2. Kongres newsletter, April 2010

 

Articles and news chosen by our guest Maruša Rosulnik, GORMICE

 

The path to green meeting industry?

(Convention) tourism is inalienably related to or dependent on the uniqueness of the environment. In order for a destination to maintain its appeal and continue to attract tourists, the development of tourism must take into account its natural, social and cultural environment. Green or sustainable meeting industry thus considers the future with the aim of current economic activities enhancing the welfare of the inhabitants while at the same time preserving natural resources for future generations.

Slovenia has comparative advantages that work in favour of sustainable tourism – its woodlands, its rich animal and plant life, pristine potable water, etc. However, do we know how to utilise these comparative advantages efficiently and in the long-run and to develop them into competitive advantages?

In order to develop sustainable meeting industry, we need to understand it in terms of both supply and demand. We need to understand the importance of sustainability in the event organisers’ decision-making process and in the satisfaction of conference guests and their loyalty to the destination.

With regard to the range, we need to analyse the opportunities for implementing sustainable measures and to evaluate their anticipated economic, social and environmental effects. The foundations were laid by the American Convention Industry Council, which determined eight main areas for implementing sustainable measures: accommodation, transportation, destination, event venue, communications and marketing, general office procedures, catering, exhibitions.

Once the sustainable policy and exact goals of sustainable products have been determined, sustainable measures can be implemented. In order to achieve the successful implementation of sustainable measures, these measures need to be evaluated and their environmental, economic, social and cultural impact measured. If we want these sustainable measures to be accepted and realised and want them to lead to increased profitability, we need to guarantee in-house training and education for our employees as well as external communication on the sustainable nature of the provider.

On our path to green meeting industry, we need to be able to recognise market opportunities, have the required professional knowledge to plan, implement and evaluate sustainable measures and investment funds that should, if used properly, lead to long-term savings.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, each delegate attending a three-day event generates 28 kg of waste, which equals two bin bags. This is almost five times more than we generate at home.

Maruša Rosulnik, GORMICE

 

Green meeting industry across the globe

 

In addition to setting goals and measuring the results of these measures, Luehrs stresses the negotiations between meeting planners and meeting providers prior to concluding the contract. In that phase, meeting planners can use their negotiating position to their advantage and put pressure on the providers to include sustainable elements in event management. We need to be aware that “sustainable measures are profitable in both the short and long term, especially if they relate to efficiency of resources", says Bergkvist. The most commonly quoted example of a sustainable measure that cuts costs is the replacement of bottled water with water jugs. Or to provide access for people with disabilities, whereby providers can expand their target groups and increase their chances of being chosen for planning meetings. Other examples relate to the use of digital communication tools and the reduction of printed material, the inclusion of organic and vegetarian dishes in menus and the replacement of promotional gifts with sensible donations to charities.

Even though interest in sustainable event management is increasing rapidly, the actual demand and attitude of meeting providers do not keep up with the trend. Luehrs believes that it is the responsibility of meeting planners to increasingly inquire about sustainable measures when negotiating with meeting providers. Bergkvist adds that “numerous planners are still not clear which sustainable measures they should request from meeting providers.” It sometimes happens that, despite the inclusion of a question on the provider’s sustainable nature in the bid request, they finally decide on a non-sustainably oriented provider. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the growing green demand of meeting planners and an increasing number of meeting providers that are proactively presenting themselves as sustainable meeting industry products.

Examples of financial and environmental savings following sustainable measures

Green activity	Extent	Financial savings	Environmental savings
The reduction of material for the delegates	1,300 delegates at a two-day event	EUR 1,500	221 kg of wood 2,335 l of water 1,055 MJ of energy 36 kg of solid waste
The replacement of bottled water with water in water jugs	1,200 delegates at a five-day event	EUR 35,400	19,000 l of water 1,181 kg of CO2 216 kg of oil 23,840 MJ of energy
The replacement of 13 l water tanks in toilets with 6 l water tanks	Hotel with 296 rooms	EUR 860/a year	1,165,600 l of water

Green meetings in Slovenia

The Slovenian Tourist Board recognises sustainable tourism as an imperative direction of development for Slovenian tourism. In these times of climate and economic crisis, new developmental opportunities for tourism need to be studied, as well as the possibilities of making tourism part of a sustainable economy. The fact remains however that with regard to the tourism offer and the infrastructure required to develop sustainable tourism, the situation in Slovenia is not satisfactory. There are no sustainable destinations, no appropriate infrastructure and no products and green supply chains, while the management is not sufficiently implementing sustainable management in tourism. Slovenia does not have a sustainable certification system like the EU Flower Eco Label on the level of the European Union or the Nordic Swan on the regional level or the Austrian Eco Label on the national level. According to Maja Pak, head of research and development at the Slovenian Tourist Board, “We are at the beginning of our green path but are determined to stay on course. Let us hope that we can move fast enough that we are not overlooked by the market.” Miha Kovačič, director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, agrees: “Slovenian meeting industry is only just starting its sustainable path. We are aware that this is an opportunity for Slovenia.” We are therefore currently green only insofar as the colour of our grass is concerned.

The current examples of sustainable tourism in Slovenia that are supposed to motivate other providers of sustainable management are the Bohinj Park ECO Hotel, Terme Snovik and the Adrenalinček – the Korita Eco Camp. Nataša Andlovec from the Bohinj Park ECO Hotel says that “the sustainable facility actively represents the global environmental ethics: it utilises natural resources responsibly and the same applies to local social and cultural heritage. We use our own water and energy well and have other advantages to maintain the balance between goods and natural resources." Petra Zlatoper, director of Terme Snovik, explains that their thermal spa has “received numerous awards in the field of ecology, the ISO 14001 ecologic standard, the EU Flower ECO Label and the CIPRA award for an environmentally friendly and energy efficient thermal spa.” The Adrenalinček – Korita ECO Camp is the first ecological camp in Slovenia constructed exclusively from natural materials, all the energy is provided by the sun and the water of the river serves as the refrigerator.

A green step was also taken by the Slovenian Tourist Board with its pilot project of a carbon neutral study trip for German journalists. They planned the trip minimising emissions: they used environmentally friendly transportation (train, electric car) and environmentally friendly accommodation (Hotel Park Bohinj, Terme Snovik and the Lenar Tourist Farm) and select destinations that act towards the sustainable development of tourism. They generated 51 kg of CO2 emissions per participant of the study trip, which they offset by planting three beech trees that will use up this quantity of CO2 in 37 years.

In 2009, Slovenia held a good 20th place among 133 countries in research conducted by the World Tourism Organisation in the competitiveness of environmental sustainability. The European Green City Index measuring the environmental sustainability of thirty cities ranked our capital as the 19th. In order for Slovenian (convention) tourism to truly become sustainable tourism, Miha Kovačič believes that the line ministry should assume the responsibility and prepare an action plan. “Associations should be invited to participate and they could transfer this policy and programme to the economy. The greater the national support for the project, the more successful we would be as a whole," Kovačič believes.

 

How green are our meetings?

Green (convention) tourism is a trend. It is a global trend that is being increasingly followed by agencies, hotel chains, tourism and convention bureaus that invest in sustainable measures. According to research conducted by the Meetings & Conventions Magazine in 2009, 51% of meeting planners see the sustainable nature of events as important. For two-thirds of planners, a venue's green initiatives are either somewhat or very important factors in their destination selection process. International meeting providers carefully follow the trend of green requirements.

In Slovenia, sustainable meeting industry is an awakening trend. Green (convention) tourism is a newly coined word and a reoccurring topic at conferences and roundtables. Increasingly, meeting providers and planners are strategically considering the implementation of sustainable measures, be it for the economic reasons of reducing costs and increasing profitability or marketing reasons connected to establishing a product’s image and brand and thus ensuring a competitive advantage. They can also be motivated by the social aspect of how to motivate the employees, increase their satisfaction and thus ensure their loyalty. There are, of course, environmental reasons for how to reduce negative environmental impacts as well.

However, discussing sustainable meeting industry does not lead to the actual implementation of sustainable measures. The discrepancy between the declarative level of communication and the actual level of sustainability in the Slovenian meetings industry is thus evident. It is tempting to present oneself as a sustainable product, as this carries the promise of good PR, improved customer relations and a potential increase in our market share. However, there is currently only one Slovenian provider that can boast the EU Flower Eco Label, the European award for environmentally friendly accommodations, while a handful of other providers are still dealing with the implementation of sustainable measures. Is the research work in the green purchases of meeting planners and are the good practice examples from abroad not convincing enough for Slovenian meeting providers? Reasons for the slow implementation of sustainable measures can be sought in lack of knowledge or information and initiatives, as well as lack of investment funds for implementing sustainable meeting products. In light of the growing importance of sustainable meeting industry, the increase in green purchases from meeting planners and the environmental awareness of conference guests, the possibilities of sustainable tourism should overcome the obstacles to its implementation. Sustainable meeting industry products can meet the requirements of event organisers to a greater extent, thus facilitating their loyalty and increasing our competitiveness.

Selected articles from Kongres magazine

 

Relationship between marketing and sales in the meetings industry

 

Marketing and Sales – Hand in Hand in the Meetings Industry

Presentation by Maja Makovec Brenčič
Maja Makovec Brenčič is Associate Professor of International Marketing and International Business at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana and Vice Dean for Development. She completes her extensive educational, scientific and research work by providing advisory and educational services to leading Slovenian companies. Ms. Brenčič is co-founder and president of the Student Business Conference, uniting students’ research work with practical company needs, president of the Slovenian Marketing Association, vice president of the Arbitration Committee with the Slovenian Advertising Chamber and actively involved in CRP projects on marketing in tourism.

In companies, we often hear sales personnel complaining that marketing has no idea what sales actually does, while the marketing department says that sales doesn’t fill them in on anything. Sometimes we find marketing and sales working together and in mutual understanding with customer-oriented goals and daily intertwined activities. Regardless of their name and their organisation, marketing and sales need to work hand in hand. In a recently conducted study in this field, one of the participants said very honestly: “I conduct sales during the day and marketing in the car and at night in bed when I’m thinking about strategic challenges. My first thought in the morning is how to translate the strategy I determined into an activity, in both sales and marketing.”

Even though sales and marketing might share the same goals, i.e. to be customer-oriented, to generate benefits for customers and also their satisfaction and loyalty, it happens too often that they lead separate lives. Their interactions are often not sufficiently intertwined or as related in content as they should be, while sales and marketing personnel often regard each other as though they were standing on opposite banks. Such banks should not be present in a market-oriented company (or institution) regardless of whether it is a product or a service company, as all processes must be directed towards generating value for the customer and other stakeholders. Even though, in its strategic importance and in the extent of content-oriented operation, marketing is broader than sales as it encompasses, in both strategy and tactics, areas of market research, product and service development, price policies, marketing methods and communications, it is often sales that is part of the fundamental process of establishing and maintaining customer relations. It is basically irrelevant what the individual parts of the process are called or how the marketing and sales relationships are organised within the company (perhaps it does not even need a special function or department) as long as it works on all the levels within the company and in relation to all the external stakeholders, especially customers. The same applies to the meetings industry. My own experience relates to obtaining the EMAC conference – the largest scientific conference in the field of marketing in Europe, which the Ljubljana Faculty of Economics will host in May 2011. If our marketing and corporate communication department and all on-field “sales" personnel – fellow academics, who were also designers of the conference’s marketing strategy and content, failed to work together, we would not have been able to prepare a convincing presentation and win the candidacy. The same applies to regular daily marketing. A synchronised and, above all, an efficient and coordinated presence of all of the company’s knowledge is the most important guideline in the relationship between marketing and sales. Development needs to be added, as the realisations from the market and the proactive management of the activity or company need to be transformed into actual ideas. However, these ideas do not emerge if sales and marketing do not transfer their knowledge and awareness from the market back to the company or institution. Only a well rounded loop actually works all the way through to the customers – with various offers and content, upgraded services and, above all, originality compared to the competition. As competition is growing in the meetings industry, let development – marketing – sales in co-dependant and co-creative interaction be the guiding principle for its competitive development, positioning and recognition in the international arena.

A Different Presentation of Meetings and Incentive Personalities

A New Communication Paradigm – Content Marketing

Igor Savič, Market Designer
Personal presentation:
Igor Savič is a communications expert, expert advisor to numerous Slovenian companies and the designer of original strategic, marketing, PR and editorial solutions, as well as the director of the PM, poslovni mediji agency.
He is a long-time editor of various media with a deep understanding of the logics and meaning of content marketing. The public knows him as the designer of the Viktorji project (the Slovenian equivalent of the Oscars). In addition to STOP, Mars and other magazines, he began designing corporate magazines for Delo Revije and took over the editing of Glas gospodarstva. He worked for the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and obtained extensive experience in the field of economy and management, including of even the most demanding projects. Today, he is the director and partner of a modern content marketing agency, PM poslovni mediji, which works with numerous important Slovenian companies such as Porsche Slovenija, Petrol, UniCredit Bank, KD Group, GZS, NLB Group and Krka.

In order for companies to survive in today's dynamic and constantly changing network society, they need to be able to efficiently communicate not only with buyers but also with numerous other individuals, companies, interest groups, institutions, media and, last but not least, the state. Successful communication is becoming the key to a company’s success and it is for this reason that the companies have to be aware of, know and understand the changing communication lines of the world and to know the limitations and opportunities provided by the tools, ideas and solutions that they are currently using.

For years, companies have been using various ways and means to provide information about their products and services to various publics. The old ideas and solutions, which are predominantly based on conventional marketing and advertising in mass media, are losing wind and one of the most exciting novelties is undoubtedly content marketing that builds on and from the knowledge and tools of marketing, public relations, strategic communication and editorial knowledge, while at the same time considering the various possibilities offered by modern information technologies. The most interesting fact is that modern companies are changing from leasers of media space to producers of their own media. And this is the story behind the activity of Slovenia’s leading content marketing agency, PM poslovni mediji.

Content, Content, Content
A detailed understanding of the importance of CONTENT is the core of long-term success and efficiency. Since being set up in 2005, the PM, poslovni mediji content marketing agency believes in the concept of content. From the first, they realised that modern marketing is changing. Conventional advertising in the mass media is losing efficiency, so people are searching for new solutions and concepts. They thoroughly tested out the market, convinced even the most demanding clients, polished their solutions and checked them with research and results. Their knowledge is unique: it is a combination of content, editing, marketing and PR logic, skills and knowledge. PM also has an international presence – they are the co-founders of the global association for corporate media, which they see as the tool of content marketing.
Content marketing is a contemporary marketing approach that is used to attract, captivate, engage and include a clearly defined target group on the basis of the production, processing and distribution of relevant content. Nothing works without content and we are not talking about average information. Content marketing only works if the content is above average, bold, high quality, charming, attractive, tempting, interesting, funny, relevant, independent, trustworthy, deep, creative, current, decisive, crucial, etc.

Stories and content in various forms (texts, sound, video, animation or movement), adapted for various media (print magazines, e-news, blogs, online magazines and in-house magazines) and aimed and adapted to various target groups (in-house public, business partners, VIP guests, women, men, children or retired persons). The narrower the target group, the easier it is to adapt the content and make it more relevant for the target group, the greater its effects and the lower the costs.

Instead of the conventional paraphrasing of sales messages on the superiority and quality of our product and the exceptional benefits it conveys, content marketing offers an obligation or promise to provide existing and potential buyers relevant content that will enable them to make smarter purchase decisions. For Slovenia, experience clearly indicates that if we are able to provide buyers constant, relevant and quality content, we will be rewarded in the long-run with the best possible prize – the long-term loyalty of our buyers and their continual cooperation (purchases) with our company.

Results and Measurability
According to research conducted by the American Custom Publishing Council association for corporate media:

• 80 percent of potential buyers have a preference for obtaining information on the basis of good articles compared to obtaining information from ads in their purchase decisions;
• as much as 70 percent claim that they like a specific company more on the basis of content marketing;
• 60 percent claim that, due to well-prepared corporate content and its tools or media, they were able to make a better purchase decision.

Similar results are achieved using online tools such as iFly Magazine, KLM Airlines’ digital and interactive magazine. It took only three issues for the magazine to prove itself as the most efficient tool to sell airline tickets with 20% of readers reading the entire magazine, on average spending 20 minutes reading it. There is a similar example in Slovenia with the Carzine magazine issued by Porsche Slovenija, which is read in full by 18 to 40% of the readers (depending on the issue).

Content Marketing Checklist
The 5 key questions that I need to answer if I wish to establish appropriate communication through a print magazine, e-news or website where readers will spend 15, 30 or 45 minutes:

1. Which buyer segments are the most important and that I wish to attract?
2. Is my company able to continually prepare relevant and quality content in a form appropriate for the tools?
3. Do I understand and accept the rules or conditions for the success of content marketing?
4. Do I want others to talk about my company and my offer? Do I wish to proactively participate and add my view to the published story?
5. Do I really wish to attract buyers in the long-run or am I merely searching for a solution to a current problem?

Interview with Steve De Wit

Personal presentation:
After graduating with a Masters degree, Steve began as a sales person for a medical company. 3 years later, he set up his own corporate event agency, Barranco. For the next 20 years, Steve was organising conferences, meetings, incentives and team building events all over the world. In 2009, he wrote down his experiences in the book entitled “Secrets of Effective Meetings and Events”. Besides being a meeting planner, he is also now a trainer and a speaker.


1- What are the key skills (competencies) of the successful meeting planner?

We have an expression here in Belgium: ‘A devil can do it all’. That means a person who has many different skills. That’s exactly what a successful meeting planner should have. The last section of my book is dedicated to an overview of these skills: management, creativity, communication, organization, financial and software skills. On top of that, he or she, needs a strong physical condition too and a good dose of emotional competence. And last but not least: extended product knowledge. So, it’s my advice to planners to constantly try to improve and update their skills, even after being in the business for many years. In my book, they can find a tool to work on these skills.

2- What is essential for successful M&E management?

I use to group these essentials into ‘the 5 laws of successful M&E management’. First is the law of ‘focus’. The planner should select every item for the meeting in view of and focused on the ‘why’ of the meeting. Second comes the law of ‘preparation’. 90% of success in this business is related to meticulous preparation. We never get a second chance in this business, so no mistakes are allowed. Next is the law of ‘discipline’. In other words: a meeting isn’t over until it’s over. Especially for multi day meetings, it’s important to keep yourself and your team disciplined and focused till the very end. Next comes the law of ‘check-and-check-again’. Never take a reservation or an action for granted. Check it over and over again, and in time, before you need it. The last law is the ‘bird’s-eye view’. Meeting planners are managers. They are there in the first place to have an overview of the whole meeting. When they get bogged down in details, they will loose the essence.

3- Can you give us some advices on how to save money and time when organizing M&E?

Communication! Definitely, effective communication! If all the people involved in the preparation of the meeting optimize their communication, everything can be done in half the time. Before sending out a mail, before starting an action, the planner should think about how to communicate, both in writing and orally. And you must think about the essence that needs to be included in that communication: nothing more, nothing less. Furthermore, communication needs to be 100% accurate, from the first shot. Nothing is more embarrassing than having to call an official invitation mail back because the stated date was wrong or even forgotten. This happens more often than you would believe. And minimize the use of e-mail. Be short and avoid the ‘cc’ whenever possible. At lastly: keep the meeting short and focused. Many companies have too many ‘reunions’. I call it ‘reunitis’. It’s a disease.

4- How can knowledge from other sciences and businesses be of value for meeting planners?

Meetings management involves many dimensions. There is a big overlap with existing sciences and businesses. We can learn from what others have already tested or discovered. We should keep our eyes and ears open and learn from e.g. what tips and tricks the movie industry uses when it wants to keep the attention of an audience. And let’s find out what communication and creativity specialists can teach us, such as Allan and Barbara Peace when it comes to making PowerPoint effective. Furthermore, a knowledge of body language, photography, public speaking, gastronomy and people management can all be of added value to the meeting planner. Let’s peek over the fences of the meeting world and steel with our eyes.

5- Do you think that virtual conferences, meetings and events (Avatar and meeting industry) are our future? If so – why?

It may sound rude, but my answer is a definite ‘no, they aren’t’! Let me put is this way: Can you survive with virtual food? I don’t think you can. It’s is a ‘physical’ action by definition. Meetings are the same: they allow humans to physically confront with the energy, the motivation, the body language and the know-how of other human beings in the meeting. It’s like dating on the internet: you can stay virtual for a long time, but eventually the day comes to step into reality, meet the other person and see just how the energies will mix – or clash. To meet is a basic need of human beings, as is eating and drinking. The only added value that I believe pixels on a screen can deliver, is sharing cold know-how, facts and figures.

Congress locations: Adrenalin parks

Adrenalin Parks and Team Experiences in Slovenia

There are quite a few high quality parks in Slovenia that offer various teambuilding programmes, allow the organisation of interesting incentives for your employees or business partners, provide an interesting offer for your international guests or that you can visit with your family and friends to act out your adrenalin and sporting dreams. Adrenalin and adventure parks are primarily intended for the safe implementation of various adrenalin-filled activities that can be carried out under the watchful eye of certified trainers. The park’s elements vary from the lowest (such as the spider web or the scales, which are intended predominantly for teamwork) to those at an altitude of 20 metres or more (e.g. the giant swing of the high beam) where participants are secured with climbing belts and wire ropes. Some elements are primarily aimed to evoke an adrenalin-filled experience, while others facilitate teamwork, as we need to trust our team members and communicate with them in order to complete the activity. This is why these parks are perfect for teambuilding programmes, as teams undertake various tasks (some of them strategic) in a different environment, with a touch of adrenalin but especially with teamwork, thus establishing stronger relationships. If all this happens under the guidance and evaluation of a skilled facilitator or trainer, the teams truly have a lot to gain.

Slovenia has numerous parks of different kinds scattered across the country from Tolmin to Maribor and from Bohinj to Osilnica. They differ with regard to whether they are constructed using trees or artificial beams and in the elements they contain, which determine who their predominant users are: individuals, families, co-workers, etc. Maybe you can use one of the interesting programmes offered by these parks to spice up your next event or teambuilding programme.

Dani Polajnar - Programski direktor
www.tba.si
dani@tba.si

Hotel and venue news

Grand hotel Union**** Executive

New look after a century of tradition in service and quality

Celebrating its 105th birthday this year, the Grand Hotel Union Executive will unveil the second phase of renovation of the 86 hotels superior rooms. The refurbishment was partially financed by the European Union (the European Regional Development Fund).
The rooms have been given a new softness thanks to the use of subtle but high-quality fabrics and signature detailing that has always defined the architectural and interior Art Nouveau style of the Hotel Union. Amenities have been upgraded by including new flat wide screen televisions.

Transform a simple congress event into a pleasant beauty retreat at Perla, Casino & Hotel in Nova Gorica

In May the town of Nova Gorica begins to flourish in the sign of roses. The skilled personnel of the Perla Gaming and Entertainment Centre will as always provide for a smooth course of various events and business meetings in the well-arranged modern conference rooms, while you will be able to take a walk through the collection of Bourbon roses in the garden at the Kostanjevica monastery, which is the second biggest collection of this kind in Europe.

After an evening full of culinary experiences, socializing at the attractive games of chance, entertainment, concerts and a comfortable rest in the hotel rooms and suites, the guests can visit the Spa Perla Centre and turn such a simple conference event into a nice beauty retreat.

Energy efficiency award

As innovation is the keynote for competitiveness, Finance magazine and Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and spatial planning have given away another set of annual acknowledgements for Energy efficiency in cooperation with the leading Slovenian scientific research Institute – the Jožef Stefan Institute. On April 19th 2010 Bohinj Park ECO Hotel was awarded as most efficient enterprise, while Boštjan Čokl, its owner, recieved the flattering title of Energy Manager of the Year. According to Mr. Čokl the 1st Slovenian Ecological Hotel was foremost possible on account of him being the mastermind, building contractor and investor – all one person.

Remote Site Catering – Moscow, Berlin, Helsinki, Belgrade, Madrid, Milan…

In cooperation with the Slovene Tourist Organisation, the Jezeršek Culinary Catering has specialized in providing remote site catering services.
After having provided culinary catering services at the prominent WTM London last year, the Jezeršek Culinary Catering participated at numerous presentations and promotions of Slovene tourism.
With the development of modern catering technology, the distances of 100 - even 1,000 – kilometers are now perfectly accomplishable when it comes to providing culinary catering services.

We are delighted to say that our Slovene culinary art has been presented in Vienna, Madrid, Prague, Brussels, Milan, Munich, Belgrade, Salzburg, Budapest, Berlin, Moscow and other places around Europe.

Thermana Laško is opening congress center in August

Thermana Laško offers in new Congress Centre superior rooms for business meetings, press conferences and a wide range of seminars and events. For any kind of events, that you are planning to organize, you can be sure that the quality level of provided services and the pleasant environment of a new Congress Centre will satisfy your complete expectations. The aim of our business is to provide quality services that can assure all our guest satisfaction as well as for our employees, management and owners.
In august 2010, it will open the door to a new Congress Center for approx. 900 participants. Will be composed of 8 rooms, of which the largest hall could accept 490 participants.

Hotel Valamar Lacroma in Dubrovnik is the pharmacist's choice

 

The rich spring congress season at the hotel Valamar Lacroma in Dubrovnik began with the congresses of the pharmaceutical companies, which showed a great interest for Dubrovnik’s largest congress and spa hotel. In the late March, Cardiovascular Congress was held by the pharmaceutical company Abbott, gathering about three hundred participants, while in the mid April, it was the venue for the 2nd International Conference on Improving the Treatment of Diabetes with Insulin and its 450 participants.

The following period is reserved for many important conventions, such as the Triple Neuroscience Standalone organized by Novartis from Turkey and Buy Croatia workshop which is scheduled for May and EASL Special Conference on Hepatocellular Carcinoma with 800 participants to be held by the end of June.

More than 25 educational events scheduled for BTC 2010

Seminars, presentations, round tables and case histories,
proposed by Italian and international speakers and experts, will cover
a wide range of issues of interest to the meetings industry.
4 MAY 2010 – As promised, BTC, the Italian trade show for the meetings, events, conferences, incentive travel and business tourism industry, is set to deliver an extremely rich and varied educational package, designed to update professionals working in the sector and ensure the involvement of all stakeholders: its programme comprises more than 25 events of different types open to all participants over the two days of the show, which will be held at Fiera di Rimini on 1 and 2 July.
“We are committed to offering buyers, exhibitors, visitors and media high-quality professional content”, says BTC Exhibition Manager Gabriella Ghigi. “Knowledge of the market, understanding the trends at work within it and sharing experiences and expertise are key to the meetings industry’s growth and development. We are therefore extremely proud of the fact that BTC is not only the sole Italian trade
show specifically focused on B2B for the meetings industry, but also an event that offers high added value in the educational opportunities it provides to the whole meetings community”.
The first educational track of the seminar programme focuses on growth strategies and tools for small and medium-sized companies in the era of globalisation. This will be covered in a round table with Massimiliano Rigon, representative of the Bank of Italy, on the issue of credit; a case history presented by Gianluca Viscardi, chairman of Bergamo’s SME confederation, on the use of financial self-assessments tools in order to submit more effective loan applications; a seminar organised by publisher Convegni on mergers and partnerships for the purpose of pooling expertise and customer portfolios; the case history of Venezia Congressi, an agency acquired by three PCOs that formed an alliance for the operation; and a seminar conducted by management consultant Paolo Novi (ioè)
on change as a driver to combat the crisis.

The second topic is that of European markets: Paul Kennedy (MEETINGS:Review) will set out strategies to acquire international business; Roger Kellerman (Meetings International) will provide an overview of the Scandinavian events market; Marek Phillips (CAT Publications) will give a profile of UK buyers and their expectations; and José Garcia Aguarod (Grupo Eventoplus) will discuss the Spanish market and its trends. The new global environment will also be explored, with a seminar conducted by Rob Davidson (Westminster University) and Miguel Neves (Synaxis Meetings & Events) on Generation Y and Social Media as tools to engage and inspire people. This track includes the presentation of the Italian conference market survey Osservatorio Congressuale Italiano, with Attilio Gardini (University of Bologna) outlining the trends on the Italian events market in 2009.
The educational track on events organisation will see contributions from Elena Vender Caldarelli (Kontiki Incentives) on green meetings, from Rudi Conti (Meetings & Communications) on site inspections and from Maria Teresa Terenzio (Focus Incentive Congress) on cross cultural communication at events.
Furthermore, Morena Paola Carli (Trento provincial government) will discuss budget management and Open Source Management will reveal how to “win” client sponsorship.
The track on experiential communication is also very rich, with seminars on theatre, smells, images, colours, music and light conducted by professionals from communication agencies and providers such as Cabrini Associati, Oikos Fragrances, Teatro d’Impresa and Ideogamma, who will bring their own experience
in the field to the show.
Event managers from big corporate organisations will also have their say. At a round table, they will bring their own professional experience and draw on best practice case histories, to discuss how the need for an event arises, how they plan and design it to match the communication target and the marketing objectives, and how they measure its results.

The educational programme will also involve tourism stakeholders with a seminar conducted by industry federation Confturismo, in which it will present a survey on Growth and competitiveness in conference tourism. For travel managers, Andrea Guizzardi from the University of Bologna will present a new, targeted blog and conduct a round table with the professionals who took part in the Analysis of business travel training course.

Finally, there is the Future Leaders Forum, the day dedicated to training the future professionals of the meetings industry organised by Tom Hulton of IMEX in partnership with MPI, and the innovative pre-show experiential workshop organised by ioè to facilitate networking and personal interaction between buyers and suppliers.
The complete seminar programme with descriptive summaries will be available on the BTC website from mid-May. Registered buyers, exhibitors, visitors and media will be able to sign up for seminars in the reserved area of the website.

Special offers

Dinning in style at the new a la carte restaurant Pri Levu

Dine in the stylish surroundings of the à la carte restaurant Pri Levu. Our head chef and his team will spoil you with intense Mediterranean delights. The excellent wine list toghether with the helpful and charming service complete the special culinary experience. The restaurant's elegant atmosphere with fireplace and aquarium will make your visit a memorable experience.

Training goals analysis

Six months pased since Maya Team Tolmin has organized specialized teambuilding programme for a company Go Mice. It was necesary to check how the goals of the training have been achieved. We prepared short analysis of the situation at the moment at the idyllically hotel and manor Drnča. The analysis brought more than just satisfying results.
Analysis of the company Go Mice was based in the situation before and after training and in the situation today. We renewed 7 most important conditions for successful work of a team and human resources. Not many companies are aware of importancy of their own human resources for achieving the goals of the company. Combination of solving the team tasks, work organization and comunication skills made possible to bring gained knowledge into work enviroment of company Go Mice. The success of the training was undeniably also result of intacted nature, unique atmosphere and personnel of hotel and manor Drnča.

Announcing

10th anniversary of MAYA TEAM

Maya team celebrated its 10th anniversary on 21st April 2010.
Ten years ago, Maya agency hosted first guests for active holidays in Soca valley. During all these years they developed and succeed in three different brands; Team Spirit which organises and implements a variety of team-based and conference-based activities (incentive, team-building and team-bonding programmes, business events); Outdoor Centre looks after the organisation of individual and group one-day adventure experiences (rafting, kayaking, canyoning, trekking, cycling ...) and Slovenia Experience which provides active holidays in Slovenia for families and individuals.

New Hotel in Conference Centre in Slovenia, Next to Bled

New Hotel and manor Drnča **** has 34 rooms, 4 conference rooms (10-100 persons) with contemporary technical equipment, medical centre, wellness centre with indoor swimming pool, saunas and rooms for massages, restaurant, bar and a large parking place. Next to the hotels there is a renovated renaissance manor with wedding hall, bar and beautiful park.
Due to the excellent accessibility (next to the international airport and motorway A2), its location, next to the famous tourist resort Bled (7 km) and Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia (50 km), complete service, unspoiled nature and invaluable tranquility, the new complex Drnča is an excellent choice for exclusive smaller events, seminars, conferences and incentives.

30th marathon of three hearts on 15 May 2010

30th anniversary of the prime event will once again take place with its start and finish in front of Health & Spa Resort Radenci. With experiences in congress tourism and event management, Resort Radenci goes side by side with activities of this traditional event: organization of press conference, accommodation, F&B, health assistance, children’s animation, Wellness treatments… Particularity is the compatibility of different generations. This marathon is not only for runners, but also for walkers. This year novelty: Nordic walking discipline. Traditional event broadcasts across borders to Croatia, Austria, Hungary and it’s believed that this year it will spread even wider.

Pirate's Bay in Terme Čatež – new from April 2010

The pirates have chosen Terme Čatež for their new home.
Pirate's bay is a perfect place for adventurous teambuilding activities our leisure vacation. Wooden-type-bungalow-village has 20 units entirely built over the water. Each bungalow is for 4 -5 persons and offers and attractive view from terrace. Pirate's bay is in immediate vicinity of the hotels with conference centre, Indian village, Summer Thermal Riviera and Apartment village. It is an ideal place for brainstorming, relaxation and strenthening business opportunities.

Tennis tournament in Solaris

Under patronage of Government of Republic of Croatia The Pearls of Dalmatia have started, actually ITF Women Circuit in the total value of 10,000 USD. Some of the famous tennis names are Petra Šunić, Croatian tennis player 564 tennis player in the world and Patricia Mayr 347. ranked player of WTA lists. From well known players who played at these tournaments are Justine Henin, Nadje Petrove or for example our Fed Cup player Jelene Kostanić.

Conventa Academy. Investment in Knowledge.

Nowadays, knowledge is no longer a privilege but a necessity for development and success. The Conventa Academy finally offers an opportunity in the field of the meeting industry that will open up new horizons for you, give your team a fresh impetus or contribute to the successful development of your company.

The Conventa Academy guideline is to share knowledge and experience that has been developed through years of tradition with those that will be shaping the future of this branch of tourism tomorrow. This is why we choose lecturers with professional experience as well as those from educational institutions.

BASIC MODULE
20 – 21 May 2010
Headed by: Srečo Peterlič
This module is intended for obtaining operational knowledge on effective management or work on congress projects.

MARKETING MODULE
10 – 11 June 2010
Headed by: Gorazd Čad
Marketing module includes marketing concepts for

congress projects, hotels, convention centres and agencies.

EXECUTIVE MODULE
16 September 2010
Headed by: Paul Kennedy
Executive module examines how to align busi

ness development and marketing challenges with the reality of the meetings marketplace.

DESTINATION MODULE
14 – 15 October 2010
Headed by: Miha Kovačič
Destination module transfers the mechanisms

for implementing quality and meeting industry industry standards to destinations.

More information and application: www.academyconventa.com