Planning a Meeting?
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Planning a meeting? DON’T LOSE ANY SLEEP OVER IT MEET IN FLANDERS VISITFLANDERS TAKE A PEEK AT WHAT FLANDERS HAS TO OFFER… What the Flanders? How can we help? Flanders for Fashionistas Meet in Antwerp, Bruges or Brussels Flanders for Foodies Meet in Ghent, Leuven or Mechelen Flanders for Culture & Heritage fans Meet at the Coast Flanders on Wheels Meet in Green Flanders Partners & Promotions Representatives Abroad Flanders’ Convention Bureaus Meetinflanders.com TAKE A PEEK AT WHAT FLANDERS HAS TO OFFER… What the Flanders? 4 How can we help? 6 Flanders for Fashionistas 8 Meet in Antwerp, Bruges or Brussels 10 Flanders for Foodies 18 Meet in Ghent, Leuven or Mechelen 20 Flanders for Culture & Heritage fans 26 Meet at the Coast 28 Flanders on Wheels 32 Meet in Green Flanders 34 Partners & Promotions 40 Representatives Abroad 41 Flanders’ Convention Bureaus 42 Meetinflanders.com 43 WHAT THE FLANDERS? Gourmet’s Yes, that’s in Belgium! paradise Welcome! AMSTERDAM < LONDON Brussels > Amsterdam: 1h52 Brussels > London: 1h51 © www.milo-profi.be © Historic cities Brussels > Cologne: 1h43 COLOGNE Brussels > New York: 8h30 Brussels > Paris: 1h22 © Toerisme Bredene, Westtoer Flanders & Brussels are at the heart of Europe. London, Paris, Cologne and Amsterdam are all less than two hours away. TRAVELLING BY TRAIN COMING FROM PARIS, AMSTERDAM OR COLOGNE? www.thalys.com COMING FROM LONDON? www.eurostar.com COMING FROM AKEN, COLOGNE OR FRANKFURT? www.b-europe.com TRAVELLING WITHIN FLANDERS? www.belgianrail.be The Belgian Rail system offers different specials and passes. PARIS TRAVELLING BY PLANE BRUSSELS NATIONAL AIRPORT: The main international airport, 20 minutes from Brussels City Centre. Direct train connections every 15 minutes. © www.milo-profi.be BRUSSELS-SOUTH AIRPORT CHARLEROI: 4 45 minutes from Brussels City Centre. Chocolates © www.milo-profi.be www.milo-profi.be © Fashion collectiebeleid Rubenshuis Antwerpen © Flemish Primitives Gourmet’s paradise AMSTERDAM Great accessibility © www.milo-profi.be State of the art 400 varieties facilities of beers Value for money < LONDON Brussels > Amsterdam: 1h52 © www.atomium.be - SABAM 2010 Axel Addington Cutting edge craftmanship Brussels > London: 1h51 BRUGES ANTWERP GHENT MECHELEN Historic cities BRUSSELS LEUVEN Brussels > Cologne: 1h43 COLOGNE Brussels > New York: 8h30 © visitflanders Scenic Brussels > Paris: 1h22 country side © Toerisme Bredene, Westtoer High standard 67 kilometres service suppliers of coastline © Westtoer apb Short distances © www.milo-profi.be © between cities Art Nouveau English is widely spoken PARIS Flanders Fields © www.milo-profi.be Chocolates © Michel Vaerewijck © www.milo-profi.be © Mussels and fries Cultural heritage HOW CAN WE HELP? www.meetinflanders.com 7 The convention bureau for Flanders & Brussels offers: Impartial advice and guidance, free of charge One stop shop for meeting planners In-depth product knowledge Tailor-made proposals MICE representatives in the UK, USA, France, Germany, The Netherlands & Russia Valuable partnership with 12 local convention bureaus Personalised site inspections and familiarization trips Evelyne Bardyn HEADQUARTERS VISITFLANDERS IS MEMBER OF: • International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) • Meeting professionals International (MPI) • Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) • The Society of Incentive Travel Executives (SITE) Liesbeth Baggerman Kari Alloo • Union of International Associations (UIA) HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS Brecht Putman Anthony Forest REPRESENTATIVE IN USA REPRESENTATIVE IN FRANCE FLANDERS FOR FASHIONISTAS Belgian fashion design is marked by its quality, soberness, innovation and high-level craftsmanship, recognised and celebrated around the world. The world-renowned Antwerp Six (Dries Van Noten, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene…), graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in the 1980’s and are highly productive in Belgium and the rest of the world. Furthermore, Brussels is a true fashion centre, which predominantly displays a more avant-garde image than other design centres in Flanders. The Brussels fashion academy La Cambre is at the top level of the international fashion scene with Kim Stumpf and Jean Paul Lespagnard as notable alumni in the field. CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES BY TOM VAN DER BORGHT Tom Van Der Borght, a fashion designer who lives and works in Ghent, started his own label in 2013. Tom Van Der Borght is not in search of traditional beauty. Bold combinations of bright colors, psychedelic graphics and textures make for a true bombardment of the senses. Always on the look-out for the unconventional, Tom Van Der Borght, creates his own standard of beauty. He showed his collections in Paris, Berlin, London and Panama fashion week, and has selling points in USA, Japan, China, Korea, 8 Singapore and Hong Kong. 9 FASHION HUNT Are you looking for a team building activity that’s a little out of the ordinary? Then why not opt for the Antwerp Fashion Hunt? Belgium’s fashion capital provides the backdrop to this challenging and strategic game. Help Fashion Academy student Alexander complete his graduation collection by undertaking various tasks and photo missions. The game can be played by groups of between 6 and 200 people. © Antwerp Tourism Conventions FASHIONISTA HOTSPOT The Dansaert District is one of Brussels’ most dynamic and trendy areas. 15 years ago a handful of designers set up shop here, and Dansaert has been a breeding ground for creativity ever since. New designer shops, fashion stores and quirky boutiques open every year. Great restaurants, cosy pubs and lively bars add to your shopping experience. A personal shopper can take you and your group on a fashion discovery tour. © www.milo-profi.be FOOD MEETS FASHION Graanmarkt 13 is a restaurant, a shop and a gallery all under one roof. It’s a place to enjoy design, fashion, art and gastronomic delights. This concept store overlooks one of Antwerp’s most picturesque squares. The gallery gives a platform to up-and-coming artists and can be used for meetings and private dinners. CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES BY BLACK BALLOON Black Balloon is a Ghent-based label of trendy clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women, inspired by a mix of music and emotions. Cléo Baele & Sarah Bos are the creative masterminds behind this young label. The collections of this duo are feminine yet tough, simple yet edgy and always with an eye for detail. The perfect example of cutting edge fashion! MEET IN THE ART CITIES 10 The Belfry, Bruges 11 Bruges Cobblestone streets Rich past Buzzing nightlife Medieval squares Mechelen Historic and modern special venues Gorgeous architecture Old fashioned cafes Vibrant present Brussels World class Leuven museums 11 Antwerp Creative hub Trendy shopping Ghent Contemporary restaurants Gothic cathedrals DID YOU KNOW… …that Horta and Henry van de Velde are our greatest exponents of Art Nouveau? Don’t miss the Musical Instruments Museum, the Horta Museum and one of the first European radio studios, Flagey. Nowadays all of these are great event venues. Antwerp Antwerp has always been a hot spot for creativity! In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was home to famous painters Peter Paul Rubens and Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Today, its renowned Fashion Academy is a place where young designers can be creative, put their skills to the test and truly blossom. A host of top designers like Dries Van Noten and Tim Van Steenbergen have graduated from the academy and gone on to conquer the world. As well as being home to Europe’s second largest port, Antwerp is also the world capital of the diamond trade, with 80% of the world’s rough diamonds passing through the city. It is a true MAS Museum Blee - Neutelings Riedijk Architecten © Sarah melting pot, where talent and creativity fuse with LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION industry and technology. Welcome to Antwerp, where the past meets the future head on! Brussels aside, Antwerp is Flanders’ leading ANTWERP 45 km conference city. Almost 25% of overnight stays relate 40’ by train to conventions and meetings, a figure that is set to rise end of 2016, when a brand new convention centre housing 2000 delegates will open. FROM BRUSSELS AIRPORT By train: - Direct train to Antwerp Central Station - Train every 30 minutes - Trip takes 34 minutes Must do… By bus: DIAMOND COCKTAIL Who will win the diamond? - Airport Express to Antwerp - One bus per hour Treat your delegates to a diamond cocktail and one - Trip takes 45 minutes of them will take home a real diamond! Everyone gets FROM ANTWERP AIRPORT a gemstone in their glass, but only one of them is the (daily flights from London City Airport) real thing. Guaranteed to thrill, this special treat can be By bus: organised at either a historic or a trendy venue: - Bus 14 to Antwerp Central Station you choose! - Trip takes 15 minutes CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY – BEHIND THE SCENES BY HIGH SPEED TRAIN TO ANTWERP CENTRAL STATION FROM PARIS NORD & PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE: In the heart of the historic centre stands the Cathedral of In 2h (Thalys) Our Lady, the highest Gothic Building in the Low Countries. FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: Usually open to the public, the cathedral can be booked In 1h10 (Thalys) FROM SCHIPHOL AIRPORT: for exclusive events for meeting and incentive guests. Why In 1h (Thalys) not come for a behind-the-scenes tour and enjoy a private FROM LONDON ST PANCRAS: organ concert in this majestic building? In 2h20 (Eurostar) - change at Brussels Midi Station FROM KÖLN HBF: In 2h30 (Thalys or ICE) - change at Brussels Midi Station 12 FLANDERS MEETING CITIES ANTWERP 13 LET’S MEET IN ANTWERP LARGEST CAPACITY Auditorium: 2000 pax Stadsschouwburg Seminar style: 4000 pax Hangar 29 ‘The descent from the cross’ by Rubens Theatre style: 5000 pax Hangar 29 or Antwerp Expo © Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres Reception: 13.300 pax Antwerp Expo Discovering Rubens Banquet: 8400 pax Antwerp Expo Exhibition Space: 16.548 m2, largest hall: 6000 m2 Antwerp Expo Must see… LARGEST CONVENTION CENTRE Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp HET EILANDJE This hip and trendy neighbourhood by the will open end of 2016! docklands is home to the MAS Museum and the Red Star Location: Line Museum.