Destination Report Brussels is a special edition of HeadQuarters Magazine - April 2011published by Meeting Media Company (Belgium) - www.headquartersmagazine.com - press@headquartersmagazine.com

HEADQUARTERSE U R O P E , M I D D L E - E A S T, A F R I C A

brusselsthe happening

capital

visit.brussels-expo.be

HEADQUARTERS 3

> F O R E w O R D

visit.brussels-expo.be

A word by Patrick Bontinck, General Manager, VisitBrussels

when it comes to events, meetings and tourism in general, we have to speak

with one voice. we have to be honest to whoever comes to Brussels for

whatever reason and our role is to put forward what we can offer, this unique

selling proposition that makes Brussels so special.

Brussels has a great capacity to be open-minded; it’s the cosmopolitan city

par excellence, the capital of 500 millions Europeans, with the European

institutions in its very heart. As such it’s a great destination to get together.

But Brussels is more than that. Brussels is different.

Brussels hosts more international associations than any other city in the

world, whether we’re talking about intergovernmental or non-governmental

bodies. In addition, Brussels hosts more international association meetings

than any other European city. In the world, it is second only to Singapore. Ten

years ago, Paris was number one in Europe and in the world, while Singapore

wasn’t even in the top ten.

BI-TC (Brussels International Tourism and Congress) has just been renamed

VisitBrussels. It’s a new vision that is expressed by this rebranding, a vision

that has been enlarged to say that Brussels is sized… for absolutely all your

needs. It’s time we broke borders and entered in a whole new dimension,

which blends all aspects of

tourism.

An institution like Visit-

Brussels is there to under-

stand the needs of interna-

tional associations, to build

partnerships with them.

we’re here to answer their

questions, they’re not interested in pure marketing and promotion. And if

they want to lobby, there’s no better place in Europe than Brussels.

with the Alliance that Brussels just established with washington, DC, and with

a whole new convention district in the pipeline around Brussels Expo, the

European capital is more powerful than ever. we’re the capital where things

are happening and we are now visible as such. At long last we have the cred-

ibility that may have been lacking a few years back. This supplement about

Brussels as an association congress destination says it all. Brussels’ future is

shining with glitter. And this is just a beginning.

Brussels is sized for all your needs

patrick bontinckGeneral Manager - VisitBrussels

BI-TC (Brussels International Tourism and Congress) has just been renamed VisitBrussels. It’s a new vision that is expressed by this rebranding, a vision that has been enlarged to say that Brussels is sized… for absolutely all your needs

W W W . V I S I T B R U S S E L S . B E

W W W . V I S I T B R U S S E L S . B E

> A B O U T B R U S S E L S

Brussels is a city in which everyone feels at

home because it is a city-region which has

the ability to adapt to its visitors. whatever

the season and however long or short your

stay, there is always something happening:

a cultural event, a festival, an activity with

fine food, a sporting occasion, and much

more.

Most of its visitors start discovering Brussels

through the golden facades of the Grand-

Place, the arabesque ironwork of its Art

Nouveau buildings, the comic strip heroes

decorating its gables, the glittering spheres

of the Atomium and the majestic splendour

of Mont des Arts. Then they discover the

omnipresent creativity of Brussels, renowned

the world over for its fine cooks and painters.

This creativity is found everywhere in the

capital: displayed in its fashion and design,

expressed in its film, music, dance and opera,

and savoured in the delicate softness of its

chocolate and character of its many beers.

The next step in the discovery process is

when we feel Brussels’ art de vivre: a magical

mix of contagious energy with a touch of

surrealism, giving us a fresh view of things,

warm human contact and a dose of good

humour.

EAsy ACCEss AnD ACCoMMoDAtionAt the crossroads of routes that bridge the

continent, Brussels is easy to access. Its

airport receives more than 200 direct flights

from 66 countries and the high-speed train

network brings London, Paris, Amsterdam

and Cologne to within less than 2 hours of

travel. Once in Brussels, everything is so near

that walking is often the best way. And for

those who want to discover this discrete and

sometimes mysterious city, there is a large,

inexpensive network of public transport.

Brussels is universally recognised for its

position in the forefront of change, its open

mindedness and its creative energy. Here

ideas are shared and developed, projects

take shape and problems find solutions, or

at least take a direction towards resolution.

Here the decisions that build tomorrow are

taken. It is no coincidence that Brussels has

the highest density of international associa-

tion headquarters, press correspondents

and lobbyists, because it offers all the ingre-

dients for success. The city is also ranked #1

European city for congresses according to

the Union of International Associations (UIA).

As the conference city par excellence,

Brussels has a variety of international

branded hotels as well as some unique family

owned boutique hotels. All in all, more than

18,000 rooms are available, in more than 150

hotels, all connected with the major confer-

ence venues by public transport. Even the

smallest convention district in Brussels has

more than 1,500 rooms to offer to accom-

modate the attendees of your event!

Visiting BrusselsA surprising discovery

BRUSSELS IS THE CAPITAL OF 500

MILLION EUROPEANS - AN ExCITING,

COSMOPOLITAN CITy wHERE

CONGRESS TOURISM IS A REAL

PLEASURE AND LEISURE CAN BE A

SURPRISING DISCOVERy. ITS GREAT

DIVERSITy MAkES IT ATTRACTIVE

AND UNIQUE. AS A CONFERENCE

DESTINATION, IT’S ON THE MAP AS

NEVER BEFORE.

Brussels

HEADQUARTERS 5

HEADQUARTERS 6

> A B O U T B R U S S E L S

A sElECtion of vEnuEs…First and foremost is the nEo project. Last

September, the city of Brussels appointed

the chief town planner in charge of operat-

ing what is now known as the reorganization

of the Heysel plateau on the outskirts of the

city. The plans include an international con-

gress centre, a shopping mall, an entertain-

ment hall with 15,000 seats. Brussels and the

chief town planner, in association with the

Brussels Region, are now going to plan the

finale schedule of the project, which would

make Brussels THE conference city a few

years from now. By 2012, the city also plans

to have no less than 20,000 hotel rooms.

Doesn’t this say it all?

In terms of big numbers, Brussels has noth-

ing to blush about. In addition to SQUARE

and Brussels Expo (read more about this on

pages 10 and 11), tour & taxis has been the

reference point for over five years now. One

of the famous buildings on the premises, the

Sheds, used to be used for merchandise in

transit coming from the Belgian colonies.

with 17,000 m2 of modular space, it offers

today a multitude of configurations and is

definitely one of a kind, easily accommodat-

ing 4,000 people in one of the sheds.

Moof Museum is a magical and amazing

place entirely based on a scenic and exclu-

sive approach of comics trips, the ninth art.

Here can you discover original comic strips’

drawings and characters in 3D. The good

news is that floor space can be rent for a

total of 1,100 m2 on 4 levels, for up to

tour & taxis

villa Empain

Egmont Palace

Palais Royal

high-profile forthcoming events in brussels

+ JCI World ConGress 2011 5,000pax 1-5November2011

Brussels Expo

+ euroPeAn Wound MAnAGeMent AssoCIAtIon 2011

2,000pax 25-27May2011

SQUARE Brussels

+ XXIIIrd ConGress of the InternAtIonAl soCIetyofBioMechaNics1,200pax

3-7July2011University of Brussels

+ eACs ConGress 20133,500pax

16-19october2013SQUARE Brussels

+ PArlIAMent of the World’s relIGIon 10,000pax

2014

théâtre de la Monnaie

brussels convention bureau at visitbrussels

Brussels Convention Bureau teams up with key local partners to offer

the most professional range of services to ensure the success of any

meetings. They can be asked for free, independent advice on the venues,

accommodation, social events, destination and support services. They

help you plan more efficiently, using all-inclusive site inspections, custom-

ized destination approaches, access to marketing material and contact

with public authorities for receptions in historical venues.

while they’re here, your guests will feel welcome with a dedicated con-

gress welcome desk at the airport and the international train station (Midi

Station) and your own visitor information desk at the congress venue.

with the Brussels Card, your guests can benefit from unlimited use of

public transport, free access to museums and discounts for shopping.

2,000 people for cocktails and 600 seated.

As from 1 May 2011, Moof Museum is also in

charge of hiring out the new Gallery Horta,

near the Grand Place, whose maximum

capacity is 1,200 pax.

the Egg, whose name says it all, is another

addition to VisitBrussels’ diversified portfolio

of unusual venues. A cultural centre where

companies, associations, galleries are

headquartered near the Midi train station, its

fascinating design made of glass and steel

accommodates events for up to 1,100 people.

Self-branded as an ‘incubator for innovation’,

it’s an inspiring place where economics and

creativity interact, in short the perfect place

for a meeting!

Built in the 16th century in the famous Sablon

district, Egmont Palace, a beautiful mansion

with dramatic interiors, was transformed in

the 17th century by the family of the Princes

of Arenberg. Many famous people have

stayed there, including Louis xV, Jean-Bap-

tiste Rousseau and Voltaire. Its prestigious

setting is used for important international

conferences for up to 450 people in its stun-

ning auditorium.

Last but not least is the villa Empain, this

Art Deco gem in the popular Ixelles district

which has been brought back to life by an

impressive restoration work carried out

by the Boghossian Foundation. Its valu-

able wood panelling, the wrought ironwork

and the mirrored marble have indeed been

restored to their full splendour. Dedicated to

the dialogue between the cultures of the Far

East and the west, Villa Empain can also be

especially hired for private use and host up-

market cocktail parties and gala dinners for

up to 200 people.

… AnD HotElsIn terms of accommodation, let me just men-

tion three hotels. The newly built Park inn

Brussels Midi by Rezidor Hotel Group is located

adjacent to the Gare du Midi train station, and

offers 142 colorful ad modern guest rooms

spread over 7 floors. Catering for the meetings

and events clients, the hotel also boasts highly

functional meeting rooms, spread over 207 m2

and capacity of up to 125 persons.

the Hotel is situated in Brussels’ most

exclusive shopping area and within waking

distance from Sablon and Grand’Place, and

offers the ideal location for meetings, in one

of its 20 meeting rooms and for up to 500

delegates. Featuring 433 rooms, the facility

also boasts the city’s highest meeting room,

overlooking the European capital.

In the second quarter of 2012 Thon Hotels

will open thon Hotel Eu in Brussels. The

hotel will be very close to the city’s EU quar-

ter, within short walking distance of all EU

institutions. It will be a 4-star hotel offering

405 modern rooms and 30 apartments for

short and long term rental. The hotel will

offer comprehensive meeting and conference

facilities, with 15 meeting rooms, the largest

of which will have a maximum capacity of

300 delegates.

CONTACT

Elisabeth Van ingelgem

Meetings & conventions Manager

brussels convention bureau

T: +32 (0)2 549 50 51

e.vaningelgem@visitbrussels.be

www.visitbrussels.be

the Hotel

thon Hotel

Park inn Brussels Midi

Moof Museum

HEADQUARTERS 7

HEADQUARTERS 8

HQ: Can you explain Brussel’s new interna-

tional strategy? What is the new vision the

European capital has developed?

Hervé Bosquet: with Brussels second in the

UIA (Union of International Association) sta-

tistics, it’s finally on the map on a world level.

In terms of number of meetings, the Belgian

capital is first in Europe and second in the

world. we have to strengthen this position

by emphasizing the fact that everything hap-

pens in Brussels. The perception of Brussels

as an administrative, bureaucratic town has

changed. what used to be perceived as weak-

nesses has now become our strengths - it

would be foolish of us to not accentuate this

dimension. we’re the capital of 500 million

Europeans - it’s exactly what differentiates

us from other destinations. why hide the

presence of institutions? why not say that

Brussels has the most headquarters of inter-

national associations? This is our main asset,

and we have to build on that.

HQ: A new alliance with Washington, DC,

just saw the light of day. Can you tell us

more about it? What are exactly your inten-

tions concerning this partnership?

Hervé Bosquet: we just announced it at EMIF,

the European meetings fair: Brussels and

washington have formed an alliance that

supports member destinations, that is where

policies are determined and voted and in

which numerous global and regional institu-

tions and associations have established their

headquarters. The Alliance will focus on pro-

moting the member destinations to the deci-

sion makers and the meeting professionals

worldwide. The Alliance will operate under

the name ‘Power Cities’ with the baseline ‘A

Capital-to-Capital Connection’ - it refers to

the member cities status as world capitals

for institutions and association headquarters

in the key growth areas in the world.

HQ: so this ‘Power Cities’ is like an umbrella

designating what makes Brussels - and

Washington in this case - special…

Hervé Bosquet: Exactly. This Alliance was

only a natural thing to do. The presence of

the European Union, NATO, the offices of

more than 2,000 international associations,

a new Vision for Brussels

Interview with hervé Bosquet, director of Brussels

Convention Bureau

LONG LIVE VISITBRUSSELS! AFTER yEARS OF BI-TC (BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND CONGRESS), BRUSSELS’

TOURIST BOARD HAS BEEN REBRANDED AND A NEw, UNIFIED MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT OUT TO THE MEETINGS INDUSTRy.

HERVé BOSQUET, DIRECTOR OF BRUSSELS CONVENTION BUREAU AT VISITBRUSSELS, ExPLAINS BRUSSELS’ NEw STRATEGy

TOwARDS THE INDUSTRy IN GENERAL AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS IN PARTICULAR.

Parc du Cinquantenaire

The perception of Brussels

as an administrative,

bureaucratic town has

changed. what used to be

perceived as weaknesses has

now become our strengths - it

would be foolish of us to not

accentuate this dimension

Hervé Bosquet

HEADQUARTERS 9

> I N T E R V I E w

15,000 lobbyists, more than 1,000 press

correspondents, regular summits of the 27

heads of state, as well as the many facilities

such as the AISBL status, good universities,

hospitals, its central geographical position,

the accessibility, the professional services

and the presence of the FAIB (Federation

of European and International Associations

established in Belgium) contribute to the

attraction of Brussels. In that way, washing-

ton, DC, resembles us, and coming together

just made sense. This Alliance will help

opening up even more on the international

market - for both destinations, where eve-

rything happens, where important decisions

are made on a daily basis.

HQ: But what does this mean in practical

terms?

Hervé Bosquet: It’s basically all about a joint

promotion focusing on what makes us dif-

ferent. And to do that, we’re also thinking of

setting up a one-stop shop for associations

wanting to establish their headquarters in

Brussels. we just had a roundtable on that

topic at the last ESAE Congress at EMIF, with

representatives from ESAE (European Soci-

ety of Association Executives), FAIB, and UIA.

we feel it’s high time we did something to

facilitate the life of associations in Brussels,

otherwise they will go establish themselves

somewhere else. The idea is to build an

association community, to share experiences

on a CEO level, and to emphasize for the

need of education by promoting the status of

association executive - and there’s no better

place than Brussels to do that. we’re still

in the early stages of this project, but we’ll

definitely get there sooner than later.

HQ: We feel Brussels is now sending out a

unified message to the world, which was not

necessarily the case before.

Hervé Bosquet: That’s correct. There’s no

more fighting to know who should represents

Brussels and why. we want, we ‘sell’ the same

product so we have to work together hand in

hand, it’s no good for anybody to be working

on their own. The branding VisitBrussels came

at the right time - it’s saying we’re working on

complementarities, not differences.

HQ: last but not least question, we have

to ask you about your favorite thing about

Brussels, because it’s a supplement about

Brussels as a destination after all!

Hervé Bosquet: Brussels is constantly on the

move. The city holds many surprises in store

for its visitors. It is an avant-garde place,

at the forefront of world politics, creativity

and technology, making it a perfect city for

holding meetings and events. I take pride in

Brussels’ splendor and past; it has made it a

city standing at the crossroads of European

cultures since the 15th century. we cultivate

a tradition of openness and hospitality with

human warmth that is increasingly going

to make the difference for world travelers.

There is always something happening here,

and our visitors truly love it!

meet Destination DcDestination DC serves as the lead organiza-

tion to successfully manage and market

washington, DC as a premier global conven-

tion, tourism and special events destination,

with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural

and historical communities. Elliott L. Fergu-

son II, President and CEO, and Claire Etches,

International Convention - Sales Manager,

came to EMIF to formalize the now-famous

Alliance with Brussels.

As the capital of the United States, the

home of of all three branches of the U.S.

federal government with thousands of lob-

byists, the prominent centre for national

and international media, and the headquar-

ters of many domestic and international

associations, washington, DC resembles

Brussels in more ways than not. Elliott L.

Ferguson II says: ‘Washington, DC and Brus-

sels are similar in many different ways. We’re

the capital of the US, Brussels is the capital

of Europe - we tend to promote the cities

very similarly. To us, this Alliance just made

sense, and with Hervé, there has immedi-

ately been a great synergy going on, we’re

definitely on the same page. I’m sure we’ll

achieve great things with this partnership,

and - why not? - extend it to new members

in the future…’

As a congress destination opening up to

international delegates, washington, DC has

a lot to offer. Home to some of the most rec-

ognizable monuments and buildings in the

world, with more than 9,000 hotel rooms,

the city endless opportunities for meeting

and event planning. From the 2.3-million-

square-foot walter E. washington Conven-

tion Center to chic restaurants and unique

venues within the various museums of the

Smithsonian Institution, a plethora of meet-

ing and event facilities await in the nation’s

capital. washington, DC is also home to

more than 150 embassies, chancelleries and

diplomatic residencies - many of which are

available for private events.

Grand PlaceParc Royal

HEADQUARTERS 10

> B R U S S E L S E x P O

with 115,000 m2 of

modular space and

12 exhibition halls,

Brussels Expo dates

back to the 1935

world Expo. Combin-

ing impressive Art

Deco architecture

with state-of-the-art

services, it resembles

no other venues when it comes to getting

together. There you can meet in the shadow

of the world-famous Atomium and even go

on a revigorating stroll in the nearby park

between sessions.

with its vast registration zone, exhibition

areas, rooms for plenary meetings and

breakout sessions, restaurants, meeting

corners, reading rooms and more, Brussels

Expo can meet any requirement. Amongst

its permanent, fully-equipped rooms, the

fascinating venue has auditoriums of 1,860

and 400 seats and 12 rooms for 50 to 180

persons. All types of complementary infra-

structure can be specially built for you. Denis

Delforge, Director of Brussels Expo, says:

‘Flexibility and adaptability are the key words.

Each available space are extremely modular

according to the client’s budget, size and type

of event. That’s definitely Brussels Expo’s

main asset.’

The venue has enormous experience of

extra-large congresses and international

fairs. Regular satisfied clients include ICT,

European Research, ECR, Intensive Care,

European Seafood, Labelexpo and CINP. A

special coordinator dedicated to your event

will always be on site as the single point

of contact between you and all the logisti-

cal services: catering, security, cleaning,

sanitary, cloakroom and all types of power

connections. All these services are top qual-

ity and delivered at prices which cannot be

beaten in Europe.

Denis Delforge insists on ‘the professionalism

and dedication of Brussels Expo’s teams.’ He

explains: ‘Last year, with the eruption of the

Icelandic volcano, organizers of a major inter-

national event couldn’t make it to Brussels. A

team had to be set up in a heartbeat and, in

the end, the conference took place flawlessly,

to everybody’s satisfaction. This cleary shows

how reactive and efficient people working at

Brussels Expo can be.’

Brussels Expo is only 20 minutes by metro

from the city centre. Alternatively, for those

arriving by car there are 12,500 parking

places and 3 hotels within walking distance.

14,000 additional hotel rooms cover the

capital.

Combined with Brussels’ attractiveness -

after all the success of an event is not solely

due to a venue, but to a destination as a

whole -, Brussels Expo seems to be the ideal

place to be. But as Denis Delforge says, it’s

all part of a bigger plan: ‘As a leading force

in the meetings industry, Brussels Expo has

always been involved in the bigger picture to

make Brussels a great meetings destination,

together with the many players in the city.

Only this way can we remain competitive and

this is essential to Brussels’ meeting success

story!’

www.brusselsexpo.be

Brussels expoMeeting near the Atomium

ADAPTED TO ALL POSSIBLE ORGAN-

IzER REQUIREMENTS AND NEEDS,

BRUSSELS ExPO IS BELGIUM’S BIG-

GEST ExHIBITION CENTRE. IT’S ALSO

wELL SUITED FOR ANy ASSOCIA-

TION CONFERENCE, ESPECIALLy THE

BIGGER ONES, AS IT REFLECTS THE

ENTHUSIASM AND THE ENERGy OF

THE CAPITAL OF EUROPE.

brussels expothe harD facts

+ Maximumcapacity(concertstyle):1,860+ Maximumcapacity(banquetstyle):700+ 13conferenceroomsforupto180paxtheatrestyle+ 115,000m2ofexhibitionspace+ 12halls+ 10minutesfromthecitycentreandtheairport+ 12,500parkingspots

Denis Delforge

Brussels Expo

HEADQUARTERS 11

> S Q U A R E

Highly flexible, offering state-of-the-art infra-

structure, SQUARE reopened in September

2009 in a array of firework and acrobats,

after a top-to-bottom refurbishment, which

gave design and atmosphere pride of place.

with 13,000 m2 of meeting space, SQUARE’s

flexibility is almost unheard of. The venue

can cater to any kind of events, whether it

be association congresses, seminars and

meetings of any kind. Its biggest auditorium

seats up to 1,200 people, thanks to adapt-

able staging solutions. And with Bozar right

next door and connected to SQUARE by an

underground tunnel, this capacity flies up to

an additional 2,200 seats.

At walking distance from major hotels and

just 10 minutes from Brussels airport by

train, SQUARE is at the very heart of Europe.

Ariane Deguelle, member of the board at GL

Events Belgium, says: ‘SQUARE’s location

is ideal, it’s at the very heart of everything.

From here, delegates can basically do

everything by foot. But SQUARE has many

other assets as well, among which its great

technology. Our unique integrated optic fiber

infrastructure make webstreaming possible

anywhere in the venue, without undermining

sound or image quality. Conference organ-

izers love that, especially when videocon-

ference is involved: SQUARE is like a huge

state-of-the-art TV studio.’

Since its opening in September 2009,

SQUARE – BRUSSELS MEETINGS CENTRE

organized more than 315 events of all shapes

and sizes. The last three months of 2010

were particularly successful, partly thanks

to the Belgian presidency of the European

Union. when it comes to international

associations, SQUARE serves as an entrusted

advisor. Ariane explains: ‘We don’t work on

our own. We’re part of a big team promoting

Brussels as a whole. Our role is to encourage

associations to hold their events in Brus-

sels, at SQUARE, because it makes sense for

them to do so here. We’re able to provide a

platform where their voice can be heard like

nowhere else in the world. That’s why we

work so closely and constantly liaise with our

local ambassadors.’

In the near past, SQUARE hosted many

events the meetings industry has recognized

as prestigious, among which the Asia-Europe

Meeting (ASEM), the 2011 Energy Efficiency

Global Forum and the International Sym-

posium on intensive Care and Emergency

Medicine (ISICEM). Ariane says: ‘Beyond

those events, it’s the human factor we like to

emphasize. GL events, which runs SQUARE,

has an ambitious human resources strategy

and we’re doing the utmost to translate it

into reality. It’s our goal most of us become

Certified Meeting Professionnals (CMP) and

that says a lot about SQUARE living up to

international standards.’

www.square-brussels.com

sQuare, the harD facts

+ Location:citycentre+ Numberofauditoriums:4(150to1,200seats)+

3(212to2,200innext-doorBozar)+ 4,000m2ofexhibitionspace+ 23breakoutrooms+ Panoramichall:581m2

+ internationalairport:15minutesawaybytrain+ Metro,tram,busesandtaxis:lessthan5minutesaway+ 6,000hotelroomsatwalkingdistance+ surroundedby11nationalmuseums

sQuare, where the world meetsIDEALLy LOCATED ON THE MONTS DES ARTS, BRUSSEL’S HISTORIC AND CULTURAL

HEART, AND JUST A FEw STEPS AwAy FROM THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS, SQUARE –

BRUSSELS MEETING CENTRE IS wHERE THE wORLD MEETS IN A CONTEMPORARy,

REFINED SETTING.

sQuARE

we don’t work on our own. we’re part of a big team promoting Brussels as a whole. Our role is to encourage associations to hold their events in Brussels, at SQUARE, because it makes sense for them to do so here

Ariane Deguelle

EMPOWERYOUREVENTS

13.000m² for empowered events, right in the heart of Brussels.

SQUARE-BRUSSELS.COM

POWERED BY

SQUARE_EMPOWER_EVENTS_AD_RESIZE-22MARCH.indd 1 22/03/2011 18:10