NR 3 – may 2011
• Are you an Imagineer? • Whispering staff and shimmering saris • Meet Carina Bauer, CEO IMEX
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contents
Cover photo Kim Alderden India
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e d i t o r ia l
By Yolanda & Kim
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share+
SHARE TODAY, the next level!
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Story
Conferencing, the Dutch way!
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The Knowledge Economy
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snap shot
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zoom in
Are you an Imagineer?
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E y e wi t n e s s
Cruise Control, Part I
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s u s tai n abi l i t y D I Y *
From orange to green!
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l e t m e e n t e r tai n y o u
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once in a lifetime
Whispering staff and shimmering saris
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Faces and places
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FY I
News from the VAT world
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g r o u p s s -x x l
Seen it? Been there? Done that?
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close & personal
Let’s meet a young & dynamic industry leader
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check it out
Copenhagen; cool, better, best or a fairytale?
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food for thought
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What’s cooking @ SHARE TODAY? Being a start-up is wonderful and crazy at the same time. Doubts come and go, amazing ideas pop up every week, ‘boooooring’ operational tasks have to be done and new paths need to be explored. Name it and we have been there!
Today is just another day in the office. Lucky us being a start-up means that ‘our office’ is one day out in the field and the next packed with desk research. But above all it is a great adventure. Never a dull moment in the life of a start-up!
We are so lucky to meet new people for great and inspiring conversations along the way. Last week included meetings with a true marketing guru, an IT expert and a digital entrepreneur. This enterprising man recently started his third company and shared with us his dream to start a real revolution! No wonder our inspiration level was starting to simmer!
Yolanda Logt & Kim Alderden
SHARE TODAY, the next level! ‘Amplify your unique talents with the skills of a great team, to change the world creating value for others and meaning for you.’* In our last magazine we mentioned the possibility to exclusively upload personal favourites in the portfolios of our SHARE+ members. SHARE TODAY is proud to inform you that the FACES, PLACES & CASES of most of the members are visible. Some even uploaded direct links to websites and youtubes. This made us think. Wouldn’t it be great if SHARE TODAY could offer the audience even more connecting and sharing? SHARE TODAY wants to open that window: be the international event knowledge platform where Meetings & Events professionals share their knowledge and benefit from others. Faces of Hicham
Now IMEX is coming up; another great opportunity to get inspired. And we are ready for it! Our threeday agenda is already full and our first SHARE TODAY EVENT will soon be a fact. Our breakfast table on the 25th of May serves hot topics, great event personalities and freshly brewed coffee. We will be sure to share the outcome with you next July in our issue celebrating our first year!
After being online for more than 6 months it is time for some adjustment. SHARE TODAY gets a new suit; a new homepage with extra features. Not only our SHARE+ partners will be more visible but the true connecting and sharing of faces, places & cases becomes a fact. SHARE TODAY is convinced to create a new revolution in our industry. Be part of this new dimension in the event market: SHARING! For more information about the SHARE+ membership, please contact us at info@sharetoday.com
Tahri
Places of Lisette
van Dolderen
* Mark Randall (Adobe) 4 share today | 03.2011
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How did the Dutch MPI* chapter manage to
Conferencing, the Dutch way!
get around 300 participants for their national conference? This is as much attendance as the EMEA Conference normally gets. Surprise or not? Time for some investigation. Nowadays nobody attends a conference anymore just to gain knowledge. The digital world can provide that just as well. This means that the current conference organizer needs to come up with a teasing program in order to get as many participants as possible. But more than that, participants must be rewarded with inspiration and talk about it afterwards. Only then they will look forward to the next edition of the conference. Bragging? Looking at the 9th NL Conference there was an extra challenge. How to surprise and inspire the most critical target group, the meeting industry itself? That’s exactly why the organizers chose ‘inspiration’ as their main focus. It is the experience that counts. Next to content added value and the important questions meeting planners have these days, social networking was an important item on the itinerary. All started with an interesting theme: ‘Bluf?’…or ‘Bragging?’ in English.
te x t Yolan d a L ogt p h otos Yolan d a L ogt & P h otonic
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Social media How do you manage to get the attention and more important the confirmations of the invitees?
Other chapters like Belgium and Sweden organize similar conferences but not with the same number of participants. Firstly not only MPI members were invited, but every individual dealing with meetings, from supplier to planner to corporate, was welcome. Secondly, the use of social media before the event as part of the total communication mix and strategy was important. A message spreads easily with fans of your event. A website, an email address, a LinkedIn group and a Twitter and Facebook account were key instruments. Even after the conference, messages, you-tubes, online discussions and photos were the talk of the town. But be aware not having this during your conference! As Xander Kranenburg, one of the organizers, ® share today | 03.2011 7
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breaks along with active discussions after each session also involving the audience. The NL Conference was a success again and I want to congratulate the MPI Netherlands chapter in doing such a fabulous job. The MPI board of professionals and committees have together looked at the needs of their chapter members to deliver a high level quality content, knowledge and networking opportunities.’
explained to us the worst thing that can happen is, people working their way through a mailbox on their smart phones as a sign of boredom and lack of attention during your congress. Thus, content is still king! Content It’s not only for learning. Developments, trends and new things are the triggers in combination with face-to-face networking with persons that are or can be important for the delegate. The trick is to deliver the right mix that inspires people and brings dynamics. ‘Indifference’ is your enemy; delegates should go home teased wanting to change things. Again it is all about added value. NL Conference successfully managed this! Instead of colleagues from the field as speakers, they searched in the ‘outside world’ for inspiring 8 share today | 03.2011
persons introduced by a piano playing facilitator, Gregor Bak. Think of Oscar Kneppers known from Emerce. How do they approach challenges and what can it bring the meeting planner? A variation of speakers, each 20 minutes with also light-hearted speakers like Geert Chatrou, World Champion Whistling and still enough time for networking during the lunch, breaks and after ‘party’. Also they chose specifically a nonadvertising or member recruitment policy of MPI. All together a high quality event where the delegate indeed was inspired but also learned how to do things differently.
Improvement? Next to all these compliments there are still some questions to ask: • Should the conference take place in an ordinary setting or in a more creative atmosphere and venue? • Will our market ever be that mature that we are willing to pay for things? Almost everything is sponsored, the organization is done by volunteers while to our clients we charge for quality, commitment and service. • Shouldn’t we reevaluate printed sheets, make a stronger combination between print and online? • Isn’t it more interesting to also invite corporates and agencies more and more to indeed blend values? • And last but not least shouldn’t we search for market and media partners?
Footnote: Special thanks to Xander Kranenburg (Live
According to Maria Jacobsson, Chapter Business Manager EMEA MPI, the NL conference format works really well to receive as much content as possible in one day. ‘A real focus on short presentations with an entertaining moderator,
We will see…. Next year! √
Solutions) and Maria Jacobsson (MPI EMEA) for their comments. *MPI: Meetings Professionals International
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CO LU M N
MORE ABOUT Rob
The Knowledge Economy Like most academics specializing in Conference Management, as well as teaching this subject I also carry out and publish research into aspects of Conference Management that interest me. Research undertaken by academics matters – to you. An excellent example of a research paper with real significance for the meetings industry came to my attention recently, giving me one of those rare and exhilarating ‘Eureka!’ moments. It is a very readable and potentially ground-breaking paper called ‘Delivering Innovation, Knowledge and Performance: The Role of Business Events’ commissioned by the Business Events Council of Australia and written by Professor Leo Jago (University of Nottingham) and Professor Margaret Deery (Victoria University, Australia). It was produced with the support of the Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau. The authors argue that traditionally, we have tended to measure the benefits of conferences simply on their tourism-related impacts – in terms of profits and employment creation for the travel and hospitality industry. But by limiting our analysis of the conference industry’s value to its contribution to tourism and hospitality, we are not only grossly underestimating the range of benefits that conferences bring, but also distracting attention away from the most important outcomes of such events. 10 share today | 03.2011
The authors contend that there should be a much greater focus on the conference industry as a stimulator and facilitator of economic activity, innovation, learning and trade. This broadening of focus means regarding our industry as nothing less than a key component in what we now call the global ‘knowledge economy’ – acknowledging that the events you organize or host in your venues and destinations are vital tools in the knowledge creation and knowledge dissemination processes that are so fundamental to underpinning the innovation our local and national economies depend on. In other words, we need to wake up to the fact that the true benefits of conferences are much more than just the visitors’ and organizers’ spending that they stimulate for destinations. Conferences bring opportunities for delegates to learn new ways of improving their performance in the jobs they do; conferences bring together people with similar research interests who subsequently go on to collaborate on developing new business-related solutions or products; presentations and discussions held at conferences generate new ideas which help businesses and organizations to operate more efficiently and more effectively. These, and other,
advantages of events as simulators of business, trade, investment and professional development are much more enduring than the benefits to the local tourism industry, even if they are much more difficult to estimate than, say, bed-nights. And they have applications well beyond the host destination itself. Jago and Deery conclude that if our industry is to realise its true potential, there needs to be a mindshift on the part of governments, destinations and conference managers, such that there is true focus on the essential outcomes of conferences that relate to knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination, professional development and innovation. At a time when conference attendance is under greater scrutiny than ever, from governments, the press, shareholders and taxpayers, we need to make as strong a case as possible for the added value that meetings can offer. This report goes a long way towards broadening the dialogue that we must constantly have with our stakeholders. So download it free by clicking here and see if you agree with its conclusions.
Let us introduce you to another columnist, Rob Davidson. Rob Davidson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Greenwich, in London. He specializes in research into business events and also runs his own consultancy in this field. One of his principal clients is EIBTM. He prepares an annual study called the EIBTM Industry Trends and Market Share Report, which he launches each year at the show in Barcelona. share today | 03.2011 11
snap s hot
Ever heard of ‘nei Breck’? Curious? Read more in our July issue.
p h oto L U X E M B O U R G & more
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Are you an Imagineer? T E X T & I M A G E S Yolan d a L ogt
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Imagineering, the term pops up more and more also in our business. But what is it? And can it be of significance to our market? Is it just a fashion word or a real cool method to finally deliver more quality events? Let’s have a look.
Value creation in networks starts to dominate value creation in value chains, meaning digitalisation diminishes the distance between supplier and consumers and other stakeholders in a structural way.
Imagineering is certainly not new; Disney already made it popular in the twenties of the last century. Imagineering is a blend word of ‘imagination’ and ‘engineering’, a concept that has various interpretations coming out of different sources.
It is not strange concepts like Facebook, e-bay and Trip-advisor pop up successfully. Also in our market we see this happen. Think of MeetingSelect, StarCite and you-tube that recently launched live streaming for events (www.youtube.com/live).
Diane Nijs* defines Imagineering as value creation from the experience perspective. In other words, Imagineering is the design process in which an imaginative artifact is brought into existence that can mobilize people in a generative way.
Events & clients change Our clients want different events than 10 years ago. Involvement and inspiration of participants are key words; delegates should not passively enjoy but actively experience the event and be inspired, whether it’s a meeting, conference or incentive. Inspiration should go so far that it even changes behaviour.
This is where we ‘meet’ the meetings & events industry. Do we not all deliver and create value for our clients using our imagination? It is too simple to make a comparison like that. I dare to state I doubt if we all use Imagineering to give our events the right values. The world is changing Our current society evolves at high speed from a passive to an active consumption market where two-way communication is essential.
These phenomena are not only a must for the one single event but for all corporate events of a company and applicable for every target groups with different needs. Events are more than ever part of marketing strategies however with more challenges for the organizers. All levels, employees throughout the whole company should be actively involved and become part of it. No ‘sole’ event but a mix of multiple events bounded by the company strategy and image. ®
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Events versus Imagineering For the event industry this asks for a different approach. There will often not be one answer to serious company questions; certainly not for an event! But how do we play the game differently?
Imagineering Roadmap® Consumer
Research
Perspective
Creativity
Context
Concept
Organisation
Business Model
Business
Click here to enlarge image
Leadership
Touchpoints
Technology
These Imagineering tips might help: It all starts with inspiration. What is your clients’ identity? What does the company stands for? What is changing in society and what can your client offer that same society?
Co-creation is a point of attention in the meetings & events market. Not for the future but for now. Developing Imagineering competence helps the designers of our industry to create a concept that has various interpretations and input from different sources. This will help you to provide what your clients want and you need; successful, competitive events combined with value creation and inspiring to the delegates. This brings the question: shouldn’t we all be Imagineers? √
If that’s clear, you start creating; translate the know-how of the DNA of your clients company and your society knowledge to a high involvement experience concept. This concept should be inspiring to both the employees as well as the stakeholders. Last but not least; the organisation and transformation in a meaningful way, using the creativity of the in- and outside of your clients company. Create an experiential platform that is interactive and with a two-way direction. This will definitely lead to more creativity and constant innovation. It sounds simple enough, this short cut Imagineering for organizing events. But be honest is this the way you handle your events or even more you lead your company?
Footnote: *Special thanks to Diane Nijs, Associated Professor in Imagineering at NHTV Breda, who developed the field of ‘imagineering’ as an ‘instrument for strategizing in a connected world’. She is co-author of the book ‘Imagineering’ and developed the Master in Imagineering. Interested in more information:
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E Y E W I T NES S
A few years ago I was sitting at the bar in the comedy club where I worked when I noticed the bartender talking to a woman I didn’t recognize while pointing at me. Little did I know that this was going to be the start of my new career as a Cruise Director… Dam ships The woman was a scout for Holland-America Line, and had spent the week in the Netherlands looking for a new cruise director. The newest ship in the HAL fleet, The Eurodam was about to be christened and for the maiden voyage, they needed a second cruise director who spoke Dutch. After a week she hadn’t found the right person and was getting desperate… Luckily, she found me. After a 20-minute discussion she said she would get in touch with me and later that night, made me an offer I couldn’t refuse…
Cruise Control, Part I As a performer, presenter and workshop instructor, I’m used to travelling to ‘do my thing’… I never expected that I’d end up ‘doing my thing’ while travelling…
In the footsteps of the Titanic The start of this six-week experience was flying to England where I would join the crew in Southampton for some training and the journey to Rotterdam. No one bothered to tell me that Southampton was the launch site of the Titanic, and everywhere I looked, all I saw were images of the ill-fated ship… Not the best way to start my naval career… Over 1517 people lost their lives and now, all three pieces of my luggage were lost as well…
Don’t rock the boat… A few days later we made the evening crossing to Holland—not at all what I was expecting. A summer storm had come out of nowhere and the enormous ship was tossed and rocked for a good nine hours. Over 70% of the passengers and crew got ill… Fortunately, like a baby in a cradle being pushed by an over-enthusiastic father, I slept like a dream… The Captain said it was a good sign, and that on a rough-sea scale of 1 to 10, this had been an 8.5. Things were going well… so far… ®
T E X T & p h oto S M ic h ael Die d e r ic h
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E Y E W I T NES S
A royal welcome I was not prepared for the excitement of the citizens of Rotterdam as the brand-new ship arrived in her home port for the first time. Tens of thousands of people lined the shores for miles as the enormous piece of floating technology made its way into the harbour. As I stood on the private balcony of my 5th-floor cabin wearing only a bathrobe, I waved back at the crowd, imagining they were welcoming me. But it was time to dress (in the best outfit I could find in Southampton—my luggage was still missing) and head down for my first official function. A change of plan I welcomed the Dutch delegation on board (in Dutch), telling them about the fantastic features of the largest ship in the fleet. It went well, or so I thought… An hour later I was called into the office where I was fired without ceremony! Apparently, the Dutch bosses found my style of dress inappropriate! No one mentioned that losing my luggage for three days was also inappropriate! Fortunately a call to the head office insured me that my six week contract would be honoured, but on another boat… in Alaska…
(To find out more, read the next issue of SHARE TODAY) √ In addition to being an ex-cruise director, With regional offices in Orlando | New York | San Francisco | Miami "Your partner in creating motivation!" www.firstincentivetravel.com
Michael Diederich is currently living and working in Amsterdam where he is also a regular editor of SHARE TODAY.
Please visit us at the IMEX in Frankfurt - TCC Booth G200 share today | 03.2011 21
S ustainability DI Y *
From orange to green! The world knows The Netherlands mostly as the ‘orange’ country. Who does not remember fans completely dressed up in orange during big sport events or at Queens Day (30 April)? Even the whole country turns orange at those times; streets, cars, houses and persons all in the familiar colour orange. But at all other days the Netherlands is a flat small country below sea level with inspiring cities, beautiful lakes and lots of green. ®
te x t E r ic B ake r mans & Yolan d a L ogt p h otos inte r . al . N B T C
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And there will be more. Another form of green is gaining ground; Corporate Social Responsibility. Due to the fact that 25% of the surface of The Netherlands is below sea level, global warming and the consequently rising sea level opposes a real threat. The Dutch might be ending up losing land to water again by the force of nature in 50 years or so. They have gained land out of water for centuries and built structures to keep the water out. Now they need to contribute to measurements to reduce CO2 emissions and other actions necessary and take their responsibility as an international business destination in relation to environment. The green meetings campaign The Dutch meetings industry is committed to establish a sustainable way of doing business. It doesn’t need that much effort to get this in place. In just a few years time it’s going to be generally accepted that every supplier in the Dutch meetings industry needs to comply with the highest standards in relation to green meetings. The Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) launched a green meetings campaign and membership of GMIC* (Green Meeting Industry Council) was an essential part of their communication strategy.
A lot of investments are being made into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to achieve CO2neutral operations by 2012 and to ensure that 20 percent of the energy used is sustainable. This makes it increasingly easier to travel ‘green’ by plane. The railway, which has always been an environmentally friendly form of transportation, takes visitors from surrounding countries to centrally located railway locations in the Netherlands within a few hours. ®
Innovation Innovation means investing in green meetings. The Netherlands is amongst the leaders in the field when it comes to CO2-neutral business meetings. Travel to and from The Netherlands can be as green as the traveler wants. share today | 03.2011 23
Sustainability D IY *
Green meetings and overnight stays Hotels and convention centers in the Netherlands are increasingly investing in the Green Key. Currently 450 companies in the tourism and recreation industry have earned this international eco-rating. Many convention centers and hotels have even earned the highest achievable Green Key rating: Gold Level. The Green Globe is also on the rise in the Netherlands. Congress & Exhibition Centre Amsterdam RAI is one of the venues that earned this rating. For a green meetings checklist click here. One remaining question; will the Dutch give up their orange to become green? √
Footnote: *The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) is a non-profit organization. The Council is a membership-based professional organization, which provides educational resources to planners, suppliers, and venues seeking to meet the ever-rising standards consumers’ set for sustainable meetings. In September 2010 the Dutch Chapter of GMIC was founded. In a matter of months it succeeded to involve 30 new GMIC members, which enabled the Dutch Chapter to reach the official status. This proves the involvement of the Dutch Meetings Industry to commit itself to become a true and genuine green business sector. Special thanks to Eric Bakermans, Marketing Manager Meetings & Conventions of NBTC and Vice President of GMIC Netherlands
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let me entertain you
siteswebsitesweb oksBooks Digital Norway The official meeting planner site for Norway with general info about Norway but also specific details about destinations and meeting venues. Furthermore the website gives you ideas for incentive programs or helps you find your DMC. www.visitnorway.com/en/Meetings www.visitnorway.com/360/geiranger High Performance Water Bike If you are looking for an exciting way of teambuilding try the itBike. It has superior speed and technology compared to the pedal boats and advanced ergonomic water bike design. Not only fun but also eye catching. www.itbikes.com Where opposites meet, Iceland Ideas are a company’s most valuable resource. What separates superb companies from good ones is how well the company manages to utilize the creativity of its employees. The best ideas are often sparked in the area between opposites. In Iceland, the opposites of light and dark, fire and ice, America and Europe, city and nature meet. Check it out on www.visitreykjavik.is
Kazuyoshi Nomachi “A photographers Pilgrimage” This book, which brings together thirty years of the acclaimed photographer’s best work, comprises portraits of people and places. In each image, Nomachi strives to reveal what unites individuals in the ineffable relationship between the whole and its every component: what is it, for example, that leads Muslims to Qa’aba, Buddhists to Lhasa, Ethiopian Christians to Lalibela. Part photo essay and part travel diary, a moving book we liked to share.
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O NC E I N A L I F E T I M E
This, shall we say, creative and exciting way of driving was my first impression of India. A cow crossing the road? No problem! I was still an “India virgin” at this point, but even I expected this. However I was taken completely by surprise when it seemed that Noah’s Ark had opened its doors: camels, donkeys, pigs of every size, apes dressed up like fancy ‘Baby Born’ dolls and even elephants criss-crossed along the roads. Our driver? I loved him from day one! ‘Daddy Cool’ could have been his nick-name as he drove us safely a few thousands miles through Rajasthan.
A special invitation A few months earlier I received a letter. My good friend James, a.k.a. Pankaj Patpatia had announced his wedding date and guess what? I was invited. 20 years in the event industry and I had never ever visited India. This changed in 2011.
Whispering staff and shimmering saris “Well, madam; in theory we drive on the left side of the road, just like the British- but in practice we drive more like racing mosquitoes... ha ha ha!”
James and Emilie had invited family and friends from all over the world to their wedding, and to quote the father of the groom, “with so many different cultures joining in the celebrations, it felt like a UN gathering.” I had to pinch myself every so often to make sure I wasn’t dreaming! I thought that fairy tales like this were only possible in blockbuster Bollywood movies… I was wrong!
I could now fill a complete magazine with Faces & Places from India. However; for now I will stick to my ‘Once in a lifetime’ experience; an Indian wedding ceremony. Once upon a time there was an Indian guy and a French girl... A real life fairytale was unfolding in a tiny little village called Samode, about an hour from Jaipur. Samode Bagh and Samode Palace played a leading role in this event—the fresh flowers that covered every surface matched the splendour and colour in the saris worn by guests all around me!
te x t K im A l d e r d en p h otos K im A l d e r d en & Pankaj Patpatia
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ONCE I N A LI F E T I M E
O NC E I N A L I F E T I M E
An everlasting memory An Indian wedding ceremony consists of various rituals for the bride and groom. Some of the guests sang, some of them danced, but each and every moment was filled with a lot of passion and devotion. For me there was one everlasting memory; the parade through the tiny streets of Samode just as evening began to fall. The groom led the way, riding a magnificent white horse surrounded by a troupe of musicians. All of the guests dressed up in saris and punjabis, many of them now exposing the carefully created henna figures on their skin. Many of the guests went on foot while others rode in carts pulled by camels. Young men holding torches lighted the way to the amazing palace where the official ceremony took place. The happy children and smiling faces of the villagers watching the parade pass by completed the atmosphere that evening. Thousands of lights flooded the palace and the smell of fresh flowers was everywhere. We dined under the stars and danced the night away‌ This was happily ever after‌ My first meet & greet with India and its people couldn’t have been better. Besides being a great party organizer, Pankaj Patpatia is the Commercial Director of Distant Frontiers, a well-known and established DMC in India.
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ONCE I N A LI F E T I M E
O NC E I N A L I F E T I M E
Samode Palace 30 share today | 03.2011
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CO LU M N
MORE ABOUT ellen
Faces and places Every now and then I need a shot. Of excitement. It is a disease that cannot be cured, it is in my DNA. Being at home, bored and with dull long-lasting days I can handle for maybe a week before it starts tickling again. Travelling means visiting unknown countries, new
garden. Oh boy, my neighbours came with their cameras and wanted to take a picture of that curious looking ‘woman’ in that typical red check Masai outfit including the huge round Fujifilm box in his earlobe and wooden walking stick for mustering cows.
upcoming places, I do love-love-love hotspots nobody knows yet. Sniff at or even put my nose in a strange and exotic culture, even if it’s only for a long short-stay.. The best, and in fact utmost excuse for me is: I love to meet new people. Maybe not so much an excuse, it is my motivation. And believe me, I DO meet a lot of new people. You should see the pile of business cards I owe. You can easily glue them on the outdoor walls of the White House, including the servants’ wings, and still piles of them remain. What to do with business cards? You can file them in a handy Excel system or put them in envelopes with the name and date of a particular trip on it. More importantly, you can choose who ends up in your administration and who in the waste-bucket. There are people I hope I will never meet again and there are people I let into my heart. But to become ‘friends’ with business contacts can be dangerous. Especially when you invite them into your personal atmosphere. One time a contact from Kenya visited me with her husband and I invited them into my 32 share today | 03.2011
And there was that stylist from Paris who was more interested in the smoking-grass-culture of Amsterdam, than in the beautiful Rembrandts and van Gogh’s paintings in our museums. Or the ‘friend’ I welcomed to dinner who asked very last minute if he could bring some friends. Hospitality hammered as a mantra in my head and I answered ‘SURE’. He took a complete basketball team. And trust me, they are big eaters. I can assure you, you feel, as the English call it, slightly embarrassed.
It can be awkward, the other way around as well. Invited to stay in a flabbergasting, gorgeous Georgian House somewhere in the hills in Ireland, I had ideas about romantic candles for illumination, water from the well, a Rolling Stone living to the left and a famous singer to the right. None of that, it ended in a complete disaster. In their carefully styled home it was not allowed to lay on the grass or put your green beer can (not a matching colour) in sight, because that would destroy the superb lining composition their well known garden designer had gone for. Yek. We left after two days, travelled around Ireland hopping from B & B to B & B and subsequently made hundreds of friends, because the Irish are great. But I gave nobody my business card. I’ve learned my lesson. So if I offer my card to you, remember my words. ;-)
At the age of 10, she already won first prize in a writing competition for a Dutch newspaper and fell in love with writing. Ellen van Ree works as a freelance journalist/editor for a variety of magazines, mostly related to the travel industry. Her passion for writing, as well as for other cultures, traveling and life are apparent in her features. SHARE TODAY welcomes Ellen as one of its columnists. She will lead you through a world of experiences written with humor, creativity, inspiration and sometimes provocation. Just read and experience it for yourself! share today | 03.2011 33
FYI
NEWS from the VAT WORLD New EU rules per January 1, 2011
VAT changes for EU per 1 January 2011 In the past 2 years a number of important changes in the field of international service regarding the VAT within the EU have taken place. In this memorandum I want to inform you about a modification as of 1 January 2011, concerning cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational and other similar like services (hereinafter: events). Before 1 January 2011 these services were taxed at the place where the activities physically took place. Whether the client was an individual or an entrepreneur. As per 1 January 2011 this scheme no longer applies to business-to-business events but only to business-to-consumer events and services that provide access to such events.
te x t Rob Kok
Through this modification, the rule is now divided in three situations, namely: 1. Organizing an event for individuals (B2C): These services are taxed at the place where those events actually take place. 2. Organizing an event for entrepreneurs (B2B): These services are taxed in the country where the recipient of the service is established. 3. Entry to events (both B2B and B2C): The entry to events will be taxed at the place where those events actually take place.
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In this article we will only cover the VAT rules for business-to-business (B2B) events.
General rule place of supply of services B2B From 1 January 2010 new rules have been introduced to ensure that VAT on services will better accrue to the country of consumption in general. The new general rule for business to business (B2B) supplies is that the service is taxable in the country where the recipient of the service is established. There are several exceptions to these general rules, but these exceptions are not relevant for this memorandum. It should be noted that, if the recipient has a VAT identification number, he qualifies as a business for VAT purposes. Whether the service is used by the recipient for taxable or non-taxable purposes is of no importance. Before 1 January 2011 the place of services related to events was one of the exemptions on the general rule. These services where taxed at the place where those activities were physically carried out. As per 1 January 2011, the place of services related to events will be also taxable at the place where the recipient of the events is established. 速
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- advertisement -
FYI
Consequences for the organizer of events Under European VAT rules, services related to events to other VAT taxable persons are - as a main rule – taxable in the country where the recipient is established. Since the so called “reverse charge procedure” applies in this situation, the levy of the VAT is shifted to the recipient. Therefore, the organizer will have to issue an invoice regarding the payment, but will not have to charge VAT on the invoice.
services provided by the organizer of an event depends on the VAT law of this non-EU State. If you have questions about the new EU VAT rules or about other VAT-related issues please contact Rob Kok at: kok@btwnederland.nl √
Instead of charging VAT on the invoice, the organizer will have to mention on the invoice that the VAT due is shifted to the recipient. The recipient will have to charge himself with VAT of the EU Member State in which he is residing. Even though no VAT will be due, it has to be compliant with EU VAT regulations. This means that the organizer has to meet the invoice requirements and therefore mention the VAT identification number of the recipient on the invoice as well as the statement that the VAT due is shifted to the recipient (for example: “VAT Reverse Charge Mechanism applies”). Furthermore, the organizer is obliged to report the payments in its periodic VAT returns and in the EU sales listing (ESL). In case the recipient of the services provided by the organizer of an event is residing in a nonEU State, the organizer of the event should not charge VAT on the invoice he will send to the recipient. The further VAT treatment of the share today | 03.2011 37
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Seen IT? Been THERE? DONE THAT?
Check out the next Jack Sparrow experience... It takes some guts to put a sailing regatta on an incentive calendar. But if your client is looking for a challenge I can guarantee you that this event will deliver 100 % impact. 速
te x t K im A l d e r d en p h otos S jo r s van d e r Woe r d & AT P
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In my experience, the best packages offer 3 nights on board and 1 or 2 nights in a resort hotel, allowing you to enjoy the right mix of leisure. Each yacht is fully stocked; cool beer and fresh juice in the fridge, snacks on the table, beds made to perfection, fluffy bath towels on deck and a good-looking captain who really knows his way around the area. The first day usually comprises of a relaxing day out on the water, allowing you to get a bit of a tan while getting used to the captains’ rules. At night, the fleet drops anchor in a little bay where a little dinghy brings you ashore to enjoy the ‘catch of the day’ and a cool drink. Early in my career my own love for sailing resulted in me setting up a sailing department for the company I was working. This love, combined with an irresistible desire to organize a sailing incentive, brought me to the Caribbean several times. To make a long story short, here are some simple ‘how-to’s’ to help you create an event like this for yourself.
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First of all, find out if the decision-maker likes sailing. This is key info! Experience has taught me that you can immediately recognize the smile on someone’s face that does when you bring up this subject. Secondly; budget check! An experience like this will cost a few bucks! For the ultimate Jack Sparrow hot spot, go for the British Virgin Islands. Make sure you find a trustworthy supplier of sailing yachts (I am more than happy to recommend a few). Insurance is covered when you have an official captain on board, and don’t forget to bring medication in case of seasickness!
By day two, you’ll be ready for the real regatta feeling. A few races are scheduled and the race director (supplied by the sailing company) kicks of with a briefing. The final racing day is all about the Company Trophy; concluding that night with a big team victory celebration back at the hotel. Most captains take part in the festivities accompanied by a local band and a couple of shots of really good rum… The sailing stories continue until deep in the night until finally, everyone falls into a deep, satisfied sleep.
Yachting companies: www.sunsail.com
Let the pictures answer the question: isn’t it gorgeous out there in Jack Sparrow land?
www.dreamyachtcharter.com www.moorings.com
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close & personal
Let’s meet
a young & dynamic industry leader Let’s call, no … let’s mail… or both? No worries at all, Carina Bauer, CEO IMEX exhibitions was very pleased to answer our questions. Being a young and dynamic industry leader Carina understands the need to communicate via new media sources. te x t kim al d e r d en p h otos ime x
Lots of readers know IMEX as one of the leading tradeshow in our industry; let’s meet Carina Bauer. IMEX was launched in 2001 with the first show in 2003. Ray Bloom, who initially founded EIBTM in Geneva in 1987 and developed the concept of the hosted buyer program, launched IMEX following the sale of EIBTM to Reed Exhibitions. IMEX’s aim is to develop a show produced by meetings professionals for the meetings industry –offering buyers and suppliers a truly worldwide platform. Where do the challenges lie today? The greatest challenge is simply to have enough time in the day to give every exhibitor, hosted buyer and visitor the personal attention with regards for details that we strive for.
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How does IMEX keep up with the trends? IMEX itself is a hotbed for showcasing the latest trends in the industry – with thousands of exhibitors and buyers and almost 100 educational events running – we tend to learn a lot from the show and our delegates. Being a show that is very much at the heart of the industry, we speak with suppliers and buyers year-round; we conduct research and we constantly try to improve the show from the smallest to the largest details. For example, we have spent up to three years researching the best and most environmentally friendly badges that we could find. Each year we review our key services such as our appointment system and add improvements and changes based on our clients feedback. ®
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close & pe rsonal
Is there a particular reason to choose Las Vegas as the next step? We felt there was a real gap in the US market for a show like IMEX – one which was underpinned by a large scale hosted buyer program, a business focused appointment system and a show truly international in scope – for supply the US outbound buyer market. That and the chance for a show that brings together all sectors of the industry – from association to corporate to agencies planners – and all the industry trade associations together in a collaborative approach. How do you satisfy the demanding global events professional every tradeshow? Primarily events professionals come to IMEX to do business, to connect with existing contacts and meet new contacts from around the world. We satisfy this need by ensuring that an outstanding range and variety of exhibitors is available for them to meet, as well as ensuring that the show is as productive and business oriented as possible through tools such as our innovative appointment system and integrated messaging service. Furthermore Events professionals also come to IMEX to learn about new trends and to develop professionally. We therefore also offer over 90 educational events for them to choose from – all free of charge – with an outstanding array of professional speakers and industry experts.
close & personal
How about a digital trade show? Or will our industry need real-time connections without a doubt? “There are already many digital trade shows on the market and we ourselves have a virtual exhibition on our website, where all our exhibitors have a listing year-round. A virtual tradeshow serves a specific purpose, in the same way as a Google Search and destination website serve a a purpose – they assist greatly in helping planners to see a range of venues, destinations and services in a short space of time, research suppliers that are of interest and produce shortlists. A virtual trade show or website presence, however, can never give event professionals the knowledge that they gain from looking a supplier in the eye, shaking their hand and having a face-to-face conversation”.
Conclusion Carina is confident that the chemistry of a faceto-face meeting produces rapport and trust and leads to much more productive relationships.
Would you like to share a FACE of the global EVENTS industry for our next interview? “I would recommend Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future and an outstanding source of information on future trends. You can also see him at IMEX speaking on the Convention 2020 research results that is sponsored by IMEX.
A great piece of sharing from Carina Bauer, thanks for that. If you want to keep up with the event buzz, don’t miss the tradeshows in Frankfurt and Las Vegas the coming years. √
According to her our industry needs to move on from talking about whether the virtual world will take over from the real meetings world. She insists that the industry needs to recognise the fact that live and virtual events both have their function and place. Live events are most successful when they make intelligent use of the technological innovations around us. Use these tools to extend the life of the face-to-face event, build communities and conversations and generate interest and excitement year-round.
Carina’s own inspiration comes from other Our question if Frankfurt will stay the home base for the yearly tradeshow was answered clearly; “We are very pleased with our venue and we have no intention of moving the show.”
tradeshows, but more often from the wider business world. For example, when trying to improve the website and virtual exhibition they looked at estate agent websites and took best practice from them – i.e. the ability to save searches.
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check it out
slide show
Copenhagen; cool, better, best or a fairytale? Copenhagen Cool Wonderful Copenhagen Green Copenhagen Copenhagen OPEN for business te x t Yolan d a L ogt p h oto S V isitDenma r k
Voted Best for Business, Most Liveable City,
of people! The city has everything you need;
6th Best Congress City worldwide with the
international hotel chains, top-notch meeting
Best Metro in the World and now, for the 2nd
and conference facilities, unconventional and
consecutive year, Best Restaurant in the World
creative meeting venues, easy accessibility, a
(Noma) - Copenhagen is designed for all sorts
strong green profile and the best dining ever!
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Copenhagen is well-connected; the Copenhagen Airport is northern Europe’s main traffic hub with direct flights to about 130 destinations worldwide-and from there it’s only a 12 minute train ride to the heart of the Danish capital. Speaking of transportation, the Danes’ love bicycling. In fact, between 2007 and 2011, The International Cycling Union (UCI) appointed Copenhagen the World’s foremost Bike City. So, there are a lot of good reasons for the Danes to be the happiest people in the world, and perhaps for you to choose Copenhagen for your next business event in 2011. This proves that Denmark and the capital city of Copenhagen are much more than just fairy tales as is often stated due to the fact that Denmark is the world’s oldest kingdom and has the oldest national flag. Add to this the popular stories of H.C. Andersen like “The Little Mermaid” and “The Little Match Girl” to name just a few, and it is no wonder that Denmark has long been referred to as ‘the fairytale country’.
Unusual venues Toldboden This new restaurant in Copenhagen’s harbour offers event space for up to 600 people. Owner Jesper Julian Moeller – former chef of Kong Hans, one of the city’s 11 Michelin-star eateries as well as chef at the National Museum’s restaurant Julian - strives to make it environmentally friendly by using only local produce. The menu includes information on how much CO2 was used to produce each offering, while other green features include the use of reclaimed materials and energy-saving LED lights. On top of all this, Toldboden boasts fantastic views of the harbour and prominent landmarks such as Amalienborg Palace, the Royal Danish Opera, Holmen and The Little Mermaid. www.toldboden.com ® share today | 03.2011 47
check it out
Mogens Dahl Concert Hall Nestled between old apartment complexes and industrial buildings at Islands Brygge in Copenhagen you will find Mogens Dahl Concert Hall, a beautiful little gem full of exclusivity and quality. The conference location at Mogens Dahl Concert Hall is unique, being the only place in Denmark combining classical chamber music with conferences and business meetings! www.mogensdahl.dk NIMB hotel In 2011, Danish hotel NIMB made it into Condé Nast Traveller’s prestigious “Gold List 2011” for the World’s Best hotels - the only Scandinavian hotel on the list! NIMB offers great service, facilities and sublime food. It is well-known for its unique interior design AND is perfectly situated in Copenhagen being adjacent to the worldfamous amusement park Tivoli Gardens. www.tivoli.dk/nimb
check it out
Speaking of Tivoli, the new Tivoli Hotel nearby offers fantastic views of the city from its Sky Bar on the top floor and is another “must see” venue worth checking out! www.tivolihotel.com Bio Mio For a tasty and sustainable meal or to perhaps add a more “unconventional touch” to your next business event, BioMio in the Meat Packing District - where all the new and trendy places are opening - uses all organic ingredients. The restaurant seats up to 200 people in a relaxed atmosphere and prices are very reasonable. www.biomio.dk Back to the fairytales It’s a well-known fact that the physical surroundings play a huge part in making an event a success. One of Copenhagen’s oldest and most prominent buildings is the old stock exchange, called Børsen www.borsbygningen.dk, which was built by King Christian IV between 1618 and 1624. This stunning building is located in the heart of Copenhagen and is constructed in the Dutch renaissance style with a famous spire of four dragons’ tails intertwining. Originally, the building was used as a trade centre where stalls where rented out to merchants. Unfortunately, King Christian IV was an unlucky man when it came to warfare and he ended up having to sell Børsen.
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Today Børsen is privately owned, but rooms can be rented for meetings, conferences, parties and exhibitions. This was exactly what CWT Meetings & Events Denmark did when they had a group of 150 people looking for a dinner party in a spectacular location with a touch of Danish tradition. The grand hall on the first floor of Børsen oozes with royal style and charm and was chosen as the best room for this groups meeting needs. In line with the theme of Danish tradition, the Tivoli garden Orchestra and dancers from the pantomime theatre provided a night of royal entertainment. Dorit Andersen, Director for CWT Meetings & Events explains: “We created an unforgettable night for our foreign guests. We took a 360 degree view of the event and incorporated Danish tradition into every detail - from the
location to the food to the entertainment. Overall, it was a perfect night in a perfect setting, where the guests became part of their own Danish fairytale.” So you decide; is Copenhagen cool, or just a fairytale destination?
Footnote: Special thanks to VisitDenmark and CWT Meetings & Events Denmark who assisted us in the writing of this article and for helping us find the right pictures. More information about Copenhagen
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food for thought
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