Prevue May/June 2012 - (Page 26)

S 22 | prevue magazine Previous: Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm Opposite: Bella Sky Comwell Hotel, Copenhagen Below: Brussels beer tour STOCKHOLM, Sweden is a city on the move. It’s restless. Its time has come. There are few cities in the world with such a symbiotic harmony between urban and natural landscapes. The food is fresh, local, innovative and delicious. Contemporary culture and smart design are everywhere, integrated into a preserved city center dating back to the Vikings. And we’ve been to upscale spas that don’t feel as calming as Stockholm International Airport. Seriously. For pre/post programs, the ICEHOTEL up north above the Arctic Circle just 90 minutes away is the most fun you’ll ever have with five layers of clothes on. Stockholm is unique among European capitals in that it’s situated on 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea. Over 60% of the city consists of waterways and parks. Marcus Östlundh, managing director of Ovation Scandinavia, recommends that all groups should explore one of the thousands of outlying islands for dining and teambuilding. “Because I think that peace and beauty in these stressful times is the ultimate luxury,” he says. “That is a very Swedish sensibility, to be able to experience life on a private island where you can relax and refocus, and enjoy time with your friends and business colleagues.” An ideal program is a boat transfer to an island out in the archipelago like Rågskär aboard a modern yacht or traditional steamer. There’s a private home there available for afternoon/ evening events for up to 55 pax, or overnight stays for 14. As groups arrive, fishermen are already busy catching that day’s meal. Attendees will typically enjoy the outdoor sauna and then a swim in the sea during warmer months. The boathouse is used as the bar, and chefs are on hand to prepare a meal such as fresh grilled perch with new potatoes and delicate chanterelles. “It’s a traditional house,” says Östlundh. “The idea is to get inside a private home where you can experience Sweden the way we like to, in touch with nature in beautiful surroundings.” Another option is Vaxholm Castle, built in 1839 on another island in the archipelago. Again, groups travel here for meals followed by teambuilding activities such as sailing regattas, “seal safaris” and fishing. On a recent program for a Canadian bank, the group also hopped aboard high-powered Navy SEAL-type zodiacs to visit a private home for coffee. Back in Stockholm, Green Hat Games is a local event company specializing in gamification to accomplish specific business goals. The French brand Pernod, owners of ABSOLUT and Smirnoff, hired the company to create a gamified event in Stockholm for 300 attendees. The objective was brainstorming new ideas for future marketing campaigns. Green Hat Games brought everyone to the Museum of Modern Art, located on an island in the center of the city. The teams were given iPads and directed to a series of artworks. For three minutes, attendees were told to talk about each piece of art. Then they were asked how they might create branding campaigns using what they had just discussed, and write it down on their tablets. Was it successful? “Very much so,” says Niklas Tyllström, sales director. “Because they’re doing their job but they’re doing it from a much different perspective.... Then, because the data is compiled instantly by the device, it’s easy to create a followup workshop to discuss all of the teams’ feedback.” COPENHAGEN, DENMARK Ebbe Kiær is director of sales for BDP Event & Incentive in Copenhagen. He doesn’t so much sell the city as much as he sells innovation. “VisitDenmark has been leading the fight against boring meetings, and now offers different and beneficial meeting concepts that create a better outcome of the time and money spent when bringing people together,” he says. “The concept is called ‘Meetovation,’ ensuring conferences and meetings should be efficient and green. They should engage participants actively and offer a new creative approach to a far more flexible use of conference facilities.... [And] we are always breaking with 1-way communication—it’s a liberating experience for delegates and organizers alike.” We asked Kiær for some examples. “We are very proud to present Poverty Walks, which is a short city tour guided by homeless people,” he says. “The idea was in connection with the EU’s Year of Poverty in 2010.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue May/June 2012

Sheraton China + Macau
The Peppermill, Reno
Charleston + Denver
CSR with Caesars
Hong Kong's Kai Tak Terminal
Special Section: Europe
Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf
Affordable Luxury
Frenchman's Reef, USVI
Australia
Toronto
Taiwan
U.S. Gaming Hotels
Caesars/Paris Las Vegas
Grand Lucayan, Bahamas
Iberostar Cancun

Prevue May/June 2012

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