Conference Matters 141

Smart Cities | Startup Ecosystems | Digital Excellence

VOLUME 33

ISSUE 141

SUMMER 2023

AMSTERDAM

ROTTERDAM

UTRECHT

THE HAGUE

AMSTER ROTTER POSTILLION HOTELS POSTILLION HOTELS

DAM

DAM

>3200m² meetingspace

32 meeting rooms

252 hotel rooms

>4000m² meetingspace

29 meeting rooms

168 hotel rooms

Plenary 1200 pers.

Plenary 1200 pers.

DESIGNED FOR LIVE We as people are made for live. We need to meet. Together we come up with the biggest ideas. That’s why Postillion Hotels & Convention Centers are designed for live. Europe’s first Event Design Lab SM The bar for live conventions keeps rising. Hardly surprising, with all the online communication tools we have available. We only come together to really make an impact. And that’s exactly why you simply cannot “just go live” anymore. At Postillion you’ll find Europe’s first Event Design Lab. This is where you design your event through the Event Canvas™ methodology. This way you get a better grip on the value of your event and you can measure success through behavior change. After designing an awe-inspiring event, we facilitate your entire live convention. We are ready to amaze you with Hospitality with a capital H. The Dutch convention benchmark You can meet in Postillion Hotels & Convention Centers in all major Dutch cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. We are the benchmark for multi-day, international conventions of 600 to 1,000 people. With pretty desirable hotel rooms on site. We create bubbles where your guests can fully immerse themselves. And establish real connections.

THE POSTILLION HOTELS HAGUE

UTRECHT BUNNIK POSTILLION HOTELS

So you can fully experience the power of live .

>4000m² meetingspace

30 meeting rooms

198 hotel rooms

>3200m² meetingspace

30 meeting rooms

79 hotel rooms

Plenary 1400 pers.

Plenary 1200 pers.

POSTILLION HOTELS

postillionhotels.com

FROM Q1 2024

CONTENTS

56

46

14 How does the new generation mix and match with the old guard? 36 The concept of experience as an important precondition 42 7 Editor's Note 35 Column Roberto Payer 66 Column Sven Bossu (AIPC) 68 Tips&Tricks: Budgeting 72 Meeting News Sustainability high on the list of priorities

Futureproof Peter Portheine, Director EIPO 'Smart cities doesn't mean that you have a city full of technology. Maybe it's actually the opposite'

Technology Niels Janssen, founder FX Agency 'Small snacks at different times instead of throwing everything at a wall for an hour'

8

62 70

Food Jonneke de Zeeuw, Ms Mooncake

Postillion Expertpanel The Netherlands must continue to invest in digital infrastructure 'We will have a competitive advantage over other destinations that lack comparable options'

Corporate governance ESG is here Not having a ESG policy is the recipe to eventually lose your client

'White Dutch people should feel as at home eating Surinamese pom as they do eating hutspot'

50

Lobbying Milos Labovic, author EU Superlobby 'You can't make it in Brussels without knowledge'

22

Speaker Isabel Verstraete 'Keeping things closed internally and externally and not wanting to share is old school because you need others to survive'

16

Industry Sports

conferences 'Considering the number of inhabitants and performances, the Netherlands is a real top-class sports country'

Colofon Conference Matters

26

Knowledge Startup ecosystems

Summer 2023, volume 33, issue 141 Circulation: 5.000 copies

Publisher:

Marcel den Hoed

Translation:

Natasha Cloutier (Oh La La)

Design: Zynchrone Studio Cover images: canva.com, shutterstock, et al Advertising: sales@zynchrone.com Subscriptions: +31 (0)20 567 38 08

Editor in Chief:

Edwin Nunnink

Publisher:

Zynchrone Media Kuiperbergweg 50, 1101 AG Amsterdam Zuidoost +31 (0)20 567 38 08

Sales:

Marcel den Hoed, Ajo van Vulpen

conferencematters@zynchrone.com

'Based on the startup hubs in the Netherlands, we explore the specialisms and qualities of the various provinces'

Marketing & Traffic: Sem Mans

Contributors:

Niels Achtereekte, Evelien Baks, Sven Bossu, Thomas Fasting, Bas Hakker, Sjoerd Geurts, Angelique Lombarts, Judith Munster, Suzanna Timmer

conferencematters@zynchrone.com www.conferencematters.nl www.zynchrone.com

4

5

EDITOR’S NOTE

The voice of the next

generation

The next generation of event professionals has been the subject of many publicati ons. Oddly enough, despite the fact that they are mainly about young professionals, very few of these publications involve the young professionals themselves. By publishing NxtGenLive, Zynchrone Media, the company behind Conference Matters and other publications, has changed that. NxtGenLive has marked the start of a young professional community in the Dutch live communication industry. For the younger generation, we drew the line at 35 since it is as diverse as any other age group. This also goes for the professional role that the interviewees play in the industry. We spoke to creatives, salespeople, organisers, and service providers at companies that organise, host, provide, create, and facilitate events. We focused on a wide range of events, such as exhibitions, conferences, corporate events, festivals, and digital events. However, there are many similarities in the opinions and experiences of young professionals in NxtGenLive, something that the entire industry can benefit from. In this international edition, we would like to introduce our readers to an anthology from the magazine made for and by young professionals. We chose three topics. We let young professionals speak about the importance of creating an experience because many of them pointed this out as a current and future trend. Another article deals with current social issues, something this group values greatly as it has an impact on organising events, industry cohesion, and choosing to work at a specific company. Of course, we also want to know what these industry newcomers think about the old boys network they’ve ended up in. Read all about it in this edition, which features great reads for all generations.

Organise your success at Royal Jaarbeurs

Next to Utrecht Central Station (30 minutes from Schiphol Airport)

Sustainable & Innovative

100+ years of experience

Personal service

Edwin Nunnink Editor-in-Chief Conference Matters edwin@zynchrone.com

www.jaarbeurs.nl/en

Best Conference Venue

Sustainable Development

Digital Innovation

7

FUTUREPROOF

lowing issues: how do we maintain air quality, how do we manage water when most of these cities are located in a valley or a delta, how do you ensure sufficient sustainably generated energy, and how do you guarantee good accessibility?” “Dutch advice has always been sought when it comes to a Delta Plan (national plan against flooding) for the water management and deve lopment of the agricultural sector, because all those mouths have to be fed. Traditionally, the Netherlands has been very strong in these two fields. Technology is now increasingly being added as a third expertise.”

major challenges for city authorities. “When you drive through Ho Chi Minh City, you’re surrounded by 500,000 scooters. If you consider that 20 percent of them will soon be replaced by cars, the status symbol of prosperity, then you can sense what kind of problems this is going to cause.” Eindhoven International Project Office When Peter Portheine speaks, he speaks from experience since EIPO has an office in the Viet namese city of almost 10 million residents. EIPO stands for ‘Eindhoven International Project Office’, of which Portheine is the co-founder and director. The organisation advises on urban and economic development worldwide, with the

How should you deal with growth as a city? When it comes to growth, the Netherlands is an export country. It has smart districts as a new area of expertise, recommended by Brainport Eindhoven and represented by Peter Portheine.

director himself specialising in smart cities and the circular economy. Having an organisation based in a city of 240,000 residents located in a country with 17 million inhabitants advise megacities on how to deal with growth is quite special. Smart village Portheine explains that there is a nuance to this. Amsterdam is known worldwide for its integra ted approach to urban development. But from an international perspective, the Netherlands as a whole is seen as one smart city. However, the Dutch involvement in megacity growth issues is based on something else, says Portheine. “In general, megacities raise the fol

By Edwin Nunnink Photos: Thomas Fasting

'Smart neighbourhoods

The demand is great. According to the United Nations, in 2050, nearly 70 percent of the wor ld’s population will live in urban areas. It is the continuous migration from the countryside that keeps megacities such as Mexico City, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City shrinking and expanding. All those people looking for a higher standard of living in the city or, better yet, more income are

Brainport ecosystem When people think of Dutch technology, they

should serve all city residents'

'Technology is now increasingly being added as Netherlands third expertise'

8 FUTUREP ROOF

9

FUTUREPROOF

their work. A local microclimate is gradually cre ated when, at some point, its heart starts bea ting very fast, like an infant’s. Then you gradually notice a wider variety of residents.” Human side “You should never lose sight of the human side of urban development”, explains Portheine. As an example, he gives the development of a smart district in nearby Helmond. The Brainport Smart District Foundation, of which he is the managing director, is creating a smart living and working district in which residents play a central role in developing their own living environment. The latest insights and techniques in participation, health, data, mobility, energy, and circularity are used to create a sustainable and beautiful living environment. The project is a collaboration between residents, professionals and other stakeholders. “You want to avoid fellow citizens seeing it as a gated community where privileged families live. You don’t want to be associated with the stigma of an elite behind an imaginary wall.”

“In the manufacturing industry, it’s also incre asingly more about lifelong learning, which is common practice in healthcare. It’s no longer simply product-oriented. That’s why you see events that are often a combination of trade show and conference.” City as a service City councils have the important task of facili tating population growth. “That requires another way of thinking. The city as a service is gaining ground here. We need to start thinking in a more integral way across all disciplines. And circularity is a precondition. For every development, we need to look at the lifecycle.” From an energy point of view, it is better to deve lop a whole new city or district than to renovate an existing one, says Portheine. But the first step also has its challenges. “You can properly design new cities and neigh bourhoods from a planning perspective with the pen of an architectural firm and the language of an urban planner. Such a master plan starts with making an inventory of spatial needs for hou sing, education and work. On top of that, there’s the necessary infrastructure, with the digital infrastructure being the most important today. Furthermore, that space must be able to breathe with the growth of the city, based on the desired development of the economy. A city without a soul “The biggest challenge is making sure that a city has a soul. You won’t achieve this by building an opera house. People want to recognise the vibe of existing cities in their own city. People often build satellite locations some ten kilometres from the big city. In the first five to ten years, it’s clinical, which is typical urban plan ning. People want to feel comfortable, pleasant and safe. It’s expats who are the last to live in new cities. The current strategy is to first develop social housing, where low-cost workers can afford to buy homes. Around those flats, there is a strip of local activity. People live cheaply and close to

development of smart cities and smart districts all over the world.

think of Brainport Eindhoven. The city in the sou thern province of Noord-Brabant is regarded as a bearer of the new economy and technological applications in the city. “It is not only the figureheads of Eindhoven Uni versity of Technology and chip machine manufac turer ASML that contribute to this reputation”, explains Portheine. “There’s a whole ecosystem behind it, which was activated in the late 1990s.” Back then, the electronics group Philips, also considered the founder of the city, had announ ced mass redundancies. Car manufacturer DAF, another innovative employer in the region, even had to close its doors, resulting in an unemploy ment rate of 25 percent. These companies left a legacy of collaboration and social involvement in the DNA of the region. The mayor, the director of the Chamber of Com merce and the chancellor of the university jointly led the way to give the city an economic perspec tive. The triple helix of business, knowledge insti tutions and government provides the necessary transition for the region. “The success of ASML can be attributed to this. It was once a Philips spin-off that was sold because the company thought the risk was too high. Now, the chip machine manufacturer has a stock market value of more than 200 billion euro and ultimately determines what your smart phone can or cannot do and how fast”, says Portheine. Smart specialisation Eindhoven is an example of smart specialisation, one of the strategic pillars of the EU. As a small region, you cannot excel at everything, and you have to make choices if you want to stay rele vant. Stakeholders all have to be on the same page, like in Eindhoven. With regard to the tech nological field in which this Noord-Brabant city excels, the competition does not come from the Netherlands or Europe but from a world player in a ‘big village’. Based on that practical experience and know ledge development, Eindhoven is the ideal base for EIPO and Portheine’s involvement in the

Half of the solution “Smart cities doesn’t mean that you have a city full of technology. That’s a misconception I often hear. Maybe it’s actually the opposite: techno logy on its own doesn’t bring happiness. You only use it if it has a positive effect on people’s lives. And it doesn’t have to always be about objects. It can also be a very practical app”, says Portheine. “Technology is only half of the solution. A tran

'Smart cities doesn't mean that you have a city full of technology'

Smart neighbourhoods should serve all city residents

sition in behaviour is also needed. For example, look at the energy issue. It requires new techni cal solutions as well as another mindset about energy use.” Trade shows are important “In Asia, trade shows play an important role in this transition. It’s a gentle way of bringing about the use of technological applications and a culture change”, explains Portheine. “For instance, World Trade Centers are being built in a number of Vietnamese cities and seek to collaborate with trade show and conference organisers to offer a platform that can reach a larger segment of the population. The theme of events is often manufacturing industry 4.0, in which education also participates in enrolling new students. The government also contributes, often with a visitors day or dedicated event that informs the general public about the develop ments in a certain sector.”

The same goes for Strijp-S, a former industrial complex owned by Philips, where the head office of EIPO is located. “It used to be campus-like. Today, there are middle-level applied education schools and university departments; about 1,000 families live there, and many technology

and design creative studios are located there.” “Ultimately, smart neighbourhoods should serve all city residents in an inclusive way that guaran tees physical and digital accessibility to all layers of the population”, claims Portheine.

EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE VENUES: MOVING OR A CHANGE OF FUNCTION? According to Portheine, conference centres are an integral part of the master plan for developing smart cities. “They belong to the ecosystem of living, working and studying. In Vietnam, there’s a focus on a high-quality economy based on the manufacturing industry, which requires a permanent type of presentation to companies and residents, both digitally and physically. To achieve this, a conference centre has to be part of the daily living environment.” Whereas Asia is mainly concerned with building new conference centres, Europe has a saturated market of existing complexes, many of which are still in the city. “In the context of urban development, you see the bulk locations disappearing to the edge of the city. In any case, the need for large venues tends to decrease, especially in urban areas, given that residents are fighting for the limited space available”, says Portheine. “The complexes that remain in the inner city need a change of function. The use of space is too large for a small number of events. A venue must be continuously functional, which can be done by focusing on more facilities and services for the residents, which also contributes to healthy exploitation. This does require a public-private approach. You cannot develop this from a commercial point of view. It has to be socially supported.”

10

11

BRANDED CONTENT

RAI Amsterdam

'Together, we make an impact' Working on sustainable partnerships

Every year, thousands of conferences are held in Amsterdam. It’s not surprising when you know that Amsterdam is one of the most sustainable and safest cities in Europe. A majority of these international meetings are held at RAI Amsterdam because it has everything an international sustainable conference needs and more. By Judith Munster

exhibitors can leave their left-over materials, such as furniture, electronics, foods, drinks, and plants, after which they are donated to good causes in Amsterdam.” Sustainable catering RAI Amsterdam has been actively improving its catering activities and combating food waste for years. “Our team has developed a responsible catering concept called ‘Heart-warming Amsterdam’, an initiative based on sustainable partnerships and collaborations with regional producers. This is how we provide fresh, seasonal and locally produced food every day to our clients. At the same time, we respect the environment and society and promote the well-being of our guests,” says Wilhelmy. A few examples of the conscious choices that RAI Catering makes include: - Opting for seasonal fish and bycatch from the North Sea. Seasonal fishing means avoiding the depletion of natural fish sources. - Offering a wide range of vegetarian meals. Vegetarian choices reduce water consumption,

RAI Amsterdam is located a few minutes from the city centre and only eight minutes from Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s biggest air ports. The conference and exhibition hall is easily accessible by tram, bus and metro. Social initiatives “For 130 years, our mission has been to bring people, ideas and organisations together in order to share knowledge, inspire innovation and sup port economic growth,” says Katelijn Wilhelmy, PR & Communication Manager at RAI Amsterdam. “We’re well aware that we’re part of a social and ecological ecosystem, which is why we develop and implement many social matchmaking initia tives. We have a programme to reduce food waste. With the food that we have left over, lunches and dinners are prepared in collaboration with the Salvation Army and distributed to the homeless. For the social organisation Heen & Weer, which brings and collects people who have difficulty walking, we keep free parking spaces availa ble. And during major fairs and events, we have special ‘donation rooms’ where organisers and

For years, Amsterdam has been one of Europe’s leading destinations for sustainable conferen ces. Amsterdam is the city where conference organisers can easily achieve their sustainability goals and make a positive impact on people and the environment. Pleasant and professional collaboration with all parties involved is the key to success. Amsterdam is also the second smartest city in Europe, internationally acclaimed for deve lopments in open data, new mobility solutions and improved living conditions for residents and visitors. Amsterdam also has a vibrant city centre that is easily accessible, an abundance of culture and history, and more than enough hotels. RAI Amsterdam RAI Amsterdam is one of the most popular confe rence venues in the city. It has been around since 1893 and is the top international conference and exhibition hall complex in the Netherlands. The complex has a capacity of 116.200 m², including 12 exhibition halls, 70 conference and meeting rooms, two auditoriums, and a large ballroom that can accommodate 1,746 people.

which produces biogas. This biogas is then returned as energy to RAI Amsterdam. - Waste cooking oil is collected separately and upcycled into biokerosene, which is purchased by airlines. Green logistics RAI Amsterdam is also making progress when it comes to green logistics. “We work with the RAI Logistics Management System”, explains Wilhelmy. “We use this software to spread the freight deliveries of our events. We give drivers time slots so that they no longer have to wait, which provides peace of mind, overview and safety, as well as less noise nuisance for local residents. Another measure is that trucks come in on one side of the RAI and leave the complex on the other side, near the motorway. In fact, we’re always looking for improvements. Ulti mately, limiting materials would be the optimal solution. For example, we’re currently organising stand building in a fundamentally different way. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to use

Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI The premises of RAI Amsterdam feature the hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI, with 650 excep tional rooms. The rooms reflect one of the six cardinal directions of the building. From the restaurant, guests have a spectacular view of the RAI and the city of Amsterdam. Winner Exhibition News Awards During the ceremony of the Exhibitions News Awards on Thursday, March 30 in London, RAI Amsterdam won the prize for Best Internatio nal Venue. Widely regarded as ‘the Oscars’ of the global exhibition industry, the Exhibition News Awards are awarded annually to people and businesses that make outstanding contri butions to the trade show sector. the modular and sustainable stand building of the RAI, which will be supplied and built by partners. The material is stored in or around the RAI and constantly reused, which dras tically reduces the number of transport movements to and from the RAI, with all the benefits that come with it. This is how we keep making progress.” www.rai.nl/en

deforestation and CO2 emissions. - Tailored smart catering concepts, where con sumption is accurately measured and orders are coordinated to prevent as much waste as possible. - RAI Amsterdam collaborates with the food waste initiatives Instock and Food Fellows. Both organisations ‘save’ food that otherwise would end up as waste. They make healthy products from the discarded vegetables that are 100% naturally low in salt, sugar and fat. - Food left over after events that can no longer be used is processed in the RAI’s ‘swill tank’,

12

13

NXTGENLIVE

mix and match

How does the new generation

with the old guard?

Lisanne Van Heck. Nouschka Griep, 27, has the chance to learn from older colleagues as well at the Beurs van Ber lage, where she works as an international sales manager, but notes that it is not yet common place. “I’m often one of the youngest at network events, even when we’re the new market. We’re the people who handle the requests.” Although the empowerment of the younger generation may come off as pampered, they do understand that you have to make progress to learn the finer points of the trade. “In the beginning, you sometimes want to express your opinion, but I’ve learned that it’s better to be open and vulnerable. I’ve also lear ned that you can earn your stripes if you do what you do very well. The tough jobs will take you further. In a way, it’s a painful process”, says San dra Kommer, 31, Production Manager and Crea tive at event agency Fjuze. Speed versus experience Many young professionals say that they can sim ply process a lot of information much faster. “If both the newcomers and the old guard realise this, then that’s an asset”, explains Danny Hart man, 27, Marketing & Brand Manager at confe rence location ECC Leiden. “Good communication is very important. Some times, you want to push through an idea or project. Young people often act first and think second, but then they run into problems and have to do a lot at the last minute. Experience and pro per preparation make a big difference. Then you have the time to run through all the scenarios.” Esther ten Hove, 31, Account Manager at event location De Kaap, agrees. “People who have been

26, Marketing & Communications Specialist at exhibition and conference location Rotterdam Ahoy. “Give young marketers the opportunity to use their knowledge online and on social media. For example, we started testing to see if TikTok could be a relevant channel for us by making a few videos and seeing how that goes.” Personal development Manon Sijbers, 27, Sales Manager Meetings & Events at catering company Hutten, sum marises the basic expectations of industry newcomers. “Focus on an employee’s personal development and make sure that there are actu ally career opportunities. The younger genera tion feels the pressure to perform and wants to know right away what’s possible. A pleasant and informal work atmosphere is also extremely important. Someone can already feel this within a few minutes, so always make sure that you and your colleagues give a warm welcome. If you’re an organisation with a horizontal organisatio nal structure and you offer flexibility, then you already have an advantage. These days, the social importance of a company is extremely important, especially for the younger generation. ‘Does my work matter, and what can I contribute?’ is a frequently asked question. Your company will be much more attractive if you prac tice corporate social responsibility.” Learned much Young professionals also say that they have learned a lot from their older colleagues. “They’re mostly matters related to building and main taining customer contact and relationships. Things can move pretty fast in our industry”, says

If you’re an experienced event professional, there’s no need to worry. The next generation greatly appreciates your knowledge and expe rience. However, young professionals do want a seat at the table. Young professionals all want to be heard and are convinced that they can positively contribute to the development of events and their own orga nisations. It is also essential for the development of the events industry, says Patricia Vergeer, 29, who has an eye for the generation after her. “The industry is evolving with people fresh out of the academy—the mavericks”, adds Vergeer, Crea tive Lead and MT Member at event agency The Oval Office. “A 22-year-old is not much older than I am but has a very different view of the world. All kinds of things that are new to us are already quite normal for them. You need to have all the different perspectives. If you have any blind spots, you can’t challenge this group. Think about having twentysome things on your management team as well. Hire and train them in-house, and see what happens.” Innovative ideas “As a young person, you want the opportunity to develop and prove yourself”, says Jeroen Kan ters, 29, Event Manager at PostNL. “Young peo ple have many innovative ideas because they go to public festivals and come across innovative things that they bring to work with them, for example.” Young professionals can also provide experi ence with digital trends, says Lisanne Van Heck, By Niels Achtereekte & Edwin Nunnink

around for a long time are very good at assessing the reaction to an action. I’m quite impulsive, and I learn about structure from others. I’ve learned that you’re not just busy in the moment but also looking ahead to your next event. The mix of young and old is fantastic. We mustn’t lose that.” Talk about it “Older colleagues have already been through a lot and have left their mark on the work. But times have changed, and new ideas are needed, so you have to be open to them. And don’t think in terms of juniors and seniors; just talk about it and give each other space. It’s very important to keep attracting young people. Jobs are everywhere at the moment, and we have to show how nice our industry is to compete with other industries”, says Lisa Diepstraten, 28, Marketing Coordinator of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conven tions. The owner of Meisjes van de Wijn, Milan Gennis sen, 31, explains that part of the old guard left the industry during the health crisis. “The old boys network is slowly disappearing, allowing others to fill in the void and flourish. It’s really up to young people now.” And he has a message for everyone in the indus try: “Sometimes, I miss the ‘we-feeling’. Certainly not from everyone, but sometimes things just don’t run smoothly. We’re always part of a larger whole. When you’re planning an event together, you have to deal with people who just do the bare minimum. You want to be a team and let suppliers flow into each other. We all chose this profession because we liked it, right?”

14

15

INDUSTRY

The potential for sports conferences remains largely unused

' Considering the number of inhabitants and performances, the Netherlands is

a real top-class sports country'

world of sports conferences. “Considering the number of inhabitants and performances, the Netherlands is a real top-class sports country.” He believes that sharing knowledge comes with this status. “Organising conferences should receive a little more attention, given the worrying trend that fewer association sports are being played after the health crisis.” In his view, there are enough speakers to fill those conference days. “With a number of coa ching greats and numerous former athletes, the re’s a good choice of speakers.” Clearly divided Lion Blok, partner at ZPRESS Events, organises the annual Nationale Sport Vakbeurs in Gorin chem. He explains that the world of sports con ferences and exhibitions is clearly divided in the Netherlands. The Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation organises conferences to inform the affiliated unions, and in turn, the unions organise all kinds of events for their members to keep

On the whole, the Netherlands is an ideal country for sports conferences. We’re good at talking, there’s enough funds and we’re a real sports country. Unfortunately, the choice of quality sports-related conferences is poor. Frans Oosterwijk, Editor-in-Chief of Sport & Strategie, thinks that the Netherlands is a real sports conference country. “It can’t be any other way. We love chewing the fat, and we’re good at sports. And people from a sector always want to come together to talk about matters.” He believes that there are enough subjects to organise conferences for years. “About what we have to do to bring the Olympic Games to a country, about how to get women’s sports in the media, and so many other themes.” Worrying trend Robert Maaskant, a former football trainer, sports media analyst and business coach, also thinks that there is a lot to choose from in the By Bas Hakker

ness, the choices are limited. For example, the football sector doesn’t organise much outside of the annual KNVB Expertise Conference, which is actually a fantastic conference.” A missed opportunity if you compare it to Bel gium or Portugal, says Schnater. “Liga Portugal (the Portuguese Premier League) really tries to bring their own football clubs into contact with bigger clubs from abroad using various initiati ves. Smaller football leagues, such as the Swed ish league, organise a kind of closing or kick-off for the new season after every season.” Last December, he was still at the Polish Ekstra klasa, where all football clubs from the whole country come together for a two-day confe rence. “Their programme contains presentations related to sports business as well as an evening programme to encourage social cohesion bet

come to the conference, and there are 200 exhi bitors in a space the size of two football pitches.” Blok thinks that there is still a lot of potential in the world of sports conferences. “You don’t see that level of organisation anywhere else in the world, and we can use that for years to come. Isn’t it great that if you can’t afford to exercise, you can still do it with government help? We’re really a sports country, and we can be proud of that.” The choices could be better Bas Schnater, who works as an international con sultant for the UEFA and has worked for AZ Alk maar in the past, is a regular conference visitor at sports business events around the world. He thinks that the choices could be better. “In terms of conferences aimed at sports busi

organised sports is an important stepping stone for several conferences. The fact that it is more difficult to find board members in sports is also a hot topic. “Clubs and municipalities have to do something, which in turn leads to much innovation and rea sons to talk about it. For example, apps with which you can easily manage a sports club as a trainer.” Core target group The core target group of the Nationale Sport Vak beurs consists of people with board positions at amateur associations. “It’s not always easy to attract this target group to a conference. After all, it’s not their profession, so they sometimes skip a year. However, it’s about offering added value. Each year, six to seven thousand visitors

them informed. Furthermore, the Association of Sports and Municipalities organises all kinds of conferences to promote sports activities in cities. Nationale Sport Vakbeurs However, there aren’t as many commercial ini tiatives, like the upcoming 12th edition of the Nationale Sport Vakbeurs in November 2023. The event focuses on sharing knowledge, and there are always interesting speakers who gene rate extra attention. “Last year, we had a session where former sports presenter Kees Jansma interviewed Feyenoord coach Arne Slot, and that went very well.” He also believes that there are enough themes in sports that need to be discussed. Like Maas kant, he thinks that people participating less in

16

17

INDUSTRY

inspired by what I could apply to the club.” He also has a tip on how to improve. “The Dutch sports sector could take the lead more often, or the larger sports marketing agencies should take up this responsibility. And not always invite the NFLs or Real Madrids of the sports world, but smaller clubs like SD Huesca, NK Maribor and Brøndby IF.” Vocational schools and universities “As mentioned before, the KNVB already organi ses an excellent annual Expertise Conference for all football clubs, while the Eredivisie CV organises specific smaller-scale events on a few occasions. However, I still miss having access to international best practices. Sharing good examples yourself at conferences abroad more often makes it easier to gain new

ween club directors. Clubs from other sports are also invited. Unfortunately, we don’t have that in the Netherlands.” According to Schnater, the better Dutch sports business events come from the smaller sports marketing agencies, such as Yellow Jersey. “They regularly organise sport marketing meetups with the conviction that sharing knowledge helps the entire sector as well as the agency.” Not known as a conference country Schnater believes that the Netherlands is not known as a sports conference country. “When I worked at AZ Alkmaar, I was regularly asked to speak about our learnings at conferences abroad. How did they find me? I was quite active on Twitter and LinkedIn, profiled myself as an expert in my field and also showed how I applied those learnings.

The KNVB Campus is an inspiring location, in the green cent re of The Netherlands, with a view at the football fields of the Dutch national football team. The one-two that the KNVB Campus can offer as a congress and event location is thereby unique. Big, small, food, drinks, for business or sports, everything is possible.

Bas Schnater: 'Great marketing initiatives are being developed in the Netherlands that deserve an international stage.'

• • • • •

50 – 3000 people

KNVB Campus Food Concept

knowledge. Ultimately, the value of attending a confe rence is in expanding your network.” He also sees opportuni ties for vocational schools and universities within the sports sector. “In Denmark, the University College of Northern Denmark organi ses an annual event that

Centrally located in The Netherlands Free and sufficient parking options

But it is precisely the medium-sized and small clubs with few resources that you see using a lot of creativity

Yet, it wasn’t about giving pre sentations but about what I could learn from other clubs. In the audience at these conferences, you occasio nally meet a Dutch person who works at a foreign club or union, but never someone from a Dutch football club.” And he feels that’s a shame.

Full-service event venue

attracts quite a few Danish sports clubs. There, they emphasise matters such as interaction with the academic world. Even though the Netherlands has at least one college that is excellent at profiling itself on Twitter thanks to a number of professors, I think the country has a role to play.” Much potential In the end, you could say that the Netherlands has the potential to be an ideal country for sports conferences. There are enough funds in sports, we have many athletes and there are enough themes to discuss. However, companies should take much more initiative to come up with in-depth conferences. Then things will be fine.

“They could learn so much from other clubs abroad, while Dutch football clubs have a lot of good ideas to share.” “As sports marketing connoisseurs, Dutch clubs could do a better job of marketing themselves. Ajax is not the only Dutch football club that’s good at sports marketing. Great marketing ini tiatives are being developed in the Netherlands that deserve an international stage.” Small clubs are especially creative “However, I fear that the Dutch are a bit too stu bborn and not properly convinced that they can learn something from Swedish or Polish clubs. But it is precisely the medium-sized and small clubs with few resources that you see using a lot of creativity. During my time at AZ Alkmaar, I was

Robert Maaskant: 'Organising conferences

should receive a little more attention, given the worrying trend that fewer association sports are being played after the health crisis.'

Woudenbergseweg 56-58 3707 HX Zeist

T +31 343 - 491 424 E info@knvbcampus.nl I www.knvb. com /campus

18

19

BRANDED CONTENT

A unique conference and Eindhoven Philips Stadium event location in the heart of

For teams that want to score The Philips Stadium’s many halls each have their own look and feel, but they all make top-class sport tangible. They can easily be connected to seamlessly accommodate the number of guests. The wide range of technical facilities, multimedia options and various subareas ensure that the Philips Stadium offers space to teams that want to score. It is located in the heart of Eindhoven, close to Eindhoven Airport, various main roads, and within walking distance of Eindhoven Central Station. Organised down to the smallest detail We think every event should be perfect, and that requires passion, professionalism, experience, empathy, hospitality, taste, and style. The Philips Stadium offers all of this. Hutten, the house caterer at the Philips Stadium and PSV, leads the Philips Stadium team. Their food and drinks are prepared traditionally and contribute to a better, more fun, healthier, tastier, more fair, and more sustainable life for clients, guests, employees, and society. Gastronomy has always been the main driving force at Hutten. Cooking at the highest level is a passion, which will remain the foundation for all culinary expressions in the Philips Stadium. We are happy to help you make your conference or business event unforgettable and effective. If you want to know more about the possibilities, get in touch!

The Philips Stadium offers a day full of experien ces for your conferences and business events in the centre of Eindhoven. The Philips Stadium is the most unique and welcoming conference and event location in the Eindhoven area. With many successes cele brated there, this special location impresses and exudes top-class sports and vitality. Whether it is for a national or international con ference or business event, the Philips Stadium has the facilities, quality and experience to make every event a great success, no matter how sim ple, creative or extensive your wishes are. Depending entirely on your wishes, the confer ence or business event can be held in different parts of the stadium. Take a seat in the Busi ness Club Restaurant or hold a meeting in De Aanvalslinie room, where the press conferences of football club PSV are usually held. The many skyboxes overlooking the field offer a solution for smaller groups. The various meeting rooms, all named after former PSV stars, are also great for meetings. For a truly unforgettable experience, take a seat in the PSV dressing room or the Zuid Tribune. Combined with a visit to the players tunnel, you’ll have an unforgettable, top-class sports experi ence! The football pitch can also be used upon request. You can hold an event on the centre spot - how unique is that? An unforgettable, top-class sports experience

© Twycer / Philips Stadion

www.philipsstadion.nl/en

20

21

POSTILLION PANEL

Ana Alanis Project Leader Smart Mobility (Digitale Infrastructuur voor Toekomstbestendige Mobiliteit - DITM) at Brainport Eindhoven

The Netherlands must continue to invest in digital infrastructure in order to stay relevant as an international conference destination

Postillion Panel is the name of Conference Matters’ expert panel. The editorial staff produce these questions in collaboration with Postillion Hotels.

leading position in the value chain. DITM should enable the Netherlands to achieve its social goals nationally, strengthen its interna tional export position and influence internati onal standards. The project also helps reduce the billions in annual social costs associated with road safety, traffic jams and the pressure on the energy network. In line with this, the development of DITM also affects other industries, including the confe rence industry. First and foremost, conferences are essential to enable in-depth networking between public and private organisations and to shape indus trial ecosystems.”

To achieve this, the RAI works with key tech nology players. We’ve consciously chosen Cisco, with which we continuously determine what can be done and whether we can scale up. I think everyone can agree with this, although I understand that a smaller venue can’t always make such an investment. However, you can’t hold a conference about Wi-Fi if you have a really bad connection. In fact, the audience should be blown away. That doesn’t always mean that everything will work perfectly well because technology also has certain com plexities, but it needs to be your goal.” possible in part by the Ministry of Infrastruc ture and Water Management. The consortium provides an integrated approach in which developments from the international and domestic automotive indus try, ICT industry, traffic management, and mobility innovation are united and combined. The project allows us to use the opportunities of digitisation and automation to contribute to the major social challenges of a safe, relia ble, efficient, and sustainable mobility and energy system. Through DITM, the partners can accelerate their knowledge and product development, while Dutch companies strengthen their

“The role that digital infrastructure plays depends on the industry. At DITM, it’s about the mobility and energy industries and the link between them. The goal is to implement a scalable cooperative, connected and automa ted mobility system (CCAM) and a connection to a reliable energy supply. The DITM is made

The Netherlands is one of the world’s digital leaders. However, digital developments are moving very fast, and it seems that important investments are being delayed. Conference Matters asked an expert panel about how important the digital business climate is for the conference industry.

Bret Baas Manager IT & Digital at RAI Amsterdam

Jur Munnik Meetings & Events Manager at Postillion Hotels

for such processes are correct and complied with. It’s essential to do the right things at the right times with the right people commerci ally. Postillion Hotels is learning more about artificial intelligence (AI), as we even have an AI booking tool. You send an e-mail with your request, and we can confirm it within two seconds. Additionally, our CRM and data sys tems are becoming increasingly extensive. When it comes to the latest digital infrastruc ture, such as organising conferences online, I don’t know whether clients necessarily expect that from us. It all has to work well, and it doesn’t have to be state-of-the-art.”

“The RAI is continuously investing in digital infrastructure. We decide ourselves on the technology we all use, which often differs from other venues that outsource everything. It’s a USP for us. Sometimes, we also write off our investment because we believe that we should have the most modern technology in house, as the RAI wants to be an innovation centre for all clients. We host international exhibitions and confe rences, and we have to comply with the latest things, such as the latest 5G settings. We don’t call the 5G that you have on your mobile device 5G. That needs to be taken to a higher level. We’ve set this in motion when it comes to things such as Wi-Fi. The RAI was the first venue in Europe to offer open roaming.

“In general, it’s very important that we conti nue to invest in digital infrastructure and that the Netherlands remains a leader in Europe. This is how we continue to attract techno logy-related conferences. If we look at the entire convention industry, investing in digital infrastructure is also relevant, but I don’t think it’s at the top of the list because several other topics come up. From my position as Meeting & Events Mana ger, I’m involved in supporting and managing the commercial teams at the locations. I oversee the offers, contact clients and pre pare for client conferences. I’m mainly focu sed on increasing conversion and ensuring that the systems work and that all conditions

22

23

POSTILLION PANEL

Eric Bakermans Marketing Meetings & Conventions Director at NBTC

is one of the precursors in digital infrastruc ture. We’re also a leader in remote working, aka hybrid working. The Netherlands does well in e-commerce, cloud computing and big data. We also have the advantage that we’re a hub for Internet cables, which come from the United States to Europe over sea and land. But there are also more recent European studies and reports, such as the European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index, which show that Nordic countries like Finland, Sweden and Denmark are ahead of the Netherlands in digital infrastructure. We must be careful not to fall behind because, lately, I’ve heard experts complain that there’s a delay when it comes to new developments, “I completely agree with the statement, and I would like to break it down into four parts: competitive advantage, innovation, acces sibility, and sustainability. If the Netherlands continues to invest in digital infrastructure, it will have a competitive advantage over other destinations that lack comparable options. And if you have a well-developed digital infrastructure, you can also develop innova tive technologies and implement them for a better conference experience, such as virtual and hybrid conferences. Becoming more accessible means having reliable Internet connections. In Europe, you can go online with your data bundle. If you can’t, then you need to rely on excellent Wi-Fi at the venue. Since many people have several devices with them nowadays, 5G is the stan dard, but it’s not optimised everywhere. Finally, sustainability needs to be linked to a

strong digital infrastructure. You can encou rage visitors to participate in virtual events and conferences instead of travelling to them. However, I do have a strong reservation because there’s a big difference between offering face-to-face content and online content. Online is much more than aiming a camera at the speaker and watching along. In any case, I believe that people will give the events they plan to attend in person more careful consideration. NBTC has developed a vision for meetings and conferences in the Netherlands that is in line with the four parts. We would like to find people who are able to develop an event that contributes to the Dutch knowledge eco nomy. The conference is not a goal in itself but a means to an end. We’re developing that further.”

Henk Volberda Professor of Strategy & Innovation at the Faculteit Economie en Bedrijfs kunde at the UvA, where he gives the Master's in Digital Business.

Organise your convention in the Limburg region with a focus on agriculture & food, logistics, manufacturing and tourism

“A good digital infrastructure is crucial for our business climate, including attracting and retaining companies in the Netherlands. If you broaden that, it’s also essential to attract international conferences. I’ve just returned from Geneva, where I attended the Growth Summit 2023 of the World Economic Forum. There’s clearly a rapid development in which today’s conferences are no longer just in person. Online and hybrid elements have become incredibly important, which is why conference locations must also ensure optimal digital connections and digital security. According to figures from the World Econo mic Forum (WEF) for 2020, the Netherlands

especially the transition to 5G, which is way too slow. Fast Internet is extremely important for our basic infrastructure and for getting the most out of digital technologies. Other coun tries are much more advanced than we are.”

WWW.VENLOCONVENTIONBUREAU.NL/EN

24