KÖLN/DÜSSELDORF. For nine international event planners, directly after attending the Meeting and Incentive trade fair EIBTM in Barcelona, they were off on the so-called Post Convention Tour from 29th November to 2nd December 2012, which took them to the pre-Christmas Meetropolis.
Buyers from Italy, France, Poland and the USA were thus able to familiarise themselves directly in situ from every angle with the advantages offered by the MICE destinations, Cologne and Düsseldorf. With the cooperation of “KÖLNDÜSSELDORF – The Meetropolis”, the two Rhine metropolises have been bundling their offerings since 2010, and are marketing themselves worldwide as a single conference region.
With the support of local industry partners, particularly conference hotels, it was possible to provide a solid and varied programme. To give them a taste of the broad overall range of conference and event options available, the participants visited various hotels in Cologne, as well as the special event venues KölnSKY and historic Gürzenich.
After a lunch at taku, a Michelin-starred restaurant at the Excelsior Hotel Ernst, and a guided tour of Cologne’s Altstadt, in the evening the group enjoyed mulled wine on the roof terrace of the Le Méridien Dom Hotel Cologne and savoured the stunning view of the Christmas market at Cologne Cathedral.
In Düsseldorf, the conference organisers got to know various hotels and special event venues such as the Rheinterrasse, the Museum Kunstpalast and the Station Airport. During a visit to a typical brewery, the international guests were able to sample the traditional microbrewery atmosphere, as well as Rhineland “sauerbraten” (marinated beef stew) and “Altbier”.
The participants were impressed by the contrasts that Düsseldorf has to offer from the historic Düsseldorf Altstadt on the one hand, to the MediaHafen with its modern and contemporary architecture on the other.
Feedback from the international guests with regard to the diverse programme design options in both cities was very positive:
“[…] I’ll never forget the time I spent in ‘KÖLNDÜSSELDORF’. The visit was very varied and intense. I appreciated the professional organisation, as well as your patience and laughter […]. I would very much like to return here with my future clients.”
Céline Kalb, La Poste, France
“[…] The site inspections were very interesting and I have to admit that Cologne completely fulfilled my expectations as a very interesting and unique location, while Düsseldorf came as a pleasant surprise because I had no idea of the city’s potential.”
Anna Maria Di Martino, Organizzazione AC, Italy
