally. Experience shows that our customers work actively with the figures, and if those are not realistic from a customer’s perspective, Fairmas receives automatic feedback. However Fairmas does not share any infor-mation on individual data – neither with customers nor third parties.“ www.fairmas.com

New Hotel partners of Fairmas & STR GlobalSuitehotel Berlin Potsdamer Platz, Maritim Rhein-Main Hotel Darmstadt, Maritim Konferenzhotel Darmstadt, Express by Holiday Inn Dortmund, NH Dortmund, Dorint Hotel Dresden, Hilton Hotel Dresden, Steigen-berger Hotel de Saxe Dresden, Mercure Hotel Newa Dresden, Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf, Golden Tulip Hamburg Aviation, Maritim Hotel Reichs-hof Hamburg, NH Hamburg Altona, NH Hamburg Norge, Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg, Maritim Airport Hotel Hannover, Hotel Vorfelder Hei-delberg, Hotel Brücker Sportpark Köln, Maritim Parkhotel Mannheim, Dorint Kongresshotel Mannheim, Holiday Inn Mannheim City Centre, Steigenberger Mannheimer Hof, Park Inn Mannheim, NH Mannheim-Vi-ernheim, NH Weinheim, Victor`s Residenz Hotel München, Maritim Ho-tel Nürnberg, Hilton Nürnberg, Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nürnberg, NH Nürnberg City, Holiday Inn Nürnberg City Centre, Best Western Hotel Ketterer Stuttgart, EuroHotel Stuttgart Sindelfingen, Stuttgart Marriott Hotel Sindelfingen, NH Stuttgart Airport, NH Stuttgart Sindelfingen

Resort benchmarking in cooperation with STR GlobalInterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden, IFA Graal-Müritz Hotel, Spa & Tagungen, Relexa Hotel Bad Steben, Romantik Hotel Bollant’s im Park, Precise Hotel Bad Malente, Radisson SAS Wutzschleife, Hotel Schloss Fuschl, Hotel Jagdschloss am Fuschlsee, Country Inn & Suites Timmen-dorfer Strand

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Vienna, the 1st district, Herrengasse 10: Behind the neoclassical facade of the former Herrenhof coffee house, which was built in 1913 and where famous men such as Friedrich Torberg or Robert Musil kept the Vienna coffee house tradition alive, a modern hotel for quality-conscious business travellers and city lovers opened

A star for the Steigenberger Frankfurter HofThe 2009 German edition of the Guide Michelin has honoured its Restaurant Français and chef Patrick Bittner with a Michelin star.

With his persuasive performance, Patrick Bittner has followed the culinary reputation of the restaurant, which has already received a number of different awards. General Manager Spiridon

Sarantopoulos is delighted: “I am very pleased that Patrick Bittner has received this honour with the Français. The fact that our gourmet restaurant has a star makes us all very proud, and it is an important milestone for our hotel’s strategy and position-ing. In the future I would like us not only to maintain this quality, but extend it.”

Since the Français was completely refurbished in June 2006 with an investment volume of 800,000 Euros Bittner has had the perfect

setting for his creations in the flagship of the Steigenberger Group. Bittner’s purist cuisine stands out through its reduc-

tion and concentration on the essential. The 37-year-old Westphalian describes his culinary art, which is based on classic French cuisine, as light, but strong on flavour.

New luxury Vienna hotel celebrates

its opening

in the form of the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof on December 1, 2008.

The Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof is just a stone’s throw from the Hofburg and the Kohlmarkt shopper’s paradise, and skill-fully combines aspects of the Belle Époque, the 1920s and the modern period. Many other attractions well worth seeing such as the Spanish Court Riding School, St Stephen’s Cathedral, the museum district and the Albertina can be reached com-fortably on foot from the hotel. Facts: 186 elegant rooms, with an average area of 31 sqm, and ten suites of between 60 and 85 sqm, a 600 sqm conference area with ten combinable seminar rooms, and a 280 sqm Spa. The Hotel Herrenhof is the first establishment of this brand in Vienna.

The Guide Michelin is probably the most influential Guide for Restaurants and Hotels. It was initially published by the Michelin tyre company and planned to be a regular guidebook.

NORWAY FOR NATURAL REASONS

www.NorwayConventionBureau.no

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Dateiname: 835_NorwayConventionBureau.eps; Nettoformat:(100.00 x 287.00 mm); Datum: 28. Nov 2008 07:22:45; PDF-CMYK; L. N. Schaffrath DruckMedien

New Rezidor Hotels in Paris

At the end of De-cember 2008 the former Hotel Am-bassador opened its doors as the Radis-son Ambassador Hotel Paris Opéra

on the Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement in the centre of the Opéra district. It is close to the Opéra Garnier, Galéries Lafayette and Printemps as well as to the business district around the Paris Stock Exchange. The hotel is in Art Deco style, with high glass ceilings, golden pillars and dark wood. 296 rooms and suites, the “16 Hausmann” restaurant, the “Lindbergh Bar”, eight conference and meeting rooms, a business centre and a fitness area await discerning customers. The hotel will remain open for business while it undergoes an extensive renova-tion, which is scheduled for completion by mid-2010. The Radisson Ambassador Hotel Paris Opéra is a joint project by Rezi-dor and Westmont Hospitality. In the third quarter of 2011 the Radisson Hotel Paris La Défense, which is currently being new-ly created, will take up operations. The Group already runs five Radisson Hotels and one Park Inn in the French capital.

“With the two new hotels we have a total of 1,600 rooms in operation or under de-velopment in the highly competitive Paris hotel market. Throughout France we have more than 4,000 rooms, which marks a new milestone in the growth of our Group,” comments Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of the Rezidor Hotel Group. He re-ceived a prize for his life’s work during the Worldwide Hospitality Awards in Paris in November 2008. With Ritter at the helm, the Rezidor Hotel Group has become one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The brand new Radisson SAS Hotel Toulouse Airport recently joined the network, and with its 200 rooms it is the largest hotel in the Southern French city.

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Pullman Hotels in Aachen and Berlin

The Hotel Schweizerhof in

Berlin and the Quellenhof

in Aachen have adopted

the brand name Pullman

effective immediately, and

are now the Pullman Berlin

Schweizerhof and the Pull-

man Aachen Quellenhof; ...

and one has also opened in

Erfurt: The former Mercure

Grand Hotel am Dom is

now the Pullman Erfurt

am Dom. The re-branding

of the top hotel, which

opened in 2004, took place

in close coordination and

by mutual agreement of

the owning company and

the Accor Hotel Group.

The concept of the Accor

brand Pullman has been

specially developed for the

needs of discerning busi-

ness and conference travel-

lers, and is embodied by

59 hotels in 23 countries

in Europe, Asia, the Middle

East and Latin America.

By 2015 there will be 300

establishments in total

throughout the world.

Park Inn Papenburg – Four-star comfort in an attractive tourist locationSince October 2008, Papenburg in the north-west of Germany (known for the Mey-er Wharf) has been enhanced by another centre of attraction for tourists: In an idyllic position on the Turmkanal the 4-star Park Inn Hotel Papenburg has opened its doors, with 101 rooms, five meeting rooms, a bar, bistro and restaurant. Also available to help guests relax is a 120 sqm wellness and fitness area with a steam sauna, a Finn-ish sauna, a selection of cardio-fitness equipment and two whirlpools. Conference organisers have five rooms with a total area of 350 sqm at their disposal, for meet-ings and banquets of between six and 300 persons. All the rooms have daylight and are equipped with state of the art events technology, wireless and wired LAN and air conditioning.

InterConti Berlin – Bestes Business-Hotel 2008 in Deutschland

Erneut kürte das Magazin „Der Feinschmecker“ das zertifizierte Konferenzhotel InterConti zum besten Business Hotel Deutschlands und so zum Spitzenreiter dieser Kategorie – es bürge für Tagungen auf höchstem Niveau. Das Hotel liegt günstig zwischen Potsdamer Platz und Ku‘damm und richtet seit Jahren den Bundespresseball aus; mit 584 Zimmern und Suiten und rund 5.750 Quadratmetern Veranstaltungsfläche ist es ein gefragtes Venue für größere Veran-staltungen mit Niveau.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts now also in Hanoi In December 2008 Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts opened a top class boutique hotel in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, thus doubling their portfolio in Vietnam: They had already taken over the management of the Mövenpick Hotel Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City.

The new Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is situated in a preferred central location in the heart of Hanoi, and since its extensive renovation, it has been wowing visitors with its stylish design.154 generous rooms and suites with modern facilities, warm colours and elements of typically Vietnamese styling, together with the dark wooden floors, ensure a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere. The culinary offerings comprise the “Mangosteen” Restaurant with 110 seats and the “Lounge 83” with its creative Rösti specialities and integral wine cellar. Four multifunctional meeting rooms with ultramodern facilities for 10 to 110 people complete the offering, which is targeted at business travellers. Knuth Kiefer, General Manager of the hotel, says: “With our central loca-tion, smart design and modern business facilities, our guests will feel at home immediately.”

And one of their own even! The Hotel Dolce in Bad Nauheim has the incredible good fortune of being able to use a full pedigree Art Nouveau theatre as their own corporate location. And it jumped at the opportunity of revealing its new brand identity there before 70 invited guests. Following a comprehensive facelift – new look, new logo, new global services and new group management structures - there was plenty of reason to celebrate the brand relaunch together with customers and media representatives.

Spot on for the guests, who enjoyed a select menu during a Dinner on Stage wrapped in fine background music with a carefully adjusted volume: The StreetLIVE band with their leader Joe Whitney successfully provided atmospheric numbers to get the event going and gentler strains during the dinner. The song composed by the group (“The Hitgiganten”) may spread their reputation throughout the Dolce world.

The new logo uses three interlocking rings to symbolise the elements of nourishment, connectivity and community.

A theatre for the brand relaunch

OrganisingManagerHove, East Sussex, UK

IMEX, the worldwideexhibition for incentive travel,meetings and events, islooking for an OrganisingManager to join its busyOrganising Department.

The candidate must be fluent inboth English and German andhave the following key attributesand experience:• Minimum of five years’

experience in the meetings,events or exhibitions industry orequivalent qualifications

• Excellent communication andorganisational skills

• Exceptional attention to detail• A committed team player who is

also able to work on their owninitiative

• Proven organisationalmanagement experience anddelivery of exceptional events

• Thrive on working underpressure and to tight deadlines

• Fluent German and Englishessential

You will be responsible for liaisingwith exhibitors and standconstructors from across the globe,helping to ensure their successfulpreparation for IMEX.

In addition, the successfulcandidate will be responsible fordelivering the Exhibitor Manualand Show Catalogue, managingthe stand construction of shellscheme stands, plus the technicalmanagement of IMEX seminars,press conferences, etc.

You must be prepared to travel toGermany on a regular basis.

Excellent salary and benefitspackage – to attract the best.

Please send your CV witha covering letter toCarina Bauer, Marketing &Operations Director,IMEX,The Agora,Ellen Street, Hove,East SussexBN3 3LN, UK;carina@imex-frankfurt.com

Closing date: 30th January.

09

Be part of the IMEX success story...join our award-winning team

IMEX/Events/Recruitment :IMEX ad 15/

Anzeige

72 events 5/2008

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It comes round every year:

Peak period for awardsAt the end of every year we go through the agency performances for the year which has just finished. 2008 it started back in mid-November 2008 with AdAM & EVA in Bochum, followed by the EIBtM Awards and the Austrian Event Awards. All three awards are honours which one has to apply for, in other words the winner is always “just” the best of all those who applied, while sleeping gems are not considered. So it is down to the jury to separate the wheat from the chaff. this is often difficult enough. Sometimes shockingly dreadful print presentations are made bearable by not quite so bad film documentations handed in along with them. there the despairing juror has to fumble his way through endless floods of words and wretched gibberish even up to the ‘Emperor’s new clothes’ and finally finds: there’s nothing there!!! Apart – to quote Rilke somewhat freely – from a white elephant now and then – meaning an extremely good, structured presentation of an extremely good event, coherently demonstrated by means of good photos and film clips. Quite simply: everything logical and easy to understand and – there you are! You have already joined the ranks of the winners!

events 5/2008 73

But even that doesn’t always happen everywhere. Thus a submitter may find glowing praise in the eyes of one jury, while exactly the same event simply falls flat with a different award and (note well) different people on the jury. This is what happened at this year’s EIBTM and EVA awards. One jury was impressed by the glitter and glamour of well-crafted “battles of materials”, while the other placed greater value on the storyboard and creativity, totally in line with the motto: (Almost) anyone can throw a lot of money at things! So creating some-thing exceptional and being successful with the right presentation in front of the “right” jury can be two totally different things. Knowing this, on the follow-ing pages we present to you the winners of three ma-jor awards once again, clearly laid out so you can flick through them, interspersed with comments from our columnists “Pütz & Eichenlaub”.

A comment detected by chance: Michael Hasselbusch, the new Manager of Design & Creation at the agency kogag in Solingen (see agency reports in this edition of events), commented so appositely on the EVA award in the last agency newsletter, that we didn’t want to deprive you of it:

“The garden of Eden of creativity has perished in the cold of the Bochum autumn!“There we were again on November 14th: The loveliest and sweetest fruits of live communication put themselves on show and waited to win an award. Or in plain English: The time had come once again for ADAM and EVA, the sector’s top awards. For anyone who didn’t know (including me until now), here once again are the bare facts on the jury’s criteria: For projects to win EVA awards, creative design, the didactical communication of information and dramaturgical staging all play a deciding role, together with emotional and rational elements and the defined objectives of the customer. Even if these assessment criteria are as clear as the river Ruhr which snakes its way through Bochum, where the event is held, one thing immediately became clear to observers: The attractiveness of the many young, stylish visitors is clearly higher than what is to be seen on the display boards. In brief: The garden of Eden of creativity has perished in the cold of the Bochum autumn. Speaking of creation ...Why is there so little new and creative to be seen? 1st possibility: The creative types are hiding behind the fig leaf of “custom-ers not being daring enough”. I am very glad that the culture department of the city of Nuremberg or Sony Ericsson are there to teach us a lesson to the contrary. Thank you for your courage, customers, thank you for your trust in good things. 2nd possibility: The creators can’t think of anything better. It doesn’t matter, but please, dear agencies, in that case just leave the display boards in the agency cupboard. Nobody wants to see them! I would like to turn to the supporters of the 1st possibility and launch an appeal to them: Take the wonderful fruits of your creativity and savour them for the sake your customers.If creativity is used for the right purpose it turns into a sustainable magic weapon. It is all about achieving communication objectives. And creative staging and lovingly coordinated communication tools really make the difference when assessing the concepts. Operation-al services are important – albeit obligatory. Customers simply expect to have logistical services, technical solutions, perfect catering offerings and the like. Then you will realise: A1-creativity is what makes the difference! And, dear jury, do me a favour: Pay more attention to creative values. We see enough rock-solid craftsmanship. But these delicate, enchanting blossoms of the power of creation are rare, and there ought to be more of them. In this way the EVA 2009 will also move forward a bit. Last but not least: a cre-ative word of praise for the organisers: Despite modest monetary resources: a good spatial concept in the Jahrhunderthalle, comfortable furniture with style, drinks at your seats (a great idea!) and tight control of the programme timing were displayed” … says the new kogag creative director.

Well structured in quality and quantity: The jury comprises a mix of agencies, science, industry and media. From left to right: Martin Eichhorn (Competition Partner Event GmbH), Jochen Seefried (Team Seefried), Prof.Dr.Jörg Beier (Berufsakademie Ravensburg) , Dr.Gerd Wirtz (Face to Face GmbH), Ralf Domning (kogag), Erik Ljungberg (SCANIA AB), Thomas Hüser (Medienhaus Hüser), Antje Schmaus (Deutsche Bank AG), Dr.Walter Wehrhan (Event Partner)

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Category: Charity-/Social-/Cultural-Event (B2P) phocus brand contact GmbH & Co. KG with partner Visuarte for the city of Nuremberg

Into the Blue

On May 31, 2008, the city of Nuremberg hosted its Blue Night for the ninth time. Germany’s largest art

and museum night witnessed some 130,000 visitors flocking to the city’s old town for an artistic and cul-tural event with an island theme, which carried on well into the small hours of the next morning. ‘Ins Blaue’ (Into the Blue) was based on the image of a shipwreck on an island, and encouraged visitors to interact and communicate. One such initiative in-volved messages in a bottle, with visitors invited to

write their own message and send them off down the Pegnitz River. The result was some 1,200 clear glass bottles, each containing a message written on trans-parent paper by a visitor. A blue LED light glimmered through the transparent paper, illuminating each mes-sage’s course as they floated down the Pegnitz to the collection point three bridges further downstream. Some of the messages were projected onto one of the bridge arches, with the steady stream of blue bot-tles underneath. Behind the bridge at the last collec-tion point, the messages reached a new owner: Here, the messages were fished out of the water, distrib-uted amongst visitors and carried into the Blue Night as gleaming blue lights. Through the carpet of light provided by the bottles, even onlookers were given the opportunity to follow the inherently poetic flow of communication.

Jury: Economical, effective and poetic, with a lasting effect. A simple and charming initiative, which, with an extremely low budget, turned all eyes to the Pegnitz. At the same time, however, the event also created a link between the mes-sage senders and receivers: A new take on blind dating. Quite simply: Art and culture at its best.

Category: Consumer-Event (B2C) pulsmacher GmbH with partner Mediacluster / Ross and Partner for ESPRIT Europe GmbH

YOU SCREAM Competition

They came, they screamed, they conquered! MTV Networks International and edc by esprit first em-barked upon an international, cross-platform coop-erative initiative with the MTV Europe Music Awards in Munich in 2007. A significant part of the event sponsoring was made up of competitions and ‘on the ground’ activities in Esprit stores and concerning the event itself. And pre-cisely that was the challenge: edc by esprit wanted to

The Golden EVA 2008 Prize WinnersWe present you with a case study of the six main award-winning agencies and their events. Jury comments can be read in green.

events 5/2008 75

launch a spectacular promotion targeted specifically at young people through a sensational competition to win 300 Golden Screamer Tickets for the EMAs 2007. The motto: Scream yourself there! For this, two ‘YOU SCREAM’ boxes were planned and created for potential screamers to portray just how much they wanted to attend the MTV Event. Both boxes set off on a major promotional tour, stop-ping at the various Esprit Retail Stores throughout Southern Germany. During the four weeks of the edc ‘BEST SCREAMER’ tour, thousands of screamers entered the casting box-es in the Esprit Retail Stores in Stuttgart, Regensburg, Nuremburg, Salzburg and Munich to shout, scream and perform their way to winning. The goal was to be invited to the edc ‘BEST SCREAMER’ final casting in Munich on October 28, 2007 to clinch one of the coveted Golden Screamer Tickets to the EMAs. The final casting event was accompanied by a truly bom-bastic atmosphere, with several of the winners crying tears of joy as the high-profile jury announced that they would be brushing shoulders with the stars at the mega event on November 1, 2007.

Jury: One of very few initiatives where scream-ing youngsters are not annoying. With this con-cept, the Esprit brand managed to present their sponsorship of the MTV Awards to a wide au-dience, whilst attracting the target group to its stores. In light of its high participation factor and the successful link between live activities and online marketing, the brand made a lasting effect on its target group.

Category: Corporate-Event (B2B) PLEON Event + Sponsoring GmbH for Daimler AG/Mercedes-Benz Cars

World Premiere Mercedes-Benz CLC

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week held in Berlin in January 2008 is enriched through the addition of a further highlight: The title sponsor Mercedes-Benz uses the international lifestyle platform for the press presentation of its new SportCoupé. The challenge: To achieve a link in content between the fashion shows hosted by famous designers and the presentation of the new CLC. The solution: Style and design as the common denominator between the worlds of auto-mobiles and fashion – after all, these concepts are sig-nificant key factors in achieving success in both fields. A preview of this season’s HUGO Collection reveals a

taste of things to come: Within the framework of a fashion performance, models from real life are thrown into design mode with an intricately produced outline animation echoing fashion design sketches. At the same time, a design sketch of the CLC takes shape, emphasising the individual design and style highlights from the automotive sector. Throughout the anima-tion, the CLC outline gradually changes and the sketch becomes increasingly detailed: The new CLC design. Simultaneously, two CLCs are driven down the catwalk: An authentic leap from the world of design into the reality of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin.

Jury: Excellent analogy between the creation of fashion and the design of a vehicle - excellent analogy between lifestyle and automotive tech-nology. With the consequent integration of all aspects of product launch communication into the fashion world, a perfect symbiosis is created between the lifestyle event and fashion show. The creative basis of the concept is especially noteworthy: The reversal of the finished fash-

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ion creation back to the very beginning of its design; the silhouette and transformation of the outline into the real vehicle during the presenta-tion. This intelligent transformation represented a truly successful connection between the vir-tual and real worlds. The message: Design is universal.

Category: Exhibition-Event (B2B, B2C und B2P) insglück Gesellschaft für Markeninszenierung mbH for Deutsche Messe AG

CeBIT 2008 International Opening Event

Based on the four columns of Business Solutions, Public Sector Solutions, Home & Mobile Solutions and Technology & Infrastructure, the CeBIT 2008 unveils a new structure, a sharper profile and stronger visitor orientation. The challenge at hand focuses on mak-ing the new structure of the trade fair tangible at its opening event.In addition to this, the kick-off ceremony must offer an adequate stage for the appearance of prestigious speakers, including Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, the EU president José Manual Barroso and the CEO of Mi-crosoft, Steve Ballmer, whilst consolidating the CeBIT brand and signalling the trade fair’s new beginning. The new structure and range of topics offered by the world’s largest IT trade fair, coupled with the rapid de-velopments taking place within telecommunications, are portrayed in a dynamic ‘Free Run’ through the world of CeBIT 2008.In an aesthetic mix of media sequences and spec-tacular live performances, five cast members – all

young entrepreneurs – take the new CeBIT by storm. Borders between the virtual and real world are blurred onstage – just as happens in the IT and communication sector. The performers move through the new CeBIT structure using a mixture of live ac-tions, movements caught in dynamic film sequences and simple silhouette impressions. The prestigious speakers are also announced through an impressive mixture of live performance and media animation. The finale, which uses cutting-edge Microsoft surface technology, is a captivating unification of modernity and tempo enveloped in an atmosphere of departure, with the coherent integration of all speakers.

Jury: At last, CeBIT visitors know what’s going on. The opening ceremony also doubled as a launch event for the fair’s new structural con-cept – a pleasant side effect.The perfect touch was added by the play be-tween the real and virtual worlds. And where could this fit better than at the opening ceremo-ny of the world’s largest IT fair?! Another huge success was achieved in enhancing normally conservative, informative political speeches with elements of charm and appeal.

Category: Staff EventServiceplan BRANDEVENT GmbH & Co.KG for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB

Sony Ericsson Employee Conference

350 Sony Ericsson employees from all across Europe met in Athens for a three-day event to prepare for the new business year and to commit themselves to the brand. The focus of the conference was the new Walk-man mobile series. On the basis of this, the event’s motto was ‘I love to feel the beat’. After a conference replete with mobile communication highlights, staff members were invited to take part in the music com-petition, with teams made up of employees from a variety of departments going face to face. During the music competition, staff members were transformed, giving way to beat boxers, gospel singers and dancers. They guessed songs from a few beats, and invented musical instruments from household objects. A par-ticular highlight was presented by the ‘chest muscle movers’, who jerked their chest muscles to imitate the beat of famous songs, which were to be guessed by the teams. The competition ended with the an-nouncement of the winning team. All 350 employees celebrated the end of the event with a private concert

Take a long cool look at IMEX and you’ll like what you see.

You’ll discover an exhibition with a vitally different takeon the global meetings and events industry. An exhibitionwith the energy and influence to grow your business withfresh thinking, brilliant ideas , new contacts and greatdeals done.

Also on the IMEX agenda: unique industry insight andcareer guidance through the clever New Visionprogramme. As one visitor put it, “IMEX is genuinely a hotspot for new experiences”.

No wonder IMEX has become the unmissable show in theglobal business calendar. With record numbers ofexhibitors and top decision-makers every year.

Join them at IMEX 09, 26-28 May, live in Frankfurt.

Be there. And have your business refreshed.

The essential worldwide exhibition for meetings and events.

Fresh approaches.

✮ CONTACTS Tel +44 (0)1273 227311 | Fax +44 (0)1273 227312 | info@imex-frankfurt.com | www.imex-frankfurt.com

26-28 May/Frankfurt09It only gets better

IMEX quickens the pulse of the industry • Recordattendances every year since launch: 15,000 global players in

2008 including 3,500 exhibitors from over 150 countries • Year afteryear the show creates more business, greater knowledge and indispensable

motivation – driving industry growth and personal career development.

www.imex-frankfurt.comPRE-REGISTER NOW

IMEX/MagazineEvents/Jan:Layout 1 1/12/08 17:24 Page 1

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by Jamiroquai. Right in line with the motto ‘I love to feel the beat’.Once everyone had returned from Athens, it was clearly observed that communication between the various offices had improved, with smoother work processes and a larger degree of mutual understand-ing. As a result, the following business year was one of the most successful in the company’s history.

Jury: This staff event stands out due to its high level of affinity between message, motto and product. The event’s motto remained at the fore-front of this spectacular conference from begin-ning to end, leading to the immensely effective diffusion of the desired message. The projection of Sony Ericsson’s fresh, young style onto its employees, who have embraced the beat and pulse of the brand and diffused it in a range of dance and music workshops, makes this event an unforgettable experience with a high degree of motivation.

Category: Public-Event (B2P) VOK DAMS GRUPPE for Evonik Industries AG

Evonik Industries AG, Brand Launch

It is not often that one finds communication tasks which are as complex as the fundamental transfor-mation of a large company. The superficial focus of the project was the successful public launch of a new brand. Nevertheless, all 43,000 employees in over 100 countries were also to internalise and sup-port the changes. In order to stage the company’s new beginning as effectively as possible and create an impressive image to be presented in the media afterwards, the highlight of the project involved an initiative in which the company headquarters in the

centre of Essen were covered and later unveiled. At the beginning of September, the façade was en-shrouded in three layers of high-tech special can-vas. Old elements, such as the RAG logo which had been around for years, were taken down in high-profile acts, leaving the headquarters draped in a bleak grey dress. As night fell, however, this appar-ently drab ‘dragon’s skin’ shimmered in all the col-ours of the rainbow. All of a sudden it became clear:

“Something is going on here. The change has begun!” During the second phase, the top layer was gradually removed. Next, the façade became host to a number of sentences, such as ‘Good day’ and ‘Hi’. In the second stage, exclamations such as ‘Hello, I’m new here’, were unveiled. The finale to ‘Day One’ involved façade climbers tearing open the second layer from the middle upwards, thus unveiling a glimpse of the new beginning: the name, logo and claim of Evonik Industries. One day before, a conference was held to inform company managers. In order to ensure that all staff members were involved in the brand launch, a road show was developed, with stops in all 33 com-pany locations.

Jury: A new concept in the events branch: A brand is born and simultaneously presented in one event. RAG has brushed away the coal-dust to reveal a modern, cutting-edge company. The layered revelation process was immensely suc-cessful in symbolising this. At the same time, the brand launch event was an excellent start-ing point for long-lasting 360-degree communi-cation. The branch can be proud of this event, which not only created a brand, but achieved extremely effective staging and wide diffusion amongst the public.

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Two out of Six for Germany A jury of international specialist journalists was given the arduous task of selecting winners from the 58 submissions made within the six categories which formed the EIBtM Meeting & Incentive Awards 2008. three prizes went to the USA, whilst germany still managed to close its grip on two of the coveted trophies, which were awarded to Face to Face and Business & Nature.

As a member of the EIBTM jury, the Editor-in-Chief of events made some interest-ing observations: two submissions which came out trumps at the German EVA Awards did not stand a chance with the jury in London. Why? Does the interna-tional angle offered by juries from nine countries change the perspective? Is it the composition of a jury that makes the difference or is competition simply fiercer in international award events? This is by no means easy to answer, but is certainly worth acknowledging. A special mention should also be given to the prize winner in the category ‘Best Conference more than 250 participants’. In light of his po-sition as jury member at the EVA awards, Gerd Wirtz from Face to Face was not en-titled to participate in the German event. Considering this, it was more than fair that the EIBTM award went to his team for its excellent creative feats. The jury was especially impressed with the conference storyboard, which told the tale of 500 staff members who move into and furbish a house to make it liveable for everyone. With its naïve graphic visualisation, ‘The Takeda House’ portrays simplicity and trust - two extremely important traits against the backdrop of today’s pharma sector, shrouded in uncertainty and insecurity to-wards the future. And just as everything in this bleak, dark atmosphere begins with an overwhelming negative setup, the appear-ance of the ‘CEO with the candle’ provides

the turning point, with the house gradual-ly becoming a comfortable and safe place for the future – work is done everywhere in and around the home known as ‘Com-pany’: In the ‘kitchen’, in the ‘garden’, in the ‘living room’ and everywhere else, eve-rything has been carefully thought through and established. A prize for sound creativ-ity and consistency, rather than for a battle of materials! www.facetoface-gmbh.de In addition to this, recognition was made of VOK Dam’s Lamborghini Launch. Nev-ertheless, this acknowledgement by no means serves to undermine the top-class range of other winners.

Best Special EventTom Bercu Presents from Los Angeles and George P. Johnson for “VM WARE”. In a hangar spanning 132,000 feet, the streets of San Francisco were mirrored in a unique and multi-faceted networking platform for

some 11,000 guests – the one-off evening event included a street carnival and live concerts.www.tombercupresents.com Best Conference (for less than 250 par-ticipants)Business & Nature with ‘The Champs of Tomorrow’ – an immensely effective ‘CSR saturated’ teambuilding event for 45 IT specialists on the premises of a nursery school in Potsdam. www.business-nature.de Best Product LaunchUSA-based OPTS Ideas for a Microsoft Windows event with 15% growth in sales as directly measurable ROI. www.optsideas.com Best Incentive ProgrammeHarith Production for Endo Pharmaceuti-cals (both based in Philadelphia, USA) ‘An Evening of Carioca Pride’ – a multi-day pharma incentive to Brazil with a range of creative and interactive modules and integrative activities within the local com-munity.A prize was also awarded for the Best Event Evaluation, which was clinched by Procter & Gamble’s annual sales meeting.

Finally, we would like to highlight a request made by the jury’s chairman, Jeremy Gar-

bett: Next year, we would like to see more submissions from small and medium-sized compa-nies – these entities are the cribs of immense creativity. In keeping with this: Overcome the fear of the unknown and submit your entry for 2009 – it doesn’t cost much and propelling your repu-tation internationally is an ex-cellent incentive – the two first prizes won by German events are encouraging inspiration!

EIBTM-Awards 2008

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Pütz: Have you heard anything about this disease, or is it one of these new-fangled media inventions? Eichenlaub: Morbus AWARDitis was found in the “Medical dictionary of EVENTS”.

This defines the disease as a chronic disease which occurs after excessive consumption of self-congratulatory and adulatory pres-sure to perform in public, apparently with very little chance of recovery.

The symptoms have taken hold of almost all the disciplines in the sector. The source of infection seems to be displays of van-ity orchestrated by the media – often poor copies of American cultural assets à la Os-car. I have heard reports, Pütz, that you too are suffering from AWARDitis …

Pütz: This is all too destructive for me and a bit presumptuous, as the subject has real potential to be taken seriously. If people

Pütz & Eichenlaub:

About Morbus AWARDitisFritz Pütz and Sven Eichenlaub are experienced events professionals who bring together their various competences from many years of event and hotel management for their customers in eventcompe-tence + compagnie. As events columnists they deliver sharp-tongued comments on the minor and more severe medical symptoms in the sector. But they don’t just put their finger into the wounds, they also recommend suitable measures for healing them. www.eventcompetence.de

are distinguished for services rendered, allow themselves to be judged and face the public – there is nothing reprehensible about that! Eichenlaub: Alright, then kindly ask me about the specific awards of the event in-dustry and related species ... Pütz: Specifically: Have we got too many awards in our industry and what in your opinion is in need of improvement in the ones which are considered to be prestig-ious?

Eichenlaub: Inflationary is the keyword. Everyone who wants to make himself look important with his stakeholders founds an award. Does the world really need that? The awards in our sector are very diver-gent through the variety and diversity of the criteria and their juries, which are of-ten made up much too heterogeneously and are often simply thrown together. What is the economy supposed to do with

the prize and what it stands for, when the bodies awarding the prizes don’t take care to communicate the qualities of their prize to the people they want to sell the

“recognition of achievement” to? In other words: The intrinsic value of such awards must be appreciated by industry custom-ers so that the winners of the awards can achieve greater success in business …

Put more industry customers on the ju-ries!

Pütz: OK, then let’s take a concrete look at the general problem taking as an exam-ple the “Adam & Eva Awards” – the major traditional awards in our sector.

Eichenlaub: We can also quite happily in-clude other awards here; in recent years I have preferred only to go to events of this kind wearing a mask and by the back door, so that I don’t have to be embarrassed for other people and above all don’t have to consider events like this as being the “best

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of” our sector. In my opinion we are miles away from being a great show nation. For me it is about the level of awareness, the quality and thus the perceived value of the awards on the customer side, so that they are finally appreciated beyond our own specialist press in the general economic and public media.

But that’s not the way it is: “I am the win-ner!” at least ensures that your custom-ers hear about it. But above all explain to them why you won the award and what the criteria were for selecting you. And if you are the organizer, don’t just collect applications or raise your image as the person giving the award – the job also involves communicating about the award and the winners!

Pütz: But isn’t the award itself enough for the customer as a mark of the quality of the agency, the trade fair organizer or the service provider? Does the customer really have to know about it in detail in order to be able to see the value of it?

Eichenlaub: If a trophy like this is go-ing to be useful in a meaningful way, the problem is that the selection criteria which lead to victory or defeat are largely lacking in transparency.

Pütz: Does the industry customer really have to sit on the jury, and if so why?

Eichenlaub: There is only one answer here: Always !!! The “why” was surely meant as a joke – because ultimately in my view the industry customer is the only one entitled to award a trophy like this, as I have learned that unless they are non-profit or charitable, events must sell. Who bears witness to the success or fail-ure? Without any doubt it isn’t the people who simply generate costs upfront and work according to their briefing, but the customer who has footed the bill for the marriage …

Pütz: So has the industry customer really got the 360° panoramic view which is es-sential for the activities of a jury?

Eichenlaub: If the evaluation criteria are clearly defined and at best also supported scientifically, then the jury is bound to pick the proper winner. Any subjectivity can be ruled out if the voting isn’t just by feel, but there is a procedure following clear guidelines. The winner is worked out mathematically, by adding up points and weighting criteria. Then there wouldn’t be any more bad aftertastes on account of the jury.

The sector needs a real Red Carpet Event

Pütz: Do the jurors have access to the ROIs of the submissions? And if so, how meaningful and verifiable is the evaluation information provided by the submitters?

Eichenlaub: Awards are always a “best of”, and that usually means a “best of what has been submitted”, and not an absolute best. So the value is limited in advance. So you have to ask yourself: How pontifically perfectionist do you have to be, because behind the actual submis-sions there are usually even better ones which simply haven’t submitted anything? In any event, the form and content of the evidence for evaluation ought to be com-municated in advance to potential submit-ters as binding specification criteria. The problem is, on the customer side as far as I know, there is very little budget set aside for evaluation.

Pütz: A provocative question for you: Why don’t we line up with a top format like

“People of 2008” or the “XY” amongst the top shows at the end of the year? Then we would have great public aware-ness and a wonderful retrospective view of the events of the year just ended.

Eichenlaub: Yes, we finally need to think out of the box in this sector. We need a Red Carpet Award to create PR, so we can use the effects triggered by the public me-dia to make the importance of the sector more adaptable emotionally. Taking it one step further, aren’t we precisely the ones who create these amazing productions

and brand experiences for our customers, sometimes in almost perfect settings? It is high time we really showed what we can do … especially to the people who need to know about it so that they will buy from us tomorrow!

Pütz: So let me get this clear: We are al-most of the same opinion, that we need awards of a good character, with high awareness, well-founded scientific selec-tion criteria and untouchable jurors who are highly involved and come from the cir-cle of customers – in other words, awards from customers for customers!

Eichenlaub: Yes, we are almost of the same opinion, but only if as live communi-cators we can get together with our spe-cialist media to create a single major last-ing event for the industry, which is worthy of the public. We will gladly pass this creed and the responsibility that goes with it on to the specialist media and equally to our clients, the industry. It will be interesting to see, if they make something of it … it’s about time they did. Time we had a “re-ally good show” …

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In addition to the mandatory certificate, each winner was given an “eyeball on a stick” – at least, that is what the unusual and distinctive trophy designed by the initiator Walter Ilk for his Austrian Event Award ceremony looks like.

Global communication: identum communications GmbH & X OVER Tremschnig u. Geissler OEG for the VOLVO XC ICE CAMP.Corporate Events: Austrian Airlines AG for 50 JAHRE AUSTRIAN AIRLINESCorporate Public Events: Jung von Matt/relations GmbH for GAME OVER CO2

Corporate Efficiency Events: Putz & Stingl Event, PR und Werbung GmbH for the POST GOLF-SOCCER CUPEmployee Events: Rupert Hirner Bungy Jumping GmbH for INTERSPORT EYBLs “WIR SIND FEUER UND FLAMME”Consumer Events: Euro RSCG Vienna GmbH for MO-

Ten “eyeball” winners on the rostrum in Salzburg

BILKOM AUSTRIAs “BOBBY IM AUFTRAG VON BOB”Exhibition Events: Highent Messe- und Eventagen-tur GmbH for their GRAZ AIRPORT STANDPublic Events Charity/Social/Cultural: lawine tor-rent for HANNIBAL (Ötztaler Gletscherschauspiel)Public Events Sport: PDM Schüler- und Studentenre-isen for the WORLD SPORTS FESTIVAL 2008Incentives: Zoom Entertainment GmbH for “VIKTOR UND ROLF: FLOWERBOMB ON TOUR” (L`OREAL)

Organiser Walter Ilk was very satisfied with the results of the 12th AEA ceremony and stressed the fantas-tic outcome of the event: “We were expecting 350 guests but 460 actually turned up, considerably ex-ceeding our expectations.” The awards, first presented in 1997 on the personal initiative of Ilk, the owner of the Eventwerkstatt in Linz, have now become a fixed part of the award calendar and the award ceremony is already a not-to-be-missed occasion for the Austrian event industry.

On december 3, 2008, the winners of the Austrian Event Awards were announced in Salzburg for the first time, after the competition had been held for 11 years in linz and Vienna. the venue was the Messezentrum and the Messe liveComm provided the event framework. Another first here was that two presenters were used. Pre-senter Conny Zehetbauer and veteran presenter thomas Königstorfer announced the gold award winners chosen by nearly a dozen jurors from the 47 top-ranked competitors from the total of 106 nominations.

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Do you know MICE ? – the answers!

Name: VOK DAMS, Wuppertal

Name: CHRISTIAN MUTSCHLECHNER, Wien

Name: AUGUST MODERER (EVVC)

Name: MICHEL MAUGÈ, (m:con)

Name: RAY BLOOM (IMEX)

Name: LUTZ VOGT (GCB)

Name: PAUL KENNEDY (EIBTM)

Name: EDGAR HIRT (CC Hamburg)

Name: FRIEDHELM LENZ (CC Nürnberg)Name: BERNHARD CONIN (KölnKongress)

A All is well, the Styrian’s coming! A former hotel expert with experience in Africa, Asia

and cruise shipping. A charming and virtuoso performer on any stage. Pure gold for his ears are the bells of a nearby cathedral. One thing he never forgets to bring along for his many journeys: the first-aid kit!

B The one who dances with the cranes and was lifted up where he belonged. Now he

manages to bring the world to Germany. His office lies in an ‘illustrious’ area. There he is out-numbered by the other gender.

C Little big man. Now leading a ‘second life’, cruising through the industry with undi-

minished verve. Rules over a large army from an island with a charming smile - and an iron hand. Acts like Alfred Hitchcock: you must al-ways count on him showing up!

D Advisor, guardian and tutor from Southern Germany. The first president of the Ger-

man MPI division knows all about “Printes” and Baden-Baden; he is a passionate worker in his newly-extended rose garden who also voluntar-ily tends to the needs of the Gauls in his spare time.

E The doyen of live communication. While others almost capsized, he didn’t go bot-

tom-up. Lacking an “r”, his name is easy for Chinese to pronounce. He taught brands to shine and his son the business. The “Code Rouge” lies on his bedside table.

F This powerhouse and forerunner of the industry has been identified as one of the

25 most powerful personalities of the meetings industry in 2008. He has a big name and works tirelessly at his steadily-growing international network. He is the only European to have won the international MPI Award. See him latest in Barcelona!

G 12 Oktoberfests were enough. High time to peep over Helmut’s and Loki’s picket

fence. Internationally, one may address this good shepherd of a North German congress centre as “Mr. President”.

H He is one of the “Magnificent Seven” and at the helm of 10 locations at home. From

childhood onward he endured “Big Peter” striking at him regularly and rather enjoyed it. He doesn’t drink Altbier on principle, and from the balconies of the world he sorely misses the view over the……...

I His favourite pastime is touring on a motor bike (with a CC plate!) in his Franconian

homeland. All kinds of extravagance are an abhorrence to this former officer – whose fam-ily and career are his life’s essence. And: he’d never be caught lazing around!

J Born in 1953, this economist was ICCA Pres-ident before holding the same title at EFCT.

For 18 years, he has run the Convention Bu-reau with success and sly humour in the world capital of wit. Those not in the know is for the industry too slow……..

Here are the solutions to our MICE prize quiz published in the pre-vious issue. It appears that the quiz was rather more difficult than we had supposed, as the response was surprisingly cautious. Be that as it may, the winner of the Euro 500 optician voucher is Mar-tina Engert, director of the Bad Homburg branch of the EVVC. Con-gratulations to her! the next big prize quiz will be published in our next issue available from late February/early March.

Below are the complete images on which we have again marked (just to remind you) the cut-out eye sections with the relevant names and descriptions:

E

J

A

D

H

C

B

F

G

I

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Whether on train sta-tion platforms, in air-ports, at conference centres or even with-in our own four walls – we are subjected to daily terrorisa-tion: bulky rubbish bins, complete with a never-ending list of

instructions concern-ing which bin to use for which item. And just when we have finally worked out that the apple belongs in the

residual waste bin - al-though if we deliberate further, it really should go for compost

– we see our train whizzing by. And those who separate glass depending on colour are of course the epitome of environ-mentally friendly beings: brown, green, white, blue! Blue? No way. Yet many places have witnessed what everyone has long been thinking: The diligent container

Green for Hope...the ever-advancing climate change and increasingly prominent ‘green conscience’ has also given way to major challenges facing the german events sector: the call for ecologically compatible events is growing louder: Word creations such as ‘green Events’ and ‘green Marketing’ have become synonyms for climate-neutral action. Nevertheless, while the UK and Scandinavia have been ‘green’ for quite some time, german MICE providers seem to have made a comfortable spot for themselves leaning against our sophisticated waste disposal system. Just a few months ago,

events carried out a survey on sustainability initiatives with german event organisers – with sobering results: the majority of organisers placed the highest amount of importance on waste separation. After all, our waste disposal methods top global scoreboards!

emptier comes along and piles the carefully-separat-ed bottles together in a colourful rainbow of shards. Now, at the very latest, ecology and waste separation go their own ways.

Little more than a resourceful marketing gag?

Climate catastrophe was crowned by the Society for the German Language as the ‘2007 Word of the Year’. Indeed, climate protection is a popular topic at trade fairs and events. In particular, this year’s IMEX has committed itself to sustainability and collaboration with environmentally responsible organisations. But is this simply a marketing train upon which everyone is eager to clamber? After all, a genuinely sustainable concept means saving available resources rather than thinking of ways to dispose of those which have al-ready been wasted.

events met Gerrit Jessen, Director Corporate Di-vision MCI Berlin, to discuss the ‘green future’ of the MICE industry.

events: ‘Green Event Management’ has been a trend in the UK, Sweden and Denmark for a long time. How far along is Germany?Gerrit Jessen: Generally speaking, we are heading in the right direction, although efforts are still to be made concerning state regulations. Major German agencies have developed positive concepts, but we still need to capitalise on these to make a shoe to fit

Gerrit Jessen, Director Corporate Division MCI Berlin

Copy

right

: MCI

Ber

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events 5/2008 85

all sectors. We are in a good position concerning ‘green suppliers’, especially in light of the new energy efficiency law which offers a range of incentives for the construction of ecological event locations.

events: Why are these countries further on than us?Gerrit Jessen: The above-mentioned countries are the forerunners of sus-tainable development, which can clearly be seen in the activities implement-ed in relation to the ‘local Agenda 21 programmes’ established in Rio de Janeiro. Considering this, they had more time to extend the model of sus-tainability over as many spheres of activity as possible. In the meantime, the UK has reached a standard which brings certain advantages for those who comply with it, such as during tenders.

events: Which sustainability standards are currently in place concerning the German events industry? Gerrit Jessen: The most well-known institutionalised recommendations are rooted in the project ‘Eventkultur für Nachhaltigkeit’ (Event Culture for Sus-tainability) undertaken by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy – with funding of more than half a million Euros.

events: And are such standards observed?Gerrit Jessen: They tend to be observed selectively, given that people in Germany still lean too heavily on the country’s apparently leading position in waste separation. Other than that, a range of international initiatives such as the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) are being implemented after being adapted for the German market by agencies and associations. At MCI, we have introduced a standard linked to these regulations, which is strictly observed by our project managers.

events: Do you believe that legislation should be passed concerning Green Event Management?Gerrit Jessen: I don’t, no, given that it is difficult to monitor and review. Clearly defined emissions regulations would certainly be more effective. For MICE agents this could mean that state events are only awarded to them, if service providers adhere to minimum standards. If approaches such as ‘Event Culture and Sustainability’ were consolidated, they could culminate in the establishment of a standard, such as the British BS 8901.Recently, MCI agreed on a strategic collaboration project with Green Globe International, the world leader for sustainable travel and related business sectors. In the future, both companies will offer consultancy services con-cerning environmental compatibility for events premises and destinations.G.K.Prenzel

Singapore / Singapore

Congress Capacities

Hall 1 - 6 10,000 6.000 ✓ ✓

The MAX Pavilion 10,000 ✓ ✓

Conference Hall A-F 140 90 ✓

M1 - M6 Meeting room

56 ✓

Outdoor space Carpark B & C

8,214 ✓

Size (m

2 )

Row seatin

g

Parliamenta

ry

seatin

g

Banquett

NameDayli

ght

Stage

Screen

Singapore Expo1 Expo Drive, Singapore Singaporewww.singaporeexpo.com.sg

Director (CEO): Edwin LowTelephon: +65 6403 2160Fax: +65 6403 2616E-Mail: management@singaporeexpo.com.sg

Sales Director: Janice YeeTelephone: +65 6403 2160Fax: +65 6822 2616E-Mail: sales@singaporeexpo.com.sg

InfrastructureDistance to airport in km: 4.1 kmDistance to train station in km: 0.5 km

ParkingNumber of parking spaces: 2500Number of parking spaces with video surveillance: allCost per hour in decimal number: $2.30 for 1st two hoursCost per day in decimal number: $13.00 per day

Hotel rooms in the city and surrounding area3-Stars hotels – 166 rooms4-Stars hotels – 1045 rooms5-Stars hotels – 4022 rooms

Association membershipICCA

Space Entire area: 100,000.00 sqm

1st International Sustainability Conference in NurembergFrom February 17 – 18, 2009, the CongressCenter East in Nuremberg’s Trade Fair Centre will host the first International Conference on Sustainable Production, Trade, Consumption and Lifestyle. Participants from all over the world are due to attend the forum for information and experience exchange on sustainable business practices, with a particular emphasis on verifiability. Credibility and transparency are extremely important guidelines for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). What is sustainability and what simply greenwashing? Customers should be able to better understand and control whether businesses uphold company responsibilities through CSR.

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The HSMA Award for Sustainability, held for the first time at Munich’s stb marketplace, goes to Best Western Hotel Victoria in Freiburg for its extraordinary engagement in environmental projects.

The award aims to distinguish particular achievements concerning environmental protection, coupled with economic and social responsibility within the hospitality sector. “This award honours our integrated environmental concept and the continuity we have upheld for more than twenty years concerning environmental protection and the responsible treatment of natural resources”, states the Freiburg’s hotel’s husband and wife team, Mr and Mrs Späth. The Best Western Premier Hotel Victoria only uses renewable energy and has its own solar power plant. The hotel’s air conditioning system is cooled using groundwater, whilst an

environmentally-friendly wood pellet heating network ensures sufficient warmth. In addition to this, a range of other activities are promoted by the Späths and their staff. All windows are thermally insulated, electricity-saving bulbs are used and waste is separated in an elaborate recycling process. Even water-saving initiatives are practised in all areas of the hotel, enhancing its integrated environ-mental concept even further. Since 2006, the Späths have adorned their wall with the EMAS certificate awarded by IHK Freiburg, which distinguishes businesses which operate in accordance with the EMAS voluntary European environmental management model. Last year, they also won the German Solar Award 2007.

Under the title of ‘Vorreiter’(forerunner), Germany’s very first Sustainability Awards were held at the be-ginning of December 2008. This new distinction is awarded to companies who successfully conciliate their value-added chain with ecological, economic and social responsibilities. The event is organised by

“Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis” as part of the Dus-seldorf agency Coment. During the planning stage, the agency was supported by Wuppertal-based VOK DAMS: ILM Institute of Live Marketing. Through the consultancy services offered by the Institute, the sus-tainability of the event was guaranteed.

In order to ensure a systematic approach to the topic of sustainability, VOK DAMS: ILM orientates its advice and assessment services based on a series of guidelines, such as the British Industry Standard. In addition to this, a range of concepts developed by the Wuppertal Institute and the Federal Environ-mental Agency concerning sustainable events were integrated into the planning of the awards. Thanks to the support of the institute, all production and organisational phases were planned and executed in an environmentally-friendly manner. Every group involved, from catering to technicians, coupled with every partner and sponsor, were strongly committed to the special requirements implemented to ensure a successful sustainable event. Within the framework of a Code of Conduct, all parties involved also agreed to observe sustainability practices in their day-to-day

business. The log book for the German Sustainabil-ity Awards documents the measures adopted in the fields of logistics, communication, partner selection, guest management, events production and catering, and serves as a basis of calculation for the event’s emissions value. “We aim to ensure the best prac-tices in each of the areas, whilst establishing a basis for an individual improvement process” says Stefan Schulze-Hausmann, Coment Company Director and initiator of the German Sustainability Award.

“The topic of sustainability is becoming increasingly significant in the events sector”, confirms Wolfgang Altenstrasser, Company Director of VOK DAMS: In-stitute of Live Marketing. “It is entirely possible that alongside budget and concept, sustainability balance sheets could become a state of the art feature for events in the future.” And at VOK DAMS, this de-velopment does not go unnoticed. As ‘forerunner’ in event sustainability, the agency launched the ‘co2 control’ CO2 calculator on its Internet site over a year ago. This cutting-edge calculator enables those ac-tive within the sector and other interested parties to calculate the carbon footprint of events, road shows, incentives and promotions in just a few mouse clicks. The figures confirm the sustainability trend: In just one year, over 10,000 clicks have been recorded. The specific carbon footprint of a given event has been calculated over 1,000 times.

Please welcome the new German sustainability award!

HSMA Award for Sustainability

goes to Freiburg

events 5/2008 87

Never before have environmentally-responsible meas-ures and possibilities for meetings, congresses and events witnessed so much debate. And never before have such discussions been followed by so many con-cepts and acts. Concerning this, it is not only ecologi-cal aspects that are deliberated, but also economic and social elements, such as the use of regional and fair trade products, or promoting development coop-

Bonn initiates national concept:

1st GreenMeetings Germany Specialist Conference 2009For years, germany has figured amongst the world’s top congress and conference destinations. last year alone, some 314 million participants attended 2.8 million events in a total of 6,200 locations. In light of this, it is no wonder that issues of sustainability and environmental protection have assumed a central role amongst suppliers in the events sector.

erative initiatives. As a result of this, the events sector consolidates Germany’s traditional role as leader in the field of sustainability. The term Green Meetings is a worldwide concept which stands for the environ-mentally responsible organisation of events. Simulta-neously, however, creativity and innovation are given a free reign. Green Meetings is the indisputable ‘in’ term of the moment, although a unitary definition –

The former plenary hall: Which place would be more adequate to formulate a national consensus for Green Meetings?

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and thus a coherent series of guidelines – is yet to be established.

In contrast to political levels, the events sector also lacks a unified, across-the-board objective to reduce the environmental repercussions already caused.

Aim of GreenMeetings Germany Specialist Conference

The aim of the GreenMeetings Germany event is to provide a unified and transparent thematic roof for the various structures and formations concerning en-vironmentally responsible and climate-neutral events already in existence in Germany. As the organiser of the specialist conference, the World Conference Center Bonn Management GmbH is supported by a range of entities, including the Europäische Verband der Veranstaltungs-Centren e.V (European Associa-tion of Events Centres), the European Institute for the Conference Industry and CO2OL, a brand of the For-est Finance Group.

Core themes are:> What is understood by Green Meetings?> What do Green Meetings consist of?> What can every individual do to reduce environ-

mental repercussions caused by the German events sector?

As a result of the GreenMeetings Germany Specialist Conference, next year should witness the agreement of objectives for the entire national events sector. Such aims will then be presented at the next confer-ence in 2010.

The conference target groups are:Management and senior staff at event centres, profes-sional congress organisers, service provides within the events sector, commercial enterprises and employer’s associations, representatives from scientific fields and local authorities, in addition to managers and special-ist staff in destination management organisation.

Programme Concept> To present the importance and meaning of Green

Meetings> To provide food for thought concerning innova-

tive solutions> To emphasise the relevance of Green Meetings for

commercial enterprises.

Workshops:> Best practice examples as impetus at the begin-

ning of the workshops> Innovative measures and ways to reduce environ-

mental repercussions as the result of workshops> Preparation of objective agreement for next year

events 5/2008 89

Provisional ProgrammeMarch 3, 200912:00 pm Participant accreditation and lunch13:00 pm Welcome Mayor of Bonn, Chairperson of the World Mayor Council for Climate Change Matthias Schultze, WorldCCBonn Director13:30 pm Siegmar Gabriel, Federal Minister (pending confirmation)14:00 pm Dr. Andreas Rechkemmer, UNU-IHDP International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change14:30 pm S.Frankenberg, Senior Vice President Go Green, Deutsche Post World Net AG (pending confirmation)15:30 pm Workshops. The results of the workshops flow into the work programme as the basis of objectives for the 2nd Green Meetings Germany 2010 Specialist Conference. > Sustainable management of events centres – Sustainable and profitable business in facility management > Customer benefits – future development perspectives of Green Meetings > Environmental impact caused by mobility – perspectives > Conference offices and PCOs – the foundations for lasting success of conference and congress premises.18:30 pm Evening event in the Rheinlobby of WorldCCBonn

March 4, 20099:00 pm Participant accreditation9:30 pm Guy Bigwood, Director Green Meeting Industry Council, MCI Sustainability Services10:00 pm Elisabeth Steingrübner, Federal Ministry of the Environment 10:30 pm August Moderer, President of the European Association of Events Centres e.V. 11:30 pm Perspectives – Prof. Helmut Schwägermann (economist), Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade12:00 pm End of event

The participant fee for the conference is 195 Euros including food and drinks. Information and registration is now available at

Conference location WCC Bonn

The World Conference Center Bonn is located at the heart of the city’s former government district, offering the opportu-nity to hold conferences where members of the Bundestag once debated. Another unique feature is its close proximity to the UN campus with 18 institutions (including the climate secretary). Bonn is an excellent symbol for all issues concerning sustain-ability, from climate to early warning sys-tems and biological diversity.

In Bonn (certified by the European Energy Award), the topic of sustainability is active-ly practised and taken seriously. The city is part of the ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) and the Climate Alliance of European Cities. Since the end of 2005, Bonn’s mayor has also been chairperson of the World Mayor’s Council on Climate Change. In addition to this, Bonn is a member of Global Compact, and is thus committed to promoting the active en-gagement of society in making globalisa-tion a more social and ecological concept.

In 2006, the city launched the Sustainable Bonn Project with the aim of nurturing a more sustainable conference industry in Bonn. The World Conference Center Bonn also participated in the project. With

‘Sustainable Bonn’, the UN city of Bonn assumes a leading role, whilst providing valuable impetus for sustainable trading within the conference sector. Meanwhile, a total of 31 businesses, including hotels and catering providers, have been distin-guished as ‘Partners of Sustainable Bonn’.

Kopenhagen

Berlin

Den Haag

Brüssel

500 km 150 km Bonn

London

Prag

WienMünchen

Zürich

Frankfurt

Hamburg

Paris

Rhein

Bonn ist in Europa zentral gelegen. Der internationaleFlughafen Köln/Bonn ist nur ca. 20 km entfernt. Zweiweitere internationale Flughäfen befinden sich im Umkreisvon einer Stunde. Der ICE-Bahnhof, ein dichtes Schienen-und Autobahnnetz sowie ein hochmodernes Stadtbahn-netz machen Bonn zu einer Kongress-Stadt mit Perspektive.

World Conference Center Bonn

SMI HYUNDAI Management GmbH

Görresstraße 15

53113 Bonn

Tel.: +49 (0)228-9267-0

Fax: +49 (0)228-9267-110

E-Mail: info@worldccbonn.com

www.worldccbonn.com

Auf einen Blick

Die Business-Class für Konferenzen:das World Conference Center Bonn

Ab Ende 2009 mit erw

eiterten

Kongresskapazitäten u

nd Hotel

Beste Verbindungen

PlenarsaalGröße 1230 m², Reihenbestuhlung 1.275

14 TagungsräumeGröße 50 bis 160 m², Reihenbestuhlung 45 bis 153

WasserwerkGröße 460 m², Reihenbestuhlung 600

Erweiterungsbau (ab Ende 2009)Großer Saal*Größe 2554 m², Reihenbestuhlung 2650

Kleiner Saal*Größe 656 m², Reihenbestuhlung 834

KonferenzräumeGröße 273 bis 562 m², Reihenbestuhlung 345 bis 600

*Großer und Kleiner Saal sind kombinierbar

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Despite – or perhaps as a result of – this rapid economic growth, environmental and climate protection are prominent issues in the region. Concerning Green Event Management, the area is firmly at the forefront of Europe: According to a study, over 90% of Copenhagen’s conference premises and hotels practise specific measures to protect the environment. Numerous tourist facilities and conference centres are certified with the ‘Green Key’ envi-ronmental stamp. Copenhagen also assumes a leading role in other areas of sustainability: 97% of households are connected to the district heating network, and CO2 emissions per capita are, at less than five tonnes, just half of figures recorded in Ger-many. What’s more, the aim is to reduce them by a further 20% by 2015. Malmö also follows an ambitious climate protection programme. In a disused industrial area, the ‘City of Tomorrow’ was created as a European model for sustainable living. For all

Green – yes they can!

Climate and Environmental Protection in the Øresund RegionFor eight years now, denmark and Sweden have been linked via the impressive Oeresund Bridge. Here, a fruitful tension has been used to bring two countries to-gether beyond their borders. On one side, the lively metropolis of Copenhagen, and on the other Sweden’s third largest city, Malmö, with its breathtaking hinterland. In its beginnings, the bridging over the Øresund aimed to promote the economic col-laboration of both countries. With great success: today, the Øresund Region is one of the strongest economic regions in Europe.

600 apartments, sun and wind are used to provide energy, and water is recycled and re-used. The conference centre and symbol of Malmö, the Turning Torso, is a high-rise building formed from nine segments twisted in themselves, and is supplied solely by renewable energy..

World Ecological Metropolis of Copenhagen

In the year 2000, Copenhagen became one of the first cities in Europe to introduce ‘citybikes’. Throughout the city centre, some 130 ‘Bycykel’ stations can be found, offering the free use of bicy-cles for CO2-neutral tours of the city. The Citybike rental follows the same principle as is used for shopping trolleys: A 20 Krone coin is inserted, and the bike is yours to cycle away! When the bicycle is returned, the coin pops out again. For those who don’t

The impressive Oeresund Bridge links Den-mark to Sweden

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fancy pedalling themselves, a selection of bike taxis are available for rent, and include valuable event and leisure tips.

During the past few years, the city on the Øresund has invested a great deal in its bi-cycle network, and is now considered as one of the bicycle-friendliest capitals: In 2007, it was awarded the title of ‘Bike City’ by the International Cycling Union. A truly remarkable distinction. In the meantime, doing everything by bike has become a natural aspect of every-day life. Currently, over one third of Copenhagen’s population travel to work, school or college by bicycle.

Moreover, in order to consolidate the mentality of sustainability further, ambitious plans have been drawn up for the next few years: by 2015, Copenhagen aims to become the world capi-tal for both sustainability and the use of bicycles. In striving for this title, the city is to place particular emphasis on promoting pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The city centre’s bicycle network currently spans some 332 kilometres, with another 50 planned for the near future. In particular, one of the city’s most impor-tant traffic arteries is to be transformed into an exclusive bicycle highway. With this initiative, Copenhagen’s Technology and En-vironmental Agency hopes to dramatically reduce vehicle traffic and the corresponding CO2 emissions. By the end of 2009, the city on the banks of the Øresund will have invested 150 million Danish Kroners in new bicycle paths, safe junctions and more bicycle parking spaces. The vision for 2015: The CO2 emission per capita will be reduced to 3.7 tonnes, 50 percent of Copenhagen’s citizens will carry out all city-centre journeys by bicycle and 90% of inhabitants will be able to reach a beach or swimming pool by foot in a maximum of 15 minutes.

New Values and Models?

In view of contemporary discussions on values within society, sustainable measures have also assumed increasing importance within the events sector, and are encouraged as an active compa-ny value in all aspects of event organisation. After all, alongside appropriate business practices, long-term company growth also requires the structuring of immaterial factors. Values and models and social and ecological responsibility play an ever-increasing role. And quite rightly so: studies show that companies which uphold concepts of sustainability are more successful.

events presents positive examples of a ‘green MICE future’:

Brøchner Hotels, CopenhagenBWithin the family-run hotel group Brøchner, the ecological treatment of resources has become a firm part of everyday busi-ness. But this was still not enough for Managing Director Kirsten

Brøchner-Mortensen. “We still emit too much CO2, given that we are still depend-ent on coal-fired power plants. Because of this, I wanted to set a signal for local energy providers.” Based on the hotel group’s en-ergy consumption, its total CO2 emissions were calculated for one year. For the same amount, emissions certifications were pur-

chased on the stock market (as contemplated in the Kyoto Proto-col). “This forces conventional energy providers to change to more climate-friendly methods. After all, as soon as the market price for certificates rises above the costs for investment in emission reductions, they will automatically invest in renewable energies.” Obviously, questions regarding the meaningfulness of this have been raised. Even so: through this initiative, Brøchner became the world’s first CO2 neutral hotel group. In the meantime, Ms Brøch-ner-Mortensen is working on a new idea. She founded a network for CO2 neutral hotels – there are currently only four worldwide – and invited their directors to Copenhagen. This meet-ing aims to nurture ‘green concepts’ for the sustain-able operation of the ho-tel and meetings sector, such as the foundation of a ‘climate school’ to provide environmental training courses for hotel personnel.

Scandic CopenhagenSince 1996, the efficient use of resources has played a prominent role in everyday business, and is observed by both employees and event organisers. From this date, numerous concepts have been implemented which have led to significant savings. During the last ten years, the energy consumption per stay has been reduced more than twelve percent. A strict rule in the hotel: no plastic bottles. The drinking water served in glass jugs comes directly from the tap and is said to be a spring quality. And in Scandic Copenhagen’s kitchen, steam from cleaning dishes is captured through an elaborate piping system and re-used to heat water. A similar process is employed to capture steam produced from cooking, which is re-used to heat the restaurant and conference rooms. All organic waste is collected and burned in a Danish bi-ogas plant. Disused bed sheets or furniture are donated to home-less shelters. In addition to this, most of the furniture carries the environmental label ‘Swan’ and is recyclable. A brochure in every hotel room explains the ‘green activities’ to guests and encour-ages their active support. “The awareness of our guests concern-ing such subjects has developed extremely positively in the last few years. More and more of our corporate clients place a large

Kong Arthur is one of the four Brøchner Hotels – the world’s first CO2 neutral hotel group

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Sightseeing in Copenhagen with free Citybikes

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amount of importance on CSR”, states Bettina Johansen, market-ing manager of the Scandic Group. Recently, the northern hotel chain was distinguished with the coveted Green Key. Neverthe-less, there are still improvements to be made. The welcome fruit platter provided in every hotel room contains a large number of fruits from overseas.

Hof Ängavallen, Southern Sweden: Even the pigs are grinning!The southern Swedish region of Skåne is the country’s undisputed granary, and is famous for its lush expanses of nature. Here, nu-merous farms have changed to practising ecological agricultural measures. One example of this is Ängavallen Farm, near Malmö. For 35 years, owner Rolf Axel Nordström has upheld nature-orientated principles of livestock farming. Today, he has over 100 pigs, sheep and cows. The farm’s logo is a grinning pig, which can be seen everywhere: It adorns the tiles, decorates every cup, and is even shaped out of marzipan and served as dessert. And as far as the human faculty of judgement permits, the pigs really do look happy. Roaming freely in an expansive meadow, they grunt contentedly around the farm. The farm’s philosophy is based on species-appropriate treatment, healthy fodder, sufficient space and a genuine enthu-siasm for the animals. The dishes served at the table are ecological through and through – the farm carries out its own slaughtering and production processes. “Our pigs die in a stress-free manner with a smile on their lips. We use ‘dignified’ slaughter methods which are based on the knowledge of animal psychology”, em-

phasises the owner’s son, Niclas Nordström. “This has a positive influence on the taste of the meat, since the animals release prac-tically no stress hormones before their death.” For meetings and conferences, Ängavallen also offers two large conference rooms. The cosy Swedish hotel rooms lie at the heart of the large farm premises – close contact with the animals and the fresh air of the countryside come as a free bonus.

Spoilt for Choice

Currently, there are over 30 different environmental labels for tourist operators. Nevertheless, details are seldom given concern-ing the criteria used to evaluate such companies and how strictly these must be met. Achieving a clear orientation here seems hopeless. While the European eco label jungle looms as an in-surmountable peak, the Scandinavian countries have been com-mitted to standardisation for years. Here, the following labels are used across the boat.

Swan LabelThe Swan Label is the official Nordic environ-mental label, and is also one of the strictest currently in existence. It was established in 1989 by the Nordic Council of Ministers, an intergovernmental forum for the Nordic coun-

tries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark), with the aim of producing a standardised Nordic environmental label. It is awarded by the Institute for Standardisation and is monitored by an independent organisation. The white swan on a green background is available for some 60 product groups. Over one thousand licences have already been granted. The strict criteria follow a comprehensive approach; the entire production proc-ess is meticulously examined. In addition to energy and water consumption, CO2 emissions are also considered. Every producer who wishes to receive the certificate must therefore provide all details of the production process used.

The Green KeyThe Green Key is a certificate used to distin-guish particularly environmentally-friendly tourist establishments, such as hotels and restaurants. The label has been in existence since 1994 and predominantly been used in

Scandinavia, the Netherlands and France. In light of a campaign promoted by the international Foundation for Environmental Ed-ucation (FEE), the green key has been introduced in an additional 30 countries. The standardised international criteria catalogue has been adapted to the specific legislation applicable in each coun-try. The criteria used include resource saving and environmental management, staff training and technical environmental protec-tion. Some 650 companies in Europe have already been awarded the label. Labels are awarded for the period of one year, and regular controls are carried out during this time. G.K. Prenzel

At Ängavallen Farm, marzipan pigs take

form and are shown how to smile.

The Scandic Weber is one of the most beautiful hotel groups in Denmark, situated just a stone’s throw from Copenhagen’s main train station.

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A S S O CI At IONS

Quick elections

Elections were due, almost on the day of the one for US presidency, but the matters went quickly during the General Assembly: Current ICCA President Mr. Leigh Harry of the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre, Australia, was elected unopposed for a second term of 2 years as ICCA President. Newly elected members of the ICCA board are: sector “Destination Market-

ICCA World Congress 2008

“Flatter World” in British Columbia

“Surviving in a flat world” was one of many subjects which a near-record-number of 745 participants from 65 countries discussed at the 47th Congress & Exhibition (including general Assembly) of ICCA held in Victoria/B.C., Canada. the number of participants is respectable, particularly in view of the long travel needed for the majority of visitors (Asia, Europe). Equally impressive is the fact that again some 250 “first-timers” came to Canada – identifying how much industry-exchange, net-working and education programs are in need; regardless of the e-world around us.

ing”: Mr. Steen Jakobsen (Wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark); sector “Meetings Management”: Ms. Mi-randa Ioannou (SCS Ltd., Cyprus); as well as Mrs. Sus Nygaard, Scandinavian Airlines, Denmark, elected un-opposed as a representative for the Transport sector. In the sector “Venues”, Mr. Alec Gilbert (Adelaide Convention Centre, Australia) was re-elected unop-posed as a representative as well as Mr. Brian Hors-

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burgh (Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre, U.K.). A further election was the one for “Africa/Mid-dle East representative”, in which Mrs. Nina Freysen-Pretorius (The Conference Company, South Africa) was elected. And finally, Industry pioneer Harry Baum was confirmed by acclamation as an Honorary Mem-ber of ICCA.

About success in tomorrow’s even flatter world

One of the highlights of the Victoria meeting, was a forum moderated by Jurriaen Sleijster (Executive VP,

MCI Group), about how flat the world is. Parmenides seemed to be the first person that found out that the world is not flat, but round (540 - 480 BC). Now, 2500 years later, a new teaching is arriving: the world is flat (again) ... and international congress organisers discussed the matter.

Asked to define the ‘flatter world for PCO’s’, Sleijster explained: “A flatter world is a world where informa-tion is more readily available and where people will compare prices and services more easily. This means

for our industry that where commodity services are concerned, prices will very quickly become the de-termining factor and service providers will have to include more and more added value services to dis-tinguish themselves from their competitors.” And Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, IAPCO president and Managing Director AIM, adds “Competition is becoming more intense, we operate in a world with-out borders. Our staff must have an intercultural com-petence; and we must avoid downstream execution and the commoditisation of our services”.

If the world is flat, where would the new centre of the world be? Automatically in the new markets, just because it is their time and momentum? Or in the middle of the flat world – but then, where are the boarders? “The beauty of the flat world is that there will not be just one centre, but many. And these cen-tres will connect, and new “centres” will be popping up everywhere, anytime; some of which will be virtual only”, says Sleijster, and Buongiorno reflects “compe-tencies are moving, human resources are moving, the world today is in continuous movement. And it will run faster and faster in the coming years”.

US journalist Thomas Friedman and his book “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Cen-tury” (2005 and 2007) was in everybody’s mind and one of Friedman’s statements (“It is pure idiocy that (US) Congress will not open our border, as wide as possible, to attract and keep the world’s first-round intellectual draft choices in an age, when everyone increasingly has the same innovation tools and the key differentiator is human talent”) seemed to con-firm the panel’s view-point. Those not joining in that globalisation process, those protecting interests and believes against new ideas and changes, will be left behind. And then, so concludes the panel-group, PCO’s who are not open to the flat world, will be left behind too … with left-over’s from the future cakes. Or, as Buongiorno concludes: “in a flat world, small companies have to learn to be big”.

The 48th ICCA Congress will be held from No-vember 7 – 11, 2009 in Florence, Italy.

Daniel Tschudy

events 5/2008 95

Although ICCA initiated a second-best-in-history par-ticipation figure to their annual key event, the choice of Victoria BC might be questionable (as much as for example Rhodes was in the past). Why select a city, as charming as it is, that will not be able to host most of the ICCA-member’s movements, either because of its size or its geographical situation (accessibility, air-hub, etc.)? ICCA claims that the destination is predomi-nantly used as “tool to meet” and less as an industry-showcase. But on the other hand, every year, up more than 250 first-time participants join to the ICCA as-sembly – and would they not want to get acquainted with a potential C&C destination on the same time? And for those top decision makers, maybe since dec-ades in the industry, isn’t time everything? Would they not prefer ‘quick-travel-destinations’ too?

Asked about the situation, Martin Sirk, CEO of ICCA explained that in the case of Victoria, it was a bid supported by the entire Canadian and fore-most the Vancouver industry and that ICCA was not to question this initiative. At the end, ICCA only needs suitable proposals. Sirk also points out that Victoria, while indeed not able to host 1500 pax-congresses, is very strong for meeting and as-semblies up to 800 persons, and that itself is reason

What’s in a destination?enough to invite a global audience, such as ICCA. He also states, that both Victoria and Vancouver po-sition themselves as ‘Asia friendly’ and thus receive quite a piece of business from across the pacific.

The feedback of the participants, however, was most-ly different: the visit to Victoria in off-season (really not much to do here…), the complexity of travel from Vancouver airport to Victoria, and a modest MICE-in-frastructure in the city (the exhibition had to be staged in a temporary marquee set-up) were explanations given, why indeed a majority of the audience would have preferred meeting, for example, in Vancouver. A Victoria television channel reported on the General Assembly and about “… the superb potential of con-ventions being produced over the next five years by the ICCA-audience…”. However, it is doubtful that more than a handful ”lucky-punch”-bookings will arise out of this event for Victoria. As much as it is doubtful, that Rhodes got even a single convention business as a result of the ICCA 2006 General Assembly there...

Daniel Tschudy

Clean Air – at high cost Canada is known for its strong support of a smoke-free society, both in business and private environments. So, for example, in every room of Victoria’s Grand Pacific, a message introduces the policy of clean air and how much the hotel requests the assistance from each guest. It begins with the statement that „all of our guestrooms are smoke free“, and I guess that is probably just about ok for everyone. But then, reading on, the message warns that „a C$100 fee will be applied to your account for any evidence of smoking both in your guestroom and on the balcony“. Now that is new. Not only that you can’t smoke on the balcony anymore (greetings from California..), but now a hotel stipulates a fine – notably without prior consent from the customer – that if evidence is found such a fine will be added to the bill. Maybe, the local hotel industry is going just a bit too far there. Or then, they would have to add this item to every reservation and make people sign to such a law before obtaining the confirmation. And that would be quite contra productive, wouldn’t? Will regulations of that sort be the future of our industry?

Daniel Tschudy

96 events 5/2008

Crisis, what crisis?

Both during seminars and free time, participants main topic was the crisis and the impact it will have for the next two years. Surprisingly, no consent was found whether the industry is in a real crisis or just in a sort of slowdown period – an unclear situation, as also heard during EIBTM in Barcelona: In the Corporate World, budgets are down and/or more content is be-ing asked, and measurable (ROI). Corporate sponsor-ship is certainly down with a quick result in for ex-ample the automobile industry (Honda bailing out of Formula 1). The booking patterns changed also dra-matically with no contingencies in the budgets or op-erations and decisions being held back until the last moment. The Association Industry seems stable and in fact, participation figures are high, particularly in the pharmaceutical and medical areas. People seem to understand on one side that during difficult times, continuous education is crucial and on the other hand, they want to relate and feel with their indus-try’s network. By the way, both 2008 main events of ICCA in Canada and MPI in Las Vegas showed record-numbers of participants.

One step back

As seen in 1992 and 2002, Incentive movements seem to have shorter travel distances: long-haul projects might come nearer (i.e. Bali to Egypt), mid-haul traffic (i.e. Emirates) might come to France; and Europe-destined groups might be placed regionally instead. The reasons are not only smaller budgets, but also the fact that business professionals want to be more flexible in case they need to quickly return to the office (this concerns certainly the banking- and finance industry).

Searching Incentives Specialists meet in Montreuxthe Society of Incentive travel Executives (SItE) called to lake geneva and 475 incentive special-ists from 39 countries met in Montreux during the International Conference.

Pressure on DMC’s

During the Montreux-talks, the strongest outburst of insecurity and complains came from the DMC’s … the smaller, the more they are hit at the moment. In today’s speed of work and unre-stricted information access on the web, the DMC, as we knew it ten years ago, does not exist anymore. Unless the agency creates an USP (of services or products) or joins forces with a stronger alliance (supplier, partner or client) it can hardly survive. But the message in Montreux was clear: be creative, fight, develop – but don’t complain. It’s hard world out there, but for everybody.

new SITE presents 2008 Crystal Awards

During the annual General Meeting, SITE officially launched its new strategic vision, brand and communications platform. To-gether with the new logo, the association also changed its web-site-address: www.siteglobal.com. Site President, Padraic Gil-ligan, comments; “In our ever-changing, global business world, the most prized asset remains constant: excellent performance. The highest levels of workplace performance are reached by individuals and teams that are highly motivated. We want to redefine our industry with a new language and our vision for this is Unleashing human potential through extraordinary, mo-tivational experiences. Our promise is to be the global authority connecting these motivational experiences with business results.” In that same spirit, SITE presented the 2008 Crystal Awards: Most of the winners came from overseas (US, Australia, South Afri-ca); and those from Europe are MCI Brussels & Geneva (Numico event in Morocco), THA group Brussels (AXA insurance incentive in Senegal), and Ovation Dublin & Veritas Sydney (Board Meet-ing for South East Asian Financial Institution; event in Australia). Currently SITE has over 2,100 members in 87 countries, with 36 local and regional chapters. The next International Conferences will be held from October 30 to November 2, 2009 in Aruba and in 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Daniel Tschudy

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Airline brokerZip Code 5 Pro Sky Flüge für Gruppen Hohenstaufenring 29-37, 50674 KölnTelefon: +49-221-920 440Telefax. +49-221-920 44-22e-mail: info@pro-sky.deInternet: www.pro-sky.de

Professional Training and EducationZip Code 4 IST-Studieninstitut für Kommunikation Moskauer Str. 25, 40227 DüsseldorfTel.: +49 (0) 211-77 92 37-0 Fax: +49 (0) 211-77 92 37-27E-Mail: info@ist-komm.de Internet: www.ist-komm.de

Stages, tribunes and special constructions Zip Code 3 TS Tribünenservice GmbHTS plant, vermietet und verkauft mobile Tribünen mit und ohne DachHelmkestr. 5 B, D-30165 HannoverTel.: +49-511/35319626, Fax: +49-511/35319627info@ts-tribuenenservice.dewww.ts-tribuenenservice.de

Zip Code 9

Nüssli (Deutschland) GmbHVermietung und Verkauf von Tribünen, Bühnen,Messebau, mobilen Hallen und StadionbautenRothgrund 6, D-91154 Roth, Tel.: +49-9171-9763-0Niederlassungen auch in Berlin und Gießene-mail: roth@nussli.com, Internet: www.nussli.com

CatererZip Code 1Catering‘s Bestby InterContinentalBudapester Straße 2, 10787 BerlinTel.: 030/2602 1430, Fax: 030/2602 1421e-mail: cateringsbest_berlin@interconti.comInternet: www.cateringsbest.de

DMCs GermanyZip Code 8WEICHLEIN TOURS + INCENTIVESIncoming, Special Interest Tours, DMCNeuhauser Straße 23, 80331 MünchenTel.: 089-85636630, Fax: 089-85636636e-mail: info@weichlein.deInternet: www.weichlein.de

TOP BAVARIA TRAVEL GmbHSchulstraße 11, 80634 MünchenTel.: 089-130009, Fax: 089-165994e-mail: info@top-bavaria.deInternet: www.top-bavaria.de

DMCs Europe BelgiumBrussels International Travel ServiceRue Arthur Diderich 30, B-1060 BruxellesTel.: 0032-2-5431010, Fax: 0032-2-5381294e-mail: belgium@euromic.comInternet: www.brussels-international.be

AIMS International BrusselsYour Belgium ConnectionB-1831 Oude, Oude-Haachtsesteenw. 107/3Tel.: +32 2 722 82 30 • Fax: +32 2 722 82 40brussels@aims-international.comwww.aims-international.com

BulgariaAIMS International SofiaYour Bulgaria ConnectionBG-1000 WTC Affiliate, 9 Iskar StreetTel.: +359 2 811 7400 • Fax: +359 2 811 7410sofia@aims-international.comwww.aims-international.com

CroatiaDubrovnik Travel - Premium DMC of CroatiaObala Stjepana Radica 2520000 Dubrovnik, CROATIATel.: +385 20 31 35 55, Fax: +385 20 31 35 50info@dubrovniktravel.com www.dubrovniktravel.com

FinlandFinland Special Tours Ltd., DMCSibeliuksenkatu 19, 04400 JärvenpääTel.: 00358-9-2790980, Fax: 00358-9-2711772e-mail: finland.spezial.tours@kolumbus.fiwww.kolumbus.fi/fstours/

FranceDESTINATION – Ihr Elsass-SpezialistIncoming – Meeting – Incentives – Events15, Boulevard d’ Anvers, F-67000 StrasbourgTel.: + 33 3 88 60 70 70, Fax: +33 3 88 61 93 32e-mail: incoming@destination-fr.com homepage: www.destination-fr.com

Ring-Tours VisionIhr deutschsprachiger DMC-Partnerfür ganz Frankreich5, Rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris, FranceTel.: (0033)01-49277008, Fax: -49277044e-mail: incentives@ringtours.fr homepage: www.ringtours.fr

GreeceDifferent Routes Event Consulting23, Agiou Dimitriou, GR – 17455 Alimos – AthensTel.: +30-210-9 85 26 02; Fax: +30-210-9 85 25 67www.different-routes.comdvdr@different-routes.com

FREI S.S. Travel – CongressPaprigiopoulou 310561 Athens – GreeceTel.: 0030-210-3215600Fax: 0030-210 321 9296www.frei.gr, e-mail: info@frei.gr

Helden S.A. International Services Limited170 Ipsilantou Street, GR- 185 35 Piraeus/AthenTel.: +30-210-42 96 000, Fax: +30-210-41 012 86travel@helden.gr - www.helden.grRepresentative in Germany: Tourism Affairs, Eva.muminovic@tourism-affairs.com

IcelandDestination Iceland Ltd. (Come-2 Iceland DMC)Vatnsmyravew 10, IS-101 ReykjavikTel.: 00354-591-1020, Fax: 00354-591-1050e-mail: travel@dice.is, www.dice.is

ItalySee Italia s.r.l – Ihr DMC in ItalienHead Office: 13,via Nomentana, I-00161 RomaTel.: +39-06-4537400, Fax: +39-06-44254937info@seeitalia.it, www.seeitalia.it

William Clementson srlIncentives - KongresseVia Statilia 4, I - 00185 RomTel.: 003906-77209079, Fax: 003906-7092506info@clementson.com, www.clementson.com

destination management company

MU

NIC

H

Tel: +49/(0)89/24218-434Maximilianstr. 35a · 80539 Münchenmunich@my-dmc.de · www.my-dmc.de

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100 events 5/2008

MaltaSPECIAL INTEREST TRAVEL Ltd.‚Demajo House‘, 103 Archbishop Street, VallettaTel./Fax: 00356 2552 0000 - Fax: 00356 2552 2553e-mail: jcaruana@sit.com.mt – www.sit.com.mtRepresentative in Germany: Tourism Affairs Eva Muminovic – info@sit.com.mt

ON SITE MALTAIhr deutschsprachiger MICE-PartnerKontakt: Paul Selis23, Salvu Camilleri Street, Mellieha MLH04Tel: +356-2152 4020, Fax: +356-2152 5645paulselis@onsitemalta.com, www.onsitemalta.com

MonacoAgence C.I.R. C. Calmettes147, Domaine les Michels, 13790 Peynier Tel.: 0033-4-42530364, Fax: 0033-4-42530840cirfrance@aol.com, www.cirfrance.fr

AustriaAIMS International I AHR TravelYour Austria ConnectionA-1090 Wien, Mariannengasse 32Tel.: +43 1 402 77 55-0 • Fax: +43 1 402 77 31vienna@aims-international.comwww.aims-international.com

Portugal

AIMS International Lisbon Your Portugal ConnectionP-1200-203 Lisbon, Rua Garrett 61-3°Tel.: +351 21 324 50 40 • Fax: +351 21 324 50 50lisbon@aims-international.comwww.aims-international.com • www.aims.pt

team quatroIhr Partner in PortugalRua Mestre D‘Aviz 11, P-1495-014 Algés/LisboaTel: +351-21-411 1300, Fax: +351-21-411 1310e-mail: info@teamquatro.comwww.teamquatro.com

TFT - Viagens & Turismo Lda.Englisch - Deutsch - FranzösischEdifício St. Barbara, Esc. 8, Estrada daRebelva, Lte. 307-A, PT-2775-726, CarcavelosTel: +351-21-4582178, Fax: +351-21-4583143info@tftportugal.com, www.tftportugal.com

SwitzerlandExecutive Events GmbH - the creative Swiss DMCSumpfstrasse 26CH-6301 ZugTel.: +41(0)41 747 43 66www.executive-events.ch

Grass Roots Switzerland AGWeinbergstrasse 11, CH-8001 ZürichTel.: +41 44 252 50 30 Fax.: +41 44 251 31 49E-mail: contact-ch@grg.comInternet: www.grassroots-ch.com

Kuoni Destination ManagementKuoni DMC is a global organiser of Meetings & Incentive programmes.Überlandstrasse 360CH- 8051 Zürich, SwitzerlandTel.: +41-1-325 23 46Fax: +41-1-322 41 13meetings.zrh@kuoni.ch, www.kuoni-dmc.com

SloveniaAlbatros Bled, Congress AgencyRibenska 2, SI-4260 BledTel./Fax: 00386-45780350 / 00386-45780355info@albatros-bled.com / www.albatros-bled.com

SpainIBEROSERVICE INCOMING SERVICES Büros in Spanien: Alicante, Barcelona, Costa de la Luz, Costa del Sol, Lanzarote, Madrid, Mallorca, Sevilla, TeneriffaAusserhalb Spanien: Brasilien, Costa Rica,Dominikanische Republik, Kuba, Mexiko,Portugal und VenezuelaZentralbüro: Mallorcae-mail: incentives.commercial@iberoservice.comhttp://brochure.iberoservice.com

ITB DMCBarcelona, Madrid & Costa del SolRamblas 113-1er, E-08002 BarcelonaTel.: 0034-93-4815858, Fax: 0034-93-4815859olga@bcn.viajesitb.com, www.viajesitb.comWE OPERATE ALL OVER SPAIN

Czech RepublicAIMS International Prague Your Czech ConnectionCZ-182 00 Prague 8, Pomezní 7/1387Tel.: +420 284 007 340 • Fax: +420 284 007 350prague@aims-international.comwww.aims-international.com

TurkeyA-LEVEL TOURISMDestination Management ServicesTaksim Cad, Sakarya Apt. No 25 D 2TR – 34437 Taksim-Beyoglu-IstanbulTel.: +90 212 235 59 50, Fax: +90 212 235 59 52ozlem.oztok@a-leveltourism.coma-level@a-leveltourism.comwww.a-leveltourism.com

IDEE Travel Services co. incentives-congress-cruises-group-fitBüyükdere Cad./ Kaya Aldogan Sok No 12/4, TR - Istanbul - ZincirlikuyuTel.: 0090(212)2123284, Fax: 0090(212)2751867e-mail: info@ideetravel.com, esra.levent@ideetravel.com, Internet: www.ideetravel.com

HungaryMOTIVATION BUDAPEST REISE GMBHHattyu u. 16, H-1015 BudapestTel.: 0036-1-224-7141, Fax: 0036-1-355-8693e-mail: motiv@motivation.huHomepage: www.motivation.hu

AIMS International BudapestYour Hungary ConnectionH-1054 Budapest, Honvéd u.22.III.2Tel.: +36 1 266 2943 • Fax: +36 1 266 2946budapest@aims-international.comwww.aims-international.com

Continental TravelKálmán Imre Str. 19, H-1054 BudapestTel.: +36-1-373-0616, Fax: +36-1-373-0617continental.travel@continentaltravel.huwww.continentaltravel.hu

Büros in: Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Sevilla, Tenerifa, ValenciaFon: +34-952-206-110 E-Mail: agp@cititravel.esInternet: www.cititravel.esLloyds ISO 9001:2000 Quality Certi cate

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events 5/2008 101

EVENT + INCOMING SERVICEH-1118 Budapest, Háromszék u. 28T: +361 266 2414 F: +361 266 1914tibor@event-incoming.huwww.event-incoming.huwww.budapest-event-planner.hu

CyprusCREATIVE TOURSCreative Events auf ZypernVerkauf Deutschland: Martin AlbrechtGutenbergring 38, 65549 LimburgTel.: 06431-941361, Fax: 06431-941360dmc@creative-cyprus.de,www.creative.com.cy

DMCs Africa NamibiaSWA Safaris (Pty) Ltd.Ihr Reiseunternehmen mit ErfahrungP.O.Box 20373, Windhoek / NamibiaTel.: +264-61-221193, Fax: +264-61-225387e-mail: swasaf@swasafaris.com.naInternet: www.swasafaris.com.na

South Africa

DMCs America Dominican RepublicTurinter, DMCLeopoldo Navarro #4, Santo DomingoTel.: 001-809-6864020Fax: 001-809-6883890e-mail: incoming@turinter.comInternet: www.turinter.com

ULTRAMAR Express DominicanaResp: H´nas. Mirabal #3, Puerto Plata. R.D.Tel.: 001-809-5869373Fax: 001-809-3208236e-mail: ultramar@codetel.net.do

MexicoKOMEX TOURS S.A.Benjamin Hill 243, Col. CondesaMEX-06140 Mexico, D.F.Tel.: 0052-55-52729913Fax: 0052-55-52720648e-mail: komex@data.net.mx

U.S.A.EastWest Travel GmbHNeumarkt 33, D-50667 KölnTel.: (+49) 221-39760600, Fax: (+49) 221-2336450e-mail: info@eastwest.travelwww.eastwest.travelTOP DMCs für USA und Kanada

DMCs AsiaChinaAIMS International ShanghaiYour Shanghai ConnectionUniversal World Building Top 2903168-172, Yuyuan RoadShanghai, 200040, ChinaTel.: +86 21 6249 32 62, Fax: +86 21 6249 15 71shanghai@aims-international.com

Event agenciesZip Code 0FUCHS congress + incentive gmbhEinsteinstr. 4, 01069 DresdenTel.: +49-351-479300, Fax: +49-351-479 30 29Internet: www.fuchsincentive.de

Zip Code 1Global TBSIncentives – Konferenzen – EventsBlumenstrasse 49, 10243 BerlinTel.: 030-397445-0, Fax: 030-397445-14e-mail: info@globaltbs.dewww.globaltbs.de

MR CONGRESS & INCENTIVE GMBHAlt Friedrichsfelde 11, 10315 BerlinTel.: +49 30 44 35060Fax: +49 30 44 350620info@mr-congress.comwww.mr-congress.com

Red Carpet Event GmbH, Office BerlinBerolinahaus am Alexanderplatz 1 10178 Berlin Tel: 030.2325 74 - 00 Fax: 030.2325 74 - 11 E-Mail: berlin@red-carpet-event.de Internet: www.red-carpet-event.de

CPO HANSER SERVICE GmbHConference - Event - Destination Management Paulsborner Str. 44, 14193 BerlinTel.: 030-3006690, Fax: 030-3057391e-mail: berlin@cpo-hanser.deInternet: www.cpo-hanser.de

Ihre Ansprechpartnerin: Anke Rochau

Ihr deutschsprachiges DMC-Team im südlichen Afrika

Tel: +27 (0)21 415 2000Fax: +27 (0)21 421 0229

info@thatsafrica.com www.thatsafrica.com

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Zip Code 2

C³ event.netCross Communication Concepts

Postfach 730607, 22126 HamburgTel.: +49 (0)40 - 645 32 333 Fax: +49 (0)40 - 644 25 695info@c3event.netwww.c3event.net

Gesellschaft für strat. Kommunikation mbHIncentives, Tagungen, Promotionnational und internationalGellertstr. 5, 22301 HamburgTel.: +49 (0)40-287866-0, Fax: +49 (0)40-287866-28info@people-events.comwww.people-events.com

Zip Code 3LENZeventsBodelschwinghstraße 5, 34119 KasselTel.: 0561-72884-0, Fax: 0561-72884-59e-mail: info@lenzevents.deInternet: www.lenzevents.de

Zip Code 4Grass Roots Germany GmbHGoltsteinstr. 28, 40211 DüsseldorfTel.: +49 (0)211-99100-0 Fax: +49(0)211-99100-600contact-de@grg.com, www.grassroots-de.com

Red Carpet Event GmbH, Office DüsseldorfNeuer Zollhof 3 40221 Düsseldorf Tel.: 0211.220 59 - 350 Fax: 0211.220 59 - 419E-Mail: duesseldorf@red-carpet-event.de Internet: www.red-carpet-event.de

PANROYAL Agentur für Absatzkommunikation GmbHEvent - Incentive - MesseBerghauser Str. 1-5, 42349 WuppertalTel.: 0202-24190, Fax: 0202-470021info@panroyal.com · www.panroyal.com

LIVE ART COMMUNICATIONSchirmerstraße 59, 40211 Düsseldorf Tel.: 0211 - 26 105 185Fax: 0211 - 26 105 117E-Mail: liveart@arcor.dewww.liveart-kommunikation.de

Zip Code 5

Zip Code 6MIT Event- und Incentive-Management GmbH Wöhlerstrasse 5, 60323 Frankfurt am MainTel.: 069-710 423 300Fax: 069-710 423 400e-mail: info@m-i-t.deInternet: www.m-i-t.de

DERCONGRESS - DERTOUR GmbH & Co. KGHerr Oliver Bransch - Produktleiter Congresse / MessenEmil-von-Behring-Str. 6, D-60424 Frankfurt/MainTel.:+ 49 69 9588-3344, Fax: + 49 69 9588-843344service@dercongress.com www.dercongress.com

circ GmbH & Co.KGBeratung, Konzeption, Realisationcirc – performing by experienceUnter den Eichen 5, Gebäude F / Officio IIID-65195 WiesbadenTel.: 0611-98682-0, Fax: 0611-98682-57info@circ.de, www.circ.de

Quasar Communications GmbHIncentives, Prämien, KundenbindungFriedrich-Bergius-Straße 15-17, 65203 WiesbadenTel.: 0611/18887-0, Fax: 0611/18887-20e-mail: info@q-com.de, www.quasar.de

Zip Code 7ellis EVENTS GmbH Conferences - Events - Incoming - IncentivesFrischlinstraße 25, D-72336 BalingenTel. +49 7433/999 10, Fax +49 7433/999 123info@ellis-events.comwww.ellis-events.com

V.I.T. GmbHVeranstaltungen, Incentives, TrainingsHagäckerstrasse 4, 73760 OstfildernTel.: +49-711-1327322, Fax: +49-711-1327333e-mail: info@vit-gmbh.deInternet: www.vit-gmbh.de

POG Incentive Management GmbHEchterdinger Str. 38, 70771 LeinfeldenTel.: 0711-75075-0, Fax: 0711-75075-13e-mail: info@pog.de, Internet: www.pog.de

Zip Code 8MAM Live CommunicationMarketing And More GmbHDonnersbergerstraße 22a, 80634 MünchenTel.: +49 (0)89 20 20 69-0 Fax +49 (0)89 20 20 69-69e-mail: info@m-a-m.de, Internet: www.m-a-m.de

ten & one EventagenturMeyerbeerstrasse 12, 81247 MünchenTel: 089-2554 190, Fax: 089-2554 1920info@tenandone.comwww.tenandone.com

EGM Eventgruppe GmbHEvents, Conventions, IncentivesKochelseestraße 10, 81371 MünchenInternet: www.eventgruppe.com

REALIZE Live-Marketing GmbHAgentur für integrierte VeranstaltungenMünchner Str. 12, 82008 Unterhaching-MünchenTel.: 089/66 07 99-0, Fax: 089/66 07 99-66e-mail: info@realize-events.dewww.realize-events.de

GERMANY – FRANCE – USA – CH INA – DUBA I

Agentur für Events und Live-Marketing

info@vokdams.dewww.vokdams.de

AZ_58x20_cti 26.02.2007 11:01 Uhr Seite 1

Agentur für Events und Incentives

info@emotiva-events.de www.emotiva-events.deHermannstraße 46 | 63263 Neu-Isenburg/Ffm | 0 61 02 - 88 38 78

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Agentur für integrierte Live-Kommunikation

Büro Bonn Kaiserstraße 3353115 Bonn

Büro BerlinHausvogteiplatz 210117 Berlin

Büro MünchenTheresienhöhe 1280339 München

Tel. 0228.91530-0 event@pleon.com www.pleon.com

Gesellschaft für Marketing und Kommunikationsdesign mbH

Hasengartenstraße 22

65189 Wiesbaden

0611. 188 75 - 0 go.advertising@go-ad.de

www.go-ad.de

NESTLE

TELEKOM

BMW

CAMPARI

FREIXENET

RUSSIAN STANDARD

RADEBERGER

DAVIDOFF CAFE

GRANINI

JENOPTIK

SIPAHH

FRESENIUS

SONY BMG

Zip Code 9NEMA Entertainment GmbHEvents - Shows - Full ServiceAlfred-Hess-Straße 18a, 99094 ErfurtTel.: 0361-226 01 46, Fax: 0361-225 19 68info@nema-entertainment.dewww.nema-entertainment.de

Event tents

Flexible DisplaysEXPO DISPLAY SERVICE GROUPFrankfurt, Zürich, Wien, Apeldoorne-mail: info@expodisplayservice.comInternet: www.expodisplayservice.com

Incentive AgenciesZip Code 0FUCHS congress + incentive gmbhEinsteinstr. 4, 01069 Dresden Tel.: 0351-479300, Fax: 0351-4793029Internet: www.fuchsincentive.de

Zip Code 1i-contravel GmbHincoming - concept - incentive – congressAm Karlsbad 15, 10785 BerlinTel.: 030-257570-0, Fax: 030-257570-70info@i-contravel.com, www.i-contravel.com

Ihr Partner an der OstseeV.I.P. Hanse Touring GmbHAm Strande 3, 18055 RostockTel.: 0381-5481210, Fax: 0381-5481211e-mail: info@vipcentive.deHomepage: www.vipcentive.de

Global TBSIncentives - Konferenzen - EventsBlumenstraße 49, 10243 BerlinTel. 030-397445-0, Fax: 030-397445-14E-Mail: info@globaltbs.dewww.globaltbs.de

Zip Code 4Grass Roots Germany GmbHGoltsteinstr. 28, 40211 DüsseldorfTel.: +49 (0)211-99100-0 Fax: +49(0)211-99100-600contact-de@grg.com, www.grassroots-de.com

Zip Code 6MIT Event- und Incentive-Management GmbH Wöhlerstrasse 5, 60323 Frankfurt am MainTel.: 069-710 423 300, Fax: 069-710 423 400e-mail: info@m-i-t.deInternet: www.m-i-t.de

inventive sp gmbh & co kgincentives und eventsGustav-Adolf-Str. 2, 65195 WiesbadenTel.: +49-611-9514661 / Fax: +49-611-9514631info@inventive-sp.dewww.inventive-sp.de

Zip Code 7POG Incentive Management GmbHEchterdinger Str. 38, 70771 LeinfeldenTel.: 0711-75075-0, Fax: 0711-75075-13e-mail: info@pog.de, Internet: www.pog.de

Zip Code 8GLOBO Incentives GmbHReisen, Kongresse & EventsViktualienmarkt 3, 80331 MünchenTel.: 089-24 20 850, Fax: 089-24 20 85 50e-mail: info@globo-incentives.deInternet: www.globo-incentives.de

MAM Live CommunicationMarketing And More GmbHDonnersbergerstraße 22a, 80634 MünchenTel.: +49 (0)89 20 20 69-0 Fax +49 (0)89 20 20 69-69e-mail: info@m-a-m.de, Internet: www.m-a-m.de

Top Bavaria Travel GmbHSchulstrasse 11, 80634 MünchenTel.: 089 / 130009, Fax: 089 / 165994e-mail: info@top-bavaria.deInternet: www.top-bavaria.de

REALIZE Live-Marketing GmbHAgentur für integrierte VeranstaltungenMünchner Str. 12, 82008 Unterhaching-MünchenFon: 089/66 07 99-0, Fax: 089/66 07 99-66e-mail: info@realize-events.dewww.realize-events.de

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104 events 5/2008

Croatiaalta maris d.o.o.

Incentive Travel Croatia Cindrova 6, 21312 Podstrana/Split-Croatia Tel.: +385-21 334 110, Fax: +385-21 333 109 Petra Svacica 8, 20000 Dubrovnik-Croatia Tel.: +385-20 436 517, Fax: +385-20 436 519 info@altamaris.com, www.altamaris.com

Tunesia

USA

Limousines RentalZip Code 6

Locations for events Zip Code 1Matrix Club und Event GmbHFaszinierendes Ambiente für 50-3.000 PersonenWarschauer Platz 18, 10245 BerlinTel.: 030-29 36 999-10, Fax: 030-29 36 999-99 e-mail: alexander@matrix-berlin.dewww.matrix-berlin.de

Zip Code 6Bumb‘s Junior Finest CateringJapan Tower 25. Etage & Konferenz ZentrumTaunustor 2, D-60311 Frankfurt am MainTel.: 069-954400-0, Fax: 069-954400-90e-mail: info@bumbs-junior.dewww.bumbs-junior.de

Zip Code 7Neckar-Käpt´n–Neckar-Personen-SchifffahrtBerta Epple GmbH & Co.Anlegestelle Wilhelma, 70376 StuttgartTel.: 0711-549970-60, Fax: 0711-549970-80e-mail: buchung@neckar-kaeptn.deHomepage: www.neckar.kaeptn.deDVD „Events in Fahrt“ jetzt anfordern!

Maritime eventsZip Code 8OceanEvent – Maritime Conventions, Product Launches & IncentivesSeearkaden/Zweigstraße 1,D-82319 StarnbergTel.: 08151 746 49-0, Fax: 08151 746 49-1info@oceanevent.com, www.oceanevent.com

Online eventplatformSpainEvent Planner Spain, S.L.Paseo de la Sierra, 38-20 29018 Málaga, Spain Tel.:+34 952 294 327, Fax: +34 952 292 831 clientes@eventplannerspain.com www.eventplannerspain.com

Teambuilding Zip Code 8OPEN DOOR GmbHTeambuilding and more!Schützenstr. 9, 80335 MünchenTel: 089-515 188 51; Fax: 089-515 059 11E-Mail: info@opendoor-events.dewww.opendoor-events.de

TicketingZip Code 7ReserviX GmbH – mit uns die besten Karten.Erbprinzenstr. 2a, 79098 FreiburgTel.: 0761-556529-80, Fax: 0761-556529-99info@reservix.de, www.reservix.de

Technologie for eventsZip Code 5SHOWTEC Beleuchtungs- und Beschallungs GmbHKöhlstr. 10, 50827 KölnTel.: 0221 / 53994-0Fax: 0221 / 53994-530e-mail: mail@showtec.deInternet: www.showtec.de

Advertising agenciesZip Code 8Impressum, Agentur für Kommunikation & TextWERBESTRATEGIEN FÜR IHR EVENTZweigstraße 1, D-82319 StarnbergTel.: 08151-559 1240, Fax: 08151-559 1241info@impressumonline.dewww.impressumonline.de

I

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New York · California · Florida

Lizard IncentEventsWith offices in New York, Los Angeles & MiamiFor the US and Canada Phone: +1-212-868-2121

welcome@liz-ie.com · www.lizard-incentevents.com

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Exhibition and Conferences

Active breaksZip Code 6DRUM CONVERSATIONTrommelshows & WorkshopsMärkerstr. 7, D - 60437 Frankfurt am MainTel.: +49-6101-558260, Fax: +49-6101-558261info@drum-conversation.com www.drum-conversation.com

Conference and meeting agenciesZip Code 3

Zip Code 6Conventure - Your Personal Congress OrganizerMesse Frankfurt Venue GmbH & Co.KGLudwig-Erhard-Anlage 1, 60327 Frankfurt/Main Tel.: 069 / 75 75-54 31, Fax: 069 / 75 75-57 37 anke.wannagat@messefrankfurt.com www.conventure.messefrankfurt.com

meet & moreEberbacher Straße 19, 65375 Oestrich-WinkelTel.: 06723-9989010, Fax: 06723-5487Mobil: +49-171-686-2299e-mail: un@meet-and-more.dewww.meet-and-more.de

Zip Code 8PROSKE | group GmbH

meetings & hospitality worldwide

Oberaustr. 34, 83026 Rosenheim / Munich

Tel.: +49 (0)8031/8008-0

Fax: +49 (0)8031/8008-88

info@proskegroup.com, www.proskegroup.com

Exhibition concept, appearance and installationZip Code 2MICE MEISSNER EXPO GMBH

Schnackenburgallee 16, D-22525 Hamburg

Tel.: +49(0)40529050, Fax: +49(0)4052905118

e-mail: info@mice.de, web: www.mice.de

ISDN: +49(0)4085322274

Zip Code 8

the fair agency

agentur für messedienstleistungen

Neumarkter Str. 34, 81673 München

Tel: 089-2444 193-70, Fax: 089-2444 193-79

info@the-fair-agency.com

Web: www.the-fair-agency.com

PCOsZip Code 1CPO HANSER SERVICE GmbH

Conference - Event - Destination Management

Paulsborner Str. 44, 14193 Berlin

Tel.: 030-3006690 Fax: 030-3057391

e-mail: berlin@cpo-hanser.de

Internet: www.cpo-hanser.de

Zip Code 2

C³ event.net

Cross Communication Concepts

Postfach 730607, 22126 Hamburg

Tel.: +49 (0)40 - 645 32 333

Fax: +49 (0)40 – 644 25 695

info@c3event.net

www.c3event.net

Reisebüro Willi Simon, PCO

Hasporter Damm 9, 27749 Delmenhorst

Tel.: 04221-9660-0, Fax: 04221-9660-50

e-mail: info@congressimon.com

business travel GmbHhotel reservations

professional congress organizer

meetings & conventions

events & incentives

fon +49(0)511 • 59 09 31-30info@silvers.de | www.silvers.de

Your partner for success!

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106 events 5/2008

Publishing House: Werbe- und Verlags-gesellschaft Ruppert mbH,trakehner Straße 7–9, Bürohaus A, d-60487 Frankfurt a.M.tel.: +49/69/95 52 36-0Fax: +49/69/95 52 36-22E-Mail: info@events-magazine.dewww.events-magazine.com

Managing Directorgerrit Klein

Editor-in-ChiefHans Jürgen Heinrich

EditorChristina Feyerke

Publishing Director/Advertising DirectorJoachim Berger

Manager Sales Central EuropeKerstin Quirin

Manager International SalesInga SchadeBirte Oberfranz

Contributing Editorsgisela Katharina Prenzel, Sven Eichenlaub, Fritz Pütz, daniel tschudy

Graphic Design Rainer Schmoll, 65307 Bad Schwalbach

Printingl.N. Schaffrath druckMedien gmbH & Co. Kg, 47608 geldern

Translationstilti Systems gmbH., Vienna

Advertising rate list No. 37 as of 1 November, 2008

Advertising Coordinators: thomas Pfisterer, Katja Wittig

Advertising Representatives:Hungary: Media & Print Kft.tátrá u. 12/a fszt. 2., H-1136 Budapesttel.: +36/1/32 92 174 u. 32 05 410Fax: +36/1/35 93 046Middle East: Media Seen,Mr. Sunil Anand, director, Cell: +97150/6490344,Ms. Indira Mohandas, Sales Manager, Cell: +97150/3672089,3rd Floor, Moosa Habib Building, Al Wahda Street,Sharjah, PO Box 5320, United Arab Emiratestel. +9716/5593711, Fax: +9716/5591226dubai Office: tel. +9714/3535049, Fax: +9714/3535479,E-Mail: sales@mediaseen.com, www.mediaseen.com

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Bank Account: Frankfurter Sparkasse,Account No. 320 200, BSC 500 502 01

For members with EVVC, FAMAB,VERANStAltUNgSPlANER.dE eventsis included in their membership fees

Copying, if only of excerpts, requires authorisation by the publishing house. Articles mentioning names of authors do not automatically mirror the opinion of the editorial office. Unwanted editorial contributions do not entail any legal rights for the sender. Print run: 23,000 copies per issue:20,000 in german 3.000 in English

© Werbe- und Verlags-gesellschaftRuppert mbH, Frankfurt/Main

ICCA – International Congress and Con vention Association

gCB – german Convention Bureau

EVVC – Europäischer Verband der Veranstaltungs-Centren e.V.

VERANStAltUNgSPlANER.dE – Vereinigung deutscher Veranstaltungs organisatoren

Membership:

Europäischer Verband der Veranstaltungs-Centren e.V.

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Zip Code 6Conventure - Your Personal Congress Organizer

Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH & Co.KG

Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1, 60327 Frankfurt/Main

Tel.: 069 / 75 75-54 31, Fax: 069 / 75 75–57 37

anke.wannagat@messefrankfurt.com

www.conventure.messefrankfurt.com

Zip Code 7AKM Congress Service GmbH

Hauptstrasse 18, 79576 Weil am Rhein

Tel.: 0 76 21-9 83 30, Fax: 0 76 21-7 87 14

info@akmcongress.com

www.akmcongress.com

Zip Code 8E U R O K O N G R E S S GmbHCongress + Event + Exhibition ManagementSchleissheimerstr. 2, D - 80333 MünchenTel.: 089 / 21 09 86-0, Fax: 089 / 21 09 86 98e-mail: info@eurokongress.de

www.eurokongress.de

SloveniaAlbatros Bled, Congress Agency

Ribenska 2, SI-4260 Bled

Tel./Fax:: 00386-45780350 / 00386-45780355

info@albatros-bled.com

www.albatros-bled.com

Hire & sale of mobile event and business area solutions

Advertising and promotional items Zip Code 6MIT Event- und Incentive-Management GmbH

Wöhlerstrasse 5, 60323 Frankfurt am Main

Tel.: 069-710 423 150, Fax: 069-710 423 400

e-mail: info@m-i-t.de, Internet: www.m-i-t.de

www.soulkitchen.deH

SILVER-LINE – mobile Event- und Businessraum-Lösungen vonOECON Mobilraum GmbH – Zum Flugplatz 1- D-73566 BartholomäTel:. +(49) (0)7173 - 9701-0, Fax: +(49) (0)7173- 9701-11E-Mail: vertrieb@oecon.de, Homepage: www.oecon.deOECON- Verkaufsbüros: Bartholomä, Halle/Saale, MünchenWorld of Events 2009 in Wiesbaden: 21./22.01.09 Halle 5 Stand 544

e v ents BOx : A Rt IS t S

Artists and artist agencies

Artists

Artist agenciesZip Code 8JOHN BARKER

CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT

THE CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERTS

Waldmeisterstr. 4, D-83109 Großkarolinenfeld

Tel.: 08031-50994, Fax: 08031-59211

info@johnbarker.de, www.johnbarker.de

Do you organise Conferences, Events, Incentives or Business Travel?

The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings ExhibitionADNEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE

31 March - 2 April 2009

Organised by:Supported by:

A Division of NetGroup of Companies

Exclusive Airline Partner:

GIBTM is the only dedicated Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE) event in the Gulf bringingtogether meetings industry and business travel professionals from the region and across the globe. GIBTM is part of the

Gulf Meetings Week and offers the best opportunities for business, networking and professional development for buyers,planners and suppliers. For more information and to register as a Visitor or Hosted Buyer go to: www.gibtm.com

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SINGAPOREEWHERE GREAT THINGS HAPPENSingapur bietet Ihnen die Möglichkeit, Ihre Geschäfte in einer zwanglosen Atmosphäre abzuschließen: Befreien Sie sich von Formalitäten!Entspannen Sie sich! Und betrachten Sie die Verhandlungsgrundlagen mal außerhalb eines Sitzungssaals – und unter freiem Himmel. In diesertropischen Stadt wimmelt es von ungewöhnlichen Locations, die Ihre Geschäfte beleben werden. Knüpfen Sie neue Kontakte, tauschen Sie sichüber Ihr Business aus und bringen Sie Ihre Verhandlungen erfolgreich zum Abschluss. Ob an den idyllischen Stränden auf „Sentosa Island“, inden imposanten botanischen Gärten oder am exotischen „Flamingo Lake“ im „Jurong BirdPark“. Eine Vielzahl interessanter Verhandlungsortewartet auf Sie. Wählen Sie Ihren. Wählen Sie Singapur für Ihre nächste Geschäftsveranstaltung. visitsingapore.com /businessevents

Lassen Sie Ihrem Verhandlungsgeschickfreien Raum.

02-F8019 AZ_Cafe del Mar_EVENTS.indd 1 02.10.2008 9:49:35 Uhr