TRAVEL STORIES

WOW: That was our MICE LADIES Hosted Buyer experience at IMEX in Frankfurt

Monday, May 13th – Wednesday, May 15th, 2024

Through networking, education, workshops with a lot of fun and depth of content, we connected for our common higher goals and got to know visionaries, pioneers, impact innovators and their stories. And at the same time we also received valuable impulses for personal development – ​​key point: purpose!

YOUNG STARS: This new MICE Impact initiative for young talent in the industry was launched with great success as part of the Impact ACADEMY – and some of our MICE ladies were there as young planners! In the “Young Stars Dialogue”, the young planners discussed with senior planners their needs and wishes for the global meetings industry and how diversity can be lived together in cross-generational teams.

There were exciting insights, helpful expert tips and lots of inspiration on SDGs, circular economy, certifications and sustainable destinations – all tailored to the operational and strategic requirements of MICE planners.

Our highlights this year:

The MICE Impact ACADEMY on Monday, May 13th – the day before IMEX – in the memox.world Taunusanlage, the event’s location partner. The format convinced with a co-creative, inspiring and energetic program. Deep-dive workshops on the topics “IDGs – Inner Development Goals”, “positive images of the future”, “LEGO® Serious Play® – let’s create Impact” and the “SDGS – Sustainable Development Goals” offered in-depth insights and gave a lot valuable knowledge and new perspectives for your own job.

The MICE Impact LOUNGE

The MICE Impact LOUNGE celebrated a brilliant start to the IMEX week on Monday evening, where social impact was one of the main topics. As the event’s location partner, the Scandic Hotel Museumsufer offered a modern and equally sustainable ambience, and the evening’s culinary accompaniment with a meat-free buffet and finger food impressively demonstrated how delicious, healthy and varied sustainable catering can be. The young, committed team from Kreuter Eventtechnik delivered a highly professional event technology concept with a lot of joy in what they did.

Surfing legend Brian Talma, two-time Olympian in windsurfing, Master of the Ocean winner and founder of Global Organic Beach Culture spoke openly in his keynote about authenticity and a positive mindset and Stefan Hippler, HOPE Cape Town Trust impressively showed how our industry can build new bridges and can learn from and with each other

The subsequent impact rally aimed to connect the buying and selling sides through impact pitches instead of sales pitches. So instead of pure sales pitches, the discussions had to focus on the topics of sustainability and impact design. The idea: to connect planners and suppliers through impact content and to impart specialist knowledge on how they can score points with sustainable arguments when advising their customers and thus bring more sustainability to their events.

The Impact ZONE at IMEX – a new modular area in Hall 9 on the topic of impact, which was very well attended throughout. The approach of this new impact format received a lot of positive feedback: the stakeholders of the meeting industry – planners, suppliers, partners and media as well as selected impact-based initiatives and start-ups – through co-creative workshops, panels and stakeholder dialogues and a creative Workshop and lecture program on all three days of the trade fair to bring the big topic of impact into dialogue in all its facets

Two impact panels moderated by our MICE Ladies founder Tanja Knecht enabled valuable stakeholder dialogues with planners, suppliers and impact creators and were both filled to capacity.

In the Impact Creators Panel on Tuesday, May 14th, Tanja Knecht Corsin Parolini, CEO of the Alpin Convention agency, Fabian Höffner, founder of Trash Galore and Susanne von Ciriacy-Laumann, sustainability manager of the marbet agency, discussed where we stand in terms of sustainability and what we can – and must – achieve in our industry. Using practical examples, our speakers illustrated how impact can be actively shaped. In dialogue with Stefan Hippler, Founder HOPE Capetown Trust, we looked beyond the global business event industry to discuss new possibilities for impact design.

The Impact Destinations Panel on Wednesday, May 15th asked destinations and suppliers to discuss their impact and sustainability strategies and projects. Tanja Knecht Ibo Degirmenci, Dales Director DACH Center Parcs, Virginie de Fischer, Executive Director, Business Events Destination Canada and Bettina Reventlow-Mourier, Deputy Convention Director, Wonderful Copenhagen discussed opportunities but also challenges in an open dialogue and gave concrete practical advice Insights into your impact and sustainability strategies and projects.

Impressively presented by Dr. Michaela Hölz ​​with her impact keynote “COURAGEOUSLY moving forward in the event world: IDGs as a procedural guide” which five dimensions and 23 skills will shape the MICE industry in the future.

Another highlight was the exclusive Singapore Impact NIGHT on Tuesday of the IMEX week, powered by Singapore Tourism Board / Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau on the occasion of the 50th anniversary in the cool Chez Marie in the Taunusanlage, where we welcomed all 35 exhibitors from the Singapore stand were able to get to know the IMEX and chat over delicious cocktails from the bartender from Singapore and fine Asian vegetarian finger food and then had a wonderful evening with the finest DJ lounge music.

In the panel moderated by Tanja Knecht, Dr. Edward Koch Executive Director Singapore Tourism Board presented the destination’s sustainability strategy and Maria Criscuolo Charirwoman & Founder Triumph Group International based on best practices on how sustainable events can be designed in Singapore. Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group and Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group as well as Sheriff Karamat, President & CEO PCMA were guests of honor.

Our exclusive Monaco breakfast on the Tuesday before the trade fair visit, powered by Monaco Convention Board / Visit Monaco, gave us the latest information and insights into the sustainability strategy of the fascinating MICE destination Monaco and we were able to get brief introductions to selected partners – hotels, DMCs and locations – over a delicious breakfast – and get to know their sustainability activities at the Scandic Hotel Museumsufer.

Thanks to all participants, partners and sponsors for the super positive feedback – we are already looking forward to next year!

Save-the-Date:
May 19 to 21, 2025 – MICE Impact Experience
Registration opens in December 2024

This trip was all about sustainability! The basic idea was to let the participants experience a sustainable journey with all their senses that broadens their perspectives, encourages them to plan sustainable events, inspires them with very specific ideas and at the same time is a lot of fun!

To make this experience even more valuable, we have officially certified our trip according to the Austrian eco-label “Green Meetings” and aligned the whole trip along the entire value chain with sustainability aspects.

In addition to the many sustainable program ideas on our trip, our Sustainability Talk on the first day was one of the central elements of the trip.

In the inspiring ambience on the roof terrace bar of the VAYA Kühtai designed as a stakeholder dialogue and moderated by our MICE Ladies founder Tanja Knecht, the talk promoted the exchange between the buying side and the supplier side. On the provider side, these were Christine Keth, Managing Director of the Innsbruck Convention Bureau, Lukas Reich, Regional Manager Kühtai-Sellraintal at the Innsbruck Tourism Association and its holiday villages and Theresa Geißel, Sustainability Officer for Innsbruck Tourism. The buyer side was represented in a diverse manner by our MICE Ladies participants – with planners from agencies, companies and top freelancers. Our stakeholder dialogue built this important bridge between our planners and the provider side – destination, convention bureau, locations and hotel industry.

We openly discussed requirements, wishes and needs on both sides and also identified “pain points” – because only together and in a new quality of the buyer-supplier relationship can we overcome our major shared challenges. Courage for sustainability was a central topic in the dialogue and we also discussed, among other things, how planners can develop and move from the role of service provider to the role of advisor to the customer!

Our program can be broadcast 1:1 for small groups or team building – the Innsbruck Convention team is happy to support you!

Day 1

We started at Innsbruck main station, where we met directly in the station hall and picked up the ladies immediately after they arrived on the train. A wonderful city tour through pre-Christmas Innsbruck got us in the mood for the coming days. The alpine-urban city in the heart of the Alps combines culture and nature, ups and downs, tradition and trends like no other region – coexisting here combines extreme opposites in a charming way with a lot of warmth.

After our informative and fun city tour, we went to the traditional Christmas market on the Golden Roof where we really got in the mood for the coming days with a cup of steaming mulled wine and got to know each other – deliciously culinary accompanied by delicious Kiachl with cabbage or for those who love sweet treats cranberries.

We had a lot of fun on our ride on the public post bus through the dreamy winter landscape along a mountain road through the Sellraintal up to over 2,000 meters in altitude into the snow-covered Kühtai. We had already announced this as a sustainability element in advance and everyone was really looking forward to the experience! Because: it doesn’t always have to be the exclusive bus shuttle!

Kühtai, the highest winter sports resort in Austria (away from the glaciers) – that is pure mountain air, fantastic nature and a fantastic Alpine panorama as a backdrop for unforgettable experiences. The VAYA Kühtai, located directly on the slope with its modern alpine architecture, beautiful rooms and a spectacular wellness area, opened its doors as the host of our trip. Our exciting first day ended with Tyrolean delicacies, good wine and lots of fun!

Day 2

Slow Travel was also our motto at breakfast and each participant was free to sleep in or enjoy the delicious and healthy VAYA breakfast at the MICE Ladies table.

First highlight: our Sustainability Talk. After our extensive breakfast, our day started with the topics of sustainability and gentle tourism in the meeting industry. Tanja, Christine Keth, Managing Director of the Convention Bureau Innsbruck and Theresa Geißel, Sustainability Officer at Innsbruck Tourism, addressed current topics in an open discussion and encouraged dialogue in which various experiences on the topic of green meetings and green events were exchanged.

Then we went into the snow – wrapped up warm and weatherproof for fun, sustainable and unforgettable winter experiences, our group set off into the winter wonderland! We worked up a sweat on the snowshoe climb and some of the participants reached their physical limits. One or two times it was also heard: “From now on I’ll do more sport again!”

Snowshoeing as a sustainable alternative to skiing is great fun and a sustainable nature experience – especially when it has just snowed, like we did! We immersed ourselves deeply in the wintry environment and trudged through the fresh, untracked deep snow with our snowshoes. In single file, expertly and safely guided by our personal guide, we climbed higher and higher up the mountain, along the natural toboggan run.

Next item on the program: our cozy Tyrolean lunch in the Graf Ferdinand House at 2,150 meters with a wonderful view over Kühtai to the Ötztal Alps. And then lunch! Spinach or cheese dumplings or would you prefer Kasspatzn? And for dessert, a freshly made Kaiserschmarrn! Everything was incredibly delicious! And at the same time, we deepened the discussion session from the morning in stimulating conversations. The conversations developed as if by themselves: informative, inspiring and funny at the same time and ranged from sustainable program ideas to exciting new work models, the compatibility of work and family to the right work-life balance – enriching!

After lunch, the snowshoes were quickly swapped for tobogganing and we headed back downhill into the valley amidst great laughter and snow flurries. Like the top athletes the next day, the MICE ladies rushed down into the valley on the old natural toboggan run – wearing helmets, of course. It worked quicker for some, a little more calmly for others, but back in the valley everyone agreed: “That was great fun!”

Slow Travel: Zeit für VAYA Kühtai – Zeit für Wellness!

In the late afternoon we walked to the historic Habsburg hunting lodge, located directly in town – an architecturally unique historic hotel at 2,020 meters above sea level, which was certified this year with the Austrian Ecolabel in the Green Hotel area. Whether for pleasure and tradition lovers, architecture fans or sports enthusiasts – the Jagdschloss Resort Kühtai is a place of longing and a favorite place in the middle of the Tyrolean Alps known for its imperial history.

As early as 1497, Emperor Maximilian I leased what was then Kuhalm and used the region as an exclusive hunting ground. And of course Empress Sissi and her Emperor Franz were also frequent guests at the hunting lodge! The host Vinzenz Triendl personally welcomed us to the cozy fireplace with mulled wine and chestnuts and reported on historical, exciting – and unknown – events in and around the castle. Of course we visit the historic wine cellar with a delicious tasting of fine wines, the legendary and beautifully restored bar as well as the original Sissi room!

In the beautiful Prince’s Room, we had a delicious, multi-course, old-Austrian meal with fine wine accompaniment in historical footsteps and looked back on the exciting days – a wonderfully fun evening with deep conversations at the same time! With full stomachs and warm hearts, we hiked through Kühtai up to our accommodation, the VAYA Hotel – an exciting contrast to the historic castle feeling!

Day 3

A premiere took place this year, as a World Cup race was held for the first time on December 16th and 17th on the new natural toboggan run in Kühtai. The world’s best athletes gathered here to get the coveted first points in the overall World Cup. On the last day of our trip, the professional athletes’ training runs took place, which we were able to witness live. We stood right on the track where the tobogganers whizzed past us – what an impressive performance and a unique sporting experience! To be there live!

After breakfast we walked to the finish line, where we attended the national training for men and women – exciting and thrilling! And of course we got to know some athletes who told us about their exciting sport.

Afterwards it was time to say goodbye and the participants set off on their journey home to all regions of Germany and Switzerland. The warm farewell of the ladies showed that we have created a very special connection through our meaningful program and the warm and in-depth exchange on sustainable events, the transformation of our industry, the new way of working together and through many exciting, educational and fun program items – and that We’re already looking forward to seeing you again!

Contact person for these – and other – MICE experiences:

https://www.innsbruck.info/convention

Pow(d)erfrauen on Tour:
Snow & Sustainability auf 2.000 m
von Innsbruck bis Kühtai

WOW – das war die Teilnahme bei der ersten MICE Impact Academy, die wir im Rahmen der IMEX Frankfurt besucht haben! Wie schön, dass mit 30 MICE-Ladies so viele von Euch in unseren zwei exklusiven Hosted Buyer Gruppen dabei waren!

Die Resonanz auf das neue MICE Impact Academy Format, das von unserer „Schwester-Community“ MICE Impact organisiert wurde, ist einfach überwältigend – und mit insgesamt 60 exklusiv teilnehmenden Hosted Buyers, spannenden Destinationspartnern und Workshop-Coaches konnten wir die Idee, unsere MICE Branche hin zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit, Miteinander, Sinnhaftigkeit und Qualität zu entwickeln einen entscheidenden Schritt weiter bringen.

Los ging es am Montag Nachmittag, den 22. Mai in den coolen memox.world Studios in der Taunusanlage mit spannenden Impact Präsentationen unserer Destinationspartner Innsbruck Convention Bureau, Switzerland Convention and Incentives Bureau und the Hague & Partners, gefolgt von drei einstündigen Workshops, die unsere Teilnehmer tief in verschiedene Facetten der Nachhaltigkeit mitnahmen. Die Session „find your inner Purpose“ nahm mit auf eine innere Reise hin zu den eigenen Wünschen und Träumen, während der Workshop „SDGs und ihre Anwendung in der Business Events Branche“ einen umfassenden Einblick in die Sustainable Development Goals gab und die Session „Circular Economy“ die Hintergründe und Zusammenhänge der Kreislaufwirtschaft und ihren hohen Stellenwert in unserer Branche vermittelte.

Am Abend wartete die MICE Impact Lounge – die große Abendveranstaltung der MICE Impact Academy im Greem-Glam-Style – mit einem Mitmach- und Erlebnis-Programm im neuen Scandic Hafenpark Hotel auf. Die Hosted Buyer erlebten, erschmeckten und errochen dabei die verschiedenen Partnerdestinationen Bayern Tourismus Marketing, Österreich Werbung, Visit Qatar, das ASA MICE Chapter für das südliche und östliche Afrika sowie Scandic Hotels im Rahmen der MICE Impact Rallye mit allen Sinnen und lernten so deren Ideen für eine nachhaltige Programmplanung kennen.

Strategische Klammer des Ganzen: Nachhaltigkeit darf und soll Spaß machen! Dem Ideenreichtum waren dabei keine Grenzen gesetzt – so übersetzte das Team von Bayern Tourismus Marketing beispielsweise das Thema Nachhaltigkeit in eine Verkostung von biologisch produziertem Essig, wobei die verschiedenen Essigsorten für die unterschiedlichen partizipierenden Regionen und MICE-Supplier standen, während Österreich Werbung auf spielerische Art und Weise Bundesländer erraten ließ und diesen jeweils nachhaltige Event-Ideen zuordnete. Die Business Events Destination Qatar präsentierte die Angebotsvielfalt im eigenen Land in kulturell und kulinarisch geprägtem Ambiente, das zum Mitmachen einlud, wohingegen das ASA MICE Chapter mit naturgewaltigen Einblicken und emotionalen Erlebnissen im südlichen und östlichen Afrika aufwartete.

Das komplett fleischlos gehaltene und eindrucksvoll durch das Team des Scandic Frankfurt Hafenpark Hotel inszenierte Buffet der MICE Impact Lounge zeigte, wie vielseitig und deliziös ein vegetarisches F&B Konzept aussehen und schmecken kann, bei dem noch dazu eine große Menge an CO2-Emissionen eingespart wird.

„Ich freue mich von ganzem Herzen über die vielen begeisterten Rückmeldungen zu unserer ersten MICE Impact Academy und den einzelnen Formaten. Nur gemeinsam können wir Antworten auf unsere große Gemeinschaftsaufgabe finden: nachhaltiger in der ökologischen, sozialen und wirtschaftlichen Dimension zu werden.

Aus- und Weiterbildung sind der Schlüssel zur Veränderung und Großes kann entstehen, wenn wir kooperieren und mit- und voneinander lernen. Besonders schön ist, dass wir mit unserem neuen Format auch den Branchennachwuchs erreichen konnten – so hatten wir auch einige BerufseinsteigerInnen dabei, denen wir neben vielen Kontakten auch wertvolles Wissen für die operative Eventplanung mitgeben konnten!“ erklärt die Organisatorin der MICE Impact Academy und Gründerin der MICE Ladies Travel Tribe Tanja Knecht.

Auf der IMEX selbst gab es drei Impact Academy Sessions, die alle bis auf den letzten Platz besetzt waren, was die Brisanz der behandelten Themen unterstreicht. Die Keynote „Building a better world - how to create true impact as an industry“ von Zukunftsforscher Andreas Reiter fokussierte die Transformation und das neue Miteinander auf dem Weg in eine nachhaltige, gemeinschaftliche Zukunft. Das „Impact Creators Panel“ brachte Nachhaltigkeitsberater und Meinungsbildner der Business Events Branche mit Social Entrepreneurs zusammen und diskutierte Anknüpfungspunkte und wesentliche Herausforderungen, während das „Impact Destinations Panel“ MICE-Destinationen zum Dialog und den offenen und ehrlichen Austausch bat. Moderiert wurden beide Panels durch Tanja Knecht, Gründerin der MICE Impact Academy.

Abgerundet wurde das Programm mit einer Abend-Dialogveranstaltung auf exklusive Einladung von Meet Südtirol, bei der innovative MICE-Formate wie Bleisure Events und Corporate Retreats sowie nachhaltige, naturintensive Erlebnisse für Business Events in der Destination Südtirol auf sehr persönliche und authentische Art und Weise mit Partnerbetrieben diskutiert wurden.

Die vielen positiven Teilnehmerstimmen bestätigen die Grundidee des Formats, Menschen der Meetingbranche über einen tieferen Sinn und gemeinsame Erlebnisse für die höheren Ziele zu verbinden.

Lest hier eine Auswahl der begeisterten Rückmeldungen:

Ein dickes, fettes und aus tiefstem Herzen stammendes Dankeschön für euer Engagement, Netzwerken und Möglichmachen!

Mein erster Besuch der IMEX war ein voller Erfolg für mich persönlich. Im Rahmen des Hosted Buyer Programms wurde mein inneres Pflänzchen rund um die Awareness & Engagement für People, Planet, Purpose mit Super-Biodünger zum Wachsen gebracht.

Das liebevolle Detailprogramm, die sorgfältig ausgewählten Partner und eine wunderbar sympathische Rundum-Teilnehmerbetreuung davor und onsite haben einen echten Mehrwert und nachhaltigen Eindruck für mich hinterlassen. Ich danke Euch für das nächtelange Vorbereiten, die grandiose Netzwerkarbeit und das Öffnen neuer Türen.

Ich freue mich auf ein langanhaltendes weiteres Miteinander und Füreinander.

Chapeau Ladies!

Eure Reni

What a match!

Die diesjährige IMEX war für mich ein echter Augenöffner um zu begreifen, wie die gesamte MICE- und Veranstaltungsbrache gerade im Umbruch ist. Viele Destinationen mit Impact durfte ich in den letzten drei Tagen kennenlernen – Südtirol, Innsbruck, Den Haag, Bayern, Schwarzwald uvm. sind bereits nach Nachhaltigkeitsstandards zertifiziert und bestens geeignet für sinnstiftende Veranstaltungen.

Mein Dank Dir liebe Tanja Knecht, IMEX Brand Ambassador und Initatorin der MICE Impact Akademie, einem neuen Format für eine großartige und lebenslange Lernreise. Danke an alle Teilnehmer – it was a great pleasure!

Ulrike

ein ganz großes Dankeschön an Euch, die IMEX mal aus einem anderen Blickwinkel zu begehen. Dank Euren inspirierenden Keynote-Speakern und Panels hatte ich erstmalig ganz andere Termine in meiner Agenda als sonst üblich. Ihr habt ein sehr vielfältiges Programm für uns zusammengestellt und dafür möchte ich mich herzlich bei Euch bedanken. Besonders in Erinnerung bleiben wird mir der liebevoll gestaltete Südtirol-Abend – nach einem langen Messetag war das pure Entschleunigung mit guten Gesprächen und neuen Inspirationen für eine wunderbare Destination.

Eure MICE Academy als Einstieg in die IMEX-Tage war ein guter Auftakt in ein Thema, was uns alle die nächsten Jahre massiv begleiten wird. Gerne hätte ich alle Workshops mitgemacht, umso dankbarer bin ich, dass ich Trash Galore kennenlernen durfte. Weiter so.

Brigitta

Ich bin noch immer geflasht!

Was für eine Energie auf der MICE Impact Academy und den Bühnen der Impact Panels! Meine Takeaways von der IMEX 2023:

Leidenschaft, Inspiration, Zukunftsdenken und Co-Creation par excellence. Genau so entsteht die Magie innovativer Events und nachhaltiger Impact!

Danke Tanja Knecht, dass du mein Herzensthema so in den Fokus gerückt und mit der MICE Impact Academy und Lounge eine einzigartige Plattform für unterschiedliche Blickwinkel und Stakeholder, innovative Eventformate und ein ganz besonderes WIR-Gefühl geschaffen hast!

Einige meiner nachhaltigen Eindrücke und Takeaways rund um People. Planet. Purpose.

– Authentizität ist der neue Perfektionismus. Transformation entsteht immer zuerst in dir und aus den Unternehmen heraus.

– Hard Selling von Events ist Vergangenheit. Nachhaltiger Impact ist die neue Währung.

Mein Herz quillt über – es war ein genialer Deep Dive!

Danke, Danke, Danke!

Doris

Drei ereignisreiche Tage auf der IMEX und der MICE Impact Academy liegen hinter mir. Meine Lieblingsmomente möchte ich euch nicht vorenthalten:

– Ganz direkt haben wir in zahlreichen Panels und Workshops darüber gesprochen welche Defizite die Eventbranche im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit aufweist und wie wir gemeinsam den Weg Richtung Net Zero bestreiten werden. Anstatt wegzusehen wird gehandelt, an Lösungen gearbeitet und sich gegenseitig unterstützt.

– MICE Family: Als Nachwuchs Eventmanagerin bin ich immer wieder beeindruckt von dem Zusammenhalt der Branche. Auf alte und neue Freunde! Der Austausch vor Ort hat wirklich gut getan.

– Langweilige Business Meetings? Definitiv Fehlanzeige. Durch das exklusive Rahmenprogramm wurden wir zum Frühstück, zum Dinner und bei spielerischen Kick-Offs verwöhnt. Neben einmaligen Locations, Destinationen, Incentives und innovativen Ansätzen für unsere online Formate, habe ich für Companisto viele neue Eindrücke gesammelt. Ich freue mich auf den weiteren Austausch!

Vielen Dank Tanja Knecht für die Einladung als Hosted Buyer, diese Erfahrung ist definitiv eines meiner Highlights in 2023!

Eure Maike

Weitere Informationen:

Auf unserer Website könnt Ihr Euch ansehen, was bei unserer Green-Glam Abendveranstaltung – der MICE Impact Lounge und unserer MICE Impact Academy, unseren Workshops und Panels so los war: www.mice-impact.com/academy & www.mice-impact.com/lounge

WOW – just WOW! Still full of wonderful impressions, moments and encounters, we want to share our experiences with you all. This trip can also be “relived” or booked for smaller groups and incentives! You are welcome to proactively suggest this program to your customers 1:1 – Meet Südtirol will be happy to support you with the detailed planning.

Feel South Tyrol and nature, experience culture:
Team building with a difference

Our South Tyrol adventure “Ski meets Tradition” from December 15th to 18th, 2022 was about showing this wonderful MICE destination from a completely different side: small, fine, traditional and very personal!

Put together with a lot of love and creativity, our program led us to real insider tips and corners of South Tyrol that you don’t normally think of right away. We got to know exciting personalities who introduced us to their South Tyrol – with heart, soul and delicious cuisine.

We also got to know event possibilities for new, innovative small formats that combine experience elements with new work and team building out of the box: ideal for smaller team meetings with an experience and personal development character.

Especially now – in the time of transformation – new event formats that can combine experience with innovation are coming into focus and easily accessible destinations that can offer real experiences in and with nature score!

Day 1 – Thursday Dec, 15th 2022

Our program started on Thursday in Meran. The first stop was the Ausser Schwemmalm in the Ulten Valley – we went up with the gondola and a romantic winter wonderland awaited us at the top! The rustic Alm is a wonderful location for meetings high up on the mountain, combined with South Tyrolean specialties.

After our delicious lunch – our first South Tyrolean culinary delight, which was to be followed by many more – we playfully integrated a coaching session in the snow, conducted by the South Tyrolean psychologist and leadership coach Paul Felix Rigo. Paul has specialized in coaching and personality development in the powerful nature of South Tyrol and inspires with a lot of empathy, sensitivity and energy. This gave each of the participants a personal impulse that had a long-lasting effect and repeatedly provided topics of conversation during our further journey – exactly the anticipated effect, which shows that a reflection and a change of perspective is underway. Can be integrated wonderfully into smaller groups!

These personal development elements can be ideally combined with a supporting program by Illenia Coster, whose DMC – originally specialized in wedding planning – now also offers very personal, natural experiences and incentive programs.

We continued in Ulten, where we got to know real South Tyrolean power women: the female beer makers from Ulten! They experiment with a wide variety of raw materials and recipes on their brewery. In short: Every creative idea is tried! The results are varied: from Fichten-Bock, Käuter-Ale, Elder-Wheat, Whisky-Vanilla-Stout, Hibiskus-Season to the classic Helle and Doppelbock. A perfect and fun start to our travel adventure – and of course we tasted some of the innovative beers!

In beautiful Meran we had time for the breathtaking rooftop wellness area with outdoor pool of the Hotel Therme, our first overnight stop. The view over the Christmas market, the ice rink and the Merano mountains is simply magnificent!

Day 2 – Friday, Dec, 16th 2022

Today we got to know beautiful Meran from the perspective of strong women – it started with our personal city guide, who accompanied us on an educational walk through the city and explained the background and events of the individual buildings and squares with historical, sometimes very emotional stories. The starting point was the Women’s Museum in Meran, which can be ideally integrated into a program.

A culinary highlight was our lunch in the Restaurant Kuppelrain, which has had a Michelin star since 2001 and is a family business that has been run for generations with a lot of passion and attention to detail. Definitely let it be shown: The wine cellar of senior boss Sonya, who received the Michelin Sommelier Award in 2022.

Our afternoon today was dedicated to the topic of transformation and impact! We got to know a really cool new work location that is unique in the region – and beyond: Basis Vinschgau. We were impressed by its developer, CEO and founder Hannes Goetsch, who transformed the former barracks site into a hub of encounters, social and sustainable impact with a lot of vision and energy. This is where research meets New Work, young meets young at heart, old meets new. This is where bridges are built and collaborated – this is how the existing can be transformed and the new created. There are fantastic possibilities for MICE events: from creative meetings out of the box to stimulating conferences or the party of the century with the latest technology in old walls. Amazing!

We spent the evening and night in the delightful Gasthof zum Riesen, which with its eight individual rooms is ideal for a buy-out. Our hostess Alexandra dell’Agnolo looked after us lovingly and very personally and shared with us her story and that of the historic inn, the origins of which date back to 1478! We were spoiled with culinary delights by the farmer’s wife Monika, who explained to us with a big smile what she was serving us. A down-to-earth and impressive South Tyrolean, a cook with heart and soul. There was a delicious South Tyrolean barley soup, followed by a hearty snack with home-baked Venosta bread made from home-grown grain and donuts with home-made jam for dessert. delicious!

Day 3 – Saturday Dec, 17th 2022

After a fine South Tyrolean breakfast, we started early today: our day of skiing in Val Senals! In great anticipation, we rented the latest equipment – skis, boots and poles – from the ski rental at the valley station before heading up to over 3000 meters above sea level – the only glacier ski area in South Tyrol. The two South Tyrolean power ladies and ski instructors Evelyn Gurschler and Angelika Grüner, both former racers, whizzed down the slopes with us. The two have founded their heart project with Alpine Rose Adventures and offer brand new holistic sports, yoga and outdoor experiences.

Perfect skiing conditions and bright sunshine accompanied us – what could be nicer? We were spoiled with culinary delights at lunchtime at the Lazaun Hütte with South Tyrolean delicacies – delicious!

After the day of skiing, Josef Grüner, junior boss of the Schutzhütte Schöne Aussicht refuge, picked us up with his snow cat – great fun, especially since the brave ones were allowed to be pulled along! A lovingly prepared high alpine refuge at 2,845 meters above sea level with beautiful views, run with a lot of passion by Paul Grüner and his son Josef has been offering alpinists shelter, food and a place to sleep in both summer and winter since 1896. An endless summit panorama opens up in the middle of the glacier area. Here you experience the feeling of being without limits! And if you like, you can trudge through the snow into the rustic wooden sauna barrel and the whirlpool with a view of the summit in the afternoon for a wellness experience in a class of its own!

Meetings up here is an absolute insider tip and an unforgettable experience – either the cool igloo is available for this or a newly built modern wooden hut with state-of-the-art facilities and a magnificent view of the mountains.

Josef spoiled us with a rustic 4-course menu and late at night invited us to his new lifestyle drink, which he had invented himself the day before and which he is convinced will be the next hit on one of his legendary Techno and Kaiserschmarrn parties in the igloo: vodka tea bags 😊

Day 4 – Sunday Dec, 18th 2022

A crowning conclusion of our “Ski meets Tradition” trip: our visit to the historic 700-year-old Oberniederhof in Val Senales with a very special atmosphere! With senior boss Johann aka Johnny we were experienced a cheese school, made our own cheese and learned a lot of new things about the different types of cheese. A mindfulness practice and activity that brings grounding and muse. The cheese school is suitable for small groups who want to experience a traditional adventure program close to nature – which can be perfectly combined with outdoor experiences in both summer and winter. In and around the farm you can hold wonderful meetings and celebrate – with regional specialties and a focus on tradition and appreciation for the old stock.

The mountain farmer Petra, originally from Berlin, told us her very personal life and love story over a delicious lunch in the large holiday apartment – centuries old and with the large table also suitable for small, fine meetings – which brought her from lively Berlin to a Val Senales mountain farm. Inspiring and enriching – and a wonderful end to a very special journey.

Thanks to all service providers and Meet Südtirol for these four days full of impressions, nature, impulses, inspiration, encounters, meeting ideas and deep connections! As always, you can incorporate all ideas into your next events and offer them to your customers if innovation formats and fresh ideas are desired. The Meet Südtirol team looks forward to your inquiry!

Contact for these – and other – MICE experiences:

www.suedtirol.info/b2b/de/Mice

Ski meets Tradition in South Tyrol

A wonderful journey lies behind us, which brought us, in the spirit of “Business & Balance”, from lively Zurich to St. Moritz, where we were able to spend wonderful days in the most beautiful sunshine!

Traveling with us: selected corporate and agency planners from the D-A-CH region, who have set out to experience a very special kind of travel adventure together and at the same time get to know a MICE destination from its most beautiful side. Like all of our trips, this 4-day travel experience can also be planned as a team building, incentive or high-end group trip!

It all started on Tuesday, October 4th, 2022 in the stylish Lean Luxury Ruby Mimi Hotel, a lavishly renovated former cinema with a really cool design in a prime central location in Zurich. There we met Romana Six, head of MICE operations for RUBY Hotels, who gave us an exciting update on the expansion of the RUBY hotel brand. The philosophy of the Ruby Hotels suits us perfectly, because every hotel is named after a strong woman of the past or present! The Lean Luxury concept of the hotel chain with antiques and collectibles that have been translated and repurposed into our time is absolutely contemporary and sustainable!

In the evening we got to know Zurich from a very special side during an inspiring “Walking & Dining Tour”. It all started at Bridge where Alina Russ, founder of Lola´s Kitchen – the first vegan, gluten- and sugar-free cake shop in Switzerland – presented her inspiring founding story. We learned from her how she founded her startup in 2017 with zero capital via Instagram – and of course we were also allowed to taste her delicious delicacies.

After a short walk through the old town, we went to the city cheese dairy Stadtkäserei, where we were spoiled with “hearty vegetarian” and the boss, Harry, personally introduced us to the MICE possibilities the city cheese dairy has to offer! And that’s a lot!

The journey is the goal: Next Stop St. Moritz!

Early the next morning we continued: Sustainably à la SWISSTAINABLE we started by train to Chur, where it said: “Change to the legendary Pullman of the Albula line”! From Chur we drove exclusively in the 1st class wagon of the world-famous Albulalinie of the Rhaetian Railway in the 120-year-old Alpine Classic Pullman on the panoramic route to St. Moritz – a UNESCO Heritage trip!

With many WOWs and OOHs, we went through a grandiose and impressive landscape, first through gentle hills and then passages with viaducts and tunnels that became increasingly rocky. The historic train made the journey itself an experience and part of the program, perfectly cared for by the nicest employee of the Rhaetian Railway with champagne and pastries. We used the time to get to know each other in a different way with a team coaching – a wonderful and very personal start!

Immediately after our arrival in St. Moritz we went up to the Corvatsch at 3303 m above sea level. – Top of the world! – where we ate wonderfully: chestnut soup with a hint of whiskey, gersotto with saffron and, for dessert, polenta and lemon cake with a root berry and whiskey garnish. On the trail of whiskey as a leitmotif, we then visited the ORMA Whisky Destillerie: the highest in the world high up on the Engadin mountain plateau. Rinaldo, the founder himself, reported in an emotional and fascinating way how he and a friend made a dream come true: their own whiskey distillery. And of course, a tasting could not be missing – an absolute highlight for groups!

Our home for the next two nights: the idyllically located and beautiful owner-managed 5*Hotel Waldhaus Sils – a traditional hotel legend of the Swiss grand hotel industry, in the middle of the breathtaking nature of the Engadine mountains with a view of Lake Sils! We were personal guests of the owner family, who are the fifth generation to run the house “without airs and graces but with character”.

Values and sustainability are very important in the Waldhaus Sils: the historical “room service” system on the Bel Etage can still be seen in its original condition and in its original location – even if it is no longer functional. Preserving the old and combining it with the new is something that the Waldhaus team solves with bravura and ease. This is how islands of tranquility are created, where you can stop the time in a pleasant way and find yourself and the magnificent nature of the surroundings.

Always at our side: Marketing and Sales Manager Flurina Caviezel, who enriched our stay and played a key role in shaping it. Not only is she an impressive personality and sports ace who grew up on skis and snowboards in and around St. Moritz and then spent many years in Canada before moving back to her homeland, she also creates wonderful travel and event programs with that special something. In addition to a lot of creativity and attention to detail, her extensive knowledge of her homeland and nature, which she was happy to share with us, always flows into this.

Impressive and breathtaking: The SPA and wellness area, which is located in the middle of the mountain and is almost invisible from the outside – except for the large panorama window, which appears to lead directly into the mountain from the outside. The afternoon we had time to enjoy the beautiful Waldhaus SPA! We had our completely vegetarian dinner in the Waldhaus in the Arvenstube – the “Zirbenstube”!

Hiking with goats: leadership challenge accepted!

After a great breakfast á la Waldhaus with a lovingly laid table, we started Thursday with an exciting edu session exclusively for our group: Karin Breitenstein presented us with the MICE opportunities in St. Moritz and the surrounding area.

Then we went to a highlight of our trip: Our hike from St. Moritz to Pontresina with goats. A very special experience – made possible by the Engadine native Nicole Buess from Minigeiss Dinigeiss and her flock of goats! She told us her touching and heartwarming story of how the herd of goats found their new home and “job” with her. An inspiring story because she followed her heart and something wonderful came out of it! Each of our participants got their “own” goat – or rather, their “own billy goat”, which had to be led by the halter. Each of the gentlemen has their very own personality that had to be adjusted to – aha moments guaranteed!

A hike with goats is not only a very fresh idea, but also extremely enriching in terms of content: the animals reflect us humans and thus challenge us to come into our authenticity. A very special experience and wonderfully suited for incentives, team building and smaller groups.

Team coaching in nature!

Another highlight awaited us on the lake circuit: Part 2 of the team coaching, where we introduced each other. A gentle coaching unit where we got to know and connect more deeply as a group. We then went along the Stazersee on a level route to Pontresina to the beautiful Hotel Saratz, where we got to know the congress and conference facilities and where we were strengthened by a delicious cake buffet. The Kongress-Center in Pontresina is equipped with the latest technology – wonderful for larger events for up to 450 people who would like to combine tradition with modernity! That view!

That light! That air! This view!

Just as the journey to St. Moritz itself was an experience, so was the drive to our evening. With the Muottas-Muragl funicular, the oldest mountain railway in Graubünden, which was built for tourist purposes, we traveled a distance of 2201 meters and a 56 percent incline to our next destination at 2456 meters above sea level: the romantic Romantikhotel Muottas Muragl. In 1907, the Muottas-Muragl railway rattled up the scenic mountain, which was already popular at the time.

A wonderful location awaited us at 2,456 meters, ideally suited for smaller groups and incentives. Sustainability is a top priority here: in 2010 the establishment was named the first plus-energy hotel in the Alps. So it produces more energy than it consumes. The clocks run slower on the Muottas Muragl. Active and conscious doing nothing is celebrated on the mountain of pleasure in the Engadin. We were up there in time for the “blue hour” and were allowed to enjoy a sundowner on the terrace. Just wow!

Early Morning-Yoga with Ursina Badilatti

Our wonderful days went by far too quickly! On Friday, the last day, it was said “The early morning catches the worm”. Today we got to know another impressive female personality from the region: Ursina Badilatti, who as a top athlete in the Swiss cross-country skiing national team was a multiple Olympic participant and still holds records in the well-known Engadin women’s run. Ursina then shared with us her inspiring personal story – how she went to Berlin after her professional sports career to “find” herself again and to define herself beyond being an athlete. And how she came back to the Engadin and now with great passion as a yoga teacher, consultant and new mum in the spirit of “still your mind, move your body” combines her heart topics into a big whole.

Adieu, uf Wiederluega und auf Wiedersehen St. Moritz – we will definitely be back!

Contact for these – and other – MICE experiences:

Engadin St. Moritz Tourismus AG
Convention Services
mice@estm.ch
www.engadin.ch

Hotel Waldhaus Sils
Flurina Caviezel
Head of Sales & PR
sales@waldhaus-sils.ch
www.waldhaus-sils.ch

Business & Balance – das St. Moritz Experience der MICE Ladies

A wonderful destination experience, personal encounters and soul experiences!

In keeping with the MICE Ladies philosophy “Connecting people through unforgettable and deep experiences in WOW destinations”, the last MICE Ladies Trip of the year took place from December 16th to 19th, 2021: SKI, SNOW & MORE South Tyrol!

A small, fine group of great women – planners of events in MICE agencies, agency owners and independent consultants – accepted the personal invitation of IDM Südtirol, the location and tourism agency of South Tyrol, to this inspirational and strengthening trip to beautiful South Tyrol.

And what a precious, inspiring, profound and unforgettable journey that was!!! It came at just the right time at the end of a challenging second COVID-19 year, which brought many new question marks and renewed uncertainties towards the end. Challenges and renewed existential fears on a personal and professional level after we thought the worst was behind us and the industry slowly and carefully breathed a sigh of relief: “When can we finally plan and hold events reliably again?”, “Can my employer do it through it – do I keep my job?” and for the mothers among us also “homeschooling again? – Beware!”

Lots of questions, lots of changes, especially for our industry, which thrives on bringing people together and connecting them. And not only but especially for women, who make up a large part of our industry – especially for mothers with the double challenge of “homeschooling and work” but also for freelancers in particular due to the uncertain future – the last two years have been a crucial test, which often went to the emotional and physical limits.

We met this situation with a very special program: with a finely orchestrated mixture of deep personal encounters with yourself and other strong women and at the same time lots of fun and nature experiences in magical South Tyrol. Because right now it is so important to connect, to give each other support, to encourage each other, to exchange experiences and to strengthen each other – professional and private topics were mixed to “just be human” and that is good and right!

The MICE Ladies Community connects wonderful women who, through the very special trips they take together, not only get to know fantastic destinations and their opportunities for events and incentives, but can also take impulses for their personal development with them, according to the motto: “Personality first, business will follow!”

Sabine Huth, MICE freelancer: “Dear MICE ladies – I can only say a big thank you for these incredible and unforgettable moments and encounters with all these wonderful women. For me it was a very special time with special moments and deep conversations. The destination South Tyrol showed itself in all its splendor and we were able to get to know it from a very special side. I took a lot of energy and strength with me – THANK YOU!”

The fabulous lunch with accompanying wines in the Vinothek Vitis in Brixen provided a wonderful start to this weekend, followed by an exciting workshop with Ursula Pichler from the newly founded DMC Lafain, in which the participants shared their valuable experiences and the changing requirements for an incentive -Destination were allowed to share. The first day came to an emotional and impressive conclusion with a visit to the impressive open-air light musical open-air light musical.

First there were the two half-days of skiing, one in Gröden with a VIP visit to the FIS Ski World Cup Val Gardena Gröden on the world-famous Saslong ski slope and one in Alta Badia – a more beautiful alpine backdrop is hard to imagine. Together with our destination ambassador Alia Radetti, former Italian champion in freeriding, founder of DMC Dream Beyond and an absolute bundle of energy, we literally flew down the slopes – after all, all participants of this trip were very good skiers. The magic of the slopes was rounded off and interrupted several times in the most positive sense by South Tyrolean culinary highlights. Because if you think that the obligatory Kaiserschmarren or pea soup is the norm in the ski hut, you will be taught a better lesson in South Tyrol: South Tyrolean culinary experiences take place high on the mountain just as much as in the valley – ours was a 5-course lunch menu with accompanying beer tasting in the famous family-run ski hut Saslonch Skihütte on the first day of skiing in Saslong and a multi-course lunchtime treat in the legendaryt Piz Arlara mountain restaurant on the second day of skiing in Alta Badia. The evening of our ski day in Alta Badia started with a small surprise buffet with mulled wine and a romantic fire bowl in the deep snow conjured up by Dream Beyond, before we went up the mountain in the full moon to the famous Club Morizinho on the Sellaronda, in which we were spoiled with a 4-course dinner. We went down with a snow groomer – an unforgettable experience!

The ladies particularly liked our two beautiful hotels La Majun in La Villa and the Hotel Fischer in Cleran, both very personally run family businesses, whose history we can smell from the owners.

One of the highlights of the trip – and at the same time certainly the strongest personal impulse for development and healing was the group meditation with Kornelia Schwitzer, founder of Silberquarzit High Efficient Soul Experience, who carried out a deep experience and a guided meditation on a soul level with our group, where the participants came into contact with themselves, with their deepest fears and paths of healing.

Finally, the ladies were allowed to practice their shooting skills in the Biathlon Zentrum Antholz, whose meeting rooms we were personally shown by the General Secretary Erika Pallhuber from the OC Committee, before we ended our dreamlike and eventful weekend in the impressive Huberalm.

Janine Leonberger, Director Operations Marbet GmbH: “I am full of energy as I look back on an unforgettable MICE Ladies Trip. It was a pleasure to meet such wonderful women. Thank you for four power days in your company and for the trusting, profound, open and honest discussions. What was special for me was being able to experience the South Tyrolean warmth with all my senses. The team and the women on site made this trip a unique experience!”

“Our deepest wish is that our participants go home inspired, strengthened, elated and full of new ideas from our emotional experiences and encounters and have made many new contacts that have helped them personally and professionally. And we succeeded, together with our wonderful partners in South Tyrol. I’m sure that the MICE Ladies will be able to wholeheartedly recommend and sell South Tyrol as a destination for their next plans!” says Tanja Knecht, founder of the MICE Ladies.

Adventure and valuable encounters in a wonderful MICE destination.

The Innsbruck Convention Bureau – together with the Convention Bureau Tirol – hosted the MICE Ladies SHEROES Trip, which took place from October 22nd to 24th, 2021 in Innsbruck and the surrounding area.

We laid our heads in the stylish city hotel Das Innsbruck right in the center – the 4* hotel, where the heart of the city beats, combines alpine charm with stylish design. The hotel is located exactly where the history of Innsbruck began – at the Inn Bridge, which gave the city its name – and is built on the foundations of the former city walls. This charming boutique hotel with alpine flair and a spacious wellness area, which the MICE ladies were able to enjoy extensively, is ideal for “boutique conventions” and small groups.

Initiator Christine Stelzer, Managing Director of the Innsbruck Convention Bureau, explains: “For me, the power of the Innsbruck mountains is the same as the power of the MICE ladies. The exchange with these powerful women was very enriching and motivating with regard to the future of the MICE business. I hope that we were able to inspire lasting enthusiasm with the offer of Destination Innsbruck!”

“We were incredibly honored to welcome the MICE Ladies in Tyrol – networking is everything and we were very happy to bring these strong women closer to all facets of Tyrol!” adds Veronika Schumann, Team Lead Convention Bureau Tyrol about her experience the MICE ladies.

The program started in the spirit of lively learning formats with the “SHEROES City Day”, which made the city of Innsbruck tangible from the perspective of historical and contemporary women, including culinary delights in the traditional family business Café Munding run by strong women. The evening awaited with a culinary highlight in the elite Restaurant Sitzwohl in a former school building. The restaurant, successfully run by two strong women, is one of the top gourmet addresses in Innsbruck – while enjoying the exclusive tasting menu, we were personally greeted by the boss Irmgard Sitzwohl and were able to learn her personal story.

The second day was all under the motto “SHEROES Action Day”, on which the ladies not only had a lot of fun driving excavators and squirrels in a team outdoor challenge in the Offroad Arena Axams, but also playfully tested their male and female skills could try and use. The day was accompanied by a strong female personality from Innsbruck, the former snowboard world champion Snowboardweltmeisterin Heidi Neururer, who shared her very personal story and how she deals with crises and conveyed the strong power of nature to the group through meditation in the forest. We ended the evening in one of the traditional, family-run Hotel Sailer in one of the ancient, cozy rooms.

The concluding “SHEROES Science Day” started with a personal tour through the world-famous Swarovski Crystal Worlds and culminated in the highlight of this third day: the keynote speech by an impressive female physicist: Dr. Steinmüller-Nethl, Gründerin der CarbonCompetence GmbH, in the Werkstätten Wattens – creative and Co-Working area in the former Swarowski factory – which the women enthusiastically received.

Abgerundet wurde der Tag bei einem köstlichen Tiroler-Thailändischen Lunch der Tirolerin Carollne Hanisch, die mit ihrem Event-Catering Unternehmen thailicious Moments ihre Leidenschaft zum Beruf gemacht hat und mit ihrer Mutter Tuk hochwertige Menues frisch vor den Augen der Gäste zubereitet.

The day was rounded off with a delicious Tyrolean-Thai lunch by the Tyrolean Caroline Hanisch, who has turned her passion into a profession with her event catering company thailicious Moments and who, together with her mother Tuk, prepares high-quality menus fresh in front of the guests.

“Thank you very much for this lastingly inspiring and impressive weekend in Innsbruck. Variety and motivation in every respect, strong stories by strong women for strong women in front of an exciting backdrop – where urbanity meets nature and people connect, new ideas are allowed!” Gabriele Preisinger, Head of New Business at the agency We are Family, sums up her impressions of the MICE Ladies SHEROES trip in Innsbruck.

The basic idea of the MICE Ladies is to personally network and strengthen women in the meetings industry through meaningful and inspiring experiences and at the same time to enrich their destination knowledge in special cities, regions and locations. In dialogue and workshop formats and in personal contact with strong women from the guest destination, the participants learn enriching stories and can exchange ideas personally – on very practical topics such as the compatibility of work and family, especially in the meetings industry, but also about that deep themes like resilience in times of crisis and believing in yourself.

The special thing about the concept: Strong female personalities from the guest destinations show the MICE ladies their homeland and thus provide inspiring new perspectives and a completely new approach to the destination. Shared experiences with the destination ambassadors in and with nature have a lasting effect: on an emotional, cognitive and physical level.

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