TIP AND TRICKS // USA EVENT PLANNER ON MICE IN EUROPE 89
anything about MICE industry. There was no internet, no mobile phones, no fax machines. We only used telex (editor’s note: a public switched network of teleprinters similar to a telephone network, for the purposes of sending text-based messages; before fax machines). I was lucky to have met Mr. Sam Nadelman, General Manager of Swiss Airlines for North America, who was a big enthusiast for MICE and already had a MICE department in Swiss Airlines. He was a few times in Yugoslavia and loved Dubrovnik. I started working with his team and we developed an incentive program to Dubrovnik. The first group was a small group of Swiss Sales Representative from USA on reward travel. After that, I had several charters with World Airways for Westinghouse and General Electric Sales Representatives to Dubrovnik and Budapest.
Q: Considering your rich experience in the field for almost 50 years, is there still anything that you miss in this industry? Where do you see the opportunities for further improvement?
Q: Considering your rich experience of almost 50 years in the field, where do you see the opportunities for further improvement to bring more of the US and Canadian companies that can, and want to, have luxurious incentive programme? Here is the problem. The destinations of the Central and South-East Europe are not active enough on the US market. They do not advertise, they do not organize study trips for journalists and planners to visit the mentioned destinations. The Austrian Tourist Office, for example, barely exists; Hungary and Croatia have closed their US offices long time ago, while Czech Republic as well does not have finance to promote itself. Slovenia, on the other hand, does not seem interested (or interesting?) in the US Market. This is a pity, since there are two great cities in Slovenia, like Lake Bled and Portorož with very reasonable prices. In the past, we used the Trieste Airport for all of our groups instead of the Ljubljana Airport because its airfare is very high. Years ago, the airlines interested in the destinations used to have a co-up advertising with the local Tourist Offices to promote the Central and Eastern Europe countries.
Q: Your company organizes upscale meetings, events, and incentives with major USA and Canadian companies spanning from associaQ: Is there anything else that you could suggest for this region in tions, automobile manufacturers, cosmetic industry, financial (bankorder to get more North American planners interested? ing & insurance), real estate, to universities. Many friends from Croatia and particularly SloHow much interest is there in the destinations venia asked me the same question. I told them of the Central and South-Eastern Europe? so many times “you need more promotion in The destinations of the For many years we have been sending a lot of the US market and you need direct flights.” large incentive groups to the Central and EastCentral and South-East ern Europe; Prague, Budapest and Vienna and Q: You’ve been living in the States for almost Europe are not active even to Dubrovnik, but now there are no direct 50 years. Do you take your clients to Monteflights from USA to Prague, Budapest or Dunegro? enough on the US brovnik. There are only connecting flights via I have been in the States since 1973 and have market. major European cities and they are very expenbeen living here longer than I had lived in Monsive. tenegro before. It is interesting, though, that I have not sent incentive groups to Montenegro yet. However, recently I had a meeting with DiQ: What would you, as an expert in MICE inrector of Sales North America Aman who mandustry, say is that X-factor that makes these age luxury resorts all over the world including the hotel Sveti Stefan destinations attractive? in Montenegro. We are developing a new incentive program to Rome I must admit that Central and Eastern Europe is very attractive for the and Sveti Stefan with Alitalia and Montenegro Airlines. USA clients. Particularly the history, art, architecture, quality of great 5* luxury hotels with excellent local food. I know the destinations very well and I like them very much. Q: What about your personal vacation? Where do you like to spend it? And how? I have travelled all over the world, mostly on business, but when I Q: How do the participants of your programmes find this region? go on my vacation, I choose Italy. I also love Lake Bled in Slovenia, What is that they like the most? What do they dislike? where I had spent so many memorable vacations with my parents as We always had a very good report from all the groups upon their well as my honeymoon. I also visited Portorož in Slovenia, as I wanted return. Among other things, they liked the very friendly local people to bring partners to see destinations to start a nice program with and how English is well-spoken in all of the countries of the Central Rome, but it seems to be that the hotels in Portorož are not interestand Eastern Europe. ed. We always pay for our VIP clients, who go on site inspection trip to select destinations, a business class from USA. I contacted three Q: Are there any destinations in the region that you would like to hotels in Portorož and asked them to host our VIP clients for 1-2 particularly highlight as a case of good practice? complimentary nights. They only offered a payable option, therefore From all of the Central and Eastern Europe cities, Prague is the most we decided to skip Slovenia on the site selection trip. popular. Prague has a lot to offer while keeping reasonable group rates and offering great upscale hotels.