It’s not often I write about my own city, but now I have a good reason to do so: my station, the Central Station of Antwerp, has become so beautiful. It has been renovated almost completely. In the heat of the moment I had almost said: you won’t know what you’ll see. But the contrary is true: you see a lot. The lion heads and the domes are finished. A Railway Cathedral in all of its glittering glory, as we wrote in our 24 page Special about Antwerp. The Other Antwerp 6 just came out together with MIM 106! Don’t miss this red diamond, as it also became a nice place to organize a reception or an event!
A few months ago, I heard the news in Newsweek magazine that my station was ranked 4th in the list of the most beautiful railway stations in the world. Zürich takes the number one spot followed by Barcelona.
By the way, I think smoking should be prohibited in these places, especially in the Royal Café. I could never find it in my heart to light up a cigarette in such a beautiful room… I could see the gold curls go up in smoke… and the lions roaring in anger. But nonetheless, let’s dance in the hall!
For the moment, Viparis consists of 10 members, who are all ready and willing to organise large congresses, conventions and events. Viparis is – in my not so humble opinion – one of the best recent marketing examples and strategies of the European congress and events business. It’s simply marvellous when a city succeeds in uniting ten large meeting venues behind one banner!
Paris Le Bourget, I hadn’t visited one of those members yet. That’s why I could hardly refuse the invitation to the annual Air show and to the celebration of the first anniversary of Viparis. That day I saw many a young man’s dream get born and many an old man’s dream die. My dream was amongst the latter. I found myself standing in front of a group of young student pilots from the Dutch Flight Academy in Groningen. They were looking with eager eyes at the new Diamond D-jet. A fabulous plane made in Canada. Perfectly suited for flying MIMmagazine around the world to organise meetings and incentive travel reports. I had forgotten my camera, but luckily Stephan van Vuren of the DFA saw in me a future owner – or to be more precise an old man’s dream – and managed to take my picture. He sent me those pictures and added: “It seems wonderful to fly such a plane. I’d love to transport you wherever you want”. I know Stephan, if only I could realise your young man’s dream. Sadly ‘t was but a dream and I saw the price. The manufacturer says “we make it easy to fly”, my company will say “we won’t make it easy to own”. If only I were allowed to dream.
On the last day of the AIME meetings industry fair in Melbourne I came across Paul Kennedy who was on the way to his big love: second-hand bookshops. I had just visited Federation Square and really enjoyed the atmosphere when Paul made a confession: ‘I’ve got my own library at home and I’ve got a list in my back pocket with books I’d like to buy here.’
How sorry I am that I didn’t worm that list out of him. I would have published it under the title ‘Paul’s Passion‘. We also talked about which are the best meetings industry trade fairs in the world and without further discussion he gave them in this order: EIBTM, IMEX and AIME. I have to say I’m in heartfelt agreement with him, I’m only not sure if the order of number one and two is correct. What I do know, is that my first visit to AIME was a major success and it definitely deserves its third spot among the world’s great fairs.
I’ll declare my love to this trade fair now: AIME, je t’AIME! Just to be clear, the AIME fair is owned by Melbourne Convention Bureau, so it’s also a bit part of CEO Sandra Chipchase who’s very good on the dancefloor as well. And Paul also has a finger in the pie! What do our Belgian friends think about AIME after visiting Melbourne? Do they agree with the trade fair ranking?
The best press release from the Belgian convention landscape that ended up on my writing desk in January came from Bruges. It started off with ‘Good News’ and immediately I saw the image of a broad smile, around the eyes this time. Self-assured, young, happy and good. And then came the name that would even turn a cardinal jealous: Laurent Cardinael.
I think Laurent is the youngest meeting planner of the country. Investing in young talent in our industry is something I encourage enormously. Well done, Meeting in Brugge. I hope I’ll be able to receive more of this kind of good news reports this year.
Around Christmas and new year I always get an almost animal urge to migrate towards warmer regions. Really warm! I was in Sri Lanka at a time when a decisive battle was being fought with the Tamil Tigers. I didn’t notice a thing though.
I felt like someone who arrives in a big city and gets good advice from the taxi driver: don’t go to that and that neighbourhood, but for the rest it’s a safe town. In Sri Lanka this meant: don’t go to the north, but the rest of the country is completely safe. So I stayed in the centre and the south and I plunged into Buddhism, speaking to a monk for hours. I let myself slip away into the teachings of Ayurveda and I remembered one thing: I hope I’ll come back as a fish in the Indian Ocean. When everything’s blown over, Sri Lanka will become a top incentive destination again, just like in the good old days, and just like Nepal did.
I’ve seen a star
A new one
An iconic one
Far, far away
But nearby for others
Not in the East, but the South-East
One of the largest in the world
The Southern Star of Melbourne!
The seventh largest observation wheel of the world, opened in Melbourne and is known for its unique star design formed in the shape of the seven-pointed Federation Star. ‘Observe and Federate’, those are my Christmas and New Year’s wishes for the Global Meetings Industry this year. I’d like to send them out - with a little wink - from all of the giant observation wheels all over the World!
1) Great Beijing Wheel - 208 metres (682 feet)
2) Great Berlin Wheel - 185 metres (606ft)
3) The Singapore Flyer - 165m (541ft)
4) Star of Nanchang - 160m (525ft)
5) London Eye - 135m (443ft)
6) Great Orlando Wheel - 122m (400ft)
7) Southern Star of Melbourne - 120 m (380 ft) – equal to a 40 storey building
I swear on my honour, I didn’t know that Anne-Marie Aucouturier would wear patent leather shoes that night. For the 100th anniversary party of ‘Le Palace‘ in Brussels – I think Crowne Plaza Brussels is a nice name too, but not as nice as ‘Le Palace’ – I had put on my best dark suit – I rarely wear something dark – and my patent leather shoes, after the fashion of 1908, like they did in Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. Oh, that Belle Epoque luxury, I was thinking… and who did I see coming towards me, softly galopping in the festively decorated lobby between the lackeys with their side-whiskers and greased quiffs? Anne-Marie, also wearing dark, completely dressed up with precious little patent leather shoes. Our shoes weren’t able to resist the temptation to have a chat during the somptuous gala dinner. Do you know what Anne-Marie’s left shoe asked to my right Clara shoe? Look at the tips of my little shoe and what do you see? The happiest little toes of the evening! A lot of happy people were walking around that night because everything was so stylish but nobody was as happy as Anne-Marie because her shoes had found a pal. The only thing missing were little dancing patent leather shoes like the red ones in the Efteling, but that will come when MIM goes and celebrate its 100th issue extra at Le Palace! Then those shoes will be dancing!
I have no idea how many business sectors in Belgium still share the same stand when they go to a fair, but I know of one: the meetings industry! For years now, Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders are like brothers and sisters at the IMEX and EIBTM fairs. In turns, Jan Wittouck (executive officer) and Evelyn Bardyn of the Flanders-Brussels Convention Bureau, and Laurence Dogné (manager) and Nadine Verheye of the Wallonia-Brussels Convention Bureau carry the ‘trade fair’ load. And Georgine Guelton of BITC always makes sure that Brussels is also helping to carry that load. And what a load it is! It’s carrying a Belgian number plate. And what did Belgium look like during the last EIBTM fair? Manneken Pis (or petit Julien) with a booth filled with Flemish and Walloon delicacies, doused with Brussels beer from Chez Léon. As a matter of fact, all Belgian convention bureaus deserve praise and a good report in the meetings class.
And thanks ever so much, Belgium, for the great coffee, the tasty sandwiches and chocolates! This year the members of EFAPCO (European Federation of Associations of PCOs), which is presided by our very own Belgian (Brussels) PCO Nicolas Le Brun, were guests of Jan of Flanders (that’s how we call Jan Wittouck when he’s at his best) at the EIBTM fair. They got a true Belgian welcome, the members told me: warm-hearted and hospitable, like one great big happy family. Belgium, land of the good life!
It used to be Bart of Brussels, now it has become Bart of Biarritz and actually it should be Bart of Antwerp because he’s born and raised in that area. It’s always fun to receive a holiday card from someone who recently moved to another country. How is he doing, one wonders then. When I first interviewed Bart Van Cauwelaert in the Sofitel Brussels Europe hotel, he was so over the moon about the Place Jourdan that I thought: “Wild horses won’t drag him away from there.” But I overlooked something. A little over a month ago Bart went away to live in the Basque Country, not to live off his investments but to run the Sofitel Thalassa Miramar Biarritz hotel. Charming as he is, Bart invites all the ladies for a cure in his thalasso centre. He’s more inclined to see the gentlemen sit in his gastronomic restaurant ‘Basse Calorie’. Bart, we might stop by one time, not for a cure or a dinner, but to write a piece on that bit of coastline where glitter and glamour doesn’t exist, and where hospitality floats to the surface!
It was a time of change for me. A new office in Brussels, a new website, a new layout for MIM Magazine, putting a new publications team together, launching a first Academic Meetings Industry session in Brussels, celebrating MIM Magazine’s 100th issue … and starting up a new BLOG for MIM Magazine (marcelsblog.MIMmagazine.eu). Fortunately, I had topped off the Summer with an intellectual wellness cure in Croatia, and so I could cope with some extra demands. At the end of August, the 22nd annual ECM (formerly EFCT) Summer School was held in Opatija − the grand old dame on the Adriatic coast, or the winter health resort for the wealthy in the days of the Habsburgs. To be able to be a student again, to have the opportunity to be a teacher once more − that’s a marvellous feeling! The jet engines of the European meetings industry really revved it up: imparting basic knowledge to a new (young) generation of meetings people. My position is: ECM Summer School is a must for anyone − young or old − who is new to the meetings industry!Read more about in on my blog on HeadQuarters magazine (marcelsblog.hqmagazine.eu).
