We wish you a Happy Holiday season and much joy and prosperity in the upcoming year.
Holidays aren’t just days off, they are times for reflection. At euromic, we are thinking about the many friends and colleagues we have in this industry and what a pleasure it has been working with you.
Thank you especially to all those who visited the euromic pavilion at EIBTM2008 last week in Barcelona! We enjoyed speaking with you and hope to be in touch in the New Year.

As providers of DMC services, our jobs are only as good as our clients – and our jobs are great! Making superb meetings, incentives, and congresses happen is your passion. It’s ours too.
So as we move into 2009, we look forward to sharing our expertise and working with you to get things done.

November 10-13: several euromic members & World Affiliates will attend World Travel Market in London:

Amiel Destination Management, Israel (Stand #EM960), Baltic Travel Group, Baltic States (Stand #EM4080), Barclays Group Travel, Tunisia (Stand #ME6600), Compass Tours Incoming & Top Tours Travel, Germany (Stand #EM1040), Emeco Travel, Egypt (Stand #EM2070), Gulf Dunes, Dubai (Stand #ME2000), Karma House, Jordan (Stand #ME3000), Mazurkas Travel DMC, Poland (Stand #EM3060), Nature Style, Argentina (Stand #LA5000), S'Tours Destination Management Company, Morocco (Stand #EM2070).

Also from November 09th to 13th, meet Gianni Veneri, Director Sales and Marketing of Fourth Dimension Italy, and euromic Director of Marketing for North America, Joe Lustenberger, during the Marketplace at the 2008 FICP Annual Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

Next month, all euromic members & World Affiliates are bringing ”The Power of Local Knowledge” to Barcelona for EIBTM 2008 (December 2nd – 4th, 2008).

Come meet our global team of DMCs to learn about their destinations, their market outlook for the coming year, and their strategies for creating tailored programs that deliver the ROI and WOW! factor crucial for a successful trip.

And with 34 specialized Destination Management Companies under one roof, the euromic Stand F140 offers one-stop-shopping for the incentive and conference professional; a quick visit can open a world of possibilities and help you get the most out of your time at the show.

We look forward seeing you in Barcelona!

During the last week of September, euromic members and World Affiliates participated in the 2008 Motivation Show/IT&ME in Chicago. While attendance was down this year, the show was nonetheless fruitful, with many of euromic’s exhibitors reporting an unprecedented number of high-quality leads.
Trade Shows like the Motivation Show, EIBTM, and IMEX are important to us, not only for the business opportunities they present, but for internal purposes as well. They bring euromic’s membership together all in one place, so each year; the association uses these opportunities to hold an assembly of its members. Here are some of the highlights of the discussion at our recent meeting, which shed some light on where business is going in the next year.

North American incentive business to Europe was, in general, down over the last year, due to fluctuations in currency and the price per barrel of oil. Many incentive trips were, however, already confirmed for 2008 and were carried out successfully, and more business is still confirmed throughout 2009. However, the decline in incentive travel has offered euromic members to concentrate on congresses and ultra-high-end leisure travel, keeping overall business up. In addition, the changes in the world economy proved beneficial for some of our members. The euromic members outside the “Euro zone”, including those in Egypt, Dubai and even Switzerland and Iceland, have said they had the opportunity to offer clients a tremendous comparative value to clients.

While the United States and Canada remains an important source for incentive travel programs, it is certainly not the only market. Not only does intra-European business remain strong, but euromic members are seeing programs for new and exciting markets. Global shifts in financial leverage have seen new business coming to euromic from markets in South America, especially Argentina and Brazil; from the east, Indian, South African and Australian incentive travel companies are turning to euromic members for their unparalleled quality of service.

As international currency and oil prices stabilize, it is likely that Europe will again be flooded by incentives from North America. euromic members are continuing with business-as-usual, and look forward to providing you with high quality and best practices destination management services, no matter where you are.

euromic welcomed Unconventional Malta Ltd. as its 29th member. The addition of a Maltese DMC is another important step for euromic, offering clients consistent and high quality destination management services in nearly every major destination with shores on the Mediterranean Sea.
Unconventional Malta Ltd. is a multi-disciplined DMC providing live communications solutions to corporations and agencies, in the areas of conference, destination and event management. Dedicated to the development and execution of creative itineraries for major international conferences, meetings, incentives and VIPs, the company and its programs has received numerous awards due to unparalleled service in the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino.
With the addition of this new member, euromic, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, has grown to include member or World Affiliate companies in 34 destinations.

At the end of September, our euromic delegation will be exhibiting at The Motivation Show (IT&ME), September 23-25, 2008 at McCormick Place South, Chicago.

We are looking forward to Engage, Motivate, Inspire and Connectwith many Professionals at our euromic booth 3247. Come by and meet our members and World Affiliates!

For the fifth time, euromic will be exhibiting at IncentiveWorks on August 19-20, 2008 at the Toronto’s Metro Convention Centre, North Building.
 
IncentiveWorks is Canada’s largest trade show for the meetings, incentive travel, events and promotions industries
Top 3 reasons to attend:

1. EXPERIENCE - FREE trade show
2. LEARN - Professional education by industry experts
3. CONNECT - with over 700 companies from around the world servicing the meetings, incentives & promotions industries including euromic and Delta Amsterdam (Netherlands) at Booth 425

More info at: http://www.meetingscanada.com/incentiveworks

According to the June edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the first results for 2008 suggest the relative stability of international tourism. In spite of uncertainties posed by the global economy, international tourist arrivals grew at around 5% between January and April 2008, compared to the same period of 2007.

Prospects for international tourism remain positive, although the overall economic climate has deteriorated since the last quarter of 2007, reducing consumer confidence and putting pressure on household spending and travel budgets. UNWTO expects tourism demand to grow, but at a slower pace over the remainder of the year.
For 2008 as a whole, UNWTO expects international tourism growth to be overall positive.

All sub-regions posted positive results in the first months of the year. Growth was fastest in the Middle East, North-East and South Asia, and Central and South America. North-America is on track for a clearly positive year thanks to the strong inbound travel to the USA, while arrivals to the Caribbean started to rebound well on last year’s stagnant results. Growth was more modest in Europe, with best performances coming from Southern and Mediterranean destinations.

A variety of destination countries all around the globe reported double-digit growth rates in the first three to five months of 2008, amongst which euromic member’s destinations: Baltic States, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Sweden, Turkey and China.

The current economic imbalances, in particular the rising energy prices, are very likely to influence tourism spending. But specific demand shifts – determined by disposable income, travel budgets and confidence - will vary from country to country, and from region to region, depending on their local economies, labour markets and consumer confidence.
On the whole, though consumer confidence indices show an increasing degree of uncertainty, international tourism has proven to be resilient in similar circumstances in the past and able to cope with various types of shocks, including security threats, geopolitical tensions or natural and man-made crisis.

For more information on the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer: http://unwto.org/facts/eng/barometer.htm

In May, more than 10 euromic members navigated around the Russian Federation's capital, Moscow.
Over three days, teams of two or three members visited more than 50 agencies, introduced their services and shared with the Russian travel professionals highlights of various destinations.
More than 100 guests responded to our invitation to a workshop at an unusual venue, the Romanov Cinema. In this beautiful atmosphere, our guests enjoyed our traditional euromic hospitality.

We would like to thank all the participants for their time, the warm welcome and interest expressed in our association! БОЛЬШОЕ СПАСИБО !

The third annual Incentive Travel Exchange, in partnership with SITE, will be held from June 23 to 25 at THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, euromic is once again hosting the traditional hospitality lounge during this 2 day event.
We look forward to meeting those partners who decide to make the trip to hot, Viva Las Vegas!

Each year, euromic hosts several groups of buyers to IMEX from various markets. 

For this year’s event, Joe Lustenberger from euromic North America’s office, led the US hosted buyer group on a fantastic pre-show familiarization trip to Berlin, courtesy of our German member, Compass Tours Incoming/ Top Tours Travel.  They arranged a very educational program with the local partners, Hotel Park Inn Berlin – on the historic Alexanderplatz - and her sister property, the Grand Hotel Esplanade. 
Though only in the city for a few short days, euromic was able to show the buyers just how much Berlin has to offer.  The group enjoyed an unusual city tour, in the form of a Trabi Safari, giving the participants the opportunity to drive through the city in authentic East German manufactured Trabant cars. This was followed by a traditional German lunch at the Brauhaus Lemke. A boat tour on the Spree river showcased the new federal buildings in the centre of town, while a guided walking tour made Berlin’s history, from the Middle Ages to Reunification, come alive. After a celebratory drink under the Glass Dome of the Reichstag we transferred back to the hotel in bicycle taxis (a great option for “green” meetings) to prepare for our farewell dinner. A memorable meal at the Restaurant Aigner put the cap on a perfect example of an incredible incentive program.
IMEX 2008 proved to be another thriving Trade Show and euromic, its members and World Affiliates, were proud to contribute to this successful event.

We would like to thank all the visitors to our booth for your visit and for your interest in our association! Thank you

euromic welcomed two new members last week: Barclay’s Group Travel in Tunisia and Baltic Travel Group (BTG) based in Latvia. These additions have secured euromic’s place as the largest consortium of independent Destination Management Companies (33 DMCs) in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Barclay’s Group Travel, headquartered in Hammamet, was founded in 2002 and has already established a reputation for reliability, creativity and value. Tunisia – famously the location for the first Star Wars film – offers an exceptional landscape, rich in both natural beauty and ancient Roman and Phoenician architecture. The combination of luxury resorts and exciting activities, including Spas, Sand Yachting and tours of the old cities such as Tunis and Kairouan, have made Tunisia popular with special interest tour operators as well as meeting and incentive planners looking for destination that is unusual in all the right ways. “Joining euromic is a great opportunity for us,”said Moufida Ameur, Chief Office of Barclay’s Group Travel. “We are honored to have been accepted by the other members and we look forward to offering our high-quality of service to euromic clients.”

Baltic Travel Group Ltd. (BTG), founded in 2000 in Riga, Latvia, prides itself on client service and fresh ideas above all else. “Becoming part of euromic is likely to help us open our countries to the clients who have never considered Baltic States as a MICE destination, and gives us access to the know-how and experience of the best independent brands in the industry," said Vlad Koriagin, President of BTG, which offers full service meeting, incentive, and FIT programs in the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Long held under Soviet rule, these European Union nations contain some of the most cutting-edge destinations in the world, including the three capitals of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. The Baltic States are a bridge between East and West, linking Russia and Europe together, and enjoy close proximity with Scandinavia. Although the cities show their German, Russian and Swedish influences, the Baltic nations are founded on a unique and ancient culture, all their own, that still exists today. BTG and euromic are delighted to be able to bring this rapidly expanding region to life for any event.

With the addition of these new members, euromic has grown to include member or World Affiliate companies in 33 destinations.

Both Barclay’s Group Travel and the Baltic Travel Group will be present with all euromic members and World Affiliates at IMEX 2008 (Stand E765) in Frankfurt, April 22-24.

Euromic has certainly been on the move this past month.  Our members, World Affiliates and marketing teams have been on the road, conducting business and attending trade shows.  We were glad to see so many of you at such events as FITUR in Madrid, CONFEX in London, the Educational Travel Conference (ETC) in Baltimore, and AIME in Melbourne.

As we march forward into March, Euromic members & World Affiliates already have another full plate.  Many will be traveling on sales missions to major destinations across North America, and we are all already very busy preparing for IMEX 2008 in Frankfurt, for which Euromic will once again be organizing several Hosted Buyer programs. 

We hope to see you all there (Stand E765)!

Our members are committed to gathering all the latest local and world-wide industry information and learning about client needs and strategies.  It’s a lot of legwork, but it allows them deliver the most up-to-date and relevant incentive and meeting options in their destinations straight to you, the planners and professionals!

EUROMIC – THE Destination Management Partnership in Europe and the Mediterranean announces its 35th Anniversary as one of the premier Destination Management Associations in the world.
EUROMIC was founded in Paris, on February 4th 1973, by 10 European incoming agencies as a marketing consortium to promote Europe and its destinations, initially to the North American incentive travel market.

“EUROMIC and its members have proven their ability to adapt to change and survive in a marketplace that has seen a number of really rough patches over the last decades,” said Giancarlo Carrera, current President of EUROMIC, referring especially to the oil crises of the 1970s and the events of 9/11. “Our members have seen steady growth over the past years. We have all the momentum and reputation that comes with 35 years of leadership. It is safe to say that we are in a position to maintain our competitive stance – continuing to lead the way in the Industry and expand our market-base.”

As part of the anniversary celebrations, EUROMIC’s communication tool received a complete makeover: a new logo and a redesigned website, featuring a new easy to read and navigate interface in order to deliver improved and state of the art assistance to all meeting and incentive professionals. Please visit www.euromic.com

Within a few days, all EUROMIC members will be attending the Annual General Meeting in Copenhagen, hosted by First United, EUROMIC’s DMC in Denmark.

Following this official and social get-together, members will meet some of their Nordic clients in the Capital of Denmark for a “Meet & Lunch” Event on Monday January 14th at the Marriott Copenhagen Hotel and award-winning restaurant Noma.

For more information, please send an e-mail to marketing_europe@euromic.com

At the end of the month, several of our members (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and China) will attend FITUR 2008 in Madrid, Spain. Meet us in Pavilion 14, Stand 14 0B20

 We all look forward to seeing you soon!

The end of 2007 is (already) around the corner and, happily, we can look back at a good year for our industry.

We offer our sincere thanks for your faithfulness and the trust in our Association!


However you celebrate, our 26 members and 5 World Affiliates wish you season’s greetings!

Peace and prosperity in the coming year!

Giancarlo Carrera
President

Once again, the 26 EUROMIC members and 5 EUROMIC World Affiliates will be in Barcelona during EIBTM (November 27 – 29th, 2007). As business requires relationships, it is important to personally meet our clients and to share our philosophy, strategies and services offered…

The EUROMIC Stand F140 offers all conference & incentive professionals a quick and efficient one-stop-shopping.

Meet with 31 specialized Destination Management Companies under one roof !

Let us show you The Power of Local Knowledge

We look forward seeing you soon in Barcelona!

EUROMIC – THE Destination Management Partnership in Europe and the Mediterranean has joined the United Nations’ Global Compact initiative, which stipulates ten principles to promote international standards for companies and organisations in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. In a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, EUROMIC’s President, Mr. Giancarlo Carrera has given an assurance that EUROMIC members and World Affiliates will respect and support the principles.

"For EUROMIC, the decision to join the UN Global Compact initiative is a very logical step, as the Global Compact principles fully correspond to the association’s business ethics principles”, declared Mr. Giancarlo Carrera. "EUROMIC is an international association and signing the Global Compact is an important milestone in our responsible approach to our global business and its promotion is vital to the sustainable development of our sector."

The initiative, which was launched in 2000 during the tenure of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, encourages companies to develop their businesses with due respect for the environment, the community, and other enterprises, and is a purely voluntary agreement between the UN and organizations concerned with business ethics and corporate responsibility in the new global economy. Global Compact participants include more than 3,800 companies and organizations from more than 100 countries.
For more information on UN Global Compact, please visit www.globalcompact.com

* * *

The Board of Directors of EUROMIC has appointed Mr Joe Lustenberger as Director of Marketing – North America in recognition for his outstanding work and achievements over the years. in addition, the U.S. office recently recruited Mr. Andrew Kay to help support the ongoing expansion of marketing efforts in a changing industry.

At the end of September our EUROMIC delegation will be among the 6.000+ suppliers exhibiting at the world’s largest collection of ideas: The Motivation Show, Chicago.
We are looking forward to welcoming many Professionals at our EUROMIC PAVILION 642. Come by and meet some of our new partners.

Show hours at McCormick Place South, Chicago are 9 am to 5 pm on September 25 and 26 and 9 am to 2 pm on September 27.

For the fourth time, EUROMIC will be exhibiting at IncentiveWorks (formerly CMITS) on August 21-22, 2007.
IncentiveWorks is Canada’s leading one-stop marketplace for purchasers of incentive travel, meeting/convention space and related services. In an industry that changes by the minute, education has never been more important. Plan to attend two days of high-quality professional education coupled with Canada's leading trade show for the meetings, incentives and promotions market. More info at: www.meetingscanada.com/incentive/index.jsp

VISIT EUROMIC and Delta Amsterdam (Netherlands) at Booth 1638

EUROMIC is proud to once again be a co-sponsor of Marriott International’s annual Global Pursuits Europe event, which will take place on Tuesday September 4th and Wednesday September 5th, 2007,
Held in London for the past 10 years, this year’s show will take place in the city of Paris at the newly acquired Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Centre.
For more information, please visit www.globalpursuits.com
EUROMIC will be present along with six members: Brussels International Travel Service (Belgium), Holt Paris Welcome Service (France), Karma House (Jordan) Delta Amsterdam (Netherlands), Mazurkas Travel (Poland) and SM Travel SA (Switzerland).

VISIT all at Booth 63

Don’t forget to stop by and see us!

It’s summer in the northern hemisphere and time to enjoy the warmth. EUROMIC has a busy season in store, participating in the various North American summer shows and conferences.

We have just returned from hot Las Vegas where the 2nd annual Incentive Travel Exchange took place.  Hosted buyers met for 2 days with suppliers from around the world. The convention also offered an attractive program for networking in a casual environment and EUROMIC was once again the proud sponsor of the Hospitality Suite.

From Vegas, we’ll press onward to the Northeast United States, where we’ll be pleased to meet you at the upcoming National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention & Exposition in Boston, July 22-25, 2007. After Boston, we’ll trek northwards to the MPI World Education Congress in Montreal/Canada which takes place from July 29-31.

We will wind things up in August with our annual participation in the IncentiveWORKS Trade Show in Toronto, booth 1638, August 21-22, 2007.

At the beginning of September, EUROMIC is once more proud to sponsor the Marriott Global Pursuits event which will, for the first time, take place in Paris on September 4th & 5th, 2007

After that – though it’s hard to believe! – It’s already time to hunker down and get ready for IT&ME 2007 Chicago, September 25-27, 2007.
In addition, several of our partners are already busy arranging site inspections in our destinations throughout Europe, The Mediterranean and the World. So we hope that you will have the chance to break out of the routine and get on the road with us as well, either at a show or on a trip!

Any specific questions just send an email to Joe at: marketing_usa@euromic.com
We look forward meeting many new faces.

Meetings and Conventions, a well established industry in Europe, continues its strong pace in 2007 with all indicators showing increase in numbers and profits. Europe leads the way in the meetings and conventions industry, with Western Europe still receiving the biggest piece of the pie, but a booming Eastern Europe is starting to make a strong impression.

While traditional European meetings destinations such as Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom and Austria have remained at the top for the first half of 2007, strong infrastructure development well underway in Eastern Countries, such as Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and especially Russia, promise to raise competitiveness in the near future. All are EUROMIC’s destinations.

Demand for meetings in Europe surged during 2006, marking a very good year for the industry not only in numbers but also in high profile meetings as many international organizations and companies chose to hold their meeting in Europe. Industry leaders suggest that this segment will continue its upward course with 2007 predictions showing already positive results.
However, recent statistics from travel management companies show that higher hotel, air and car rental prices combined with tighter availability are going to top the list with clients to be still risk averse and will book late.

EUROMIC also had the privilege of once again participating in IMEX's Hosted Buyer Program. Through the program, we were able to sponsor a select group of 10 participants from all across the United States to take part in the show. Just to sweeten the deal, these buyers were treated to the extraordinary services of EUROMIC's German member, Compass Tours Incoming/Top Tours Travel, during a pre-show Familiarization Trip to Munich. CTI/TTT arranged a fantastic program, featuring luxurious accommodations at Munich's famed Hotel Bayerischer Hof and some of the best food and drink that city has to offer, as well as a tour of the fairy-tale inspiring castle, Neuschwanstein. Thanks to IMEX, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, and most of all, Compass Tours Incoming/Top Tours Travel Top Tours Travel, for making this year's event one of the most fruitful yet.

Here's what some of our Hosted Buyers had to say about their experience traveling with EUROMIC:

"Thanks for the great management, the wonderful Trip Directing in Munich, but most of all: for your personal care! I really appreciated everything that you did for us, and took good note of all the small details! Thanks a million!"
- Richard Kaback, Vice President, Don Jagoda Associates, Inc., Melville, NY

"Thanks for such a great trip and the fun times exploring Germany. Kudos to EUROMIC team!"
- Peter Duncan, Senior Meeting Planner, Meetings & Incentives, Caledonia, WI

"THANK YOU again for an absolutely fabulous experience in Germany. it was a pleasure participating and I look forward to doing some business with you and the EUROMIC's DMCs in the near future."
- Kim Hester, Director of Incentives, Travel Dynamics Group, Inc., La Jolla, CA

"The interaction with suppliers at IMEX was very productive and EUROMIC should see some benefit from it as well."
- Bill Sellmer, President, SMI Travel, Inc., Tampa, FL

"THANK YOU for all that you did for us before and during IMEX…It was wonderful to meet with all of the EUROMIC's members, both old and new acquaintances, and I am really looking forward to expanding our scope into Europe and doing business with many of them in the future."
- Peggy O'Connell, Vice President, Global Meetings, Ltd., Washington, DC

In March, 13 EUROMIC members & World Affiliates traveled to the Russian Capital for the first time together to participate in the 3rd Luxury Travel Mart and met with the high-caliber clientele and travel industry professionals attending this event. It was an ideal event for all to promote their products and increase their share of the Russian Travel Market. Also, thanks to Leader Team – EUROMIC Russia, the first timers to Moscow had the opportunity to discover the charms of the destination.

In April, as usual, you will have the opportunity to meet all of the EUROMIC Members & World Affiliates at IMEX 2007 in Frankfurt, Germany – April 17-19th, 2007.
We hope to strengthen our existing business relations and create many new ones.
We’ll look forward to your visit to the EUROMIC Stand E765
http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/

EUROMIC is delighted to announce that its member in Poland, Mazurkas Travel, DMC Poland is one of the sponsors of the 6th European SITE Education and Networking Programme (ESNEP) in Warsaw from 5 - 8 May 2007. ESNEP Warsaw provides participants with meaningful education and top-class networking while showcasing a destination to become a "must-use" location. For more information and to register, please visit www.esnep2007.com.

Blaguss Travel International is pleased to introduce its new umbrella brand, Blaguss event.pro. The brand is comprised of Blaguss’s three subsidiary DMC and PCO companies: admicos. Congress Incentive Ltd (in Austria), Blaguss Travel Ltd. (in Hungary) and PDM-Blaguss (in the Czech Republic), each of which is a member of EUROMIC. This unified brand reflects the Blaguss philosophy of concentrating the experience and expertise of its valuable staff to enhance the quality and variety of their services.

The new brand will be connected to a significant reorganization of the companies’ structure and behaviour. By creating supra-regional divisions to handle the Destination Management and the Professional Conference Organization departments of all the Blaguss subsidiaries, Blaguss event.pro will offer enhanced service for multinational operations in Central Europe, as well as the ability for clients to request structured proposals and to experience the power of logistical planning that transcends borders. The DMC and PCO divisions will each be managed by a director of sales and a director of operations who will be supported by regional staff, making it easier than ever to take advantage of the local knowledge and buying power that the Blaguss companies have always offered.

The new image promised by the Blaguss event.pro brand has already begun taking shape and by spring of 2007, the Blaguss DMC and PCO companies will have a new logo, a new corporate design and a new website, as well as common presentation tools.

These are only first steps toward achieving a new level of quality service, but thanks to the hard work of everyone at the company, Blaguss event.pro can bring more power to your business than ever before.

For more information, please contact Wolfgang Fraundörfer at austria@euromic.com

Conceptours, our member in Greece, hosted the EUROMIC Annual General Meeting 2007 at the magnificent Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens.

The membership unanimously voted into the Association a new member in Spain: Spanish Heritage.  The Spanish Heritage Group has been operating its DMC for 15 years and has offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Costa del Sol.  A combination of intense professionalism, experienced buying power, and most of all, a deep love for the country allows Spanish Heritage to conjure up a “Different Spain” for their clients.  “We are delighted to have been admitted to such a prestigious group of DMC’s, since we share the same service philosophy with all the existing members ... At the same time, it is a challenge, since we have to maintain a very high standard of services throughout, and we are ready to meet it,” states Jose Aixut, Vice President Marketing and Sales of Spanish Heritage.

Also at the Athens Meeting, EUROMIC members voted to admit Nature Style SA, based in the port city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the fifth member to the EUROMIC World Affiliates program. Nature Style SA is one of the premier DMC’s in the Republic of Argentine, which has become one of today’s most popular destinations due to its unique fusion of city, civilization and natural beauty.  Whether you prefer a program based around luxury or sport and adventure, Argentina is great place for meetings and incentives. President/Owner of Nature Style SA, Mr. Juan Carlos Rua commented that, “Argentina is a fantastic country with uncountable possibilities to be explored, and now as a EUROMIC selected destination it expands its potential to new horizons. As a fully bonded and very experienced DMC, we can help develop the best alternatives for the perfect program.”

Should you be interested in this destination, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Jose Aixut at spain@euromic.com or Mr. Juan Carlo Rua at argentina@euromic.com

Through our efforts over the years to provide the ultimate in client satisfaction, EUROMIC has earned its fair share of good karma. It is therefore our pleasure to welcome our new member, Karma House, based in Amman.

Jordan is a constant safe haven in the Middle East and a premier destination on the Dead Sea. With everything from ancient historical sites to the most luxurious spas, an Incentive or Meeting in the Kingdom of Jordan is an unforgettable cultural experience. EUROMIC is thrilled to greet the New Year by announcing our new partnership with Karma House.

Should you be interested in this destination, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Ghada Najjar at jordan@euromic.com

We all returned home from amazingly warm and sunny Barcelona after attending the global meetings and incentive exhibition, EIBTM 2006.
A big Thank You to our visitors for their interest and confidence in our Association!

The time of the year is here to be merry and joyous. With Christmas and New Year round the corner, get into the best of your mood. Celebrate the warmth of the season and spread the happiness to all the people you know!

Let us be the first to send you our Season’s Greeting and our wishes for a Happy New Year!

May Peace Prevail on Earth!

For us at EUROMIC, business requires relationships. This is the reason why it is important to personally meet our clients and to share our philosophy, strategies and services offered. Once again, the 25 EUROMIC members and 4 EUROMIC World Affiliates will be in Barcelona during EIBTM – November 28 – 30th, 2006.

The new EUROMIC Stand F140 offers all conference & incentive professionals a quick and efficient one-stop-shopping. Meet with 29 specialized Destination Management Companies under one roof.

Once again, in partnership with Reed Travel Exhibitions, EUROMIC acts also as co-Coordinator to bring Hosted Buyers groups from the Benelux and North America.

Let us show you our Power of Local Knowledge

We look forward seeing you in Barcelona!

According to UK based Meeting & Incentive Travel Magazine quantitative study of destinations and traffic volume during 2005 “Trends & Spend” EUROMIC destinations are favorites on the outbound UK market.
Short Haul by country (by group): Top Ten = 1.Spain,  2.France, 3. Italy, 4.Germany, 5. Switzerland, 6. Greece, Netherlands & Portugal, 9. Belgium and 10. Hungary… All EUROMIC members’ destinations.
Long Haul by country (by group):  2. South Africa, 3. UAE, 6. China, 10. Brazil. EUROMIC World Affiliates are based in all these exciting destinations.

Thank you to all clients who came to visit us during the recent IT&ME in Chicago.
We look forward assisting you in the near future.

A recent survey conducted by McKinsey dealing with the nature of business found that 85% of top executives find business more competitive today than it was five years ago. That’s not news to most of us! We’ve felt this challenge for some time now. Planners must provide exciting venues, memorable themes and engaging Incentive Programs in a very short time.

At the end of September a large EUROMIC delegation will be among the 6.000 suppliers exhibiting at the world’s largest collection of ideas: The Motivation Show, Chicago. We are looking forward to welcoming many of the 15.000 Professionals at our EUROMIC PAVILION 4442. This is a great venue to built and strengthen relationships with existing and new partners and destinations.

Show hours at McCormick Place, Chicago are 9 am to 5 pm on September 26 and 27 and 9 am  to 2 pm on September 28.

For the third time, EUROMIC will be exhibiting at IncentiveWorks (formerly CMITS) on August 22-23, 2006.

IncentiveWorks is Canada’s leading one-stop marketplace for purchaser of incentive travel, meeting/convention space and related services. In an industry that changes by the minute, education has never been more important. Plan to attend two days of high-quality professional education coupled with Canada's leading trade show for the meetings, incentives and promotions market.

EUROMIC is located in booth 2136 .
 
Don't forget to stop by and see us!

The first annual Incentive Travel Exchange was received by the incentive travel community with rave reviews. More than 175 incentive travel buyers and suppliers spent June 26-28 participating in a unique appointment-based incentive travel event in Las Vegas. EUROMIC was the proud sponsor of the Hospitality Suite.

Next we participate in the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention & Exposition in Chicago, July 16-19.

Then we head West and look forward to the roundtable discussions with focus on International Planning, Security Measures, VAT Reclamation, Legal issues and many other hot topics. This superb networking opportunity and one-day Educational program organized by HSMAI World Quest is held in San Francisco on July 31 and Seattle on August 4.

Our Canadian friends can meet with us during the annual IncentiveWORKS Trade Show in Toronto, August 22-23, 2006.

Any specific questions, just send an email to Joe in Chicago at marketing_usa@euromic.com

Last month in our Special Anniversary Edition we mentioned the launch of our latest online tool: the Quick RFP.

Because lead times have gotten shorter many of our partners endorsed an easy to use RFP program.
The system is designed for multiple destination requests and sends an instant confirmation which acknowledges the receipt(s) and provides a copy for your files. We also kept the fields flexible – the more information, the better...

Simply, click on the  and let our members and World Affiliates surprise you with their quick turn around.

Most EUROMIC members and World Affiliates attended IMEX06 last week, and we had the pleasure to seeing many old & new friends. To all of you, thank you for your visit and for your interest in our Association!

You will have the opportunity to meet all EUROMIC Members & World Affiliates at IMEX 2006 in Frankfurt, Germany – May 30th -June 1st, 2006.
We’ll look forward to your visit on EUROMIC Stand E705

http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/

Recent years can be compared to a prestigious vintage. Like a great wine as it ages, EUROMIC offers more fine destinations than ever. Since the inauguration of the EUROMIC World Affiliates concept, we are moving ahead with our members and the highly respected DMC's in Brazil, China, Dubai and South Africa.

During our regular visits with our partners we have received encouraging feedback, and planners are busy promoting new ideas and venues.
Significant opportunities still remain in certain markets on short term notice. Also several major airlines announced new nonstop flights to exciting destinations.  Our members are eager to meet your expectations for 2006 and beyond.

We all look forward to presenting our Power of Local Knowledge to you and your clients.

Check our website http://www.euromic.com/ for up to date news and contact details
or visit us during the upcoming IMEX06 in Frankfurt (May 30th - June 1st) - EUROMIC Booth E705

After 38 years in tourism industry (19 years as Managing Director of Blaguss) Gabriella Molnár (photo) retired on March 01, 2006. She managed the daily business through good and difficult years always providing the highest level and led Blaguss Travel Ltd to one of Hungary's leading DMC's.
Her successor comes from within the company. Mr. Laszlo Pásztor started his carrier with several incoming travel agencies in Budapest, and joined Blaguss in 1996.

On February 27th, Fourth Dimension Italy moved into new offices in one of Rome’s most prestigious neighborhoods, just a few minutes walk from the American Embassy and the Westin Excelsior Hotel on Via Veneto.
New address: Via Boncompagni, 16 - 00187 Rome, Italy
New Telephone: +39-06-420-16297 / New Fax: +39-06-420-16421

PDM-Blaguss, our member in the Czech Republic, hosted the EUROMIC Annual General Assembly 2006 in Prague on January 14th-15th at the Intercontinental Hotel.
All participants enjoyed the beauty of Prague-the "Golden City" : the magnificent and noble palaces and castles, the narrow streets and some others of the same fine views, the traditional beer taverns and the delicious Bohemian dishes…
Members were welcomed by Thomas Blaguss, Owner of PDM-Blaguss (as well as admicos in Austria & Blaguss Travel Ltd in Hungary) – read the Blaguss impressive company history in the article from Austria

Dubai is one of the world’s most exciting destinations. Over the past 3 decades Dubai has transformed itself from pearl diving and fishing village into a dynamic international business center with gleaming skyscrapers and luxury hotels with year round sunshine and a wide choice of leisure activities. Since 1995, Gulf Dunes LLC has been the premier Destination Management Company in Dubai, “We feel very pleased and honored to be voted the EUROMIC World Affiliate in Dubai.” says Gamal Fathy, President of Gulf Dunes. “Operating in one of the world’s fastest growing destinations, we are convinced that joining this strong and renowned network of long established and successful DMC’s will further strengthen our positioning in European markets where Gulf Dunes has always been strong and also help greatly in developing new markets in North America and Eastern Europe.”

"These valuable additions in major incentive destinations will further enhance our services to our clientele;" comments Giancarlo Carrera, President of EUROMIC. “We are very proud and pleased to welcome Gulf Dunes and Queensberry Viagens”.

Should be interested in theses destinations, please do not hesitate to contact
Mr Martin Jensen at brazil@euromic.com
Mr Gamal Fathy at dubai@euromic.com

The holidays are a great time of year to spend with family and friends. So whether you're bundled up by the fireplace, sharing special stories with family or reconnecting with old friends, please accept our sincere appreciation for being a valued business partner.

The prospects for 2006 are bright again, allowing us to say farewell to 2005 with confidence.

Season's Greetings and Happy New Year!

Giancarlo Carrera
President

For the second edition of EIBTM in Barcelona (Nov. 29th - Dec. 1st), the 25 EUROMIC members will be joined for the first time by its 2 new affiliates... to meet again with friends old and make new ones!

The EUROMIC Stand G150 offers all conference & incentive professionals a quick and efficient one-stop-shopping to meet with 27 specialized Destination Management Companies.

One stop at the EUROMIC Stand G150 = 27 Destinations to (re) discover!

See you in Barcelona!

Among the more than 10’000 attendees we were able to meet many friends and make new contacts. We learned a lot about what drives sales – attracts customers – rewards employees - and the needs that today’s planners face. We look forward to working with these partners and their clients in our destinations.

On Tuesday October 25th, the Association invites all French Conference and Incentive Professional to joint its Members and World Affiliates in Paris for a special networking evening: les “Rencontres EUROMIC”
This event will take place from 17h00 to 23h00 in an unique and original venue in Paris: Les Crayères des Montquartiers
To register to this event, please contact Christophe Verstraete at marketing_europe@euromic.com

"We are delighted that Destination China’s affiliation was immediately followed by this outstanding agency in South Africa." Giancarlo Carrera, President of EUROMIC, commented. “We look forward to welcoming more, such first-rate applicant as ScanAfrica in the future”.

ScanAfrica has, over the past thirteen years, been entrusted with providing memorable experiences to a myriad of international visitors from all corners of the world. “Incentive travel remains the ultimate reward. The announcement of South Africa as the chosen destination for corporate or special-interest events never fails to stir a magical excitement within the pool of potential participants. ScanAfrica, with offices in both Cape Town and Johannesburg is ideally equipped to offer the care and attention that every client deserves” says Richard Gebhardt, Managing Director of ScanAfrica. “Being accepted into EUROMIC has provided us with the opportunity of exchanging ideas with the best DMC’s in the world and of ensuring that we stay abreast of the latest industry developments. We look forward to being a World Affiliate within EUROMIC.”

Visit all EUROMIC Members and World Affiliates during The Motivation Show (IT&ME),
September 27-29, 2005, Chicago, EUROMIC Booth #3641

Please stop by and see us!

"We are very pleased that Destination China has taken the initiative to become our first World Affiliate." commented Giancarlo Carrera, President of EUROMIC. “This step should be seen as the beginning of a new era for our 32-years-old Association and a sign of our determination to continue to be of service to our customers in the future”.

Destination China (formerly trading as Kingsway Incentive) is China’s first privately held Destination Management Company and the only one with combined Chinese and Western management and expertise. Its mission is to create and operate imaginative incentive programs, meetings and events within China, for the world’s most demanding corporate end users.
"This is an opportunity for us to work together with the best in the business, get valuable support and advice from our peers with similar values and extensive experience. " said Issy Scher, Destination China’s Director of International Marketing & Sales. “We are proud to be become part of this long lasting selective organization with such high quality standards We look forward to helping EUROMIC’s clients discover why China has fascinated world travellers for over 5,000 years.”

Should you be interested in this destination please do not hesitate to contact
Mr. Brian Yin or Mr Issy Scher at china@euromic.com

The latest data on international tourist arrivals to the various destinations in the world collected by the World Tourism Organization showed significant changes in the table of the world's top tourism destinations in 2004:
Although the order of the three main world tourism destinations remained unchanged with France as unchallenged leader, Spain ranks second and is followed by the USA. The most notable change in the ranking by international tourist arrivals was China's move from 5th to the number 4 position, trading places with Italy.
The United Kingdom maintained the 6th position. Hong Kong (China) made a spectacular entrance into the top ten taking over the 7th position. Mexico and Germany kept the same positions as last year, while Austria fell back to the 10th position.
In 2004, the top 10 tourism destinations accounted jointly for more than 363 million international arrivals or almost half of the 760 million arrivals reported worldwide.

This month, a record number of EUROMIC members will attend EMIF05 in Brussels:
admicos. Austria Destination Management (Austria), Brussels International Travel Service (Belgium), First United (Denmark), Holt Paris Welcome Service (France), Emeco Travel (Egypt), Atlantik (Iceland), Travel Planners of Scandinavia (Norway), Mazurkas Travel (Poland), Leader Team (Russia) and Latitud4 (Spain)

...10 good reasons to visit the EUROMIC Stand #320

All EUROMIC members are looking forward to IMEX05 in Frankfurt, April 19-21, 2005

For comprehensive travel programs, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions, Conventions, Product Launches, Sports & Group events as well as Special-Interest groups, the EUROMIC Stand E650 provides you a quick and efficient platform. Meet with 25 specialized Destination Management Companies and receive the latest updates on numerous possibilities in Europe and the Mediterranean.

See you in Frankfurt at the EUROMIC Stand E650

The enhanced website will also provide a platform for EUROMIC customers to carry out essential business operations via links to the destination chosen and its member.

"We are very pleased to offer a completely revamped website for our partners," said Giancarlo Carrera, President of EUROMIC. “The website is meant to be attractive, easy to navigate, full of useful information and a true gateway to our whole membership”.

Should you be interested in this destination, please do not hesitate to contact
Mrs. Pauline Risbecker Kim at

EUROMIC also welcomes a brand-new company, Plano Global Events Portugal, a Destination Management Company based in Lisbon that provides high-impact event management services and incentive programs. Managed by Manuel Paixão and Carla Martins (both long-time managers with our former member in Portugal) as a full-service event management company, they develop and manage events that create memorable experiences in the Portuguese mainland and Funchal (Madeira Island).

The EUROMIC Stand G140 offers all conference & incentive professionals a quick and efficient one-stop-shopping to meet with 24 specialized Destination Management Companies and learn the latest news and numerous possibilities offered by its destinations in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.

One stop at the EUROMIC Stand G140 = 24 Destinations to (re) discover!

See you in Barcelona!

EUROMIC will exhibit at the Marriott Global Pursuits event in London together with three members: Leader Team (Russia), Delta Travel Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Mazurkas Travel (Poland).

Then we head to Egypt for the Mediterranean Travel Fair in Cairo with Hosted Buyers invited by Emeco Travel.

And at the end of the month, all EUROMIC members will gather in the “Windy City” (Chicago) exhibiting at The Motivation Show booth 3441.

Come and meet with us!

One stop at the EUROMIC Stand C480 = 25 Destinations to (re) discover!

Should you be interested in this destination please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Harald Riisnaes – Managing Director at norway@euromic.com

After a very successful Annual General Assembly in Istanbul, many EUROMIC members attended FITUR04 in Madrid. While in Madrid they met with representatives from numerous Spanish Agencies.

On February 14th through February 17th some of our members will attend BIT 04 in Milan and EUROMIC will be travel “down under” for AIME 04 (Stand #2523) on February 17th & & 18th in Melbourne. Emeco Travel (Egypt) and Delta Travel Amsterdam (Netherlands) will also be present.

In addition the following members will attend CONFEX 04 in London on February 24th through 26th at the EUROMIC Stand Y679: .admicos (Austria), Holt Paris Welcome Service (France), Drakos Travel (Cyprus), Delta Travel Amsterdam (Netherlands), & Leader Team Ltd (Russia).
Also at CONFEX at Stand Y595 will be Mazurkas Travel (Poland). S’Tours (Morocco) will be at the Moroccan Stand Y580, Latitud4 (Spain) at the Madrid Stand Y150/250 and Omar’s Destination Services (Turkey) at the Turkish Stand Y460.

Finally, First United (Denmark) and Atlantik Tours (Iceland) will be traveling to St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago and Minneapolis on February 23rd through 27th.

We last met in this magnificent Metropolis in 1984. The world economy was enjoying recovery and expansion back then.
With this spirit in mind, we wish you all a successful 2004 and hope our industry will reward all of us who believed in a turnaround….

From us to you and yours, we wish you Happy Holidays and a peaceful, rewarding & prosperous 2004!

Giancarlo Carrera
President

Six EUROMIC members will be exhibiting at WTM03 in London (November 10th -13th):

Others (Conceptours/Greece, Delta Travel Amsterdam/Netherlands, Holt Paris Welcome Service/France, Wallace Travel Group/Ireland, Emeco Travel/Egypt,…) will also be present …

Despite the uncertainty of what they would find upon arrival, 18 EUROMIC members took the time to discuss and re-establish their long term relations with buyers. During these times it’s not surprising that incentive or meeting attendees don’t want to travel overseas right now. Happier suppliers were from the North American aisles, read "closer-to-home," aisles.

The Motivation Show suffers from the continuing effects of the nationwide economic slowdown and business travel cutbacks. Total registered attendance for the 2003 show reached 21,868 including buyers, exhibitor personnel and members of the news media. Registered buyers totaled 15,527.

Although the number of visitors to the Show was less than in previous years, the quality of those that attended was high. Follow-ups on some very interesting leads might result in future business.
We thank all our friends for their loyalty and support.

This year's Motivation Show, the combined 70th National Premium Incentive Show (NP/IS) and the 31st Incentive Travel & Meeting Executives Show (IT&ME) will take place from 16 to 18 September 2003 at McCormick Place South in Chicago, USA.

The following EUROMIC Destinations contribute to the more than 1,200 exhibitors from 60 countries:
Austria - ADM-Blaguss Austria Destination Management, Czech Republic - PDM-Blaguss, Denmark - First United, Egypt - Emeco Travel, France – Holt Paris Welcome Service, French Riviera - VIP Riviera Service, Germany – Top Tours Travel GmbH, Great Britain - Sterling Travel Associates, Greece - Conceptours, Hungary - Blaguss Travel Ltd, Iceland – Atlantik Tours, DMC, Italy – Fourth Dimension Tours, – Netherlands - Delta Travel Amsterdam, Poland - Mazurkas Travel – DMC Poland, Portugal - Intervisa Travel Service, Sweden - Grand European North, Switzerland – SM Travel SA., Turkey – Omar’s Destination Services (ODS).

Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 16 and 17 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 18.
We are looking forward to welcoming you under one roof at booth 1826.

• Tuesday November 26th at the Arabella Sheraton Airport Hotel Düsseldorf,
• Wednesday November 27th at the Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel & Towers Conference Center,
• Thursday November 28th at the ArabellaSheraton Grand Hotel München.