Incentives and meetings

IFTM Top Resa, to be held from 1 to 4 October at Porte de Versailles, is already gearing up to give business travel pride of place. A hackaton organised with CDS Groupe and a "Business Travel Night" are already on the programme for 2019.

After a slight break in the world of business tourism, Phuket, the paradise island of Thailand, is getting back into the swing of things. And it's all for the best, with discoveries of infinite blue, visits to wildlife centres and breathtaking passages through the unspoilt forest.

Hotels, restaurants, activities, air services: essential addresses and information for organising an incentive trip to Phuket and Bangkok.

Michel Calvet is Managing Director of Asiajet. With many years' experience in the region, he takes a look at the advantages of Thailand, and in particular the Bangkok-Phuket duo, for incentive groups.

Where can I organise a congress in Europe outside France? Most of Europe's major cities have the same high standards for hosting this type of event. The difference now lies in their appeal.

Ian Cummings draws on a study by Carlson Wagonlit to outline the attractiveness of European destinations for the MICE sector in the broadest sense, i.e. including congresses, meetings and incentives.

The ICC Wales project will culminate next September in the inauguration of the first large-scale convention centre in Wales, which aims to make its mark on the MICE world map.

A few weeks ago, Paris and London decided to join forces in the MICE market to promote the two capitals as combined destinations. Corinne Menegaux, Managing Director of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, talks about the aims of this project and the next steps to be taken.

The 2018 ICCA rankings have just been released, once again confirming Paris as the world's leading destination for hosting international conferences.

Networking, incentives... The greens are a great place to do business. Especially when they are tinged with exoticism and prestige.

Michel Geistodt-Kiener, manager of Club 42.67, explains the principles of his club, which brings together around a hundred professionals to share their passion for golf.

The Poseidonion Grand Hotel, a venerable local icon, has almost free rein on the Greek island of Spestes. Its managers are now looking to expand their MICE offering, with one key advantage: the ability to offer tailor-made corporate events, with no limits other than the imagination of the organisers.

The eternal snows of a biblical mountain, Ararat, towering over Yerevan, the capital of Armenia; a thousand years of history still in turmoil; ancient monasteries scattered throughout the country; breathtaking landscapes from the very origins of the world. Armenia is opening up to business tourism for operations with a strong cultural component.

Hotels, restaurants, museums, activities, air services: essential addresses and information for organising an incentive trip to Armenia.

Varsenik Poghosyan, director and co-founder of the Aragast Travel agency, presents the advantages of Armenia for incentive trips.

2019 is shaping up to be an auspicious year for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). In response to demand, particularly from the United States, the company will be positioning no fewer than six ships in Europe in summer 2019, sailing in the Mediterranean as well as the Norwegian fjords and the Baltic Sea.

And that's three: after Lyon and Bordeaux, Mama Works has just opened a coworking space in Lille. These shared offices, under the Mama Shelter brand, confirm the group's growing strength and diversification. As we look forward to other projects...

On Thursday, Center Parcs management presented the brand's new development plans, which will benefit seminar guests. The coming years will see the arrival of new estates - in France, Germany and new European markets - and the customer experience will benefit from new digital initiatives. Investment cost: €620 million.

"The power of shared experience": when innovation, training and business opportunities come together to spark the imagination at IMEX 2019, taking place in Frankfurt from 21 to 23 May.

Nextdoor is changing its name to Wojo, with the aim of becoming the European leader in coworking. Backed by Accor and Bouygues Immobilier, Wojo will be based in the hotel group's establishments.