TRAVEL & MEET

News and updates on the travel trade & MICE industry. In Dutch, French and English.

Nieuws en updates over de travel trade & MICE industrie. In het Nederlands, Frans & Engels.

Des nouvelles et des mises à jour sur l'industrie voyagiste & l'industrie MICE. En Néerlandais, Français et Anglais.

contact@travelandmeet.net


Past event

De Lyoncomotive was in Brussel

 Atout France België en Luxemburg & het Toerismebureau van de Metropool Lyon organiseerden in Excellis, Passion for Food, een workshop voor professionals uit de toeristische sector met een presentatie van de bestemming en haar nieuwigheden.

Met daarbij een proeverij van specialiteiten uit Lyon samengesteld door de chefs Olivier Canal van La Meunière, Julien Leguillou van Antr'O Potes en Thibault Granville van Excellis.

City-trippen met de trein wordt steeds populairder. En het maakt een stadsbezoek in Europa duurzamer. En als zo’n groene city trip je dan ook nog eens in minder dan 4 uur treinen naar de gastronomische hoofdstad van Frankrijk brengt, dan is dat een uitgelezen kans voor de Belgische reismarkt. L’Office de tourisme de la Métropole de Lyon heet je welkom in traditionele bouchons vol lokale specialiteiten, in sterrenzaken en wijngaarden en in een stad vol Traboules of geheime doorgangen. Lyon is misschien het kleinere broertje van Parijs maar het moet er niet voor onderdoen als het op charme en cultuur aankomt.

De 15 aanwezige partners (met een link naar hun website) waren: Only Lyon - Les Bouchons Lyonnais - Boscolo Hotel - Comité des Vins - Destination Beaujolais - Hameau Duboeuf - Excelys Tours - Fika DMC - Maisons Bocuse - Mama Shelter hotel - Mercure Centre Perrache - Whiskey Ninkasi - The Ruck Hôtel - Les Toqués du Fromage - Villa Florentine - Warwick Reine Astrid - Wine & Ride - SNCB International

Het team van ATOUT FRANCE en ONLYLYON TOERISME (photo © Eric Valenne)

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Toeristische dienst

Kristina Hansen directeur van DNT België en Luxemburg

Met ingang van 1 april 2023 is Kristina Hansen de nieuwe directeur van de Duitse Nationale Dienst voor Toerisme (DNDT). Zij was al sinds 2020 op interim-basis verantwoordelijk voor het kantoor in Brussel. In die functie volgt zij officieel Jürgen Lettau op, die met pensioen is.

Hansen werkt al sinds 2016 voor de DNDT België/Luxemburg, eerst als Internet en social media officer, vanaf 2018 als press & digital manager en sedert 2020 als hoofd marketing en waarnemend directeur. Ze voltooide een bachelor in public relations aan de ESSAC / Haute Ecole de la ville de Liège. Daarna deed ze verschillende jaren professionele ervaring op. En dat als projectmanager voor Europese programma's bij het ministerie van de Duitstalige Gemeenschap in Eupen en als eventmanager en consultant voor public relations en sociale media.

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Destination MICE

MICE dans les Vosges du Sud et les Montagnes du Jura 

Les départements français Territoire de Belfort, Doubs et Jura font partie de la région française de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. En tant que destinations touristiques, ils sont surtout connus pour leur nature, leur héritage historique, leur gastronomie et leurs produits régionaux. Souvent sous le nom général "Jura". Mais ils veulent aussi se profiler de plus en plus en tant que destinations 'affaires' et montrer ainsi leurs possibilités en termes de meetings, incentives, team-building, etc.

Une sélection de ces options se trouve à la page 8 de ce site Web.

 

MICE dans la Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

La région dispose d’un moteur de recherche https://seminaires.bourgognefranchecomte.com pour organiser en un tour de main des événements professionnels en Bourgogne-Franche-Comté : journées d’études, réunions de travail, séminaires, congrès, activités team-building,...

Ce portail offre la possibilité de demander des devis ou renseignements en direct à plus de 130 lieux, agences ou prestataires de team-building répartis sur toute la région et triés sur le volet grâce à une charte de qualité.

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visit.brussels Awards

 For more than 10 years, the visit.brussels Awards have been rewarding local cultural and tourist initiatives that have helped the capital to shine on a national and international level. The winners are selected by the general public and by a jury composed of professionals from the tourism sector, the academic world and the press.

The 2023 edition, which rewards initiatives and projects launched in 2022, welcomes two new categories reflecting the essential elements of smart tourism: innovation, inclusiveness and accessibility, etc. As well as a Public Vote prize which will reward the initiative chosen by the public vote.

Discover the categories:

  • Brussels On Stage: this prize rewards an initiative that, through its raison d'être and existence, has greatly contributed to the influence of Brussels on the international scene. Example: an original initiative that has been talked about beyond our borders.
  • Sustainable initiative:  this award recognises the initiative that has best helped to reduce its environmental impact by questioning the way it operates. Examples: zero-waste initiatives, companies that have decided to use only ethical Brussels bicycle delivery services, etc.
  • Co-creation: this award recognises the best initiative resulting from collaboration between different partners. Examples: actions organised by several museums, inclusion of concepts or works from other museums, creation of joint products by several local companies to support the sector, etc.
  • Audacious new project: This award recognises an innovative and audacious concept/place. Examples: opening of a new concept, new offer, new restaurant, new exhibition with an original concept, etc.
  • ​​​​​​​Digital Innovation: this award recognises a digital project that is innovative, inclusive and accessible to all visitors. Example: original app useful for people visiting the capital.
  • ​​​​​​​Best Nightlife Experience: this prize, supported by the Brussels Night Council, rewards an innovative and original initiative that has put the Brussels night scene in the spotlight, both in Belgium and beyond our borders.
  • Public Vote: this award recognises the initiative that receives the most votes in all categories following the online public vote, regardless of the jury's choice.

Think you fall into one of the categories? Register, before 22 February (midnight), by validating the following two steps: 

Fill in the form - Send us your visual aids using wetransfer to awards@visit.brussels

More information on the visit.brussels Awards is available at www.awards.brussels

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MindMeeting

New book helps to unleash the power of well-designed face-to-face meetings

During the first half of 2023, MindMeeting & Partners will hold a series of small-scale book launches, to celebrate the publication of “Meetings, by Default or by Design.” These book launches will examine the new role of face-to-face meetings in the light of the post-pandemic balance of meeting delivery channels.

Almost ten years after the publication of their first book “Into the Heart of Meetings”, Mike van der Vijver and Eric de Groot are back with a new title on Meeting Design: “Meetings, by Default or by Design”. This workbook offers improvement suggestions for meetings and events on forty different topics. 

To give a broader meaning to their new publication, the authors are setting up a “World Tour” of small-scale book launches. Each of these gatherings will investigate the added value of face-to-face meetings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, together with groups of participants from different countries. Their hypothesis is that f2f meetings will require clearer objectives and well-designed programs to live up to their specific strengths in a new balance with hybrid and online. But how exactly? This applies in particular to providing the “human glue” in and between organisations. 

The Tour consists of a series of small-scale, purpose-designed gatherings, held in cooperation with local partners in 4 European countries, 3 in East-Asia, 2 in the Middle East and 2 in the Americas. Together with their “crash-tester” Martin Sirk, during the IMEX trade show in Frankfurt in May 2023 the authors will report back on their findings.

For more information and background to this story, please contact

Eric de Groot, eric@mindmeeting.org, +31 6 55 33 76 40

Mike van der Vijver, mike@mindmeeting.org, +31 6 21 29 80 20

Book available at https://bit.ly/3Vz68je and other Amazon sites

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ICC Wales winner of ICCA Best Marketing Award 2022 edition 

The ICCA Best Marketing Award 2022 was awarded to ICCWales during the last day of the 61st ICCA Congress. ICC Wales competed with the ‘Protect Duty Report’ - an industry leading study into how upcoming legislation in the UK will effect event venues, and the people who attend - and work in - them.

Inspired by Figen’s Journey - the experiences of Figen Murray - whose son was killed in the Manchester Arena Terrorist attack, ICC Wales recognised a responsibility to their industry colleagues and commenced work on the ‘Protect Duty Report’. A range of stakeholders (including security and counter terrorism experts) were engaged to create a working document educating and informing the UK events industry about how these changes will impact their events. The ICC Wales entry won because the ‘Protect Duty Report’ s a really interesting and important story. It’s not just about marketing a destination, but about improving security in convention centres. It is easily adaptable by others too, and as the Best Marketing Award winners, it will have an even wider impact about improving security in all venues, and protecting people who use them for work and for leisure.

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Meetings

PULLMAN BRUSSELS CENTRE MIDI

In order to celebrate the last meetings of the year, Pullman Brussels Centyre Midi serves at the end of the day, for each participant, a glass of mulled wine, cinnamon tea and cookies!

Christmas Gift Meetings
PDF – 4,3 MB 2130 downloads

To beneficiate from this offer, book a full day meeting of 10 participants minimum during the months of December and January. This offer allows you also to cumulate your meeting planner points.

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bestemming

Picasso jaar 2023

Op 8 april 2023 zal het 50 jaar geleden zijn dat de Spaanse kunstenaar Pablo Picasso overleed. Spanje wil dit uiteraard niet ongemerkt laten voorbijgaan. Het programma van de viering Picasso 1973-2023 zal gebaseerd zijn op een vijftigtal tentoonstellingen over de hele wereld. Daaronder vijf steden in Spanje die nauw met Picasso verbonden zijn goed voor 16 tentoonstellingen.  Het gaat om Madrid, Malaga, A Coruña, Barcelona en Bilbao. De Spaanse Dienst voor Toerisme stelde op 26 oktober in het Steigenbergers Wiltcher's hotel in Brussel  het Spaanse programma PICASSO 1973-2023 voor aan de Belgische toerismespecialisten. Vertegenwoordigers van de bestemmingen Malaga en A Coruña waren aanwezig op de presentatie.

Met de campagne "Spain inspired Picasso. Come, find your inspiration", roept Spanje reizigers op om verder te gaan dan de klassiekers, om buiten de gebaande paden van het toerisme te treden en deze culturele bestemmingen te (her)ontdekken.

Bedoeling is de bezoekers te stimuleren om deze vijf Spaanse steden op een andere manier te bekijken, net zoals Picasso dat deed in zijn tijd. Namelijk door te praten met de plaatselijke bevolking, de typische keuken te proeven, zich te laten meeslepen door de plaatselijke geluiden en kleuren...

Volledig programma van de Picasso Celebration 1973-2023: https://celebracionpicasso.es/en

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past event Switzerland

Sustainable catering for meetings and events

On October 19th, the  Switzerland Convention & Incentive  Bureau organised its Annual Networking Evening. The SCIB, led by Myriam Winnepenninckx, and a selection of Swiss Partners were welcoming a number of MICE professionals in the green venue “Kattebroek” in Dilbeek. The topic of the day was “Sustainable Catering”, definitely an original subject brought by an inspirational key-note speaker, Bartel Dewulf. All participants in the workshop were then invited to get started at the kitchen table to create sustainable catering themselves. All information on:

Healthy meetings in Switzerland | Switzerland Meetings & Incentives (myswitzerland.com)

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past event

Travel in France 2022

Tijdens een B2B workshop in Gent (12 oktober) en Luik (13 oktober) kwamen een aantal toeristische diensten, bestemmingen, hotels, evenementen en andere toerisme-professionals zich voorstellen aan de Belgische travel trade wereld. Bij een 40-tal exposanten uit heel Frankrijk kon men terecht om contacten uit te wisselen en inspiratie op te doen voor de organisatie van toekomstige reizen.

Deze workshop was meteen ook de laatste activiteit van Vincent Toulotte als directeur van Atout France. Vanaf 3 november gaat hij met pensioen.

Marie-Hélène Vernerey (Bourgogne & Montagnes du Jura) en Thomas Desmurs (Dijon Métropole)

Florent Dubreuil (Château du Clos Lucé & Parc Leonardo De Vinci) en Anne Haubois-Delmar (Destination Tours Loire Valley)

Anne Fraysse (Alpes Ishere) en Amadou Rouillon (Grenoble Alpes Tourisme)

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past event

Autumn Event for Associations & Event Planners  - Discover Brussels’ event districts and venues  

As a kick-off for the autumn season, visit.brussels organised a B2B event on September 21, showing  some of the city’s renovated buildings that host group initiatives. The participants were able to discover what lies behind their facades and what could make any business meeting, event or incentive a delightful experience for the senses.

The folowing venues were on the program:

- Wolf, Sharing Food Market - 50 Rue du Fossé aux Loups - Wolvengracht, 1000 Brussels

- Cirque Royal, concert and events hall - 81 Rue De L'enseignement - Onderrichtsstraat, 1000 Brussels

Sparks, event space and meeting rooms - 60 Rue Ravenstein - Ravensteinstraat, 1000 Brussels

- KBR - the Royal Library of Belgium - 4 Boulevard de l’Empereur - Keizerslaan, 1000 Brussels    

 

For more information, click on the visit.brussels logo at the left.

Photos: © visit.brussels - Jean-Paul Remy - 2022

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aviation

SkyAlps vanaf 21 december driemaal per week van Antwerpen naar Bolzano

Ideaal voor wie een week of een weekend op de skilatten wil doorbrengen. Want Bolzano bevindt zich middenin het fenomenale Dolomietengebergte, in de provincie Zuid-Tirol. De Dolomiti Superski bestaat uit twaalf skigebieden, goed voor samen 1.200 kilometer aan skipistes en bijna evenveel langlauftrajecten.
Passagiers stijgen telkens om 17.05 uur op in Antwerpen en landen om 18.55 uur in Bolzano. Tijdens de retourvlucht verlaten ze Italië om 14.15 uur en komen ze om 16.15 uur aan in Antwerpen. Dat doen ze met een De Havilland Dash DHC-8-Q400. Dit moderne turbopropvliegtuig telt 78 comfortabele zitjes en vliegt bijna even snel als een regionale turbojet. De heen- en terugvluchten gebeuren op woesndag, zaterdag en zondag. Voor een prijs vanaf € 164 (one way). Voor reisagenten is er 5% commissie.

 

INFO en booking via de website van SkyAlps

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past event

Le Comité Régional du Tourisme Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, les stations de sports d'hiver des Hautes-Alpes, des Alpes de Haute-Provence et des Alpes-MarItimes ont organisé un "atelier rendez-vous" le 15 septembre à Bruxelles pour faire découvrir leurs domaines de sports d'hiver et les nouveautés pour la prochaine saison d'hiver à présenter. Pas moins de treize régions ont présenté leur région et leur programme hivernal. 

Les destinations suivantes étaient présentes : Val d'Allos, Ubaye, La Grave Hautes Vallée, Montgenèvre, Guillestrois-Queyras, Vars, Réallon-Crévoux Serre-Ponçon, Le Dévoluy, Orcières, Nice Côte d'Azur, Cote d'Azur France, Alpes de Haute Provence, Hautes-Alpes, CRT Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, ESF Alpes du Sud

L'organisation pratique était entre les mains de Glenaki Tourism Consultancy

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destination

TAT promotes tourism in the ‘green season’

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and its partners have been campaigning for years to promote travel during the green season.

Thailand has a tropical climate with warm temperatures all year round. And while some seasons are milder than others, there's never really a bad time to travel. During the green season - also known as the rainy season - nature comes alive, the national parks bloom and the waterfalls are at their most spectacular.

A green season therefore does not mean heavy rain. The showers usually come in the afternoon and there are regular dry days. Moreover, the rains are relatively easy to avoid, as Thailand has different climatic zones according to the different regions. The green season is therefore an ideal time to engage in sustainable tourism.

The green season refers to the months of May-June and September-October. These are traditionally less busy tourist months and therefore ideal to enjoy everything Thailand has to offer in peace. In addition, nature shows its most beautiful 'green' face.

There are far fewer tourists around during the green season, so visitors get to enjoy shorter queues at tourist attractions. An additional advantage is that the hotel prices during the green season are generally a lot lower than during the high season.

For current tourist news about Thailand, see:  https://tourismthailand.be/

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wintersport bestemming

France Montagnes met nieuw logo en nieuwe slogan

Tijdens een presentatie in Brussel op 7 september kwamen 21 Franse wintersportgebieden hun nieuwigheden op het vlak van wintersport, gastronomie en wellness voorstellen.

Daarnaast stelde France Montagnes zelf ook de nieuwe Europese campagne "La montagne, ça vous gagne!" voor. 

Waren op de afspraak: 

Les 2 Alpes, Courchevel, La Plagne, Les Menuires, Méribel, Morzine, Serre Chevalier, Tignes, Avoriaz, Les Saisies, Brides Les Bains, La Rosière, Peisey-Vallandry, Valloire, Valmorel, Val d'Arly, Les Contamines, Les Orres, Isère Tourisme, SIVU Vosges, ESF.

INFO: https://www.france-montagnes.com/

Vincent Toulotte (directeur Atout France), Anémone Hubaut (Atout France), Martine Achard (France Montagnes) en Robbert Hendrix (Atout France)

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update airlines

THAI stops flying to Brussels (this winter)

Since 1st September 2022, THAI is not operating direct flights on route Brussels-Bangkok-Brussels and this will continue during winter 2022/23 due to aircraft shortage. Thai Airways International however plans to resume direct operations from Brussels to Bangkok v.v. again later in 2023.

But the final confirmation is not received yet. We will update you on the resumption date once known.

THAI flights from Benelux market can be booked with feeder flights included to connect THAI flights via other gateways.

The following THAI European flights are operating during Winter 22/23:

·       Double daily flights on route Frankfurt-Bangkok v.v.

·       Daily flights on route Paris-Bangkok v.v.

·       Daily flights on route Munich-Bangkok v.v.

·       Daily flights on route Zürich-Bangkok v.v.                                                                                                                                                         

·       Double daily flights on route London-Bangkok v.v.

·       Daily flights on route Copenhagen-Bangkok v.v.

·       Daily flights on route Stockholm-Bangkok v.v.

All bookings can be made via www.thaiairways.beFor information, please contact the Brussels team by email via reservations@thaiairways.be

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ICCA announces top performing destinations for international association meetings

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is publicly releasing new information to shed more light on how the pandemic impacted the association meetings industry in 2021. The Public Abstract of the ICCA Annual Statistics report is now available for non-ICCA members after a one-year hiatus. Due to the transformational events of 2020, ICCA refined its approach to the report by including meetings that were affected by the pandemic as well as those that remained unaffected. Now, non-ICCA members can also benefit from this new methodology, called the Destination Performance Index (DPI), which provides a more holistic view of how destinations have addressed recent challenges. 

Additionally, the Public Abstract presents the top destinations for association meetings in 2021, based on estimated total number of attendees for hybrid and virtual events. It also provides a three-year economic impact analysis, which is usually not available to non-ICCA members. 

Link to the report: Public Abstract 010822 (iccaworld.org)

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contact@travelandmeet.net

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