Why Iceland is a MICE destination

Iceland with its exotic beauty and inspired, fun loving people has never been hotter. Increasing number of companies and corporations around the globe, particularly those keen to try something new, are choosing Iceland when it comes to holding meetings and conferences. And for good reason, as I have discovered during my trip last week.

Iceland’s meeting and conference facilities are top-class, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and staffed with friendly professionals that are skilled in making every event a success. Reykjavik’s culture and nightlife has been the focus of much international media attention in recent years. The city is known for its vibrant cultural energy and has become a real ´Festival City´ during weekends.

If Iceland’s incredible nature is what you are seeking, you might be hard pressed to choose between the magical season of the midnight sun in summer, or the enchanting Northern Lights in winter. Yet what ever the season, few places can match Iceland when it comes to uniqueness and diversity of activities, hence the country’s popularity among planners of incentive tours. With an array of activities such as skiing, white-water rafting, horse riding, hiking, glacier tours and whale watching, not to mention exploring caves, playing golf in the midnight sun or touring the highlands in super jeeps … how could such a tour miss it´s mark? And with tour operators who have years of experience in Icelandic conditions, you can rest assured that every precaution is taken to ensure the safety – and enjoyment of the participants. Whatever your requirements or personal tastes, Iceland has something for everyone. Come on over for a one-of-a-kind experience. You won’t be disappointed!

For more information about MICE in Island please visit www.icelandconvention.com

On my way to Iceland

Christian Badenhop, Area Director Sales & Marketing of Worldhotels, has put together a small but fine group of MICE professionals and invites us to a fam trip to Iceland.

Highlights (amongst many) will be a visit of the Blue Lagoon (right after arriving by airplane, thanks Christian!), an Iceland Adventure tour (whatever it may be) and sea angling (not fishing...?).

The whole trip was also made possible thanks to Icelandair, Hotel Holt, Icelandic Tourist Board, Elding and may more.

I will keep you posted about this beautiful trip to the world's most developed country.

Comparing IMEX and EIBTM

MICEpoint has been an exhibitor at both, IMEX and EIBTM. They are (as far as I know) Europe's most important MICE trade shows. There are some other (smaller) very interesting trade shows (see the MICE conference calendar on miceconferences.com for more details) but I want to focus on the two largest ones.

Some facts:
EIBTM 2007:
7'218 visitors whereby 3'326 were Hosted Buyers and 3'892 were Trade visitors.
IMEX 2007:
8'310 visitors whereby 3'592 were Hosted Buyers and 4'718 were Trade visitors

Looking back now at EIBTM 2007 and IMEX 2008 (sorry, no figures available yet), I must admit that EIBTM had more qualified hosted buyers and trade visitors then IMEX. While during EIBTM, MICEpoint had 3 diaries fully booked and some times up to 5 people waiting for an appointment at our booth, at IMEX we had one (almost) fully booked diary and very few additional visitors passing by.

At IMEX 2008, about 30% of pre-scheduled appointments did not show up, while at EIBTM only 10% did not show up.

Quantity is one thing but Quality is more important to me. And also there I have to admit that EIBTM is two steps ahead of IMEX!

And if I am talking about trade shows and hosted buyers:
Dear IMEX and EIBTM, please stop bringing organizers who will arrange a conference in 2018 (or similar). I have listened several of these "organizers" who commented something likd "I will enjoy with my wife a nice trip to Barcelona/Frankfurt free of charge". These are not the organizers we want. Quality is more important then Quantity!

Still, MICEpoint will keep exhibiting at both trade shows for the coming year.

What is your opinion?

Thanks to IMEX for the photo!

What has a bathroom to do with your next conference venue?

We all travel a lot, and we all see a lot. And while we all travel the world, we encounter amazing locations with amazing facilities. One of those amazing facilities are public bathrooms, right? Oh yes, we all can write books about them. I have seen (but not used!) bathrooms I will never forget. And I have seen bathrooms (and have loved using them) I will also never forget. One of them is this one here on the picture, coming from the Sofitel Queenstown, New Zealand. For us men it is quite a challenge to do our "daily business" in such circumstances, but it has been a unique experience.

Designers Brett Taylor, Mark Perriam, and Cam Marsh installed life-size photographs of female voyeurs, who peep saucily from behind the cone-shaped urinals—with binoculars, glasses, cameras, even a tape measure in hand.

Well, why not choose your next conference venue with a special bathroom? It sure will contribute to great communication. And that's always good. Would you like to see more such ideas? Then write a comment, thanks.

Visit us at the 4th international MICE Forum in Moscow

The next chance to meet me at an international MICE trade show will be in March.

The 4th international MICE Forum will be held on March 18 at the T-Modul Exhibition Hall in Moscow, Tishinskaya sq., 1, building 1. See the map.

The Russian Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions business is growing. It is reported to be worth more than $.150 million per year and increasing fast with more than 3 million Russians traveling internationally on business trips. This is becoming one of the most dynamic sources of business travel in the world.

At the Moscow International MICE Forum you will have the opportunity to meet with most of the leading Russian MICE specialists and corporate travel buyers in a professional workshop environment.

So come and say hello to MICEpoint!

Global Hotel Alliance welcomes two new members

Cooperations are growing and so is it no wonder that the Global Hotel Alliance is welcoming two new hotel chains as member.

The first one, Anantara Resorts , is currently located in Thailand in the seaside town of Hua Hin, on Koh Samui, in the Golden Triangle; and also in the Maldives and in Bali, with several new resorts already under development.

Second hotel group joing the Global Hotel Alliance is Cham Palaces & Hotels , a collection of eleven city and resort hotels in Syria and Jordan and soon Algeria. Royal Regency International Hotels is also part of the Cham Group with its properties in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Marsa Allam in Egypt and Minsk.

Egyptian rescue for Swiss village?

Andermatt, a sleepy village in the Uri canton of Switzerland perhaps best known for producing the champion Olympic skier Bernard Russi, commands a strategic post in the Alps. Three passes--Oberalp, Furka and the famous St. Gotthard--all meet in Andermatt's bucolic valley 4,737 feet above sea level, historically a mountainous choke point for travelers trying to cut through the Alps en route from Italy to Germany or vice versa.

But now this peaceful Swiss village is moving up two ranks to the same level as St.Moritz, Gstaad or Zermatt, thanks to Samih Sawiris, worth $1.5 billion. He runs Orascom Hotels & Development, one of the Egyptian family's companies, which built from scratch the 2,500-bed El Gouna resort on the Red Sea.

Doubling the town's hotel room inventory, he'd make it big enough to attract tour operators and then add an ice rink, a golf course and an indoor pool with its own beach. He'd quickly follow up with 600 apartments and 100 villas. Let's hope it will work out the way the entire village and valley thinks.

Welcome to Switzerland, Alpine Pharao!