In his 1959 globetrotting travelogue Thrilling Cities, James Bond creator Ian Fleming stated his desire, as a thriller writer, to “take a tin-opener” to the secrets “behind the beautiful, bland face” of Switzerland.
That mountainous, forested, lake-filled Switzerland is beautiful is an understatement. Ready your camera for a serious workout. Attractive, too, are planner advantages including mature MICE and tourism industries; superior connectivity; competitive pricing via the Swiss Franc instead of the Euro; value-adds such as room rate-included breakfast and public transportation; and the continent’s lowest—and refundable—VAT rates. Green-conscious Switzerland also embraces the highest standards of sustainability.
But “bland?” While Fleming meant stony Swiss facades hiding financial, familial and other intrigues, the Swiss, unfailingly polite and correct (though not always when queuing for the ski lift), do have something of a “mechanical” reputation. Herein, however, lies Switzerland’s secret ingredient: While the efficient Swiss personality favors a safe and reliable MICE experience, this tiny multilingual (English is widely spoken) federation in the heart of Western Europe is rich with unexpected surprises.
“As North American planners continue to discover, Switzerland is full of hidden charms,” says Caroline Pidroni, New York-based director of sales and marketing in North America for the Switzerland Convention and Incentive Bureau. “From cultural and gastronomic delights to outdoor adventure programs, we offer diverse experiences for groups from 10 to 8,500 delegates.”
Constantly developing and evolving its MICE offers, Switzerland meets the “good things come in small packages” maxim to the fullest. PageBreak
Metro Magic
Backed by the snowcapped Alps, lakeside Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city and cultural and economic hub. Boasting 15,000 hotel rooms, this historic yet hip city is surging in MICE infrastructure development while nurturing a lively balance between tradition and trend.
“Enjoyment and indulgence are a way of life in Zurich,” says Uta Kroll, head of the city’s convention bureau. “We offer benchmark-setting art and culture, tailored social programs and diverse meeting experiences.”
Distinctive new venues include AURA, a spectacular restaurant and event space opened in January 2013; 320 West, an industrial-style concept integrating art, design and cuisine; and DittingRaum, a modern update of an Art Deco building. The 330-room Radisson Blu Hotel at Zurich Airport features a glass tower holding over 4,000 bottles of wine and champagne, while the city’s guild houses are historic choices for banquets and exclusive events.
Known as the “the world’s smallest metropolis,” Geneva and its namesake lake, the largest in Western Europe, is a feast for the eyes, including views of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak. “Geneva attracts numerous conferences and events with its international reputation, ideal facilities and excellent hotel infrastructure,” says Melanie Paillard, communication coordinator for the Geneva Convention Bureau.
Just six minutes from the airport by train, Geneva is a delegate magnet, with prestigious organizations and companies including the Red Cross, UN, Otis Elevators, Caterpillar and Nestle.
With leading group hotels from InterContinental, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and Kempinski, Geneva’s primary congressional halls are the multivenue Palexpo complex and the International Conference Centre of Geneva (ICCG), celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2013. Unique venues include the Grand Theatre; the riverside Batiment des Forces Motrices, a former pumping station from 1886; and the stunning Globe of Science and Innovation, its dome roughly the size of St. Peter’s in Rome.
Nestled amid vineyards along Lake Geneva’s northern shore, historic Lausanne is French-speaking Switzerland’s leading business destination and home to the International Olympic Committee. Reopening in late 2013 after a complete renovation, the Olympic Museum’s facilities include a 170-seat auditorium, meeting rooms and 170-seat banquet room.
Lausanne’s Beaulieu Exhibition and Convention Center is the biggest meeting venue on the Swiss Riviera, while opening in 2014, the Swiss Tech Convention Center will accommodate up to 3,000 attendees with spaces that include a 2,200-seat conference facility and 15 meeting rooms. Group draws, meanwhile, include the wine-themed Bacchus Olympics, and Lausanne Safari, a city-wide team treasure hunt.
At the “Three Countries’ Corner” formed with Germany and France, multicultural Basel is a robust conference destination due to its preeminent life sciences market and air link to over 70 major European centers. (U.S. travelers come via Zurich, an hour away.) Primary venues include Congress Center Basel and Stadt-Casino (not gambling), with the Hilton and Swissotel Le Plaza among the group hotels. Unique choices include the Safran Zunft restaurant and Pantheon Basel, Switzerland’s largest vintage car center. PageBreak
Meetings Medley
Within Switzerland’s rapturous alpine ranges, shimmering lakes and sweeping valley floors, planners will find a veritable harvest of secondary and alternative destinations for smaller meetings, retreats, incentives and other options. In centrally located Lucerne, for example, the Culture and Convention Centre, currently undergoing a renovation, boasts one of the world’s finest concert halls, with conference and banquet space for up to 1,000 guests. Also in the Lucerne region is legendary Mount Pilatus, reached via the world’s steepest cogwheel railway.
West of Lucerne lies Switzerland’s capital of Bern, distinguished by historic hotels such as the famous Bellevue Palace. Recently reopened after a two-year renovation, the legendary Bern Kursaal Arena—which incorporates the Hotel Allegro, restaurants and bars, and the Grand Casino Bern—can now accommodate events for up to 1,500 delegates. South of Bern, jet-set magnet Gstaad features year-round sporting tournaments, music festivals and other events.
At the eastern tip of Lake Geneva, romantic Montreux offers a trove of idyllic options, including guided tours, banquets and special events at Chateau Chillon, a castle dating to 1150, and VIP programs at the annual Montreux Jazz Festival. The 236-room Fairmont le Montreux Palace is a superb five-star resort hotel, while the multipurpose Montreux Music & Convention Centre, with its acoustically renowned Stravinski Auditorium, can accommodate events from 100 to 3,000 people. Stretching from Montreux to Lausanne, the terraced vineyards and wine-producing villages of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Lavaux are a must-see, with rental options including private wine cellars and halls.
In Switzerland’s eastern half, Davos has a long tradition as a conference destination, including hosting the annual World Economic Forum since 1971. Renowned as a center of medical and clinical research, this alpine city, featuring the newly expanded Davos Congress Centre, is readying for the late 2013 opening of the futuristic, UFO-shaped InterContinental Resort & Spa. Groups also enjoy culinary excursions aboard the UNESCO World Heritage Rhaetian Railway.
Nearby, skiers flock to the spectacular alpine Films Laax Falera region, where the Waldhaus Arena can accommodate up to 1,800 delegates. St. Moritz beckons in the southeastern corner, while jutting into Italy, scenic lakeside Lugano is home to the Lugano Exhibition Centre.
Regular Meetings Focus contributor Jeff Heilman’s favorite Swiss experience? The heavenly Glacier Express train ride from Zermatt to St. Moritz, across 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels and into the heart of imagination.
