All you need to know about the event sector

All you need to know about the event sector

Focus on Associations

Brecht Putman is the Meeting & Incentive Manager for Tourism Flanders in New York. Already four years now, he considers the Big Apple as his home base to promote Flanders in the US as a congress destination. His main focus over these past four years has always been partnerships. “For four years now, I work closely together with different partners including London & Partners who are also based in New York. Together, we select clients who demonstrate potential and interest in Flanders, but also, of course, London. This way we bring interested customers to London and Flanders, and finally to the trade fair. So, firstly we went to London with the group for two to three days and then to Flanders to continue afterwards travelling to IMEX here in Frankfurt. Originally, we had planned to visit Brussels and Antwerp. However, we had to cancel Brussels because there were some concerns within the group due to the negative reports in the US media regarding the tragic events of last March”, Brecht Putman explains. As a result, the focus was completely shifted to Antwerp. “Antwerp was an excellent alternative though. There is indeed much happening in Antwerp this year, with the opening of the new convention center in the autumn, the Red Star Line Museum, which has been open for two years now, the new express train connection with Brussels Airport, the Diamond Experience … In short, Antwerp’s hot, hot, hot!”, says Brecht Putman. “Moreover, Antwerp also has an interesting new MICE product with ‘The Diamond Experience’. This experience makes it possible for people to discover the diamond industry, in the very same heart of the industry itself through experienced professionals. In addition, the session closes with a ‘diamond cocktail on the roof’, which also includes the give-away of a real Antwerp diamond. The event organizers we brought along were enchanted by the experience and some of them also have expressed an immediate interest in Antwerp”, Brecht explained. Antwerp is already well known for medical and pharma meetings mainly by the presence of the port, the university and the petrochemical industry in Antwerp, “but with such fams we succeed to show versatility, diversity, as well as incentive and association potential by proposing the city to the right target audience. Gladly, after our visit, I noticed that now they are convinced of Antwerp and its attraction as an international city. That’s all very positive”, Brecht concludes.

In Frankfurt, the Americans had a full program as well. Tuesday, the VISITFLANDERS booth was completely dominated by the US customers. The US market is in 5th place after Belgium’s neighboring countries, and of all US visitors who come to Flanders and Brussels, 50% represents business. While attending a ‘Love for Flanders-lunch’, specialized US meeting media and American meeting planners expressed their support and friendship for their favored destination in the heart of Europe. “We took this opportunity to put our Flemish and Belgian cuisine in the spotlight,” said Brecht

Tuesday night Brecht Putman had a major networking opportunity during the ‘Association Dinner’. Indeed, associations are becoming the focus for the MICE industry in Flanders, promoting Flemish cities as host cities for their meetings. “26 association planners, mainly from DC but also from NY, LA and Chicago enjoyed a lively and interactive evening ‘Flanders-style’ in Frankfurt. The renowned five-star Steigenberger Hof was our partner to immediately have a link with Brussels (Steigenberger Wiltchers) as well.”

The evening was a success. “We understand that Flanders is not a well-known destination to the association planners. They know Brussels and Belgium. ‘The Battle of the Tables’, an iPad game to improve their knowledge of Flanders, was a perfect way to introduce Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven and Mechelen to the participants. We really got the opportunity to highlight the meeting potential of these cities”, Brecht further explains. The participants have returned to their hotel after a pleasant evening with a goodie bag and Flanders Magazine, while Belgian beer and chocolate was also promoted during the evening, as well as a video about the ‘Flemish Masters’. “Among those present, we had representatives of associations who have already been in Flanders, but also some who had never taken into consideration Flanders as a meeting destination and who now might return to organize a meeting”, says Brecht.

The networking proved interesting for the representative of Tourism Flanders. “Many contacts are based in Washington DC, that’s an important MICE hub for America. DC is after all the city with the largest number of association HQs. Moreover, it is a market that is difficult to penetrate. I am very pleased with the numerous delegates present. More than twenty association executives with whom I am now in touch.” His colleague Evelyne Bardyn of VISITFLANDERS was also present to witness a great evening of networking. “We hope to welcome participants from this group back in Flanders when they organize a meeting in one of our cities”, a satisfied Brecht Putman ended.

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