Welcome to the inaugural issue of Meetings Focus International! We’re quite excited to bring you the newest member of the Meetings Focus family, a real world traveler that has set sail from North America on a MICE mission matching meeting planners with a colorful quilt of vibrant new destinations.
For those who may be unfamiliar with our niche in the meetings world, destinations are our specialty, and we dedicate the space, editorial effort and design quality to really make them shine.
But while destination reporting is our niche, you’ll also discover in-depth feature stories examining the various segments and issues affecting the international meetings industry, as well as a Departments section that gives you the skinny on what’s new in the areas we cover—regardless of the featured destinations of that issue—such as international meetings industry news; new facilities, attractions and off-site options; festivals and other interesting goings-on that may strike the fancy of attendees; the latest high-tech gadgetry and other niceties that smooth the travel process; and the ruminations of our “Charles on the Go!” columnist, Charles Massey, owner of SYNAXIS Meetings & Events, who travels the world planning meetings and events for a broad range of clients.
Apart from the above content, we also offer a wealth of online information and planning tools at www.meetingstoday.com. Look for updates as we ramp up our international coverage, and check out pages 42-43 for a more-detailed look at how to use this handy online tool.
Look for additional issues of Meetings Focus International in July and October, with more coming your way in 2013!
In this issue
Highlights of the inaugural issue of Meetings Focus International include the following:
Destinations
Pg. 15: Close-Up > Geneva Switzerland’s capital of connectivity is a natural gathering place.
Pg. 16: Hong Kong Our cover story was penned by Marlene Goldman, a former Meetings Focus editor who is now based in Singapore. In March, Goldman joined several meeting planners on a culinary-themed fam in Hong Kong, where she sampled everything from the cutting-edge to the classical and tapped into the unique cultural riches of the destination.
Pg. 22: Brazil Latin America travel expert Mark Chesnut has been to Brazil numerous times, and for our Rio/Sao Paulo section he uncovers some of the most compelling reasons to visit the booming country, host to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Pg. 30: Dubai With the world’s first seven-star hotel, the world’s largest indoor ski slope and the world’s tallest building, Dubai seems conjured from dreams, but its enduring appeal is as real as it gets. Jeff Heilman, who covers the Middle East for various business and legal publications, explains why this rapidly maturing global business and tourism destination is one dream that is here to stay.
Pg. 36: Belgium Travel writer Josh Krist gives us the lowdown on Belgium. While it might be one of the smallest destinations in Europe, it’s large on character, from the charm of its Old World streets to decadent chocolate and flavorful beer.
Features
Pg. 44: International Sensations! Discover the hottest destinations in the growing global incentive scene, and learn some indispensable tips to make sure your program doesn’t result in an “international incident!”
Pg. 48: Know Before You Go! So you want to plan a meeting outside the comfy confines of North America? Here are some time-saving resources you’ll want to reference throughout the process.
