International.org. Holland. Find out why Holland should be your next MICE destination

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1 eeting Dit document wordt u aangeboden door: International.org Business Destination Holland Volume 1 - nr MeetingInternational.org XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX klik hier voor meer artikelen Holland Find out why Holland should be your next MICE destination O Meeting Planner, where art Thou? - Let s go Dutch - Why meet in Holland? - What about my partner? - Label me Green EW

2 PEOPLE 20 MEETING ROOMS 14 BANQUETING ROOMS 1 THEATRE 2 RESTAURANTS 3 BARS 254 HOTEL ROOMS 48 BUSINESS BOARD ROOMS 600 PARKING PLACES TOURS ON BOARD DE ROTTERDAM Want to organise an inspiring meeting? Is your organisation celebrating an anniversary? Do you want to introduce a new product or organise a staff party? And looking for a suitable location for this? De Rotterdam offers numerous possibilities. Professional or festive, relaxed or informative. For ten people, or for a thousand or more. But always in the unparalleled atmosphere and ambiance of a luxury cruise liner. UPPER PROMENADE DECK QUEEN S LOUNGE SMOKING ROOM GRAND BALLROOM THEATRE TROPIC BAR AMBASSADOR LOUNGE LA FONTAINE ROOM 3E KATENDRECHTSEHOOFD AM ROTTERDAM THE NETHERLANDS T INFO@ONBOARDONSHORE.NL

3 Preface Meeting Welcome The Dutch periodical Meeting Magazine.nl has existed for more than five years. So far, this magazine about the MICE market has only been published in Dutch but we learned from many international relations that they were a bit disappointed that they could not read the articles. This made us decide to publish an extra magazine especially for the IMEX Frankfurt trade fair, in English. Later this year volume 2 will be published for the EIBTM Barcelona trade fair. But, being Dutch, we also chose to use just one theme in this Meeting International magazine: the Netherlands. Without being all too chauvinistic, we claim that we have a great deal to offer the meeting planner - and his clients. In our small country by the sea, we have a lot of fabulous cities and unique country sides, as well as very hospitable people who speak their languages. In this magazine, you can find presentations and advertisements of cities, regions, events and hotels, as well as informative articles on the Netherlands, marketing and other issues. Of course, we could have said a great deal more about our country and why you should definitely consider one of our locations or venues as a destination for your convention, meeting or exhibition. But then, the magazine would become a large and heavy book. You do not have to make an in-depth study of our country, history, habits or industry. If you are really interested, we can tell you all the facts and figures. For now, it is sufficient for you to get a good impression of the possibilities and opportunities we have to offer. We hope you enjoy reading this magazine and that it gives you some ideas for your next meeting, event or convention. You can be sure of one thing: you are always welcome in our country. MeetingInternational.org 3

4 6 Coverstory: O Meeting Planner, where art Thou? In our quest for international meeting planners we always wonder where to find them. As the destination marketing organisation for the brand Holland we are very likely not the only ones who ask ourselves this question. 10 The Nederlands: conventions country The wide variety, the high level of education and the open culture make the Netherlands the ideal destination for international conventions. PCO Jeannette van Namen of JvN Congres Management highlights the advantages of the Netherlands as a convention country. We love to meet. It is what we do. Eric Bakermans, page 6 14 Accessible and compact The city of Amsterdam is a national and international junction. The main airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, is considered one of the best in the world and is just a 15-minute journey from the city centre. Amsterdam s compact geography makes for outstanding public transport service and means that most facilities and sights are within walking distance of one another. Amsterdam s network of canals offers the unique opportunity to navigate the city via the water. 32 Utrecht: has it all! a central location, easily reachable and a wide diversity of business venues: conference city Utrecht has it all. The recently established Utrecht Convention Bureau (UCB) is making an effort to promote the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands as well as abroad. 40 Welcome to the Floriade 2012 In 2012 the city and region of Venlo, in the province of Limburg in the southeast of the Netherlands, will be the stage of the tenannual World Horticultural Expo. Already the direction of the Floriade 2012 has gathered national and international participants who will present a pavilion with traditions and latest innovations on horticulture MeetingInternational.org

5 Contents Meeting Volume 1, number van munster m e d i a g r o e p A publication of MVM Producties b.v. Postbus GD Nijmegen Kerkenbos 12-26c 6546 BE Nijmegen t: f: PuBLIsher: Michael van Munster Printing: Bouwmans & Verhagen, Heijen Editor IN CHIEF Astrid Enderman MA astrid@vanmunstermedia.nl Editors Sofie Fest MA Hans Hooft Layout Joost Franken Advertisements Ruben Jansen ruben@vanmunstermedia.nl Jordey de Joode jordey@vanmunstermedia.nl This magazine is a special edition of Meeting Magazine.nl. The copyright of all articles published in this magazine rests with the publisher. Although the greatest care was given to the accurateness of the information in this publication and checked where possible, the publisher and the editors explicitly contest any liability for any incorrectness or incompleteness of the information provided. 42 A sea of delight a nice stroll on the beach in the break of an inspiring workshop or a walk through the attractive village centre to pep yourself up for the next meeting, a body massage after a busy day of conferencing, anything is possible at the Hotel Zuiderduin in the village of Egmond aan Zee. 48 The best of two worlds Noord-Brabant is a Dutch province that has been praised in word and song by many a poet and singer because of its beautiful landscapes, easy-going inhabitants and in this day and age almost unique hospitality. All these qualities also apply to Conference center De Ruwenberg and Conference Hotel Kapellerput. 52 Hotel Groep Texel Hotel Groep Texel consists of two classy hotels on the Wadden island of Texel. Every lover of 52 life, island lover or business guest feels at home here. Is it because of the modern facilities? The spacious rooms with a touch of wellness? Or the restaurants with their creative gourmet menus? We like to think it is the combination of quality and hospitality. Also in this magazine 9 Why meet in Holland? - NBTC 16 Heineken Experience 18 Novotel Amsterdam 19 Great meeting, but what about my partner? 20 InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam 22 Green Key - sustainability 24 Welcome to the Arnhem Nijmegen region 27 South-East Brabant 38 Key facts on the Netherlands 39 Meet in Maastricht 46 Marketing destination 56 let s go Dutch MeetingInternational.org 5

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7 Introduction Meeting Meeting Planner, where art Thou? In our quest for international meeting planners we always wonder where to find them. As the destination marketing organisation for the brand Holland we are very likely not the only ones who ask ourselves this question. Communication to the individual consumer is fundamentally different from the message to the planners of business events in the broadest sense of the word. But one thing is the same. We all want a successful business event. What destination is capable of making this wish come true? And how should we communicate to the planner in question? We love to meet. It is what we do. We literally want to shake hands. We want to experience the ambience first-hand. It is the beginning and the end of a process of which the actual meeting is the highlight. The destination is the backdrop against which this meeting is held. The destination supplies all the ingredients to make meetings a success. Is this possibly the reason why the major IMEX and EIBTM trade shows in Europe welcome ever increasing numbers of visitors? Planning business meetings is a profession. The required quality and professionalism can only be gained through experience. What may be the core task for one person, may be an additional task for someone else, on top of all his or her other projects. A business event planner can work as an intermediary, or can be an in-company employee. The source country of a business event planner does not necessarily have any consequences for the visitor flows from a certain country Which is exactly the often-used criterion for the level of marketing communication investment in a certain country. Are you still with me? These are the types of questions that organisations like ours have to ask ourselves. And, yes, of course, we know where are main market is But what communication mix is the most effective one? The business event planner struggles with similar questions. How does my event fit into the marcom strategy? What is my message? Expectations And how does a destination fit into this? To what degree can the destination understand the needs of the business events planner, and what expectations does the planner have of the destination? When doing the acquisition for a convention on primates (a species of mammals that includes apes and half-apes) I met with the managing director of a major zoo. When I asked him whether he would be interested in organising the convention in Holland, he said I would like to, however, apes do not live in the wild in Holland, even though you might think they do. We laughed, and decided that I would have to find a type of convention more suitable for Holland. What works best? As mentioned before, we, the planners and suppliers, really enjoy meeting others. At a trade show, for instance, or during a fam trip. We organise those too, because we know that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. But how does the message make a lasting impression? By schlepping our invited buyers/planners from one venue to the next? This is the mini bar, we have meeting rooms, isn t this a lovely view? No, we opted for something completely different. Different, but without losing sight of your interests and needs as a planner, and while still maintaining the brand value of Holland. We developed a great programme for our guests, our invited planners, after the IMEX Frankfurt. We showed that we take CSR MeetingInternational.org 7

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9 Introduction Meeting Why meet in Holland? Holland may be small in size, but that also makes it a very compact country, offering more possibilities per square kilometre than you can find anywhere else in the world! But there are more reasons why Holland is such a fantastic destination for your next event. Here are the top 10: 1. Easily accessible One of the reasons for the country s accessibility is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This airport offers excellent connections to local, regional and international airports. In addition, public transport is well organised and offers a good alternative to travelling by car within the Netherlands. The European high-speed railway network will make Holland even more accessible in the near future. 2. Compact A small country like the Netherlands facilitates quick and easy access to wherever you want to go. You will not lose any valuable convention time travelling long distances. What s more, Holland s public transport system and road networks are reliable and efficient. 3. Convention infrastructure The Netherlands offers a wide range of restaurants and hotel accommodations, from pleasant budget hotels to five-star accommodations. As a small country with centuries of experience in international relations, the Netherlands boast an excellent convention infrastructure. 4. International outlook Holland has always been known as a tolerant country with an international outlook. This is a great advantage for an international convention or meeting. In addition, the majority of the Dutch speak excellent English and often can communicate effectively in another foreign language. 5. Professional organisers Thanks to their ample experience in organising conventions, you may rely fully on our professionals for the organization of your international convention or meeting. The Dutch organisers are friendly, pragmatic and decisive. 6. Stable economic and political climate Holland enjoys a very stable economic and political climate. This allows you to organise a convention without any risks. 7. State-of-the-art ICT infrastructure Holland boasts efficient, multifunctional convention centres equipped with state-of-the-art communication and audio-visual facilities. 8. Culture and entertainment The Dutch cities offer a wide selection of concerts, museums, theatre shows and dance performances, as well as other types of entertainment. There is more than enough to choose from, ensuring an enjoyable social programme. 9. Price/quality ratio The price/quality ratio of products and services is excellent. Moreover, foreign visitors may be refunded the 19% VAT they have paid for certain services and products. 10. Service and hospitality The Dutch welcome their foreign guests with open arms. We are known for our enthusiasm to ensure that international visitors enjoy their stay. seriously, while providing inspiration. How? By spending an afternoon in a home for the elderly in the heart of Amsterdam and having coffee with the residents, by playing a board game with them, or just having a chat as a part of the introduction programme. Power of repetition If you have already organised your international business event in Holland, we suggest you do it again! After all, you know the ins and outs, and you have experienced that within easy reach and great accessibility are not just empty promises. Tell me, what is the best advertising for a product or service? When someone you know, someone with the same business interests, gives you a glowing testimonial on that product or service! No campaign can ever beat this! We have to be present in the market, preferably a live presence. We must stand out from the competition. We must listen to you, the meeting planner. Oh Meeting Planner, where art Thou? Well, right now you are reading this article. Which is a good start to discover or rediscover that our country is the perfect destination for your business event! I hope you do good business here at IMEX The Holland Meeting Point welcomes you. On behalf of all Dutch delegates I hope to meet you there, or in Holland itself! Eric Bakermans Marketing Manager Meetings & Conventions Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions MeetingInternational.org 9

10 The Netherlands: conference country The wide variety, the high level of education and the open culture make the Netherlands the ideal destination for international conferences. PCO Jeannette van Namen of JvN Congres Management highlights the advantages of the Netherlands as a meeting country. As Professional Conference Organizer it is no problem at all for me to make it clear to you as initiator or organizer of a conference or business event why you should opt for the Netherlands as venue. Based on my many years of experience as a PCO as well as delegate to a conference, I know how important it is for an international event to take place at an inspiring location in a very interesting country. I can assure you that the Netherlands, with its beautiful cities and excellent meeting facilities, offers a great deal of added value. It is not for nothing that the Netherlands is always up there in the top 10 of meeting countries. Face to face Sharing and imparting knowledge, meeting colleagues, make new contacts: these items remain essential parts of a conference. In spite of all modern communication technologies the need for face to face contact remains. The structure and organization of a conference or business event starts with a good, thorough preparation. Who is the target group? What are the goals you wish to achieve as initiator? Is it a one-off event or does the event have a rich history? Is it an association conference, a corporate event or a governmental meeting? Which type of location makes the best match with your conference and the various target groups? And is it advisable to engage a professional in the organization? Of course, a reasonable budget is the basis of a good meeting. A budget drawn up by a professional, who can make an educated estimate of the financial pitfalls. How much sponsoring is necessary? Should there be a commercial exhibition? Which insurances should be taken out? These are all questions you not only ask, but to which you would like to have an answer. Certainly before you make a definite choice for the location. Will it be a hotel, a conference hotel or a meeting centre? Or maybe something completely different? A lot of options and variations A crucial role is played by the choice of city and location. Now, my Dutch heart starts beating faster. Why the Netherlands? We have wonderful cities with historic city centres, but also modern, world-renowned museums, great art and culture, internationally praised orchestras, a great deal of water (lakes, rivers, pools, canals) and a wide variety of landscapes, all this on a quite limited surface. Many of the Dutch people speak at least English or some other foreign language. We have excellent meeting facilities in all categories. The Netherland are very accessible. Schiphol Airport still belongs to the airports with the most international connections. We have an extensive network of good roads and public transport between and in all urban areas. But transport by boat, bus or bicycle is also possible. Because of the small size of our country, many cities and meeting facilities are easy and quickly to reach. Popping over to an other city to meet with a colleague, visit a museum or to enjoy a concert? Catching some sea breeze, taking a walk through the woods or sail- 10 MeetingInternational.org

11 Conferences Meeting ing on beautiful lakes? No problem, the travelling time is always short. The Netherlands also has a very diverse night life, festivals, modern and classical concerts and great gourmet restaurants with cuisines from all over the world. Our country simply offers a host of possibilities on a compact area. For conference delegates, this makes it pleasant to make up a customized, individual itinerary, next to or during the official meeting programme. In short, there is a lot to enjoy, even for the discerning conference participant who thinks he has seen it all. Sustainability For us as professionals in the meeting sector green and corporate social responsibility also play an important role. Organizing in a sustainable manner in durable conference locations is common practice for us. Attention for man, environment and nature we consider of the utmost importance. For instance, we pay a great deal of attention to durable, healthy, often biologic catering, aimed at the international and individual wishes of the guest. The Netherlands count a large number of professionals whose daily job it is to shape and organize international meetings. Taking specific wishes into account is our second nature. We always think in solutions, not in problems. This applies to PCOs, caterers, chefs, hotel teams, staff at meeting locations, technicians, audiovisual companies, layout staff, web designers, other suppliers etc. In short: for everyone concerned with the organization of your conference. Creating contentment The organizing of international conferences is becoming more and more customized. The delegate of today travels a great deal, regularly attends meetings all over the world or organizes these himself. He or she must get a feeling of contentment: to be there at the right moment at a successful conference, where interesting and promising contacts are made. He or she wants to be at the right place, in the right venue, in an exciting city, in an inspiring country. We, the professionals of JvN Congres Management, would love to create this feeling for your conference and your delegates. On the basis of 25 years experience. For this, the Netherlands forms the perfect stage, whoever your target group is, whichever goals you wish to realize. We would love to help you to organize a successful meeting or great event in the Netherlands. Jeannette van Namen JvN Congres Management info@jvncongress.nl The convention center of Bel Air Hotel The Hague MeetingInternational.org 11

12 STAY MEET RELAX ENJOY If you re looking for a location in inspiring surroundings with excellent accessibility and personal service, and all of this at competitive prices, then Fletcher Hotels is the perfect choice! Our 3-star and 4-star hotels are located throughout the country, which means that you can hold your business meetings wherever you choose. All of our hotels are in beautiful and inspiring surroundings where you can meet and spend the night without any disturbances or make use of our diverse teambuilding and outdoor activities. We emphasise hospitality and personal service, and taking care of your cares is our motto! We offer you one contact person, one price and one great deal! A list of the business advantages we can offer you: Hotels in unique locations Inspiring surroundings Located throughout the country Tastefully decorated and enjoyable hotels Personal service Competitive prices Excellent catering Can be reserved exclusively for you and your guests Easily accessible Ample (free) parking Suitable for small and large groups Modern facilities for meetings One contact person who can provide you with all the necessary advice Outdoor and teambuilding activities Free WIFI POPULAIRSTE HOTELKETEN FLETCHER H O T E L S If you have a question or would like us to make you an offer, phone our national Sales Department at +31 (0) or send a mail to zakelijk@fletcher.nl

13 Business class at Economy prices SAVE AT LEAST 10% ON YOUR BUSINESS EVENTS Zeegse Drenthe 04 Roermond Limburg 05 Noordwijk Zuid-Holland 06 Fletcher Hotels is well known for its unique hotels and competitive prices. Our business guests profi t from these excellent prices for both accommodation and meeting arrangements. We guarantee that Fletcher Hotels is at least 10% less expensive than your present partner! Oisterwijk Noord-Brabant Vierhouten Gelderland Roden Drenthe Fletcher Hotels is the perfect address for all of your: SAVE AT LEAST 10% accommodation congresses daytime meetings trade fairs extended meetings receptions Kerkrade Limburg Wassenaar Zuid Holland Heiloo Noord-Holland training sessions product presentations parties for personnel lunches and diners In addition to offering suitable locations for all of your business events at competitive prices, Fletcher Hotels is also concerned about the environment. We are therefore soon going to work in accordance with the Green Key Sluis Zeeland Lochem Gelderland Leeuwarden Friesland guidelines. This is the international ecolabel for environmentally friendly tourism and leisure establishments Huizen Noord-Holland Exloo Drenthe Berg en Dal Gelderland COMPLETELY NEW RENOVATED NEW FROM 1ST OF JULY Westkapelle Zeeland Lekkerkerk Zuid-Holland

14 Accessible and compact The city of Amsterdam is a national and international junction. The main airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, is considered one of the best in the world and is just a 15-minute journey from the city centre. Amsterdam s compact geography makes for outstanding public transport service and means that most facilities and sights are within walking distance of one another. Amsterdam s network of canals offers the unique opportunity to navigate the city via the water. Amsterdam receives consistently high marks on the annual European Cities Monitor, a survey of the region s best cities for business. Perhaps that is why companies including Philips, ING and Royal Ahold have established their global headquarters here, and dozens more multinationals have set up operations in the city. Several award-winning advertising and design firms call Amsterdam home because of its ability to attract creative people. And what is more, the city ranks among the world s top ten most preferred conference locations. With the ambience of a village, the cultural clout of the world s biggest cities, a conveniently compact size and excellent infrastructure, doing business in Amsterdam is a pleasure. Culture and conference Amsterdam annually attracts a wide range of conferences. Especially the visitors of scientific conferences where knowledge is shared, are interested in culture. The Amsterdams Uitburo (AUB) and Amsterdam Toerisme & Congres Bureau (ATCB) work closely together to supply the conference delegate with a fitting cultural offer of various performances and exhibitions. Amsterdam has the highest number of cultural institutions per square meter in comparison with other international cities. With the greatest possible care, AUB has compiled a many-faceted cultural programme that will be promoted around a number of preselected conferences. The most important criterion is that for attending a performance it is not necessary to be able to understand Dutch. In its turn, ATCB has found a number of convention organisations willing to collaborate in the project. Various promotional means are used to extra highlight the offer of cultural events. On the convention organisation s website, for instance, space is reserved for promotion. Investment in international conventions In order to promote the Amsterdam region as a venue for international conventions, several projects were set up. The Clusters en Congressen in de Metropool Amsterdam project is a strategy to make a new and proactive approach to the convention market. ATCB will be executing the project in collaboration with Amsterdam RAI and Amsterdam in Business. The project is mainly about new activities, and is a new impulse for business travel and an addition to existing projects. There is already, for instance, the project MICE Meets Metropolis (MMM), which ATCB executes in collaboration with Utrecht Recreatie & Toerisme. This project aims to promote the use of orginal locations and services in the Amsterdam region which, until now, have remained hidden for the international visitor. MICE Meets Metropolis is supported by 6 municipalities, 2 provinces and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs; its working territory is the Metropolis of Amsterdam and the province of Utrecht. As a result, the offer has become much more diverse and includes an old warehouse or a 14 MeetingInternational.org

15 City Meeting country mansion for meetings, sights like historic battlements or mills, but also activities like racing with power boats or scooter trips. By now, about 75 meeting planners have been made acquainted with these hidden treasures. For more information, visit: A few examples of new venues in the Amsterdam region: Eden Amsterdam Manor Hotel Around July 2011, the Eden Hotel Group will be opening its new, four-star Eden Amsterdam Manor Hotel. The monumental building has been returned to its original state, with trendy interiors and luxurious facilities. The hotel has 125 unique rooms, all fitted with all the modern conveniences. On the ground floor there is an Italian trattoria with a terrace where one can enjoy delicious, traditional Italian dishes. The hotel also has a cosy lounge bar for coffee and/or cocktails. Mint Hotel Amsterdam The stunning four-star, 553 room hotel occupies a prime position overlooking the IJ River on Oosterdoksstraat at the heart of the city - a mere five-minute walk from Central Station and 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport. Mint Hotel Amsterdam offers guests quality accommodation that perfectly engages with its historic surroundings and blends seamlessly with the enigmatic City of Amsterdam. All the guestrooms and suites are modern and comfortable, providing ample space for work or relaxation with some even offering balconies or outdoor terrace space. Guests have a choice of three great lounge bars. Mint Hotel Amsterdam can accommodate private dinners & events from 20 to over 200 people. The meeting and events spaces make the most of the clever design of the property, some on the top floor with superb views, private terraces and access to the roof garden. The first floor is completely dedicated to event spaces with floor to ceiling windows, fully flexible rooms and an elegant breakout gallery. All of these rooms have state of the art audio, visual and telecommunications equipment, complimentary imac with video conferencing and a full business service. Het Scheepvaartmuseum De opening festivities of Het Scheepvaartmuseum (the shipping museum) in Amsterdam will take place in the last week of September In the spring, the building s renovation will be completed and the museum will start putting the exhibitions in order again. According to the general manager, visitors will be surprised by the special new way of showing the artefacts. MeetingInternational.org 15

16 Heineken Experience Inspired meetings in the heart of Amsterdam The Heineken brewery puts a great deal of enthousiasm and dedication in producing its premium quality beer. The company puts the same commitment in the organisation of the Heineken Experience: meetings and events for the business market in the very heart of the city of Amsterdam. According to Heineken marketing and sales manager Luc Curvers, the effectiveness of a meeting is optimal when the idea behind it agrees with the philosophy behind the beer brand. Curvers has worked for the Heineken organisation since March During the various networking parties, he discovered that there were very few external organsiations that made use of the meeting rooms in the Heineken Experience. He decided to take action. The first step was to construct a new website, Curvers explains. Next, we had to let meeting planners, event organising agencies and PCOs know what we have to offer here. The reactions of our guests are all unanimous: a unique spot in the center of Amsterdam from where you have a fantastic view of the city, but can enjoy peace and quite because you are far above the hustle andbustle of this dynamic city. Nostalgia and grandeur The entire venue breathes Heineken, you take in the brand with all your senses. For visiting companies it is always a revelation when they find a match with this feeling. I am well aware of the fact that what we organise, must agree 16 MeetingInternational.org

17 Location Meeting All conference rooms that can be used for business meetings have, in the past, actually had a function in the brewery process. Meeting International lists them for you. Koelschip The koelschip (cooling vessel) is situated at the highest point of the brewery, 30 meters above the ground floor. Until the late fifties of the last century, the koelschip played an important role in the brewing process. From the wort kettle in the mash house the boiling wort was pumped upwards to the koelschip in two cooling vessels of each 18 meters long, 8 meters wide and 45 cm deep. Here, the temperature was reduced in about two hours from 100 degrees Celsius to about 45 degrees. The cooling process was simple: the shutters and windows were opened wide. In the sixties, this open system was prohibited for reasons of hygiene. Heineken then had to install a closed-circuit cooling system using heat exchangers. The koelschip was then transformed into a reception room. Molenzolder (mill loft) This was where the grinder was located. Here the malt grain was crushed and ground to a rough barley flour, grist. This grist was dumped down into the day silos in the space over the brewery house. From there, the grist went into the mash tub together with water to be brewed into beer. Moutzolder (malt loft) The malt loft is situated between the old malt silos. In the brewery there were 22 malt silos with a height of 20 meters in which the malt was stored before it was ground into grist. Apart from water, grist is the main ingredient for beer. Hopzolder (hop loft) In the hop loft the dried hop was stored, packed into large hopsack bags. with the philosophy of this location. As a part of the old brewery, the nostalgia, the authentic character. But also the grandeur of the international name and fame the beer brand boasts. Corporate guests can find connections with this, that concur with the essence of the meeting. It will only add force to the conference. We like to keep the Heineken image intact. In the meeting rooms our brand presence is minimal, by the way. That way, there is always room for promoting the identity of the guest company. At the Heineken Experience, the focus lies on the individual because it is all about how a visitor or delegate experiences a meeting. The Heineken organisation also pays a great deal of attention to the staff; image, hospitality and enthousiasm are key qualities. The aspect of brand experience, which is very much present at the Experience, never fails to have an impact on the staff itself. Each and everyone of the staff members is an ambassador for the brand, and for the visitors as well as the business guests a pleasant and essential part of the experience. For the realisation of the events Heineken Experience collaborates with a number of preferred caterers who all have their own specialities. The reason why we have chosen for this way of working is that now, we can offer our clients a concept that perfectly matches their wishes, says Curvers. Take, for instance, our beer menu, the perfect combination of learning about beer in the tour and directy after, dinner with beer. But come and experience that for yourself! heinekenexperience.com/meeting-and-events info.experience@heineken.com MeetingInternational.org 17

18 Meeting Location Novotel Amsterdam City Its melting-pot of cultures makes Amsterdam an inspiring environment for many international companies and institutions. As a business destination, Amsterdam occupies a leading position as one of the most important international conference cities. With its conference centre, its 610 rooms and its restaurants, Novotel Amsterdam City is the only 4-star hotel in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam area where 450 guests can meet, eat and sleep at the same location. Novotel Amsterdam City stands next to the Amsterdam RAI exhibition centre on the Zuidas Amsterdam s new commercial centre. From the RAI railway station, which is within walking distance of the hotel, you can get to the centre of Amsterdam and Schiphol Amsterdam Airport by public transport in less than 15 minutes. There is paid parking in the hotel car park or at the Q-parking opposite the hotel. Lobby As soon as you arrive at the hotel, you feel welcome. Individual reception desks provide a personal service and you can also check in at the self-service counters without the help of a receptionist. There are comfortable seats in the elegant lobby where you can relax and in the imac corner you can make free use of the computers and the Internet. Sleeping Our rooms are light and airy, modern, spacious and furnished with warm colours and fabrics. A perfect place to relax after a busy day. The rooms are notable for their modern style with an extra-long bed, fully equipped bathroom and comfortable sofa. All rooms have wireless and fixed Internet connections and a work-corner with a swivelling desk so that you can work facing the window. In addition to this, there are blackout curtains, coffee and tea-making facilities, a safe, minibar and international TV channels Meeting The conference centre, with 17 rooms, break-out rooms and a business centre can accommodate no less than 1,000 people. In fact, it s so big that it can even be used to present a new car. With Meeting@Novotel, Novotel Amsterdam City anticipates all your business need with a tailor-made service for meetings. Creative breaks and varied, healthy meals provide new energy just what you need for an efficient, successful meeting. Eating, drinking & relaxing The colourful restaurants at Novotel Amsterdam City have various eating and drinking options that are perfect for formal or informal dining with a few fellow guests or in a large group. In the kitchen, the emphasis is on fresh seasonal products. TV-dining is a new concept. At a table with its own flat-screen TV, you can enjoy a delicious meal while you watch television. In the elegant bar, small dishes such as sushi are served to complement the drinks. In the summer months, the terrace is a great place to enjoy a refreshing drink or a delicious alfresco meal. Fitness facilities and a sauna make your stay even more pleasant. 18 MeetingInternational.org

19 Partner programme Meeting Great meeting, but what about my partner? The various organising agencies are always very concerned about the comfort and facilities they can offer their clients and the delegates. But particularly when the event covers more than two days - quite standard practice when international meetings are concerned - the delegates wish to bring their partners for various reasons. The trend in organising events is to offer parallel programmes for the delegates partners. The trick is to make both parties happy. Some agencies are more successful in realising this than others. For an international meeting, conference or other type of event, the arrangements made for the delegates are usually laid down in a scenario, a plan of action. This covers everything, from sending the invitations to arranging transport to and from the hotels to the venue. But in the case when the delegates partners wish to accompany their husbands or wives, they are often left to fend for themselves. Fortunately, the Netherlands have a great deal to offer these partners. One of the great advantages of living in a small country is that things are well organised - they have to be in order to make activities and movement possible. The Netherlands have an excellent infrastructure and public transport systems (railway, bus, tram, ferry, even boat taxis). And another advantage of being a small country is that everything is close by. From the northernmost part of the country (the province of Groningen) to the southernmost part (the South Limburg region), it is just 350 kilometers as the crow flies. Whatever meeting venue or conference location is selected to hold a convention, there is always an interesting tourist attraction nearby. When, for instance, the meeting takes place in the city of Amsterdam, there is an abundance of nice locations, museums and other locations to visit, just around the corner. And not just in the city itself, but also in nearby other cities. The same goes for cities like Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven, to name just a few. Even when meeting on an island (for instance the island of Texel), there are lots of opportunities for daytrips or amusement on the island itself - as well as on the mainland, the ferry trip takes just half an hour. Even if the delegate wants to take the whole family, there are lots of possibilities to make the trip interesting (or memorable) for the children as well. Holland has many amusement parks, from carnival-like parks to theme parks like the world-renowned fairytale park of the Efteling. Whether it is the responsibility of the meeting organisers or the delegates partners themselve to arrange for entertainment is open for discussion, but fact is that in Holland there is a very large number of possibilities. So delegates can do their partners a great favour by taking them with them to a convention in the Netherlands. MeetingInternational.org 19

20 The InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam Grande Dame Since the opening in 1867 the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam has been celebrated as the most beautiful and luxurious hotel in the Netherlands and ranks with the best hotels in the world. The stately hotel elegantly dominates a quiet, though central section of the Amstel River bank and is within walking distance of the famous Dutch canals. The original 111 rooms were converted in 1992 to create 79 larger luxury suites and executive rooms. There is a Royal Suite, a complete apartment with lounge, dining room seating 8, kitchen, hall, two bathrooms and two separate bedrooms, each with a bath and two duplex suites offer stunning views over the old city of Amsterdam. The ambience, in all of the 79 executive rooms and suites, breathes the grace and elegance reminiscent of a grand European estate. Each luxury suite and executive room is perfectly suited for business or pleasure and is fully air-conditioned. All rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art flatscreen televisions with an in-house entertainment system with all (inter) national channels, a large range of movies, DVD-player, docking station for ipods and other modern features. The hotel is equipped with wireless Internet access in all rooms and suites as well as in the public areas. The marble bathrooms are fitted with a separate toilet and a separate shower stall whose giant, gushing showerhead stimulates the relaxing effect of a natural waterfall. Limousine and Boat Service The Amstel can offer an exclusive fleet of chauffeur driven limousines, which are always available for airport transfers and personally guided tours. Guests wishing to come to the Amstel hotel by car may take advantage of the secured and valet parking service, which is offered at a nominal charge. As the Amstel enjoys a special location on the riverside, three authentic canal boats are available to guests wishing to tour the beautiful and renowned canals of Amsterdam. The Amstel can cater for a cocktail party, light lunch or dinner upon request. 20 MeetingInternational.org

21 Location Meeting Additionally, all rooms have been installed with state-of-theart audio-visual and telecommunication equipment. Guests can enjoy a newly fitted, modern business centre. Dining at the Amstel La Rive The restaurant La Rive, a Michelin Star awarded restaurant, has long been one of the country s most renowned restaurants serving à la Carte delicacies in a club atmosphere. It can seat 80 guests, including the spectacular Wine Room (maximum of sixteen guests) where 1,250 grand vintages are kept. A lunch or dinner in La Rive is the culinary experience, connoisseurs expect in the world s finest restaurants. Every dish is an individual creation prepared by Executive Chef Rogér Rassin and his team. Classical in the best French tradition, but taking into account the current preference for light and healthy eating. Breakfast in La Rive, the Amstel Lounge, the Health Club (poolside), or in your room, is truly world class. Amstel Bar & Brasserie Inspired by the passing parade of sailboats, water taxis, rowboats and sloops, the Amstel Bar & Brasserie is a charming venue of casual, nautical elegance. This cosy restaurant evokes warmth with rich, wood-panelled walls and blue leather seating, while floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views of the river below. In summertime the terrace of the Amstel Bar & Brasserie opens overlooking the Amstel River, where the Mediterranean feeling comes to life. The seasonal menu features unpretentious, medium size dishes, making the Amstel Bar & Brasserie a perfect spot for a laid-back lunch, dinner or evening drinks. Experience the unique combination of our new food concept and live cooking, where you are able to witness the skills of our chefs and where the dishes are freshly prepared and presented. Amstel Lounge The Amstel Lounge and its terrace, with impressive views across the river, offers light meals throughout the day, an outstanding afternoon tea and the best cappuccino in town. Banquet and Conference Rooms The elegant décor and rich traditional character of the six banqueting suites have made the Amstel the premier meeting place for Amsterdam s smartest and most elegant business and social gatherings. The Amstel s from boardroom to ballroom concept offers the perfect option for meetings for up to 180 guests, receptions for 350, dinner and cocktails for 175, or an intimate lunch for 10. The spectacular Spiegelzaal (Mirror Room) reflects all the elegance of Amsterdam s most famous ballroom. All six banqueting suites enjoy natural daylight and many also offer stunning views over the Amstel River. Amstel Health & Fitness Club The Amstel Hotel has long been associated with health and vitality. As early as 1870, doctor John Mezger introduced medical gymnastic exercises and massage to the hotel. His reputation reached European royalty and aristocracy, who came to stay specially to make use of his services. Guests can relax in the fully equipped Health & Fitness Club with its large 15 meter heated indoor pool located at the river level with a beautiful view of historical bridges, whirlpool (Jacuzzi), sauna, fitness studio, Turkish bath and solarium. Professional masseurs and trainers are at guests disposal. A designated lift carries guests from the hotel area to the Health & Fitness Club. MeetingInternational.org 21

22 Green key as a durability benchmark Label me Green The Green Key, the former Milieubarometer (Environmental barometer), has by now been accepted as the leading international quality mark for companies in the tourist and recreational sector that are seriously and verifiably active in embedding care for the environment in their business processes. Within these Green Key holding organisations the staff is aware of their responsibility towards the environment and nature, without, however, compromising on comfort and quality. The Green Key is a guarantee that the entrepreneur makes an effort to be more durable than the rules and regulations demand from him. Green Key is one of the programmes of the international organisation Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The objective of the Green Key is the reduction of the CO2-footstep of companies by cutting down on the use of gas, water and electricity and reducing the amount of waste produced. When a company is awarded a Green Key, this is proof that it wants to communicate an environmental-conscious image to the guests, governments and business relations. Within as well as outside the European borders, more and more companies can boast a Green Key. Companies that wish to be eligible for this green label for instance hotels, convention centers and event locations, but also amusement parks and beach pavilions must comply with a number of environmental conditions. Apart from a number of mandatory measures, there is an additional list of measures from which they can make a choice. The number of applied optional measures determines the level of the Green Key: bronze, silver or gold. Once obtained, the company will have to keep on proving its commitment: the quality mark is valid for only one year. Criteria The tourist and recreational sector knows various types of organisations, each having their own target group and speciality. For that reason, the Dutch Stichting Keurmerk Milieu, Veiligheid en Kwaliteit (KMVK, foundation quality brand environment, safety and quality), responsible for the awarding of the Green Key qualifications in the Netherlands, developed a customised Green Key programma for different organisations. Each company must meet twelve criteria (see box). If all these criteria are met, the KMVK will decide to award the company in question a Green Key. To ensure that a company will keep on complying with the Green key conditions, the KMVK performs a physical and administrative audit. Every other year, the companies are checked independently. Inspectors from the KMVK foundation check whether the companies still meet the criteria, but also give out advice. In the other, non-audit year the foundation requests the participating companies to supply information like KPIs on energy. If and when the criteria are met, a Green Key is awarded with a one-year validity. Advantages When the entrepreneur is allowed to display the Green Key, this is proof for the guests that the company featuring the quality mark is committed to the care for the environment, that durability is an active issue in the business processes and that the company is taking measures to actually realise this. As a result of the audits, the company management remains focused on ways to further improve on his or her sustainability efforts and the company is closely monitored. Globally, more than 1,200 companies in 18 countries are now connected to the Green Key international quality mark. In the Netherlands, the amount of qualified accommodations reached the number of 300 in October MeetingInternational.org

23 Sustainability Meeting Criteria for the awarding of a Green Key The twelve basic criteria each company has to meet in order to qualify for a Green Key award can be summed up in a number of key words with a short description of its implications: - Durability management (environmental reporting, rules, regulations and legal obligations, sustainability policy declaration), - Environmental-conscious management and staff (consultation, training staff), - Communication with guests (information regarding sustainability to guests, handling laundry like towels, linen ware), - Water (water saving showers, wash basins, toilet, swimming pool), - Cleaning (detergents/apparatus used, dispensers), - Waste (separate collection of types of waste), - Energy (lighting, air conditioning, measures taken to prevent draught, applying green electricity, use of durable energy sources, central cooling), - Food and drink (offer, packaging), - Green and space (site management, greenkeeping), - Environment-conscious transport (transport management), - Company facilities and suppliers (volume packaging, routing system, use of paper that has less impact on the environment, less paper, sustainable building methods as well as materials during renovations or developing of new buildings, environment-friendly painting) - Bonus standards (additional durability measures). MeetingInternational.org 23

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25 Region Meeting Welcome to the Arnhem Nijmegen region! You may already have heard of the towns of Arnhem and Nijmegen, either because of their abundance of shops, cafés and restaurants or because of their exceptional places of interest such as the GelreDome, Museum Het Valkhof and Burgers Zoo. But did you know that, in addition to these tourist attractions, the Arnhem Nijmegen region has a lot to offer business visitors as well? The Arnhem Nijmegen region offers a large choice of venues that will turn congresses, business meetings and functions into an unforgettable experience. The towns of Arnhem and Nijmegen are internationally oriented, offer a wide range of places of interest, cultural events, scenery and culinary options as well as a large selection of shops framed by rich nature. What about a heath session in Veluwezoom, enjoying wellness in scenic locations or a seminar in a zoo? It is all possible in the Arnhem Nijmegen region! During your stay you can easily visit the towns of Arnhem and Nijmegen both as they are only 20 kilometres apart. The Arnhem area has a lot to offer in the way of business meetings, with various meeting venues located in the heart of this vibrant town. There are options for any kind of meeting, ranging from hotels to museums. The immediate vicinity boasts scenic areas where you can go for lovely walks in the woods or engage in sporting activities between meetings. Feel inspired by the (animal) sounds during a meeting in a zoo or by the tranquillity in a magnificent convent. Nijmegen is the oldest town in the Netherlands, its site discovered by the Romans two thousand years ago. To this day you can sample the atmosphere steeped in history. You can even have a meeting in Museum Het Valkhof which features Nijmegen s rich culture. From trendy venues in and around the town centre to impressive country estates right out of town the Nijmegen area has really got it. The region is easy to access via the A12 and A50. Arnhem and Nijmegen are also accessible by train and, as they are riverside towns, even by boat. Weeze Airport is only a half hour drive. In short, there is an amazing and varied range of venues for your business meetings! Convention Bureau regio Arnhem Nijmegen Convention Bureau regio Arnhem Nijmegen promotes the Arnhem Nijmegen region as a destination for business events and functions, congresses, symposiums and other types of meetings. We offer free and independent advice when researching venues and organising all kinds of meetings. We provide assistance with sourcing the right venue or package for your needs and budget. This includes venue finding, inviting tenders, organising site-inspections, arranging social and partner programmes and providing promotion or information material. The latter of these services are provided in close collaboration with tourist offices in this region. Since our team have indepth knowledge of this region we can take the strain for you and point out unique attractions and landmarks off the beaten track. The 45 affiliated venues look forward to welcoming you! MeetingInternational.org 25

26 Meeting Region Convention Bureau regio Arnhem Nijmegen PO box AD Elst T. (0031) E. W: Food, Health, Energy and Environmental Technology Many companies in the Arnhem Nijmegen region are in continuous development with regard to the fields of food, health, energy and environmental technology (EET). The area boasts a large number of knowledge institutes in these fields, such as Radboud University Nijmegen, HAN University, Wageningen University, Stichting Health Valley, Stichting Food Valley as well as several companies operating in related fields. Aiming to strengthen the competitive position of the Dutch trade and industry, Stichting Food Valley facilitates the realisation of great innovative ideas in the field of food. Stichting Health Valley does the same for businesses and knowledge institutes in the biomedical and care sector. Home to the universities of Nijmegen and Wageningen and numerous companies and worldfamous knowledge centres focusing on health and food, Gelderland is by far the largest Food and Health knowledge centre in the Netherlands. These institutes in the immediate vicinity of Arnhem and Nijmegen create a new impulse and attract many business visitors to this area. Convention Bureau regio Arnhem Nijmegen helps decision makers and organisers of business meetings find excellent venues and accommodation in the Arnhem Nijmegen/ Wageningen Veluwe region. Arnhem plays a pivotal role when it comes to important developments in the field of Energy and Environmental Technology (EET). EET plays an important (innovative) role within a number of clusters in and around Arnhem. Cooperation between various companies and the exchange of innovations creates new business. Companies such as KEMA, AkzoNobel, Ballast Nedam, Smit Transformatoren, Essent and HAN are ambassadors to this region and play an important role in promoting transfer of knowledge in the Arnhem Nijmegen region. Gelderse streken Convention Bureau regio Arnhem Nijmegen cooperates with other regions in Gelderland to promote this province as a business destination. By using original promotional activities - Gelderse streken -, the regions are brought to the attention of corporate decision makers. Travelling in the Gelderland promotion mobile (a caravan with a distinct Gelderland touch), Convention Bureau regio Arnhem Nijmegen visits fairs and events. This promotion mobile also goes to companies to serve lunches and draw attention to Gelderland as a business destination. As you can see the Arnhem Nijmegen region has plenty to offer in the field of business. We therefore invite you to come and sample the atmosphere. We look forward to seeing you in the Arnhem Nijmegen region! 26 MeetingInternational.org

27 Region Meeting South-East Brabant: a unique region Eindhoven Region has a lot to offer if you want to receive your guests at a unique conference location. Centrally located in the Benelux and very easy to reach by car, public transport or by aeroplane. Eindhoven Airport, with daily flights to and from various European destinations, is only 15 minutes from Eindhoven city centre and at the heart of the region. Excellent conference locations with modern facilities. The conference locations in Eindhoven Region win any comparison hands down. The region has sufficient capacity, we offer locations for 40 to 2,000 people. What about the largest everything-underone-roof location in the Netherlands for example! The region has a variety of modern locations right through the old monasteries on offer. They are of course all equipped with comprehensive technical facilities. What makes Eindhoven Region unique is the combination of lively city centres with adjoining countryside. This countryside offers every type of outdoor, teambuilding and relaxation facility imaginable. Above all, the region has a wide variety of international hotels with more than sufficient capacity. Unique area The extensive forests, rugged heaths, fens and marshland of Eindhoven Region exude tranquillity. Together with the Burgundian villages in the Kempen and the Peel they form an excellent backdrop for an inspiring conference. But perhaps you prefer cities? Eindhoven is the fifth largest city in the Netherlands and the leader in the field of technology. In addition, it is known for the large international companies (Philips, ASML, DAF) that are located here and the illustrious educational and research institutions (Eindhoven Region University of Technology, Fontys University of Professional Education, Design Academy and High Tech Campus Eindhoven). Special relaxation Both for a short stroll and more elaborate relaxation Eindhoven Region has a wide range to choose from. Walking or cycling, you can enjoy the natural beauty of the Kempen and the Peel. But culture lovers will also feel at home here. In addition to the internationally renowned Van Abbemuseum and the Music Centre Frits Philips, the surrounding area offers many small museums and galleries with painting and sculpture. Of course, Eindhoven, with its many exclusive shops, lends itself very well to a day of shopping. Another option is to visit one of the many bars (Eindhoven boasts the longest street of bars in the Netherlands!), pavement cafes, restaurants and discos in Eindhoven Region. Finally, the region has countless indoor and outdoor group activities available. Conventionbureau Eindhoven Region Meetings & Conventions MeetingInternational.org 27

28 RotteRDam inspires you RotteRDam: ambitious CoNveNtioN City on the maas RotteRDam is ReNowNeD as a young and enterprising City with a DyNamiC image. its RePUtatioN is well-deserved; in ReCeNt years, the City has be- Come one of the most PRogReSSive and modern CoNveNtioN CitieS in the NetheRlaNDS. RotteRDam CombiNeS an extensive SeleCtioN of SUitable locations and a wide RaNge of hotels with its UNiqUe atmosphere as a PoRt City, an imposing SkyliNe and vibrant City life. in addition to being a CeNtRe of knowledge with an accessible NetwoRk of entrepreneurs and experts, RotteRDam is also a great PlaCe to Relax and offers a SUR- PRiSiNg and varied SoCial PRogRamme. ComebaCk City prestigious nominations and awards in recent years. The 2011 edition of Lonely Planet Rotterdam is working hard on improvements, and the results have not gone unnoticed. The calls Rotterdam a comeback city. According city has had the privilege of receiving several to the popular travel guide, Rotterdam has experienced a remarkable metamorphosis in modern architecture, festivals, arts and culture, music and nightlife. The internationally acclaimed Wallpaper* Magazine ranks Rotterdam among the top 5 metropolises. It s fantastic that the jury of experts is so positive about Rotterdam, says Dominic Schrijer, alderman for work, social affairs and the urban economy. These nominations, and Rotterdam s designation as IFEA WORLD Festival & Event City 2010, are a crowning achievement after the efforts made in the last 20 years to put Rotterdam on the map as a tourist destination, but also as a convention city with international appeal.

29 RotteRDam inspires you City of ambition Ton Wesselink, director of Rotterdam Marketing / Rotterdam Convention Bureau: Rotterdam has the ambition to continue developing into a metropolis and is working hard to make it happen. Starting in 2009, Rotterdam has risen to the second-ranking convention city in the Netherlands. This excellent result has been achieved by virtue of the years of intense focus on bringing Dutch and international congresses and conventions to the city. Actively engaging in dialogue with the business market, conducting site inspections for potential clients, and producing bid books on a regular basis: these efforts and more are intended to make these ambitions a reality. Wesselink: Looking at the main port, we already have an incredible number of activities that make us interesting as a convention city. We are also increasingly becoming a main hub of knowledge. Erasmus University and the affiliated Erasmus Medical Centre give us a great deal of knowledge in close proximity. We encourage the scientific sector to share that knowledge with each other and hold meetings to facilitate exchange. In addition, when I look at the potential of the port and at how many of those contacts are already leading to conventions and congresses, those activities will only intensify in future. With the second Maasvlakte expansion adding another 30% to our port the capacity, we have an incredible potential at our disposal. Moreover, our link to the high-speed rail line shortens travel times, bringing travellers from Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport to Rotterdam within half an hour. RotteRDam S SkyliNe is already StUNNiNg, and New additions grace the City S CoNtoURS New DeveloPmeNtS The city s ambitions are also expressed in investments in more hotel and convention accommodations and even better metropolitan accessibility. These facilities are a vital part of Rotterdam s appeal as a business destination. The former flagship of the Holland-America Line, the SS Rotterdam, is a nice example. The SS Rotterdam took its maiden voyage in Following a full renovation, the 228-metre ship has been open to the public since 15 February The ship now offers extensive options for conferences, fine dining, parties, tours, shopping - and sleeping! The ship has a 4-star Cruise Hotel offering 254 rooms in three themes: Original, Manhattan and Bahamas. The themes illustrate the world-class cruises that the Holland-America Line once offered. Its location on the Maas River offers a stunning view of the Rotterdam skyline. That same fantastic view is also visible from the 4-star Inntel Hotel Rotterdam Centre across the way. This design hotel is located on a unique spot along the riverside, at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge. In spring 2013, the first 5-star hotel will be opening at this location; it will be the fifth branch of the Inntel Hotel chain. Hans van Schaick, General Manager of Inntel Hotels Centre has faith in the future: We now have the biggest and most successful four-star hotel in Rotterdam. With a brand-new five-star hotel right next door, our success is guaranteed. We can offer individual guests a luxurious ambiance, a unique location and amazing wellness facilities, while providing a total of 476 rooms and congress and convention facilities up to 400 people with a combination of 4-star and 5-star luxury. metropolitan accommodations Rotterdam is the number-one city of architecture in the Netherlands. Rotterdam s skyline is already stunning, and new additions grace the city s contours at every visit. The dynamic developments are particularly visible on Wilhelminapier, on the Kop van Zuid. The pier has several comfortable hotels that offer a metropolitan atmosphere, with skyscrapers silhou-

30 RotteRDam inspires you modations, catered by the same hotelier as the successful Hotel New York - but with its own exceptional concept and its own unique look and feel. Besides the hotel accommodations, this multifunctional building will also include meeting points, cafés, restaurants and shops. RotteRDam: gateway to europe Rotterdam offers excellent accessibility, thanks to its strategic location in the Netherlands and in Europe. International visitors can easily find their way to the city via Rotterdam The Hague Airport, and the high-speed Fyra makes it even easier and faster to visit Rotterdam by train; a trip from Schiphol to Rotterdam takes only 26 minutes. Rotterdam Central Station is currently undergoing full-scale renovations and will be completed in 2014 as an attractive, dynamic and efficient public transport terminal. Once these improvements have been rounded off, the new central station will be a significant transport hub for regional and international travellers. Connections within the city and in the greater Rotterdam area are excellent, due to a comprehensive network of buses, trams and metros, as well as aquatic transport in the spectacular water taxis. SUStaiNable enterprise Finally, Rotterdam is increasingly becoming a truly sustainable city. In line with that development, the city has set the ambitious target of halving CO2 emissions in 2025 (compared to DE ROTTERDAM the 1990 level). To that end, Rotterdam Marketing has joined hands with the Rotterdam Climate Initiative, the Green Key and entrepreneurs in the city, setting up a sustainability agreement to pursue greener management of the hotels and congress locations in Rotterdam. 10 locations have already earned the coveted Green Key. independent advice Rotterdam Marketing, which recently received a nomination for the Meetings & Incentive Travel Industry Award in the category of Best Overseas Convention Bureau, works free of charge to provide independent advice, helping to bring congresses and events to Rotterdam and ensure the desired standard of quality. For more information on possible locations, social programmes and communication options to make your event, congress or seminar a great success, please contact: etted against the sky and the river surrounding the area. The historic Hotel New York has attracted many visitors to Wilhelminapier for years. In addition to its delicious restaurant, HNY also offers an ideal spot for a meeting, party, business event, wedding or overnight accommodations in one of its 72 stylish rooms. The hotel offers a choice of tower rooms, corporate suites or a luxurious penthouse. A new addition rising along the pier is the multifunctional vertical city designed by internationally renowned architect Rem Koolhaas. NH Hoteles has already claimed a spot in this imposing structure along the Maas, adding a new branch to its chain of hotels. Chicago, the dynamic entertainment centre being built on the central strip of the pier, will also offer hotel accom- RotteRDam marketing / RotteRDam CoNveNtioN bureau Stephen van Es, account manager for the business market (corporate) and Vivi de Regt, account manager for the business market (associations) PO Box DE Rotterdam The Netherlands T +31(0) E s.vanes@rotterdam-marketing.nl & v.deregt@rotterdam-marketing.nl get inspired and SigN UP for the UPComiNg fam trip europe in RotteRDam Rotterdam Marketing organizes and facilitates inspiring fam trips and site inspections on a regular basis. An excellent opportunity for associations, companies and intermediaries to become acquainted with Rotterdam as conference and event city and to experience for themselves why Rotterdam is known as the Manhattan on the Maas. A fam trip in Rotterdam is in short: efficient, fun and an ideal networking tool! The first upcoming hosted fam trip takes place from 29 September to 1 October Get inspired by this port city and you ll might have a new refreshing and different destination to put on your next agenda. For more information, program details and to register, please visit: or contact Rotterdam Marketing.

31 RotteRDam marketing LET S MEET IN ROTTERDAM Delta hotel THE WATER AT YOUR FEET Rotterdam Marketing provides business event organizers with independent, objective advice free of charge. No matter what type of event or audience you have in mind, Rotterdam will almost certainly have a modern, bold, and colourful twist to add, as well as maximizing your budgets. Let your ideas come to life in Rotterdam! We can assist you with the choice of locations and other possibilities to make your business event an success. Contact Rotterdam Marketing for information or an appointment: conventions@rotterdam-marketing.nl A hotel with a difference combined with a professional service. Here, you can feel a true globe-trotter against the background of the ever changing scenery of passing ships in the international port of Rotterdam. Situated on the banks of the international ship canal, the Nieuwe Waterweg, the Delta Hotel features 78 guest rooms and six unique conference rooms. Dinners can be enjoyed in the restaurant Nautique. This unique restaurant with its three areas, the Brasserie, Grand Café and the Vier Windsteken, is suited for every occasion! Postbus / 3001 DE RottERDam t / F conventions@rotterdam-marketing.nl / maasboulevard 15 / 3133 ak vlaardingen t / F info@deltahotel.nl / beurs-wtc CoNgReSS & event CeNteR THE SETTING FOR SUCCESS the manhattan hotel RotteRDam ROTTERDAM S ONLY FIVE STAR EXPERIENCE Feel surrounded by Rotterdam, feel surrounded by history and future, feel surrounded by the striking characteristic exhibition hall of Beurs-WTC! For years, Beurs-WTC is used extensively to promote (inter)national trade, and can now become the location of your congress or event! You can choose from 37 different up-to-date rooms, suitable for 5 to 1000 delegates. Beurs-WTC Congress & Event Center offers a full-service concept; accommodation, technical support and culinary care of your guests in one hand, guided by an experienced Project Manager. The Manhattan Hotel Rotterdam is located in the impressive Millennium Tower opposite the Rotterdam Central Station. The only five star hotel in the famous Port City features 230 luxurious Rooms and Suites, almost 600m2 if flexible space for meetings and events, an Executive Lounge, Business Centre, Brasserie, Bar, Lobby Lounge and a Fitness Centre. The hotel has an internal connection with the adjacent De Doelen Congress and concert Centre extending its meeting and event capacity to up to guests. beursplein 37 / Postbus / 3001 Db RottERDam t congress@wtcro.nl / DE MACHINIST weena 686 D / 3012 cn RottERDam t / REcEPtion@manhattanhotElRottERDam.com

32 Utrecht: has it all! A central location, easily reachable and a wide diversity of business venues: conference city Utrecht has it all. The recently established Utrecht Convention Bureau (UCB) is making an effort to promote the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands as well as abroad. The new account manager at the UCB, Monique André de la Porte, introduced her city to a reporter from Meeting International.org. by Sofie Fest When I arrive at the Utrecht Central Station, the sun breaks through the clouds. An omen? Monique is waiting for me on the railway platform, and a short walk takes us to the city center. There, we visit the prestigious Huize Molenaar. In this beautiful eighteenth-century mansion with its excellent cuisine, paying guests have received a warm welcome since the late nineteenth century. The house has nine exclusive period rooms, decorated historically in a classicistic and empiric style. The fine furniture, the drapes, the open fireplaces and the richly decorated ceilings with the ornamented chandeliers give the guest the impression that he is dining in royal style. Even the low doorposts, the marble floors in the hall and the wonderful winding stairs have remained intact. Each room (if desired combined with an upstairs room) is suitable for meetings and a lunch or dinner. Even a combination of both is possible. The period rooms on the ground floor are quite suitable for receptions. If required, Huize Molenaar can also arrange a meeting in the Saint 32 MeetingInternational.org

33 City Meeting left: Divinatio with view of the port Michael chapel in the Dom cathedral tower, once the grand residence of the Bishop of Utrecht. Ballrooms The next location is part of a group of three monumental establishments. The best known location is the Winkel van Sinkel on the Oudegracht, a canal house. The beautiful ground floor hall of this former department store from 1837 is furnished as a restaurant, but it can easily be transformed to accommodate large groups. The hall is surrounded by various bars and smaller rooms. The rooms have been arranged in a modern style, which contrasts beautifully and subtly with the old adornments like the the antique-style caryatids near the clerestory on the first floor. On that floor there is a large and beautiful ballroom, and the gallery offers a fine view of the ground floor. Also part of the group of establishments is the Brasserie het Polman s huis. Especially overwhelming is the ballroom on the ground floor of this former gentlemen s club. The ceiling of this room is no less than 10 meters high. Last but certainly not less impressive is Ottone, situated in a former church from 1863 and very rich in atmosphere. The high barrel vault, the neo-baroque pilasters and the ornamented friezes make it extremely suitable for larger meetings. As we walk from one location to the other, I get a good impression of the pleasant atmosphere in the inner city. Reserve a seat We continue our way on foot in the direction of Hoog Catharijne. In the offices section of this shopping mall we find Seats2meet.com. The business concept of this open work, meeting and lunch location is unique for the Netherlands. After having presented oneself via the company s website, you are free to use the public working stations and the cafeteria facilities in the lounge, including a free lunch between 12 and 2 p.m. The idea behind this arrangement is that when you are willing to exchange knowledge, as happens in public spaces, you make your social capital available to others. For that reason, a certain amount of money must be paid to rent the concentration workstations as well as the various meeting and workshop rooms. Furthermore, it is certainly appreciated when the users put Seats2meet.com in the picture via social media like Twitter. The venue is decorated in bright colours and the meeting rooms all have their own theme, decoration and colour. Middle: Centraal Museum, Refter and chapel Right: Michaëlskapel in the Dom cathedral tower MeetingInternational.org 33

34 left: Huize Molenaar garden Middle: Front Huize Molenaar Right: Brasserie Court Hotel Below left: Media Plaza Auditorium Below right: Ottone, large hall Brainstorming in the Shuttle It is just a short walk from the city centre to the Jaarbeurs Utrecht convention and exhibition facilities. Apparently, there is a trade fair for beauticians going on: the mainly female visitors are checking their goodiebags with conquests in the central hall. We continue our walk to the Media Plaza; this is one of the conference and meeting facilities of the Jaarbeurs Utrecht that was recently completely renovated and extended. You can reach Media Plaza by crossing a futuristiclooking footbridge. Inside Media Plaza the concept of meetingmoods is applied. This concept is based on the assumption that by means of adding and applying colour, scent, music, catering, light and decoration, to a business meeting, the result of that meeting can be optimised. One of these rooms contains the steel Shuttle in the shape of a spaceship. In this Shuttle, brainstorm and working sessions can be held. An other impressive room is the entirely white Polar Room that has a mobile stage and a roof that can be slid open. Around the Polar Room lies the Flame Foyer. This foyer can be adapted to any application by means of colour and light effects. In the sixteen smaller rooms, the user can create his own atmosphere by adapting the colour and the light intensity. Dining at great heights For our next destination, Divinatio, quality cuisine, we cross the road from the Jaarbeurs to the Veilinghavenkade. This restaurant is part of the 34 MeetingInternational.org

35 City Meeting Jaarsbeurs Catering Services and is quite conspicuous because of its pillar shape and height. Divinatio means lucky and specialises in celebrating blessings and successes. This is embodied in the four-leaf clover and the small plus-sign in the company logo, the shape of the building and concepts like Saturday. From the ground floor we have a beautiful view of the harbour and admire the replica of the Statenjacht de Utrecht, an eighteenth-century ship. When the weather allows, visitors can also use the terrace hanging over the harbour. The menu is inspired by the French-Mediterranean cuisine. The two bay windows offer a fine view of the surroundings. You can even hold a meeting or have a private dinner party in the bay window area on the streetside. The decoration is modern, yet has character. Museological environment Next, we still have to use the car to get to the Centraal Museum. Our drive takes us through the picturesque streets and alleys and along the famous canals before we arrive at the so-called Museumkwartier. The Centraal Museum is housed in several buildings, the medieval convent being the largest and biggest attention-getter. A number of rooms in the complex of buildings is let out for meetings or receptions, including the fine chapel Left: Winkel van Sinkel, view from first floor Right: Media Plaza, Shuttle Below left: Dom cathedral tower Below right: Restaurant Court Hotel As we walk from one location to the other, I get a good impression of the pleasant atmosphere in the inner city MeetingInternational.org 35

36 PARKHOTEL HORST ROYAL ENJOYMENT AT THE WATERFRONT The Parkhotel Horst is a wonderful four-star hotel with a luxurious and castle-like charisma. The hotel has 78 rooms, a restaurant with a cosy atmosphere and terrace on the waterfront, as well as 12 multi-functional rooms. Parkhotel Horst is the location par excellence for a short holiday, but also for your meeting, party or a tasteful dinner. Visitors who come by bicycle or on foot can fully enjoy this beautiful part of the province of Limburg, but it is also a perfect basis for a business visit to the Eindhoven, Düsseldorf and Maastricht regions. A73 motorway Venlo - Nijmegen, exit 10 Telephone (0) Landgoed Hotel Restaurant Hotel restaurant at the highest location in the province of Gelderland in the middle of the woods just a few minutes form the motorway multilingual menu for international guests prices per room per night including breakfast from 85 euros meeting from 55 euros per person all inclusive Landgoed hotel Montferland & restaurant Graaf van den Bergh Montferland EB Zeddam * T (0) F (0) E info@landgoed-montferland.nl I

37 City Meeting with its white-plastered walls, stone pillars and wooden barrel vaulting. The auditorium has walls made of black-tinted glass that offer a great deal of privacy but a view outside as well. The Dick Bruna house opposite (a famous Dutch artist and writer) is part of the Centraal Museum and also has several rooms that, after closing time, can be used for various meetings. Justice The final location of the day is the four-star Court Hotel. Together with the restaurant De Rechtbank and the brasserie, the hotel is situated in the former court house on the Korte Nieuwstraat. The Brasserie is decorated in a simple, but tasteful manner, with mainly shades of green and brown. In the restaurant, which you can find on the other side of the entrance, mainly darker shades were used for the interior decoration. The basement underneath the restaurant houses an additional party hall for receptions and parties. Apart from the dining and drinking areas, the Court Hotel has 27 rooms on three floors. Each room has a modern but tasteful interior decoration. The Court Hotel facilities also include two meeting rooms in the basement of the adjacent former cantonal court house. The hotel s own terrace is also worth while visiting. After this visit, the central railway station is close by. Of course the city of Utrecht has a lot more to offer than this small selection of locations. The Utrecht Convention Bureau will be happy to inform you about all possibilities for a business visit to Utrecht. Let them surprise you! ucb@toerisme-utrecht.nl Left:: Polman s Restaurant Right top: Media Plaza, Polarzaal Right bottom: Side view Divinatio MeetingInternational.org 37

38 Meeting Facts PALACE HOTEL NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE A ROYAL HOTEL The Netherlands: some key facts Geography The Netherlands (Holland) are located in the western part of Europe and borders on the south on Belgium and on the East on Germany. On the West and the North the North Sea borders the country. It has a surface of about 41,547 square kilometers. The capital is Amsterdam, together with the cities of Utrecht, Den Haag and Rotterdam it constitutes the socalled Randstad. People The Netherlands have about 16.6 million inhabitants; this implies that it is the most densely populated country in Europe. The Dutch are known for their tolerant attitude. We prefer to talk things over instead of starting a revolution. We call it polderen : discussing issues and if necessary, adding a quantity of water to the wine. Politics / religion The Netherlands have a stable government (always a coalition) but also a large number of political parties. There is also a wide variety of religions, mainly catholic and protestant. This diversity is also apparent in the number of broadcasting companies. We are a constitutional kingdom, at the moment ruled by Queen Beatrix. Officially, the Queen is head of the government but her role is in fact very limited. The Palace Hotel is in every way the ideal place for a regal stay. Just a three-minute walk from the beach, beautiful guest rooms, extensive meeting and congress facilities, elegant restaurants and a lavish wellness room. All of this, plus a magnificent ambiance and a level of service which will make you feel right at home. Unique Selling Points of the Palace Hotel: - A four-star hotel with five-star facilities - Possibility of exclusive use of the hotel N O O R D W I J K A A N Z E E T H E N E T H E R L A N D S Picképlein 8, 2202 CL Noordwijk The Netherlands, +31 (0) info@palacehotel.nl, 38 MeetingInternational.org

39 City Meeting Meet in Maastricht Maastricht is an appealing location for a variety of business events. Due to its central location in Europe, the city is very easily accessible. photography Hugo Thomassen Maastricht has extensive experience in hosting international groups. Although the population of the city is a mere 118,000 residents, it has a relatively large conference centre and many hotel rooms. Maastricht has an international focus, and is home to many international institutes, a university hospital and a university. This is only logical, given the five airports in the area and the high-speed, comfortable train connections to Brussels, London and Paris. Organising a successful congress, conference, incentive, trade fair or event depends on two critical factors: the quality of the accommodation and of the surroundings. Maastricht and South Limburg offer the perfect combination of both. A wide range of locations is available to match every taste and requirement, ranging from a conference centre and both traditional and design hotels to exclusive and unique locations such as underground chambers and chateaus. The many squares, bars, restaurants, café terraces, the gastronomic atmosphere and hospitality also make Maastricht a delightful place to spend time after your event is over. All of this is enhanced further by the rolling hill country of South Limburg, a perfect setting for social and team-building programmes. The Maastricht Convention Bureau will help you organise your meeting, free of charge, via objective information and mediation. Prefer to take a look around yourself? Feel free to use the Venue & Service Finder on to find and contact the most suitable venues or services for your purposes. Facts & Figures Number of rooms in budget hotels: 39 Number of rooms in standard hotels: 2,514 Number of rooms in luxury hotels: 1,472 Distance to Brussels Airport: 100 km Distance to Antwerp Airport: 125 km Distance to Düsseldorf Airport: 100 km Distance to Maastricht-Aachen Airport: 9 km Largest conference centre: MECC Maastricht Capacity of largest auditorium: 1,650 pers. Capacity of largest exhibition space: 30,000 sq. m Maastricht Convention Bureau Het Dinghuis, Kleine Staat 1, 6211 ED Maastricht, the Netherlands T +31 (0) F +31 (0) info@maastrichtconventionbureau.com MeetingInternational.org 39

40 World horticultural expo Welcome to the Floriade 2012 In 2012 the city and region of Venlo, in the province of Limburg in the southeast of the Netherlands, will be the stage of the tenannual World Horticultural Expo. Already the direction of the Floriade 2012 has gathered national and international participants who will present a pavilion with traditions and latest innovations on horticulture. The sixth edition of the Expo, which will take place from April 5th until October 7th will be a beautiful overview of international flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables. World Expos are international expositions which have been organised in several countries since The expos give countries the opportunity to give an impression of their economical, social, cultural and technical developments. In the Netherlands the World Horticultural Expo Floriade is organised every ten years. In 2002 the latest edition was held in Haarlemmermeer in the province of Noord-Holland. Landmarks and icons Due to its perfect logistic location and easy accessibility, Venlo is selected to be the centre of attention in Visible from the nearby A73 and A67 motorways, the icon and the landmark for the Floriade are being built. Icon Villa Flora will be finished in the beginning of This glass building is designed by the renowned architect Jón Kristinsson and will serve as the exhibition hall during the Expo. The building process is going full speed, while bearing in mind the ground rules of the cradle-to-cradle-concept. A lot of sustainable measures have been taken to boost the durability of the building. First of all the same technology was used which is used in greenhouses. A system has been integrated to reduce the use of water and electricity. Also hot-cold-storage had been integrated. The other building is called the Innovacomplex. With its estimated height of 70 meters and located next to the A73 motorway, it literally serves as a landmark for the Expo. The Innovacomplex will constitute the physical entrance to the Floriade site and house the pavilion of the province of Limburg. Architect Jo Coenen strives to build this concrete masterpiece entirely according to the cradle-to-cradle ideology. Balinese towers The total surface of the Floriade site is about 66 hectares. To get an birdseye view of the entire Floriade site, an overhead cable way has been built. The cables are spanned between three pillars of 35 meters high. This cable way is about 1.1 kilometers long. A ride takes about 10 minutes and gives a perfect overhead view of the site. Also, five different theme fields are planned to be layed out along the site (see box). Between these fields, pavilions will be designed by over 100 national and international participants like Belgium, the German province of Nordrhein Westfalen, India and Indonesia. The pavilion of the latter will be situated at the theme field World Show Stage and has an estimated surface of 1,000 square meters. Several traditional elements including Balinese towers, a lake, a waterfall and a sawa will be displayed. Sustainable use Although the Floriade 2012 has not taken place yet, the organisation is already looking towards the future. The destination of the site after 2012 has been kept in mind even before building started. 40 MeetingInternational.org

41 Expo Meeting Themes of the Floriade Relax & Heal The idea behind this theme is that agriculture makes life healthier by stimulating the physical and mental wellbeing. Visitors can taste, feel, hear and see the benefits of the horticultural products on our wellbeing. Subjects like healthy food, seasonal and regional products, rituals en sports activities will be treated. Just like the human body the garden design Relax & Heal will be formed by flowing paths and slightly sloping hills. Green Engine Horticulture is an important economical engine and supplier of green energy. Floriade 2012 pays attention to the entire chain inside the horticulture. Aspects like bio sciences, life sciences, sustainable energy and the greenhouse as a source of energy will be displayed. Inside the greenhouse indoor exhibitions can take place. The field is inspired by industrial forms, engines and motors. After the Horticultural Expo has taken place, the surface will be renamed Venlo Greenpark. It will become an innovative and sustainably developed industrial estate for agro-logistic companies. Venlo Greenpark is located within Greenport Venlo: the first sustainable Dutch Greenport for the entire Dutch (glass)horticultural complex where economic networks of companies and organisations connected with the horticultural sector can work together. Also, just like the Eiffel Tower, the Atomium and the Euromast, Villa Flora and the Innovacomplex will become world famous remains with a new destination. Several office spaces inside Villa Flora have already been rented to local companies. The total office space of 5,200 square metres inside the InnovaToren of the Innovacomplex is also sought-after. A glass atrium and 400 square metres of hotel, restaurant and café fa c i l it ies w i l l a l so be av a i l able du r i ng a nd a f ter t he F lor i ade. Education & Innovation Floriade 2012 stimulates the chain between horticulture, education and innovation. Emphasis is placed on growth of knowledge in the entire region. Also, education has to make sure there will be enough trained staff to work in the horticultural sector. Learning and innovation requires a different look at the world around you. The landscape invites you to discover the entire platform. Environment To live and work in a green environment increases the quality of our lives. Green products play an essential part in the environment issue worldwide. Therefore, the theme covers subjects like the green city, garden architecture, climate neutral entrepreneurship and the living and working landscape. The field shows the importance of horticulture for the urban environment. The Floriade 2012 is definitely worth a visit. Combined with a visit to the lovely region of Venlo you can discover more about this rural part of the Netherlands. Explore the river Meuse with the Maashopper boat or with a much faster RIB Boat, have a walk in the castle gardens of Arcen or the picturesque town of Steyl, enjoy the culinary surprises of the region and reside like a royalty at Château de Raay or Château Holtmühle. World Show Stage Nature and culture are closely connected. International art, culture and entertainment inspire the horticultural sector and vice versa. The World Show Stage will be the platform for shows, workshops, international and theater performances and other creative activities. Meet you at the Floriade In 2012 the Floriade will be a unique and temporary location for business events like meetings, conferences and seminars, but also leisure activities like cooking workshops. Business events can take place inside the InnovaToren and on several locations inside the park, like a gala diner on the Theatre Hill. Of course a combination with a visit to the greatly inspiring park is easily made. The direction of the Floriade has established the CommGres agency to help you organise these events. Facts & figures on Floriade 2012 Exhibiton period: April to October 2012, opened daily Location: Venlo GreenPark, Venlo, the Netherlands Participants: 90 national and 25 international gardens and pavilions Surface: 66 hectares (including 40 hectares of exhibition surface) Estimated number of visitors: at least two million Parking space: sufficient for 6,000 cars, also shuttle service Capacity congresses and events: 10 to 500 persons MeetingInternational.org 41

42 A breath of fresh air at Hotel Zuiderduin A sea of delight A nice stroll on the beach in the break of an inspiring workshop or a walk through the attractive village centre to pep yourself up for the next meeting, a body massage after a busy day of conferencing, anything is possible at the Hotel Zuiderduin in the village of Egmond aan Zee. At the edge of the Egmond dune area, about one hundred metres from the beach, the Hotel Zuiderduin staff has been welcoming its guests for more than thirty years. The hospitality is already noticeable before setting one foot inside the hotel itself. Finding a place to park your car in this seaside resort on the North Sea can be a challenge, but the hotel offers its guests ample parking space with its large car park. Parking is free for the hotel guests, which makes the stay even more pleasant. Spacious The Hotel Zuiderduin has a great deal to offer its recreational guests, but the professional visitor shall want for nothing, either. We discuss the possibilities with PR Manager mr Richard Nan. The hotel offers far more than one would expect on entering the building. Because where can you find, on such a unique location, such a large number of meeting and conference rooms with a floor surface varying from 30 to a thousand square metres, which makes it possible to organise an event for over 1,500 visitors? The total floor area of our hotel amounts to 20,000 square metres, says Nan. In three wings we have a total of 365 rooms with 760 beds in total. That is exactly the number of persons we can seat in a theatre 42 MeetingInternational.org

43 Location Meeting setting in our largest hall, the Zuiderduinzaal. For smaller groups we have the Lamoralzaal that accommodates 300 guests, and the Abdijzaal that seats 150 persons. Apart from that, we have 30 rooms for groups smaller than 120 persons. Restyling But that was not always the case. Thirty years ago, this family business started on a small scale. It began with the purchase of two old buildings in the centre of the village. These buildings were formerly used as holiday resorts for the so-called palefaces, children from the cities who were sent to the coast to get some fresh sea air. The buildings were named after our princesses (and later: queens) Juliana and Beatrix. But these buildings were later torn down to make place for the new hotel accommodation. In the early days, the hotel had about fifty rooms, according to Nan, but the demand for hotel rooms increased and with a number of alterations, especially during the nineties, the hotel tried to keep up with the demand. A second and third wing were attached to the original building which was also extended with rooms and halls. That is also when the change took place, says Nan. Zuiderduin was not only an excellent operating base for the tourists, the realization of the meeting and conference halls now also offered suitable accommodation for the professional guests. There was a great demand for such facilities in the late eighties, early nineties. The growing demand from the market called for one alteration after the other. In the new millennium, it was time for a thorough renovation. As a result of the various alterations, we had a hotel with many different styles and characters. We wanted to create a unity; we maintained the character of the most recently altered wing and adapted the rest of the hotel to that style. That was quite a radical action, but now, our hotel fully meets the demands of our guests. This restyling is concluded only recently, but in Egmond aan Zee new plans are already taking shape. The long corridor containing the entrances to the squash court and the children s play paradise have also been given a new look. In April 2011, the hotel opened a new hall; The Ritz. This is the first of three new parlours built in the hotel. With the new halls the hotel complies to the demand of companies wanting to organise (theme)parties in the hotel. The Ritz holds up to 300 people. In June and September the other halls will be opened. Rate In the Hotel Zuiderduin, nobody is complaining about the economic crisis. I would be lying if I said the crisis does not bother us, but business is as usual here. That is most likely because of our rates. Our price/quality ratio is excellent. We have never fooled our guests, we are honest and stay creative. MeetingInternational.org 43

44 This honesty is proved by how openly Nan discusses the rates. The organization of a conference, meeting or training calls for customization. This makes it harder to name a concrete price. But regarding company parties I can give you a good example. Groups can enjoy a great feast for 127,50 euros a person. For that amount they get a great theme party including drinks, food, entertainment, a bed and breakfast. Of course this arrangement can be extended with activities on the beach and/or an extra night s stay. For the organization of activities Zuiderduin uses the services of an external event organizing agency. A competition in six sporting activities followed by a big party, anything is possible. They take care of all requests for activities and make arrangements directly with our guest. That is a good thing, because we think that everyone has his own specialism and trade. That is why our Wellness Center is also run by an external party, and why we have a regular transport company that takes care of the transport of our guests from and to Schiphol Airport. Flexible The Hotel Zuiderduin distinguishes itself by its flexibility. A good example for this is an action from the past. One of our sales staff, Nan relates, was giving a delegation of a multinational company a guided tour through the hotel. They were impressed by our facilities and our location, but they missed a hall of 200 square metres. We only had halls and rooms that were smaller, or bigger. On the spot we decided that we could connect two rooms one of a hundred and an other of one hundred and forty square metres. In a very short time, we had removed the wall between the two rooms. That is a great example of deciding and acting quickly. The communication between hotel and client is also efficient and effective. From the request for a quotation on, every client has his own contact person. This person can answer any questions the client may have. At the Hotel Zuiderduin, every member of the staff is willing to lend a hand. We can act immediately. If, when the guest arrives, the room setting needs to be changed, the sales staff helps rearranging the seats. Or, in other cases, the maintenance staff is called to solve a technical problem. Nan gives an example: One day before a large meeting, we were told that all meeting participants would be using laptops. We did not have enough electric power points in the hall concerned, but our technical staff made arrangements very quickly. None of the guests noticed any problems and were all very positive afterwards. In the evaluations, we are praised for our service. For us, that is standard operating procedure. It is the second nature of our Zuiderduin staff. That the guests are content, is proved by the large number of companies that have been using the Zuiderduin facilities for years. Nan gives an example: 44 MeetingInternational.org

45 Location Meeting Every third year, an international organization books all our rooms and halls. Multinationals know where to find us, they like being relatively close to Schiphol Airport and on the seaside. We also have quite a few teams from international football clubs staying here. For them we have the ideal location for matches against Dutch clubs like AZ Alkmaar and Ajax Amsterdam. We can separate a part of our restaurant from the rest of the large dining hall, so during their meals the players will not be disturbed in their preparation. Relaxing A stay at the Hotel Zuiderduin is always a relaxing experience, even when you have to attend meetings all day or have a very busy schedule. Every day the chef provides a varied buffet and he makes sure that when a guest stays at the hotel for several nights, he will daily find different dishes at the buffet. In the evening, the guest can enjoy a drink in the wonderfully renovated Time Out Bar, or in the English Pub. This pub is also a museum for enamelled advertising signs. For a true relaxation after a meeting day, the guest can visit the Wellness Center. Nan explains: Any guest spending the night at our hotel can use the fitness room, swimming pool and sauna facilities free of charge. These sauna facilities include Finnish, aroma and colour saunas, Japanese baths, a Turkish steam bath, an infra-red cabin and a relaxation room where you can relax near the open fireplace. In Summer, our roof terrace is the ideal spot to gather some extra energy. Furthermore you can, at an extra charge, get a relaxing massage or beauty treatment, or to work up a sweat on the squash court. And, of course, you can take a refreshing walk along the beach or go shopping in the nearby village centre. Full enjoyment can be had during the Hotel Zuiderduin dinner shows. The guest can feast on extensive cold and warm buffets and enjoy live performances by famous entertainers. Every year in December, the darts enthusiasts gather at the Hotel Zuiderduin for the Zuiderduin Masters international tournament. We use the experiences from these large events to even better serve our professional guests, concludes Nan. MeetingInternational.org 45

46 Cities and regions: the new destination brands Those destinations that are not acting in a compelling and coherent way will be the losers of tomorrow. A destination is a place where people want to be. According to business strategist and futurist Dr. Karl Albrecht, destination marketing is a proactive, strategic, visitor-centered approach to the economic and cultural development of a location, which balances and integrates the interests of visitors, service providors and the community. Since the market in destinations of all levels is becoming increasingly competitive, cities and regions will have to act now. Unlike a normal product, a local government or promotion body does not own the destination, therefore it is difficult to influence it, though not impossible. Cities and regions tend to all go for the same target groups; most of the destinations aim to attract high potentials and creative industries, but not all with the same success. How to start Destinations that have strong brands, first defined their tourism brand, later they started building their brand(associations) to attract business/industries and other target groups. The easiest way to start up your destination marketing strategy is to start by: - Defining the product/destination; - Understanding and defining its key essentials; - Knowing who is currently using the product (visiting the destination); - Defining the target groups and how to attact them. Always set specific goals and measure those goals during time. Of course the best marketing tool a destination can have are satisfied customers (visitors, industries, etc) because of the word of mouth effect. In these times with the impact of social media a crucial success factor. TIPS & tricks Some tips & tricks to effectively build your strategy: - Improve the visitor experience - Build the events market - Under-promise and over-deliver - Offer red carpet, not red tape (event organisers and product developers) - Attract investment in tourism related product - Improve tourism related community assets/products - Increase industry participation in marketing activities through industry engagement - Increase tourism visitation, spending and length of stay - Target people who will most enjoy the experience - Make sure that the visit meets their expectations - Make it easy for them to recommend the destination to others by contacting them after the visit and providing them with material to forward to friends. Integrate business tourism in the overall tourism strategy Many destinations have a somewhat clear view of how to attract leisure tourism but do not integrate this with business tourism, although the last is extremely valuable to destinations. Business tourism provides the highest-spending visitors a destination can have, and visitors who come to destinations almost year round and during the week. This complements leisure visitors travel patterns. Business tourism can be defined as follows: Non-discretionary business tourism Sometimes referred to as individual business travel or transient Trips away from home or away from their normal workplace, made by individuals to carry out their work (Model: Visit BRITain) Discretionary business tourism Sometimes referred to as MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions) and/or business events Conventions, Conferences Meetings, AGMs, Away days Team building Training Live marketing events Exhibitions Product launches Corporate hospitality Incentives 46 MeetingInternational.org

47 City Marketing Meeting Bosscher & Klein, destination marketing agency Marianne Klein and Lisa Bosscher (right) are professionals who have successfully managed destination projects in a relatively short period of time. Bosscher & Klein, destination marketing agency, is a specialised agency operating in the field of regional and destination marketing. This makes it one of the few agencies that have gained years of experience in branding, developing marketing communication strategies, implementing branding tools as brand boxes and online as well as offline campaigns, in the area of destination marketing. Destination marketing can only be successful when the basic assumptions are fully clear, when it has been decided who the internal and external (third) parties will be and what the ambitions are that have to be realised. Bosscher & Klein supports organisations in getting their DNA clear, to create a strong organisation of the marketing communication and the realisation of successful actions. Making plans become reality, that is the strength of Bosscher & Klein. Discretionary business tourism There is little that a destination can do to influence nondiscretionary business visits (as the name suggests), although suppliers such as hotels will work closely together with corporate travel managers and agencies to secure this valuable business. But discretionary business tourism can be helped by specific public-funded intervention and support. The world of discretionary business tourism is specialist, quite complex, and constantly changing as the market changes. The target market is the corporate market and the association market. The dmu within the company (corporate market) will either be a PA of the general manager, a marketing manager, an in-house event planner or an intermediary. The organiser is either in-house or a third party intermediary. When it comes to the association market this market is much more complex. The board of the international association mostly decides what the next destination of the congress will be. In almost 70%, a local counterpart is a direct influencer. The local counterpart can be invited to make a bid for his or her destination. Local tourism bodies can stimulate these bids by offering these local counterparts a complete set of services. Like: - Providing these lc with support for their bidprocedure (organise site inspections, produce the bidbooks) - Offer a service-information stand - Special funds for congresses with destination related themes - Set up special ambassadors programs - Expert and impartial advice on the destination, venues, hotels, local contacts etc - Providing a service information destination stand during the congress Furthermore the destination needs to support business tourism by: - promoting the destination as a place for business events (from campaigns, to website, to brochures, online platforms, to exhibitions etc) - acting as a impartial broker between planner and supplier - providing suppliers with marketing support and marketing/ sales opportunities - strengthening industry partnerships - organising the support infrastructure for large events - funding market research to identify potential markets info@destinatiemarketing.nl MeetingInternational.org 47

48 Destination Brabant The best of two worlds Noord-Brabant is a Dutch province that has been praised in word and song by many a poet and singer because of its beautiful landscapes, easy-going inhabitants and in this day and age almost unique hospitality. All these qualities also apply to the business market. Richard Jouvenaar, Managing Director at Conference center De Ruwenberg and Rik Hüsken, Managing Director at Conference Hotel Kapellerput tell us about their venues in the beautiful, hospitable and easy to reach province of Noord-Brabant. Officially De Ruwenberg is a castle, and the oldest part, now housing the reception and 2 luxurious boardrooms, dates back to 1337, says Managing Director Richard Jouvenaar. The entire site, also consisting of four modern units housing, a total of 197 hotel rooms and 12 large as well as 28 smaller halls, is situated on an estate encompassing about 14 hectares in the municipality of Sint-Michielsgestel, in the vicinity of the province capital of s-hertogenbosch. As a result of the rural setting, all our conference rooms offer a view of the surrounding nature. The four units are all located in separate wings that also have their own lounge, terrace and various break-out rooms. Because of this, we are able to offer all-in arrangements in which the guest has all the required privacy. The forest as well as the tennis courts, the Driving Range and the hay field can be used for outdoor activities and relaxation. It is exactly the location that provides us with all the possibilities to put a lot of nature in your meeting and get some additional inspiration. Whereas De Ruwenberg is one of the pearls in the region of the city of s-hertogenbosch, the Conference hotel Kapellerput is located in the village of Heeze, about 15 kilometers to the southeast of the city of Eindhoven. The history of Kapellerput does not go back as far as that of De Ruwenberg, says managing director Rik Hüsken. The original building was constructed in the nineteen-fifties, and its initial purpose was to provide a facility where people could meet. In the course of the years, this purpose 48 MeetingInternational.org

49 Region Meeting has not changed, but the way it is realised, has. Apart from 97 hotel rooms and 20 large halls, the difference Kapellerput makes is in the small things. Smokers, for instance, have to resort to the outdoors, but we do provide them with fleece blankets. Also, we like to include a lot of nature in our offer, just like De Ruwenberg. That is often exactly the reason why the guests select our location: our estate comprises 24 hectares. From the meeting hall, it is only a few steps into the forest where you can enjoy the use of hammocks, footpaths, KABAN (see box) and chill-out rooms. The pools and the nearby nature reserve the Strabrechtse Heide also offer our guests the opportunity for a full relaxation. As a matter of fact, the outdoor facilities are not just used for breaks during meetings or for teambuilding activities. When the weather allows, we often see people going outside to continue their meeting in the open air. The interaction between indoors and outdoors, the fact that we can offer suitable accommodation for both options, is a big plus for our venues and this is definitely an added value to a company or business meeting. Hospitality Brabant-style Both venues are good examples of the rural, yet very modern accommodations the province of Brabant has to offer. Moreover, the genuine Brabant-style hospitality is a unique feature that makes guests come back for another stay, according to Jouvenaar and Hüsken. The typical Brabant-style hospitality can surely be seen as one of the USPs of our province, and therefore also of De Ruwenberg and Kapellerput. The extensive service and our focus on the customer are other aspects we consider of paramount importance, says Hüsken. MeetingInternational.org 49

50 Realm in the trees The interview for this article took place in the KABAN of Conference hotel Kapellerput. This luxurious tree house was designed by Renaud Morel and constructed by the French company Dans Mon Arbe, and sits high in the trees. The KABAN constitutes the ultimate combinaton of meeting in nature with all modern meeting facilities. The tree hut has its own separate access, a room of about fifty square meters, wifi, a terrace, some separate sub-rooms over the pool and its own bathroom facilities. Jouvenaar agrees: I am from one of the big cities in the west of the country, and the difference is obvious to me. The Brabant people are friendly and very helpful and spontaneous. These qualities ought to be more appreciated by the rest of the country, in my opinion. It is all about service-mindedness, enjoying helping people. That way, you can learn what the guest really wants. The Brabantstyle commitment and the customer focus are the reason our guests keep coming back, says Hüsken. Jouvenaar: For that reason, the regions of s-hertogenbosch and Eindhoven should be working more closely together. I think that Eindhoven is a very attractive region with a very large concentration of technologically leading companies, whereas s-hertogenbosch has a more exuberant character. Hüsken: Both regions can easily be reached thanks to the renovated A2 motorway. There is a great deal of industry along this motorway and the developments do not stop. Our venues also offer assets like the free parking facilities and the fact that the guests recognise our staff because they have been working here for a long time. Jouvenaar agrees: We often hear guests say: Everyone is friendly, from the maid on to the manager. As if we do not think that is the normal way to treat a guest. In contact with nature As already mentioned before, the nature surrounding both venues is a very attractive aspect. Hüsken: The connection Kapellerput has with nature is obvious from the moment the guest leaves the secondary road to take the country road that leads to the forest. The only sound you hear is the birds singing. This clears the head and improves your focus. But it is very important to keep finding new ways to include nature in a stay. You have to be innovative, then you get great, original ideas like a workshop in which a shepherd lets a team tend the herd of sheep. But the grounds surrounding De Ruwenberg and Kapellerput can also be used very well for other team-building activities, varying from a Tai Chi workshop to a fencing clinic. But it is also very relaxing to be able to step outside literally spontaneously during a standard meeting, says Jouvenaar. Of course, you book a room, but you decide where you will be sitting. And contrary to what our rural setting may suggest, we have excellent internet facilities, so you do not have to miss out on anything that goes on in the outside world. Golden reward The rural setting of De Ruwenberg and Kapellerput also greatly influences the way both accommodations operate. It is not for nothing that both locations are allowed to sport the golden Green Key logo. Jouvenaar: In my opinion, you should operate durably on the basis of an ideal, and not for, for instance, economic reasons. It is all about how you co-exist with nature and your co-workers. Hüsken agrees: Every single action has an influence on everything and everyone you are dealing with. You should be careful with that. The Green Key quality mark is aimed at environmental aspects, as well as commitment. It should also be a guideline for the corporate culture. It is not something that is ordered from the top, but permeats the entire organ- 50 MeetingInternational.org

51 Region Meeting isation. Members of our staff offer suggestions and ideas. They are the persons who see things that can be improved upon, such as reducing the use of packaging material. Four times a year we hold a plenary meeting with the Green Team to evaluate what we have achieved and what is going on on the shop floor. What is more, at Kapellerput all staff are members of Stichting Werknemersbelang (foundation workers interest) that has a share in the block of shares. This way, they too take their responsibility. After all, we are jointly responsible for the success of our company. Jouvenaar: Both Kapellerput and De Ruwenberg reached the standards to be eligible for the Green Key in just a few months, even at the Gold level. This implies that both venues were already very consciously working towards durability, or we would not have achieved this in such a short time. Green electricity, energy-saving lighting, separating waste, reducing the use of water, and the use of regional products were some of the conditons we had to fulfill, and for each of these aspects goes that you have to be willing to invest. If, for instance, energy-saving lightbulbs do not fit into the sockets in a hundred hotel rooms, you just have to adapt these. But it does not stop at these investments. You are also compelled to appoint an environment co-ordinator who strives for improvements in corporate social responsibility the year round. And when, for instance, contracts with suppliers expire, you will certainly look at alternatives that may be more environment-friendly, says Hüsken. It never leaves your mind, Jouvenaar agrees, and every time you see or order something new, you consider all possible alternatives. For example, we aim to reduce the use of glass at De Ruwenberg. So you have to look for new possibilities. That, however, is not always easy. The degree of comfort we want to offer our guests must certainly not come into conflict with the conditions of the quality mark. But of course we feel that it is our duty to make the guest aware of the fact that we must all act in an environmentally responsible way. That is why we ask them to prevent unnecessary waste. Hüsken: This way, you create a situation in which everybody is working towards the same goal: we, our guests, the staff and the suppliers. That is also the reason why we will never offer activities like riding quads on our grounds. But we do have free bicycles available for a short tour, as an alternative to using the car. Jouvenaar and Hüsken agree: the province of Brabant has more than enough to offer the MICE-market. With its large number of high-tech companies, Brabant is the motor the Dutch economy runs on, says Jouvenaar. Although our venues are located in the woods, both accommodations have every possible facility and we offer a very high quality. In fact, we offer the best of two worlds. Hüsken agrees: Delegates like to be inspired by peace and quiet and the surroundings, but there is no need for them to miss out on any modern convenience. Where else can one find such a high return on investment? The managers could not agree more with the answer to this question. A location with something extra Richard Jouvenaar and Rik Hüsken have been working together for a longer time by their participation in Meetings & More. This joint venture was established by a group of high-end conference centers that wanted to better organize their interests. At this moment, nine characteristic and rural companies from the Netherlands and Belgium have joined this venture. The participants exchange information and knowledge and also organise their marketing and publicity jointly. Meetings & More stands for distinctive quality, each and every company has its own specific look & feel, Jouvenaar explains. Each location has a number of specific, individual qualities that adds something extra, the More to the meeting. Both De Ruwenberg and Kapellerput are also members of the international union and quality mark IACC ( MeetingInternational.org 51

52 Hotel De Lindeboom & hotel Greenside Hotel Groep Texel Hotel Groep Texel consists of two classy hotels on the Wadden island of Texel. Every lover of life, island lover or business guest feels at home here. Is it because of the modern facilities? The spacious rooms with a touch of wellness? Or the restaurants with their creative gourmet menus? We like to think it is the combination of quality and hospitality. For whatever reason people come to Texel, they have one desire in common: pure enjoyment. And that is the basic idea behind our hotels. With a personal touch we create an unforgettable island experience. The guests who spend time at one of the Hotel Groep Texel locations will experience the relaxing atmosphere, the eye for detail and a bit of spunk. Just like the original inhabitants of Texel, we are proud to be stubborn. Nothing is considered standard; we are always looking for ways to improve all the aspects of our hotels. Den Burg - Hotel De Lindeboom Hotel De Lindeboom is a three-star hotel in the heart of the village of Den Burg. The classically decorated rooms remind us of the building s rich history. The building, dating back to 1891, combines an authentic atmosphere with modern facilities. The rooms with bubble bath and private sauna provide maximum relaxation. In all privacy you can experience a feeling of wellness. Restaurants The hotel has 2 restaurants where the chefs offer the best Texel has to offer in food and drink. Both restaurants have their own style, reflected in the menus. The Brasserie The Brasserie, with its warm hospitality, will quickly make you feel at home. The doors are open all day for breakfast, 52 MeetingInternational.org

53 Location Meeting lunch and dinner or for a delicious between-meals. Our advice: start the day enjoying an extensive breakfast buffet in the conservatory, with a view of the square. In the afternoon the Brasserie serves lunch with surprising sandwiches, creative salads and homemade soups. Dinner will consist of the best dishes. Everything is homemade and cooked with love. Try the many sorts of fish and authentic products from Texel. Enjoy the chef s creations under the beautiful chandeliers or in the nostalgic corner. You are also welcome to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine in the bar. We serve special Texel-brewed beers, delicious! The Brasserie often functions as a stage for theatre plays or cabaret. Drink and Spice room t Schoutenhuys The place where in the distant past the schout (sheriff) ate with his companions, is now a characteristic restaurant with a sheltered terrace. The modern kitchen refers to that 17thcentury Dutch history. The chefs use a range of spices from the Far East. Eating in the t Schoutenhuys is a real discovery adventure. We serve the best dishes in small portions, called Gerechies. Delicious mini dishes that can be enjoyed throughout the evening. You can choose a number of warm or cold Gerechies, just what you fancy. t Schoutenhuys will offer you an unforgettable culinary evening. Lindeboom Rooms The rooms in Hotel De Lindeboom breathe nostalgia. Every room has a unique layout, formed by the contours of this historical building. Stylishly decorated with warm colour accents, the rooms are given a classic atmosphere. Of course, all modern facilities are standard. Individually controlled air conditioning, free broadband internet, a colour TV with alarm radio, and box-spring beds create a comfortable stay. Extra luxury can be experienced in the hotel rooms with bubble bath, steam shower cabins or private sauna. De Lindeboom has five room types, suitable for short or extended stays, depending on the degree of luxury you wish. But even the most basic room type has enough to offer the discerning guest. The three conference rooms in the building are used for seminars, conferences and business parties. Intimate or extensive: De Lindeboom can accommodate groups from 10 to 500 persons. The combination of hotel, conference rooms and three restaurants under the same roof offers unlimited possibilities, even a tailor-made programme. The combination of hotel, conference rooms and three restaurants under the same roof offers unlimited possibilities, even a tailor-made programme. Den Burg The village of Den Burg is the largest on the island. The village has many shops, restaurants and pubs with terraces, and even a cinema. Many tourists as well as islanders enjoy sitting on the terrace of De Lindeboom, drinking a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and watching the buzz. During the evening Den Burg breathes peace and an amiable atmosphere. Den Burg is located in the centre of the island of Texel. Within fifteen minutes cycling you can discover the fishing harbour, the woods, beach and sea. You should definitely take the route across de Hoge Berg. This highest point of the island of Texel offers a fine view of the Waddenzee and a historical landscape. MeetingInternational.org 53

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55 Location Meeting De Koog - Hotel Greenside Hotel Greenside is an intimate four-star hotel in the seaside resort of De Koog, just outside the village centre. The Greenside hotel offers an unparalleled island feeling. The peace and space, characteristic of the pearl of the Wadden islands, is reflected in the hotel s atmosphere. A visit to Greenside means pure luxury. Take the ferry and let yourself be pampered in our hotel on Texel. The island has the most sun hours of all The Netherlands. You can make full use of this on our terrace. We also serve our breakfast, lunch and dinner on the terrace, so there is no need to miss any of the nice weather! Greenside has a separate wellness and fitness area. On the waterfront lies the restaurant Wambinge. Restaurant Wambinge Restaurant Wambinge is named after the oldest village on Texel. Characteristic is the warm atmosphere and the fantastic location by the water. Here you definitely taste the heart of authenticity. The menu of Restaurant Wambinge is based on the classic French kitchen, but the dishes are mainly made with products from Texel. Of course, the seasons play a role in what we use in the dishes we serve. You can enjoy 3 to 7 course menus or you can make your own choice from our oftenvarying, seasonal menu. Whatever your wish, we will cater for a pleasant, culinary evening. From an intimate dinner for two to an extensive family dinner or buffet. Grand Café In the Grand Café the home-feeling prevails. All day long the doors are open for you. What could be nicer than to sit at the solid beachcomber s table made of flotsam wood, with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. Or gather around it in a small group for a delicious meal. The Grand Café has a number of nice sitting-areas with comfortable lounge chairs, in which you can relax while enjoying a drink. Our pleasant bar is the place where you can exchange your experiences with your family and friends, or simply be on your own. Greenside rooms The hotel rooms are surprisingly spacious, from 36 m2 (Deluxe room) to 70 m2 (Grand Suite). There is a large sitting area, comfortable beds and a private balcony or terrace. Luxury also comes in the form of a mini-bar, wireless internet, bath, and separate shower and private balcony or terrace. The bathrooms of the Superiors include a Whirlpool and Sunshower. Our suites have added extras: an lcd-tv with DVD player, Hästens beds and a Nespresso machine. All the bedrooms in the wing have air-conditioning. Greenside can also facilitate business meetings. A tasty lunch or dinner and a relaxing stay in Greenside complement your business event on Texel. In co-operation with sports and cultural partners Greenside organises complete made to measure (day) programmes. Our function rooms are the perfect setting for family dinners, weddings and other parties or events. Business Hotel Greenside is the ideal partner for the business community. We organise business meetings such as seminars, incentives, conferences and trainings. Our Thijsse-room is equipped with every modern facility. A delicious lunch, a gourmet dinner and luxury accommodation complete your business event in Texel. We provide day, weekend or week arrangements. In cooperation with entrepreneurs of Texel of sports- and cultural events, we also take care of complete (day)-programmes tailor-made. In this way you will have one centre point for all your activities. We know the possibilities of the island like no one else and we attune them to your requirements. For more information, please contact us. Together we can make a suitable programme for you. Sauna, Steam bath, Sun bed & Hydro jet For maximum relaxation you can visit our wellness facility. The sauna and the Turkish steam bath are especially refreshing and restful. Guests of Hotel Greenside can use these facilities free of charge. The Hydro jet in our relaxing area offers you an intensive massage. Lovely warm and relaxing! Try our new sun bed too. Fascinating light elements create an extra dimension. And what do you think of features like Aroma and Breeze and radio with mp3 connection? The Aromatherapy provides a relaxed and refreshing feeling; meanwhile the cabin is filled with a subtle, herbal smell. It feels like a cool summer breeze. The water mist provides a pleasant tingling on the warm skin. And naturally you develop a beautiful, brown complexion. For the sun bed and the Hydro jet we ask a small fee. Wonderful fitness area The island of Texel offers enough things to do for the sports-lover. From cycling to golf, from horse riding to parachuting: whatever you want. But for indoor sport, Greenside has a wonderful fitness area. It is open from 9 am to 9 pm, with no need to make a reservation. There are various apparatus for a complete workout. During the training you can listen to music or follow the news on TV. Get active with the Wii Fit, a nice combination of fun and fitness! Or find mental tranquility exercising yoga. In the fitness area you can use the towels free of charge and enjoy a bottle of water. De Koog The village of De Koog is a genuine seaside resort. Only one row of dunes separates the village from the beach. All year round the Dorpsstraat, the village s main street, has a lovely holiday feeling. During the day you can shop; in the evening you can enjoy a drink on one of the many terraces. De Koog is an ideal starting point for a trip around Texel. Towards the north the nature along the dunes is allowed to take its own course. Even in high season you can make very long walks without meeting anyone. We advise you to rent a bicycle and tour the island, the woods as well as the old Texel landscape are extremely inviting. Texel is dotted with beautiful spots that will bring on the island feeling. The hotels from Hotel Groep Texel are definitely instrumental in creating that wonderful, luxurious feeling. For more information, visit MeetingInternational.org 55

56 Let s go Dutch The kingdom of The Netherlands, or Holland as it is often called, has only one per cent of the earth surface. This means that we, the Dutch all 16.6 million of us have to make do with about 41,547 square kilometers. Of that, only 33,900 square kilometers is actually land. And still we are considered one of the most tolerant people in the whole world. Because of this scareceness of living space, we have had to learn to live peacefully with one another. That made us very creative. Examples of this can be found in the arts (Rembrandt, Van Gogh etc), but also in science (Kolff invented the kidney dialysis process), and land management. Throughout the world we are admired for our skills in managing water - and land. We have managed to steal a great deal of land from the sea, even reduced the inland Zuiderzee to a lake. We protected our country against the raging sea by realising the Delta Project, with the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt as a pearl in the crown. Trade What we are also well-known for globally are our trading skills. We were the first - and for a very long time only - who were allowed to trade with the Japanese. Partly as a result of our mercantile talents, we had quite a few colonies in the past, and still have close ties with our former fellow-countrymen. The 17th century was our Golden Age; we sailed the world, arts and crafts bloomed, money poured in, mainly thanks to the first shareholder company in the world: the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (United East Indian Company). This seafaring history is still reflected in ports like that of Rotterdam 56 MeetingInternational.org

57 About Holland Meeting and Amsterdam. Our trading skills were combined with the ideal location of our country, which gave us the image of being the gateway to distribution in Europe. Our larger cities as well as the countryside still bear witness to this prosperity: warehouses galore, country mansions aplenty. Yes, we reserved space for some luxurious living: we earned it, we think. But we never overdo it, that is our Calvinistic, sober heritage. Qualities What does that say about us as a people? Well, we are inventive, very tolerant, creative, strong-willed, down-toearth (which we first conquered from the sea) and speak our languages because we want to trade with the natives. This makes us easy-going, but also very business-minded. And extremely organised. In short: the ideal qualities for a professional meeting and event organiser. Which is why we are so good at organising things, not just events. We know very well how to make the best of what we have to offer. And that is exactly the reason why so many people from all over the world visit our country. We have a lot to offer. Not just thanks to our historic achievements, our great cities with all the magnificent buildings and out very organised countryside. Allright, we cherish our national heritage, but let lots of other people enjoy them too at a fee, we are still tradesmen. The most important aspect of a meeting is, however, not the venue. It is the way the delegates and guests are received, treated and the degree of service they enjoy. And that is what we are very good at: making people feel at home, welcome. Venue Of course, the venue is important. Delegates to a convention do not mind sitting out their meetings in ultra-modern facilities of glass and concrete, as long as afterwards, they can visit really attractive and interesting places like the mills of Kinderdijk, the rebuilt old houses at the Zaanse Schans or the Openluchtmuseum, can smell the flowers at the Keukenhof, take a round trip by boat through the canals of Amsterdam (or visit the worldfamous red light district there as well as the Anne Frank house), be amazed at the architectural achievements like the Erasmus bridge ( the Swan ) or the Delta works, et cetera and so on, this magazine is not large enough to cover it all. So, to sum it all up: we have it all. History, nice people, lots of great and hospitable hotels, a varied but always attractive countryside, bustling inner cities and accommodating venues for meetings, conferences, seminars or exhibitions. And yes, we still have tulips, some of us still wear clogs, and we eat lots of cheese and drink genever while discussing (and solving, in our humble opinion) the problems of the world. If you do not believe this, come and see for yourself. You are very welcome. MeetingInternational.org 57

58 Successful meetings in our convention centers A meeting, training, a convention or a seminar? You have come to the right address with our sixteen convention centers in the Netherlands. All conditions for a successful meeting are met: excellent accessibility with public or private transport, great service, inspiring surroundings and free Wi-Fi. And all this at CSR-respecting locations. It is our mission to make your event a highlight: a Momentum. Momentum is created where people meet with a purpose: business or pleasure. More information or make a reservation? Call tollfree or visit our website.

59 LANDGOED ISVW.NL Always a good idea The ISVW creates multi-day programmes for professionals and lovers of philosophy, in close collaboration with universities (the best teachers) and leading social institutions (the most recent issues). The ISVW is specialized in the documented conversation. Meeting great thinkers from the past in deep conversations with excellent teachers and agreeable fellow participants. The Internationale School Voor Wijsbegeerte (ISVW, International School for Philosophy), consists of a hotel, a convention center and a training institute. The goal of the not-for-profit organization is to disseminate the (academic) philosophy to a broad audience. Why Landgoed ISVW? 12 modern meeting rooms in two beautiful buildings 39 spacious double rooms available, 60 single rooms excellent restaurant with responsible kitchen luxurious lounge with bar beautifully located in a woody environment yet easily accessible pleasant service ample free parking space free wireless network attractive more-day meeting arrangements very reasonable pricing facilities for all kinds of uses: from conventions to weddings the restaurant and bar facilities do not aim to make a profit, the revenus all go to promoting philosophy in the Netherlands INTERNATIONALE SCHOOL VOOR WIJSBEGEERTE ISVW.NL INTERNATIONALE SCHOOL VOOR WIJSBEGEERTE DODEWEG RD LEUSDEN (0) INFO@ISVW.NL Mail us for the free information papers!

60 So tel Legend The Grand Amsterdam is the iconic business hotel in the luxury segment of Amsterdam city centre destinations. The ultimate venue for a conference, meeting or social event; the hotel is ideally situated just a few minutes from Dam Square and Central Station. Together with the award winning restaurant Bridges, Library Or and The Flying Dutchman bar, The Grand boasts an exclusive So SPA with tness centre and a private valet car park. This historic destination provides 17 exclusive meeting rooms, able to accommodate between 2 and 350 guests in either contemporary elegance or one of our monumental listed rooms. So tel Legend The Grand Amsterdam Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197, 1012 EX Amsterdam - The Netherlands Information and reservation: +31 (0) H2783-SB@so tel.com - tel-legend.com