Pioneering destinations in terms of eco-responsibility, recognised for their excellence in design and architecture, fashionable gastronomy, dynamic metropolises on a human scale: the Nordic countries have it all. many shared assets to attract event and incentive organisers. However, this is not necessarily a key area for tourism development, particularly on the French market. Although they welcome all kinds of events, Denmark and Sweden do not, strictly speaking, target the MICE clientele from France, unlike Finland and Iceland. A country which, like its neighbours in Northern Europe, has been able to take advantage of the covid period to showcase its wide open spaces and its spirit of well-being.
On the incentive group itinerary, Iceland has recently strengthened its offer with new hot tubs The city is also home to some of the world's best-known hotels, such as the Forest Lagoon complex in the north and the Vök baths in the east of the country. At the same time, Reykjavik has strengthened its position as a major city for business meetings with the recent opening of the Iceland ParliamentCurio Collection by Hilton. A hotel in the heart of the capital with 163 rooms, an 850 m2 meeting space and... thermal baths.
Along with Iceland and Finland, Norway is once again one of France's most commercially active tourist destinations. " We had put this market on the back burner for a while, even before 2019. But as part of its new tourism strategy, the country has a real desire to relaunch this sectorexplains Léa Pinsard, Marketing Advisor for Visit Norway in France. At the end of last year, Norway set up new teams in the MICE markets of Southern Europe, spearheaded by France.. "
France, the country's sixth-largest tourist market, is enjoying good momentum, with its travellers generating a higher number of overnight stays than in 2019. Close to home, a change of scenery, magnificent natural surroundings The country ticks many of the boxes on the list of criteria favoured by travellers today. For all that, and as far as business tourism is concerned, it's its towns and cities on a human scale that offer "exotic" alternatives to more southerly destinations. Towns that are almost in the countryside, where recreational activities are within easy reach. And all year round, from kayaking and hiking in summer to snowshoeing in winter.
Oslo, but also Bergen and its Unesco-listed historic centre, Tromso, Trondheim and Stavanger: all these cities are well worth a visit. with a wide range of hotels and event venuesincluding latest openings a flagship hotel in Oslo, the Sommero. Cities that can also rely on their well-established business role to attract events linked to their speciality, like Stavanger, Norway's oil capital.
High-tech, robotics, health: other economic sectors are major sources of congresses and meetings throughout Scandinavia. But, above all, the Nordic countries are establishing themselves as eco-responsibility laboratories. Privileged destinations where you can discover in vivo how to set up a new art of living, more sober and more respectful. " With timber construction back in vogue, groups are coming to Finland to study this, as well as urban planning, eco-neighbourhoods and the art of recycling. "says Sanna Tuononen, VisitFinland's Sales and Marketing Director for France.
Helsinki's aim is to showcase this pioneering spirit, while leaving plenty of room for fun. " People like to hold seminars here because, even with tight schedules, you can easily combine the city and nature. "continues Sanna Tuononen. Especially as the Finnish capital is soon to see its range of top-of-the-range hotels expanded, notably with the inauguration of the Grand Hansa HelsinkiA luxurious combination of three historic buildings dating from the early 1900s. This future member of Hyatt's Unbound Collection is being developed by Primehotels, a local group which, since last year, has been offering a wide range of luxury hotels. new top-of-the-range hotels in Helsinki, including the arty Hotel AX and the Mestari, a lifestyle hotel with a business focus. Housed in the former headquarters of the Master Builders Association, dating back to the 1930s, this new hotel devotes a great deal of space to high-tech design meeting rooms, including a 30 m² multimedia wall.
In the north, it was the Lapps
While Sanna Tuononen has noted a growth in top-of-the-range MICE demand in the Finnish capital, this is also the case for in Lapland, where incentive trips are making a big comeback last winter. As the second-largest tourist market in this "great white" region, France is taking particular advantage of the launch of direct Air France flights to Rovaniemi in 2021, and then to Kittilä in 2022, to boost the arrival of tourists and business groups.
On the other side of the border, in Sweden, Elisabeth Nebout, head of VisitSweden in France, praises ulesser-known and less-travelled Lapland, " more intimate, more personalised" . Although there are no direct flights from France to Lulea, apart from a leisure charter flight, the region can be reached by air with a connection in Stockholm, or by night train from the Swedish capital's airport. As far as accommodation is concerned, the region offers quality hotels in the heart of nature, or not far away in Kiruna, the region's largest metropolis, which last year saw the inauguration of a new Scandic hotelIt has seven conference rooms and a sky bar with a view of the mountains.
However, as in other Nordic countries, Sweden's major cities are ideal playgrounds for corporate meetings never far from nature. " In both Stockholm and Gothenburg, with immediate access to the islands of the archipelagos, you can end your meeting and head straight out for a team-building activity, with a whole host of nature experiences on offer." says Elisabeth Nebout. Especially as these two cities are perfect for MICE, with a large number of direct flights from France and new hotels arriving every year. For example, the Clarion Hotel Draken, due to open in Göteborg in October, will be the city's tallest hotel, topped by a sky bar with a view, as well as offering 474 rooms and 13 meeting rooms.
Innovative and high-tech, these busy metropolises are also setting an example when it comes to the environment. Göteborg, Bergen, Copenhagen and Aalborg are among the world's top top four places in the Global Destination Sustainability Indexjust ahead of Bordeaux. The GDS Index top 10 also includes Stockholm, Aarhus and Oslo. Nothing surprising, really, for all these pioneering towns in the ecological transition.
On a human scale, but on the cutting edge: Copenhagen, with its host of new design buildings contrasting with its historic landmarks, is evolving as the city blossoms. new eco-neighbourhoods transforming its formerly industrial port area. " They show how to make urban development lively and attractive.f", explains Giulia Ciceri, head of marketing for France and Italy at VisitDenmark.
For events with tight deadlines
Capital on a human scale where almost everything can be done on foot or by bike, and where you can go swimming even in the middle of the city, Copenhagen offers many advantages for a major business meeting place. These include its airport, just 15 minutes from the city centre - which could not be more convenient for business trips and meetings with tight deadlines - its new conference venue, the Bella Arena, and its hotel industry, which is as effervescent as the city itself.
Among the latest establishments to open in the city of Copenhagen is a luxurious NH Collectionas well as a major MICE hotel, the Scandic Spectrumthe Nordic chain's largest establishment to date, while waiting for a Residence Inn by Marriott, as part of the revitalisation of the Nordhavn district. The Danish capital has also become a favourite playground for the Accor group's lifestyle brands, with a brand new Ibis Styles recently joining a very contemporary Ibis Styles in the city. 25Hours opened last year.
However, Giulia Ciceri urges business groups to look beyond the capital. For example, in Aarhus - " a "second" Copenhagen" "There's also the city of Odense, the birthplace of Andersen, famous for both its culture and its great outdoors, and Billund, the home of Lego. An attractive city for French customers, served year-round by Air France and Vueling, a destination in the heart of nature and with a playful spirit, as it should be.
