NR 4 – july 2011
• Global Event Professionals Go for Swiss Glory • Share Today from virtual to real life • World of give aways
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contents
Cover photo Yolanda Logt Meeting Trophy 2011 Switzerland
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editorial
By Yolanda & Kim
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share+
More visual sharing @ sHAre TodAY
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once in a lifetime
Global Event Professionals Go for Glory
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Eye witness
Cruise Control, part II
12 S t o r y
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ShArE TOdAy from virtual to real life
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c l o s e & pe r s o n a l
A boutique village experience
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check it out
The world of give-aways
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column
Confessions from a Die Hard
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g r o u p s s -x x l
Luxembourg, is it true what
they say about...
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s u s ta i n a b i l i t y DIY *
Event technology: the ‘green’ challenge
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snap shot
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zoom in
Tents for Events
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column
Networking @ conferences
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FYI
Did you find the perfect match?
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l e t m e e n t e r ta i n y o u
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food for thought
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Dear Event Pro’s,… … or should we say spoilt event colleagues? Time for holidays! At least for those of you enjoying their summertime now. Since most of us are considered by others (non event pro’s) to be the ones who have seen and done it all where do you spend your holidays? Yes we’ve seen a lot, ‘conquered’ the world, experienced many adventures and tasted high quality food and superb wines. However there is always another side of the medallion! Most adventures we experience ‘alone’ and in a great hurry. You probably recognize the marathon of an inspection or famtrip; 15 minutes to see a venue, 10 minutes to taste the wines, hurry for your transfer to the next location, experience the social program with elements enough for 3 days in only 1 morning and during dinner socialize with your fellow colleagues or client. Finally ‘enjoy’ your beautiful bedroom with your eyes closed because you are too tired. Not to mention what happens when your event is realized and there is even more running around, check, check, check. Working days around the clock are no exception, and your bedroom becomes holy and a much valued alone time spot! So what do we Event Pro’s do for holidays? We take our time to really enjoy a hotel, the beach, the countryside and all activities a destination offers with family or friends. From visiting the 4 share today | 04.2011
national parks in the USA like our SHARE+ partner Lisette to cruising the Mediterranean like our other partner Lydia. Yolanda just visited Madeira (see our next mag) and will probably go to Africa in October, while Kim will enjoy the beaches of France and the culture and luxury of Naples and Capri (Italy). We admit we love the luxury, but also value the simple things like a beautiful sunset! Enjoy your holidays! Yolanda Logt & Kim Alderden
More visual sharing @ SHARE TODAY Did you know there are 6 principles of knowledge sharing?* The fact that information is available does not automatically means it is visible or usable by the receiver. Building a knowledge sharing organisation on databases brings along a range of challenges: how to motivate people to contribute, promote the use of contributions, keep the information up to date and ensure a constant quality. So just by making knowledge available one has not necessarily created knowledge sharing. That’s why we made some changes to improve the sharing and dialogue and set ourselves a nice challenge. First step is to make the information more visible! In our last magazine, we already pre announced our changed homepage for exactly that reason; open the window for more visual multi sharing by adding extra features. Our SHARE+ partners are directly visible and the real connecting and sharing of faces, places & cases is a fact. Further more the latest issue of our e-mag is shown. Of course you, the Event Professional has the opportunity to benefit and share your thoughts more visually by using the link to our Blog, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. And, we promise that this won’t be the last thing we will do to promote sharing. Note We invite you to visit our new homepage TODAY and SHARE your thoughts with us! We are very anxious to hear what you think! For more information about the SHARE+ membership, please contact us at info@sharetoday.com
* The 6 Principles of Knowledge Sharing by Flemming Poulfelt, Professor at the Copenhagen Business School & Nicoline Jacoby Petersen, Programme Co-ordinator of the Master of Knowledge Management program
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once in a lifetime
Slide show
Global Event Professionals Go for Glory T E X T kim al d e r d en p h oto S Yolan d a logt
slide show Almost 8 years ago Switzerland Tourism catapulted Famtrips to the next level. Most of the world thinks we event professionals have long been spoiled with Famtrip luxuries: fancy hotel suites, personal welcome by the GM and tailor-made gifts, not to mention exquisite food and drinks. Well, maybe that’s so, but Swiss Tourism is changing the face of Famtrips for the better, and (we hope) forever. Here’s the thing: why settle for just Zürich or Bern if you can have the rest of the country too? For this years Swiss Meeting Trophy, teams from 8 countries competed in a four-day, three-night challenge that went from mountain top to lake shore and showcased everything in between. Needless to say, the legendary Swiss attention to detail made this the perfect event. Best practices are showcased and the first place prize blew everyone away: a full year of the best Swiss cheese delivered fresh to the doorstep. Barbra Albrecht, the mastermind behind the Swiss concept, is delighted with success. “The event gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the best
our country has to offer in a relatively short time. Teams from around the world are challenged on knowledge, creativity, teamwork and planning. We start brainstorming every summer so each Meeting Trophy is unique. This year, participants were especially lucky with early morning team activities on a glacier, the afternoon on the VIP deck of the Worldtour Beach Volleybal in Gstaad. The next day brought a taste of the Montreux jazz Festival, drinks in a stunning wine garden on the shore of Lake Geneva and the farewell dinner and reward ceremony in the Olympic Museum, Lausanne. Of course with an event like this, all the participants are winners!” Get inspired by our event picture book. Ready to join? Countries invited in 2011: USA, UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Nordic, Russia and the Netherlands. Will yours be there next year? √
Pssst, don’t tell the Swiss, but we hope to inspire more countries to launch their own meeting trophies by sharing this story. What a concept!
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E Y E W I T NES S
Cruise Control, Part II If you missed the last issue of Share Today, you may be lost (like my luggage was at that point) but before we “set sail”, here’s a quick recap… T E X T M ic h ael Die d e r ic h p h oto S M ic h ael Die d e r ic h & Yolan d a logt
While working in Amsterdam I was scouted to become a Cruise Director. I took the job, started training but was fired because they didn’t like how I dressed, even though they had lost my luggage. However, the head office offered me another chance on another ship in Alaska… Spoiled Rotten! One day later my luggage had been found and just in time too as I was off to the airport hours later... I checked in for the 11 hour non-stop flight and discovered I was travelling Business Class! Now, for many readers this won’t seem like a big deal, but for a starving artist, it was heaven! A quick checkin, sipping champagne, a real menu: the only way to fly! I was tired and figured I would be able to sleep in my comfortable chair, but the seat had so many buttons and gizmos I entertained myself in comfort for the entire flight. Upon landing I was taken in style to a 5-star hotel where I was to spend the night before boarding the next day… As I drifted off to sleep I realized, I could get used to this… On the good ship Though not quite as big as the Eurodam (the ship from part I), the Oosterdam was still an impressive sight in the early morning mist. As soon as I boarded my luggage was whisked away to my cabin and I was escorted to the entertainment offices where I was to begin my training… It’s all in a name My first week would involve me shadowing the current Cruise Director to learn the daily routine
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while studying ship protocol, safety procedures and learning the rules in my downtime. I needed a name badge and the Cruise Director allowed me to come up with my own title. “Assistant Cruise Director” and “Cruise Director Trainee” were too bland but finally I came up with two possibilities. Although I loved “Funsultant”, in the end I decided to become the “Ambassador of Fun”. To the point I could go on and on about my adventures, but instead let me bring it back to the context of SHARE TODAY. What surprised me most was that during the 3 week-long voyages I took, there were 5 corporate groups on board. In afterthought, ® share today | 04.2011 9
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E Y E W I T NES S
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it made perfect sense. A cruise ship already has most of what you’re looking for when scouting for an event location: It’s unique and impressive, as well as containing accommodation, food, entertainment as well as private meeting rooms and a theatre with state-of-the-art technical facilities. Plus, the cruise ship schedule allows you to plan excursions off-ship as well… Alaska When people think of cruise ships they often think of Mexico, the Caribbean or other warm locations… For a unique cruise experience, try Alaska! Visit Ketchikan: The Salmon Capitol of the World; go shopping in Russian-flavoured Sitka; walk through the state capitol (it’s Juneau, NOT
Anchorage!); see the breath-taking Hubbard Glacier and spend your final night exploring Victoria, Canada. I never expected moving to Holland would ensure my short career as the Ambassador of Fun—but I wouldn’t go back and change things if I could. Alaska changed my view of the world forever…I highly recommend it. √
In addition to being an ex-cruise director, Michael Diederich is currently living and working in Amsterdam where he is also a regular editor of SHARE TODAY. share today | 01.2011 11
sto ry
Slide show Event professionals from all over the world gathered for a breakfast session at Brot & Butter. Participants from China, Morocco, Switzerland, Jordan, Italy, UK, Portugal, the USA, Canada, India and the Netherlands spent a vibrant 2- hours discussing hot topics, sharing leads, and more. We heard Dutch expert Rob Kok’s take on international VAT rules and regulations and keynote speaker and senior lecturer at Greenwich University Rob Davidson’s perspective on Generation X and Y. Furthermore it appeared that a big question on everyone’s mind was and still is How to use the Social Media in the event industry? Around the table, people spoke from their own experience: Liu Ping from China writes her own blog, Nadia Colaiuda from Italy and Lisette van Dolderen from the Netherlands use LinkedIn. Pankaj Patpatia (India) is a fan of Facebook.
SHARE TODAY from virtual to real life The idea behind SHARE TODAY is in our name; sharing industry knowledge with passionate event professionals. We’ve been practicing what we preach for a year now and your response has been great! Knowing that personal contact is the perfect partner for E-connection, SHARE TODAY hosted our first live event during the IMEX tradeshow in Frankfurt.
Some relevant tips came up; a front row jury of young social media evangelists to create reallife input on the meeting topics and the use of a virtual tourleader during the preliminary phase of an incentive who transforms to the life tourleader on the spot. The overall key to success is definitely a well-balanced combination of education and entertainment. At SHARE TODAY, our answer to the social media question is, “All the above.” Because we want to create a movement and understand that each of us has its own preferences.
We follow social media developments closely and plug each one in as it reaches velocity in the cyber marketplace. But not before we decided with what purpose we use which social medium, all to be part of and fit in our communication plan. By publishing stories in our E-magazine, launching lively discussions on LinkedIn, sharing hot topics and pictures on Facebook, Twittering daily and keeping our readers in-the-know on our new blog, we create buzz for creative minds and fast-forward thinkers in our industry. Why not join the discussion today? Log-in or register and share your voice. The only global knowledge platform in our industry is here at SHARE TODAY. Watch this you-tube movie and decide if you will dance with us? √ The next SHARE TODAY live event will take place in Barcelona during the EIBTM tradeshow. Interested? Let us know.
text kim al d e r d en p h otos Yolan d a L ogt
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A boutique village experience text K ur á H ulanda R esorts & S H A R E T O D AY p h otos K ur á H ulanda R esorts
Having circumnavigating the world for over 50 times the modern adventurer, philosopher and entrepreneur Jacob Gelt Dekker finally poured his energy and fortune into creating a unique blend of tourism, education and philanthropy, called project Kurá Hulanda. Consisting of amongst others a hotel, conference center, dialysis center and museum, Kurá Hulanda is situated on a UNESCO World Heritage site. Jacob Gelt Dekker: “I’m in a hurry to get things done. While I’m here I have to accomplish something.”
The genesis of project Kurá Hulanda goes back to 1998 when Dekker traveled to Curaçao to visit friends for the weekend. He immediately felt a connection with this Dutch Caribbean island and purchased a mansion in the then rundown section of Otrabanda in the capital city of Willemstad. Today Kura Hulanda is a 80 room boutique resort and member of Small & Luxury hotels of the World. The village also houses a museum that focuses on the predominant cultures of Curaçao and offers a world-class chronicle of the Origin of Man, the African slave trade, West African Empires, Pre-Colombian gold, Mesopotamian relics and Antillean art. Furthermore amongst others four restaurants, two swimming pools and a casino are part of the very stylish venue.
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Part II Dekkers’s entrepreneurial flare led him to go on with his Caribbean project at West Point where he realized part two of his dream. After purchasing 150+ acres in the West Point section he set up Lodge Kurá Hulanda and Beach Club, a beachfront experience with all of the luxury and taste synonymous with all phases of Project Kurá Hulanda. ®
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close & pe rsonal
close & personal
Again his activities had a strong positive environmental and economical impact to the area. Never stopped looking at the world with the eyes of a boy Jacob even built his own Tree House Mansion at West Point. Built atop wooden stilts the Tree House Mansion is filled with artifacts and antiques that Kurá Hulanda owner and visionary Jacob Gelt Dekker brought back from his travels over the years. “It might be best described as Swiss Family Robinson meets African Safari on a Caribbean island,” Jacob explains. “After I first settled myself here, now guests can enjoy the Caribbean sea, snorkeling, sand and sun during the day and then retreat into an African oasis at night.”
A successful entrepreneur needs luck too “I’m often asked for my secret of success. Honestly a passion for life is where it all starts, some luck, and a capacity for hard work. But for me it never feels like work. It’s a journey through life and I try to make the best out of it. Linking people, places and power and live to the max. More than ever a starting entrepreneur needs to have strong communication skills. Communication, communication, communication is what matters in making a business run in a world where news is 24/7 available and spread in a split second.” √ More information on this Caribbean gem contact our SHARE+ partner Lydia Haveman
Would you like to know more about incentive ideas at Curaçao? Click here
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check it out
According to an ASI study writing materials, caps, shirts, ceramics (like mugs) and bags are chosen the most, but none of these are very creative. However, delegates appreciate them more if they are usable right away; pens during the conference, caps during outdoor activities. It’s also been proven that after an event these rather dull gifts are the ones with the longest life cycle. The statistics differ according to gender, age and country but in general, these are the facts. So why bother trying to think of a more creative give-away?
3. Company Comics, a funny way to still choose the usual Looking for more of an eye catcher at your event? Try a combination of entertainment and give-away. Swiftly change your guests into humorous caricatures and have the results printed instantly onto T-shirts, mouse pads, cooking aprons, oven gloves, napkins or even mugs. It is also possible to obtain merchandise via purchase order before your event.
Come on! We are THE creative market, aren’t we? Why not try doing something new with an old idea? Let us introduce you to some items we think should be on your hotlist. Don’t forget to consider the perfect match with your client, event purpose and destination.
The world of give-aways Check-it-out takes you around the globe to “meet” extraordinary places but not this time! Our journey has now arrived in the world of give-aways. When an incentive or congress is organized, it’s time to think of give-aways. Questions pop up like; what would be the right gift? Is it sustainable? What are the costs? Does it suit the conference subject or incentive text Yolan d a L ogt p h otos divers
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destination? But more importantly, will participants actually keep and use the gift? As an organizer, you spend money, and most likely your logo is on the item - all good reasons to think carefully about a unique give-away.
1. Scratch Map a personalized world map poster The perfect way to show off where you’ve been is by scratching off all the places you’ve visited - revealing a whole new world below featuring colorful and geographical details. The result is a totally unique and personalized world map. Travel editions are also available. 2. Sketchpet, old but new Looking for original block notes, (travel) diaries, calendars or contact booklets? Try these sketchpets! Indifferent shapes than you are probably used to, they are easy to carry away and they unfold for use as a fan. They even have funny names.
4. Bye, bye Mosquito Inspired by the ‘Life strong’ bracelets, these trendy silicon bracelets will protect you from mosquito bites: a perfect gift for those organizing events in areas where these flying buzzers are around. You will also be supporting Unicef as 10% of the net profits will be shared with them. Available in several hip colors. ®
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MINDED
Feel free to explore unlimited possibilities
5. Two-in-One Cutlery By fitting these pieces of cutlery together, they become an easy-to-use set of chopsticks that bring Oriental and Occidental traditions together in a clever way. Perfect for a group going to the Far East, or for Easterners travelling to the West. 6. Historic flowers for the ladies These flower bulbs are the same types that were all the rage back in the 16th century. The label shows an old painting of the flowers from tulips to daffodils. Only available via suppliers specialized in historic flower bulbs. Interested? Contact us. 7. Travelling & Talking, a guide book without words There is always a situation or a destination where you just can’t find the right words to express yourself. No worries! This little guide full of pictures will help you on your way without a single word! We bet your client will appreciate one of these gifts and that they will be kept and/or used. We know we would! √
Feel free to be open minded about where you hold your next business event. Feel free to be inspired by Copenhagen's creative and innovative approach. Feel free to make the most from your meetings.
Feel free to contact us: +31 71 5233 283 mice@visitdenmark.com visitdenmark.com +45 3325 7400 meetincopenhagen@woco.dk meetincopenhagen.com
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CO LU M N
MORE ABOUT ellen
Confessions from a Die Hard Most people; my family, girlfriends--and even my colleagues, think that I am a woman of the world because I travel so much. I do nothing to discourage this image and try not to ruin it by keeping my silly escapades to myself. But the truth is, in certain situations I can be as blunt as a hammer. Take innovations. Remember back in the Stone Age when we opened our hotel room doors with those…what were they called again, keys? Yes, keys. Nowadays, you almost only see card keys. But I can still recall the Hotel de Paris in Monaco where I stayed while attending a stunning Ab-Fab event--the worldwide introduction of Dior’s newest fragrance. The receptionist gave me my room number and a small carton envelope which contained something that looked like a credit card. Turns out it was for opening the door, as well as for activating the electricity (something I discovered much later). I shoved the card in and out of the slot for a good 15 minutes before giving up. I walked the marathon distance back to reception where a very pleasant French garcon accompanied me all the way back to my door. I was breathless and transpiring when we arrived when with one smooth swipe he opened the door and handed the card back to me with a smile. Apparently, I had been holding it upside down. Oops.
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Recently I travelled to Copenhagen to attend an international event for meeting planners. I felt blessed just being there, but even more so to discover I was staying in one of the city’s newest hotels: the Bella Sky. Gorgeous Danish design from bottom to top—the top being a stunning bar on the 23rd floor which provides a panoramic view of the city. And ladies, all the rooms on the 17th floor are exclusively for...women. But when it comes to me and design, we just don’t click. The problems started when I had to call reception because I couldn’t open my closet. Five minutes later a very friendly Danish lad arrived and pushed the button which electronically opened my closet… Silly me, I couldn’t find it. The next morning after taking my shower (actually, two showers in one—design!) I couldn’t turn the tap off. I tried left, right, up, down, in, out and left again. After 15 minutes of complete panic I finally found the courage to make my way to the
phone, dripping all the way, and call reception once again. Shortly thereafter the plumber arrived and entered with a look of confusion; probably because he thought he had walked into a Scandinavian steam bath. He marched into the bathroom and with the slightest movement of just one little finger on a panel, my personal Niagara Falls stopped instantly. Luckily, even at my age this die-hard traveller can still manage a very charming blush… Well, as long as I’m confessing, I might as well go all the way. My room at the Bella Sky had one more interesting design feature: there were no curtains on the windows. Instead each window had a trendy, remote control shade that could be opened and closed with just one simple touch of a button! How the shades worked, or where the button was I still don’t know. I couldn’t call reception again! So for two nights in a row I simply slept with the shades… open.
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 | 04.2011 23
G RO U PS S - X X L
Luxembourg, is it true what they say about‌ text K im A l d e r d en p h otos L uxembourg & M ore
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GROUPS S - X X L
Are you looking for an outstanding framework for your next congress, conference, seminar or business trip that combines state-of-the-art infrastructures and a great variety of cultural and leisure activities? Why not consider Luxembourg where competitive MICE facilities are highlighted by a vibrant urban lifestyle, sweeping forests, enchanting landscapes and picturesque historical sites all reachable within a few minutes. Whether your group is small or XXL, Luxembourg has the answers. To convince yourself, just watch this movie.
G RO U PS S - X X L
But there is more; we chased Bjorn Kurda CEO at the DMC Luxembourg & More to update us with his personal fav’s of places. “Well Château de Vianden up in the north is my favourite castle. A great possibility for events, really nice restoration and an amazing view. For a restaurant for sure Lea Linster in Frisange, the owner is a really good friend of mine. Brand new renovated with lots of “love” for detail and a fantastic kitchen with basic but best ingredients, perfect service and a really well done new terrace. Furthermore the new refurbished Cercle Municipal has always been the place for any kind of event but closed since the last years. Now it’s open again and they did a great job! I also love museums and expeditions and Luxembourg got lots of them, one of my favourite ones is the Villa Vauban (an old building which is totally reconstructed and now Musee d’art de la Ville de Luxembourg) and for sure the Mudam built by the star architect Pai, just amazing.” Note Special thanks to Promote Luxembourg
Luxembourg hosts the first European Event Specialists summit from 1-3 September. An interesting event if you want to learn more about adding value to events and measuring it. www.eventsummit.lu 26 share today | 04.2011
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S ustainability DI Y *
Event technology: the ‘green’ challenge Virtual events, social media and rich interactive media have become fashion. These are the hot topics at the moment, but what does it all mean to you right now? Speakers already know that if you want to reach an audience you need more than a flashy powerpoint presentation and an entertaining host. Nowadays, you deal with an audience that is easily bored and in dire need of edutainment: a combination of entertainment and education. An example is using social media during a conference where a live twitter feed is visible on large screens: not only does the speaker get instant feedback, but interaction possibilities become effortless. This is just one example of how easy it can be.
Green technology is becoming a larger part of our lives every day; from electric cars to simple bamboo kitchen gear and eco friendly clothing. And although meetings and events make it possible for us to share know-how and to network, they are traditionally resource-intensive gatherings leaving a huge carbon footprint. It’s no surprise that the green revolution is slowly making its way into the event industry. Green(-er) venues Perhaps the biggest change in the conference industry is in the venues themselves, which are now starting to compete based on their eco-friendliness. The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and the Arena and Convention Centre in Liverpool have joined forces to establish the Global Green Alliance: an organization dedicated to encourage the industry to host sustainable events across the globe.
For example; CTICC encourages suppliers to align themselves with its green objectives and developed a set of criteria that suppliers are required to meet. Conference and events organizers are also offered guidelines to implement. Event planners can purchase ‘green’ power rather than conventional power, use water jugs instead of bottled water, provide recycled notepads and pencils and choose organic meal options. Their information technology architecture is also environmentally friendly and helped to reduce power consumption by almost 80%. Many more examples besides CTICC are there, like Boston’s Seaport Center having their roof overlaid with a 5-inch-deep soil mat where sedum plants grow, conserving energy and reducing run-off. Beyond just being hip, these practices are beginning to determine how conferences and events are being perceived by attendees and being green becomes a real competitive advantage, not to say a USP for venues. Eco friendly devices The ‘greening’ of conferences is likely to be as much about what attendees lug with them as with the technology they encounter at the event. Mobile phones are already going green, pointing to the future and being an inspiration for even bigger devices. For example, Sony built the case of its new W series laptop using recycled CDs. ®
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Sustainability D IY *
And let’s not forget about apps: the Energy UFO app lets you keep track of the energy use at your event venue to help reduce electricity waste and spend, even while you are immersed in a conference discussion thousands of miles away. Apps for your event Progressive-minded planners are already cutting back on handout waste by recycling badge holders and printed materials. Others assume everyone has a mobile device and publish event schedules online only (which makes it even easier to adapt to late speaker additions and cancellations). Even better is the ‘app-ification’ of conferences. Moonshadow Mobile and Twoppy are just 2 examples of apps that make it simple for conference organizers to bundle attendee
S ustainability DI Y *
lists, maps, itineraries and even presentations into custom apps--saving precious event budgets from being spent on landfill-bound materials. Tourism Ireland recently released its Conference CO2 Calculator iPhone app that allows planners to measure the carbon cost of attendee travel to/ from multiple locations. Rather send a robot? Transportation is at least 50% of the carbon cost at any event, and that’s not even counting the emissions from preparatory travel activities. Enter Anybot: a remotely controlled, E.T.-like mobile robot. Built on mobility technology, Anybot has eyes, a video camera and a laser pointer safe for human eyes. Controlled with a laptop, you can maneuver it at walking speed
simply by using your keyboard. In addition to the video camera, the Anybot has a screen as well, providing two-way visual communication.. At USD 15,000 per bot, these rolling avatars don’t come cheap, but if conference centers start renting them out you could “attend” your next conference without ever leaving home. You’ll be the most modern participant there, although cocktail hour won’t be nearly as fun. See it yourself.
Sustainable transits The revolution in the transportation industry will affect the conference industry as well. One of the most advanced systems is the ULTra PRT (Personal Rapid Transit): electric driverless pods that combine the freedom of taxis with the efficiency of a rail system. London’s Heathrow Airport is installing the system now, using computer-driven four-person vehicles that are to bring passengers to the destination of their choosing. While it might take some time for these green improvements to become standard, lets not forget that hybrid and all-electric shuttles have already proven themselves in locations such as Yosemite Valley in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. √
What do you think will be next? If you want to share your ideas about this subject, please contact us via info@sharetoday.com
Source: Guide to Greener Electronics of Ryan Singel, writer for Wired News. Note: http://tinyurl.com/GreenTechGuide shows rankings and justification for how the top computer companies manage stack up to one another.
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Amazing faces to be seen in this country known for its cigars, old cars and salsa music. More in our next magazine.
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Tents for Events text K im al d e r d en p h otos R obert A arts & A ctiv T ravel
Looking for the global nomad experience? Read on as we pull back the flap of the tent to share our discoveries with you. We’ve been travelling the world in search of tent adventures. To be honest, staying under canvas isn’t always glamorous – sometimes nature comes right into the tent or even under the bed sheets. But for those interested in stepping off the beaten path, canvas is magnificent. In the past few years, canvas adventures have been gaining attention in incentive circles and today interest has shifted into high gear: nomading is one of the hottest choices around and Morocco is the country of choice. Fifteen years ago, hardy souls seeking a nomad camp found themselves roughing it – sleeping on coarse, itchy sheets under smelly camel wool blankets. Today things have changed – dramatically. While the ‘purist’ experience is still available (and surprisingly popular) today’s nomads can also choose a Caidales Tent: a large black and white affair with VIP sleeping room, exquisite linen and cozy down comforters. Recently, Share Today spoke to Mr. Canvas himself, 47-year-old Jalil Benbiga. In 1985, Jalil, working for a French tour operator, set off to explore possibilities in southern Morocco. His adventures there lasted 12 years, including a side step to Ibiza. But for this self-made man, Morocco held the key to success. Combining catering, his second love, with tour and travel, Jalil started Terres de Fête in 2004. Today, nothing is impossible for Jalil Benbiga and his talented team.
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Share Today (ST): What is your favorite location for one-night camp in Morocco? Jalil: Definitely Palm Grove at the edge of the Lalla Takerkoust Dam. Magnificent! ST: How many people can a camp accommodate? Jalil: We are very flexible. We typically organize events for two to ten people, but can to do large camps, too. Our largest so far was for 450 people, and that’s not a sales story. It was a fantastic event. ® share today | 04.2011 35
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ST: Ecology and sustainability are important to today’s incentive travellers. Are you able make your one-night camps ecologically sustainable? Jalil: Terres de Fete takes a sustainable approach to all our products and services. We start with environmental safeguards: taking good care of the palm trees at the camp, and always make sure the site is left as clean as when we arrived. We take pride in the fact that all our maintenance products and amenities are organic. ST: Could you help us plan a nomad journey across the Atlas Mountains? Jalil: No problem. It would be a dream to create a journey back in time through Morocco. We could start with a nomadic experience in Ouarzazate. On day two, guests would convoy cross the Atlas Mountain by Jeep and camp lakeside in Caidales where they’d meet local Berbers. On day three, let’s treat your travellers to the luxuries of modern Marrakech with a VIP farewell night in the Palmeraie Gardens featuring stays in VIP marquee bedrooms. Are you ready to sit down to the drawing board? √
Where To Go For Your Next Tent Event? Palm Grove, Marrakech The Palm Grove of Marrakech, only a few kilometres outside of town, is one of the most popular destinations in the Red City. With 13 green hectares of restful grounds and 180,000 palm trees, Palm Grove is an oasis of coolness and serenity. Lalla Takerkoust Dam, Marrakech The Lalla Takerkoust Dam is a wonder. Its 7 kilometre-long lake irrigates 5000 hectares along the Plain of Haouz. Camps feature a panoramic view of the towering Atlas Mountains whose peaks are beautifully reflected in the blue lake below. Agafay Desert Land, Marrakesh The beautiful Agafay Desert Land is situated 20 km from Marrakesh between Lalla Takerkoust Lake, the High Atlas Mountains and the mines of Guemassa. Still untouched by tourism, Agafay is called “ desert land” because of its extreme aridity and the sanddune shape of its landscape. Glistening white sands strengthen the impression of immensity against a backdrop of the High Atlas Mountains and of the Toubkal (explain or delete reference to Toubkal). Numerous canyons hide small oases and multiple sheepfolds. Absolutely enchanting. For more information contact our SHARE+ partner Hicham Tahri
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MORE ABOUT Rob
Networking @ conferences One of the presentations I enjoy giving the most is: How to Network at Conferences. I talk about how to start a conversation with another delegate, how to meet the people you want to meet, and how to move on from one conversation to another. I wish someone had instructed me in networking techniques all those years ago, when I started going to conferences. Like most people, I picked it up as I went along. And even now, like most people, I still get a little nervous walking into a room of 200 people I don’t know, equipped only with a glass of wine, for the networking session at the end of a day’s conferencing. Will I end up standing alone with my solitary glass of wine, while everyone else is networking successfully all around me? No, I probably won’t - because most of the other delegates are in the same boat, and are very willing to start a conversation with someone else who shares their interests enough to be at the same conference. With all this talk of virtual conferences, teleconferencing, videoconferencing and so on, networking is the one benefit that only face-to-face events can offer. And we know that, for many people, it’s their main motivation for attending conferences – to make new business contacts during the networking sessions; to find someone to work with on a piece of research for example; or to start recruiting a new member of staff; or even to find a new job – all of these 38 share today | 04.2011
things can start at a conference’s networking session. And that’s why we need to constantly promote the networking element of conferences as our Unique Selling Point. That’s also why we must get more professional and more imaginative when it comes to planning these networking sessions. As far as I can tell, for now, planning a networking session doesn’t go much further than simply putting a glass of something alcoholic in the delegate’s hand and then ushering them into a room to fend for themselves. There’s a growing problem with this approach: all the research shows that Generation Y, the most recent cohort of young professionals to enter the workforce, are far less confident than preceding generations at face-to-face communication. Of course, they are all very skilled at electronic communication: blogging, Skype-ing, Tweeting etc, etc with people all over the planet. But when it comes to face-to-face networking, they need help. They need a bit more structure, in fact. Networking must be turned into a game for them.
But this time, we were given more than a glass of Pinot Grigio. At the entrance to the room, we were each given either a nut or a bolt. They were all of different sizes and the challenge was to find the person in the room whose bolt fitted your nut (there were prizes for the people who found their ‘match’). It was fun and it was an extremely effective way of breaking the ice and encouraging delegates to speak to new people, rather than sticking with those they already knew. I think conference planners need to be more creative in how they organize these networking sessions, from now on. The future of the conference industry may depend on it.
For example, here is an idea I came across at a conference in the Netherlands a couple of years ago: at the end of the day’s proceedings, we were all steered into a room for the networking session.
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 | 04.2011 39
FYI
Did you find the perfect match? text Yolan d a L ogt p h otos B a d ge 2 M atc h
You might think you’ve landed in an article about how to find the love of your life or dating sites, but don’t worry - that’s not what it’s really about. However; have you ever heard of business matchmaking? Just like matchmaking. It’s nothing more (or less) than the process of matching two people with complementary interests. Sounds simple; but ever been to a congress, conference or other big event where you tried finding someone you know? That in itself is usually a task. So consider how difficult it is matching up with an interesting contact who you don’t even know? Your mobile won’t help you out now. You shake lots of hands and are introduced briefly; all the while checking your radar to see if he or she is an ‘interesting’ person for you.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology will bring the right people together in a crowd. The solution consists of interactive RFID SmartBadge tags which stores data about an individual, transmits that information and captures data from other badges. How it works? Before the event delegates fill out an online questionnaire tailored to each specific conference or event. Upon arrival at the registration desk visitors receive their Smart Badges, which has been encoded with that individual’s likes and interests. The active ultrahigh-frequency UHF transponder is custom made for this application. ®
Some organizers give you a helping hand by organizing speed dates, but still it can be easier. How to reach that interesting person? Wouldn’t it be much simpler if there was a kind of alarm that went off when you are in the vicinity of that person who could be interesting for you? Well guess what: it already exists. Not with a sound (imagine the cacophony of all those different sounds) but rather with flashing lights.
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FY I
let me entertain you
oksBooksBooksBooksBooksBo Complete Conference Planner by Executive Events This resource offers a toolkit of checklists and other information within a three-ring binder that is designed to allow you to customize the contents by adding important documents right into the notebook. It includes detailed checklists and hints – and offers ideas, additional information and a framework with which to organize your events.
Love Travel Guides by Fiona Caulfield www.lovetravelguides.com
The badge-lanyard is worn around the neck and continiously transmits data as participants stroll through a venue. If the attendee comes within 5 meters of someone with complementary interests, both of their badges begin blinking with light of the same color (several colors per event are available).
We predict that this system will be the perfect matchmaker at your next event! √
Future titles will include Love Goa, Love Kerala, Love Chennai, Love Kolkata and Love Hyderabad. Outside of India they started Love Sri Lanka.
Now it’s up to you to introduce yourself, confident that you have a shared interest! As a result, events become even more interactive and successful, bringing an added level of fun to the participants as well. The colored lights are a great icebreaker and will result in you leaving the event with more valuable contacts than ever before.
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Truly handbooks for the luxury vagabond. The Love Travel Guide Indian series comprises Love Bengaluru, Love Delhi, Love Jaipur, Rajasthan and Love Mumbai.
Badge2Match is currently available in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, China and the USA. Recently, Badge2Match introduced a new extensive event app with networking features, App2Match.
Fiona Caulfield has a high profile global career as a futurist and branding consultant and is an avid traveler and explorer. A self-confessed luxury vagabond, she has a discerning eye for the singular experiences that set a destination apart. Find out for yourself even if you don’t travel to these destinations, they’re a joy to read.
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food for thought
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