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Arctic Incentives by Lapland Safaris is the MICE brand of Lapland Safaris group, Finland. In this video, Sebastien Brosseau discusses the attraction of Lapland during the peak season (winter) but also the appeal of Finland for off-peak summer groups and incentives.

Sebastien addresses the world-wide staffing issues, the appeal of Lapland for winter groups and incentives, and the opportunities for off-peak special interest groups. Lapland is an amazing destination for outdoors activities throughout the year – working on the premise that there is no such thing as bad weather, simply wrong clothing (Arctic Incentives provides all groups with the necessary outerwear so they can enjoy the experience even on the coldest of days!)

You can see the full video interview here YouTube Interview with Arctic Incentives

Further information can be found by visiting www.world-of-dmcs.com – Finland.

#askadmc #eventprofs #worldofdmcs #dmcfinland #lapland #arcticincentives

JCM Destination AUSTRALIA started its operations in 1998, creating unique group tour programs based on detailed local knowledge and quality services.
No group is too large or too small for this MICE and leisure operator.

With offices based in Sydney and Auckland and a team of experienced professionals ready to welcome visitors back to Australia, JCM Destination Australia works with clients primarily but not limited to Europe as well as North and South America.

Services extend across Australia, and include arrangements for bespoke experiences encompassing accommodation, attractions, transport, excursions, venues, speakers, tour guides, restaurants and more.

Specialising in identifying unique venues and spectacular meal options for clients, JCM Destination Australia is delighted to introduce clients to new experiences covering the very best of Australian food and wine.

With a focus on environment, JCM Destination Australia pays particular attention to developing connections with environment sensitive suppliers, offering low carbon print solutions.

For all your group and incentive travel needs in Australia, be sure to contact JCM Destination Australia!

#askadmc #worldofdmcs

World of DMCs adds YouTube channel to its digital presence.

World of DMCs recently added a YouTube channel to its online presence, with the intention of creating a connection between its members and their clients.

Launching with a series of interviews introducing World of DMCs members, the first of which is now live.

Peter-John Mitrovich, CEO Grosvenor Tours chatted to World of DMCs Executive Director, Caroline Tapken, about who he is and how he got into the travel industry, why you should visit South Africa, the benefits of working with Grosvenor Tours and the advantages of being a member of World of DMCs.

Lasting a little over 30 minutes, this is a DO NOT MISS video if you are considering South Africa for your next group or incentive trip – or are visiting South Africa as part of a conference delegations.

Please subscribe to the World of DMCs YouTube Channel to avoid missing future interviews – the next in line are Cuba and Turkey, and be sure to listen to Peter-John here World of DMCs YouTube Channel

Further inquiries can be directed to Grosvenor Tours or info@world-of-dmcs.com

Why should you use a DMC?

A DMC, or Destination Management Company, is an invaluable partner for inbound group and incentive trips, in your country of choice, for many reasons.

Local Knowledge

When you want to impress your group, there is nothing quite like a little local knowledge and a whole lot of connections! A professional DMC will know their destination inside and out, including all the special locations that you would never hear about, as well as having local connections for everything you might need.

Professional Team

A DMC will already have a network of tried and tested professionals for every event or eventuality – a team that speaks the language, and yours, and has cultural insights enabling you to avoid all those trickly little problems. Have you ever tried hiring a local team from a distance? Why would you even want to try?

The DMC will act as an extension of your office, your eyes and ears on the ground, the pre-event team and the post-event clean-up brigade! Leaving you the time and headspace to handle the VIPs in your group!

Negotiating Power

A good DMC will have been working in that destination for several years, will have a number of events each year, and thus bargaining power when it comes to rates. Let the locals handle it!

Finger on the Pulse

A good DMC will know all the newest places, the best hotels, the hottest spots in town and the best activities available. You might know a destination, but if you have not been there in a while, things change. A good DMC knows what is hot, and what is not!

Why would you try to arrange your corporate group or incentive trip without local support? It simply makes no sense.

To see if World of DMCs has a professional DMC in your chosen destination, check out our members on this website.

World of DMCs network member for Slovenia, Atlas Express DMC Slovenia, has put together three different experiences to highlight exactly what is on offer in this amazing country for MICE, Group and Incentive travellers.

Postojna Cave

Sloveniablend

Postojna Cave is the home of the breath-taking five-metre-tall bright-white stalagmite called Brilliant and the world’s first railway in an underground cave, opened in 872. It is also the home of baby dragons!

With Atlas Express, your group or incentive can take a private ride on the underground train and enjoy a 3.7-km-long journey on the world’s only double-track cave railway. The wonderful Murano-glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling of Postojna Cave’s Dance Hall make for a fairy-tale atmosphere.

Just like the world above the surface, Postojna Cave boasts towering mountains, murmuring rivers and vast subterranean halls. It is a real challenge for explorers and the cradle of speleobiology (cave biology, a branch of biology dedicated to the study of organisms that live in caves and are collectively referred to as troglofaunal)

Enjoy a private visit to the Postojna cave, with customized entertainment for special groups visiting one of the most well-known destinations within Slovenia. A private ride on the underground train into the cave and ending the day with a sparkling wine reception at the Concert Hall.

Sailing Experience

Slovenia has just 47km of coastline on the Adriatic Sea, but it certainly makes the most of it. Three seaside towns – Koper, with its medieval core, Izola, known for its good restaurants, and glorious Piran – are full of important Venetian Gothic architecture, and have clean beaches, boats for rent and rollicking bars.

Board the Slovenian Sea in Portoroz for a Sailing Experience and gourmet dinner, courtesy of Atlas Express DMC, followed by a dinner reception in the salt fields. The extensive buffet will highlight some of the most recognizable ingredients of the local gastronomy. Connecting local produce with the best wine makers, creating an unforgettable experience.

Piran

Piran is a resort city on Slovenia’s Adriatic coast, known for its long pier and Venetian architecture. Tartini Square is flanked by the Gothic red Venetian House and the frescoed Tartini House. The latter is the birthplace of violinist Giuseppe Tartini. The 19th-century town hall has a stone lion, a symbol of the former Republic of Venice. St. George’s Cathedral, nearby, has 17th-century paintings and marble altars.

Piran is known for its medieval architecture, with narrow streets and compact houses. Enjoy a gourmet dinner under the stars in this, one of the oldest Slovenian towns. Hidden in the heart of the Adriatic jewel, the garden is the perfect location for the evening get together.

Be sure to follow Atlas Express on their Facebook Page under SloveniaBlend for current information and highlights.

Email info@atlasexpress.eu

World of DMCs is delighted to announce a new member for Italy:

New member for Italy is welcomed by World of DMCs.

J&TI Events, with offices in Rome and Milan, is the result of Tiziana Guerriero’s experience of over 16 years in the MICE sector.

Starting as a local DMC, with a focus on Benelux guests, J&TI then expanded to become an official travel agency in 2018, with a range of clients around the world, doing both inbound and outbound events.

J&TI are an “experience factory” creating incentives, meetings and events with interactive elements and creative solutions to (re) connect people to places, culture and destinations.

By constantly working on innovative ideas, watching the latest trends and finding unusual places, this innovative DMC aims to exceed guest expectations. Thanks to a strong relationships with local partners and a capacity to listen to & understand clients’ needs, J&TI can customize proposals according to client needs and wishes, with special attention to sustainability and the opportunity to organize climate-neutral events in support of the reforestation and similar initiatives.

Welcoming the new member for Italy, World of DMC’s President Gaby Seikaly said:

‘We are delighted to have such a professional, experienced member for Italy, and look forward to working closely with Tiziana and her team at J&TI Events’

Mission & Values

“J&TI Events is an experience factory producing business trips, incentives and luxury travel enriching them with interactive experiences and creative solutions to (re)connect people to places, cultures and destinations.”

Values
Teamwork: we believe a strong team makes the difference, because together everyone achieves more.

Respect, integrity and transparency: respect towards our partners, clients and suppliers because we want to achieve the same end goal.

Flexible and open minded: we see challenges as opportunities, embracing them enthusiastically.

Performance excellence: we dedicate ourselves every day to operate on the towards highest quality standards.

Research and Innovation: we believe our continuous desire to research and improve is the key to expanding our experience factory and the team’s creative ideas and experiences.

How we work

We listen to our clients to understand their needs and to build a meaningful relationship based on honesty and respect, in order to create the right solution. The client’s satisfaction is our main focus.

For further information on booking group and incentives to Italy, contact:

Tiziana Guerriero

J&TI Events

2 July 2021: We have had some interesting conversations with our DMCs over the past week. Conversations that begin to shine a light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel.

As the vaccination roll out continues apace, some countries are showing more enthusiasm for planning their future group and incentive travel than others, but that enthusiasm is most certainly evident.

Vaccination uptake is important both for the traveller, and the destination, with countries setting their own entry requirements based on the percentage of the population protected by vaccinations, and requirements for inbound travellers to have received vaccinations and taken PCR tests.

Outbound markets with the most long-haul positivity seem to be the USA, Brazil and Scandinavia. Europeans appear to be more focused on short haul destinations for now, but still with a keen desire to travel.

Currently, FIT travellers represent most of the calls – and as our DMCs previously focused predominantly on the group and incentive market, this does not represent the greater part of their business – but as needs must, many have adapted to cater to FIT requests, pending the return of group and incentive travel, and are more than happy to tailor-make programmes to suite family groups and individual travellers.

Cape Town, South Africa

The destination with the most inbound positivity, as I write this, is South Africa. The entire team has returned to work, and there are several medium to large groups confirmed and deposited for late 2021, with a keen interest from several for early 2022.

Our Asia-based DMCs are reporting an increase in requests for the 2021/22 season, but as borders to most countries are still currently closed, confirmations are pending. The greatest barrier to the reopening of travel will undoubtedly be the availability of region-wide flights. Many groups and individual travellers to Asia visit more than one country – so the revival of this type of travel arrangement will depend heavily on the restarting of local flights and availability of routes.

Our Thailand DMC has taken the opportunity to reassess their travel partners and to refocus on environment and resource sustainability – supporting local communities and projects rather than feeding the already large conglomerates. There will be some amazing travel programmes available in Asia once we can take to the skies again.

Saudi Arabia has been building a strong base to launch the destination to the world as soon as borders open again. With tourist offices opened in Europe, UK, Japan, and others planned, this represents a new destination for most groups and incentives, with huge potential. Visas will be readily available, and all visitors welcomed whether groups, incentives, or individual travellers. Prepare to see a large Saudi presence at trade shows in the coming year!

UK is currently operating a traffic light travel system, fraught with confusion and frequent updates. Those destinations on the Green list can arrive into the UK without quarantine, but with testing; those on Amber must quarantine ‘at home’ for 10 days – again with testing. Those on the Red list must quarantine at a designated hotel, at their own expense. There are ‘exceptions’ for business travellers, but the changes to these rules must be carefully monitored.

In discussions with a UK-based travel counsellor, we learned that holiday destinations are already ‘sold out’ for peak travel periods in 2022 and key dates in 2023 are filling fast. Contrary to public opinion that destinations are ‘crying out’ for business, there is pent up demand, rescheduled travel arrangements and in some cases, reduced availability. The UAE reports high occupancy in beach-front hotels, and premium rates, as do Caribbean and Mediterranean destinations. Flight availability is not what it was, and with no indication on how many seats will return, the recommendation is to make your plans now and book ahead of time. Do not leave it until the last minute, expecting deals.

Whether for groups, incentives, or individual travellers, planning ahead with comprehensive insurance cover and your own personal/corporate risk assessments will be the order of the day for some time to come.

Although our DMCs are mostly known for inbound group and incentive travel arrangements, many have adjusted to provide tailor-make arrangements for individual travellers. Whatever their offerings, members of World of DMCs are reputable travel providers in their country of operation, and we strongly recommend you reach out with your requests, and to find out the latest in travel opportunities before you book in this fast-changing environment. We strongly recommend working with reputable travel partners rather than trying to arrange trips yourself or online. You will be better informed, and better protected when working with professionals, and will probably save money in the long run.

Please do reach out to info@world-of-dmcs.com or our individual partners for information and updates. Subscribe to our mailing list for regular news starting September 2021.

We ALL eagerly await the return of our business, and wish you a safe flight, wherever you go this year.

Caroline Tapken

Executive Director

World of DMCs

#askadmc #worldofdmcs #eventprofs #dmcprofs #travel2021 #travel #groupandincentivetravel #grouptravel #travelincentive #incentivetravel

World of DMCs Board met in April, via Zoom.

Board Meetings generally take place prior to the two major trade shows attended by World of DMCs members each year, but in these strange times, with travel forbidden by most countries, the Board has been keeping up to date via Zoom.

Hosting the meeting was President, Gaby Seikaly from Gulf Circle Tours DMC UAE, and attendees included Board Members from Armenia, Austria, Iceland and Morocco.

Even during these tough times, World of DMCs membership continues to grow, and the network is delighted to welcome Atlas Express, DMC Slovenia on board.

With IBTM 2021 planning a physical event in Barcelona later this year, it is hoped that travel will soon return and member countries can once again welcome group and incentive travellers to their respective destinations.

Until we meet again, stay safe!

Argentina is getting ready to reopen!

Argentina Travel Partners (ATP DMC) look forward to welcoming your guests back to discovering our beautiful Argentina when it becomes safe to travel again.

A complete document has been developed to guide clients through current works and protocols developed to create a safer and smoother trip experience to Argentina. It is based on news items and official announcements from the Argentine government

Latest update on July 30 2020

Protocols to resume activities and reopen hotels, restaurants and tour operators are published by the government.

For full details and guidance, visit ATP DMC or email info@atpdmc.com

See the Panama Canal from above, with this helicopter tour over the city.

On this tailored tour you will travel over the City, flying in a helicopter for 3 or 4 passengers with panoramic windows, discovering the majestic Panama Canal from above. Marvel over the modern city, its skyscrapers and modern buildings, and the spectacular contrast with the historical area of Panama, its old town and the ruins of Panama Viejo from a privileged point of view in the sky.

Then enjoy a delicious lunch surrounded by the flora and fauna of the country in the Soberania National Park.

In Panama there are more bird species than in all of North America. In addition to migratory birds, there are about 993 endemic species. The Quetzal and the Harpy Eagle are commonly spotted. In the Soberanía National Park, one of the conservation parks of the Panama Canal, there are areas for fishing in Lake Gatún, hiking, bird watching and visits to the Emberá indigenous community. The Chagres River runs through the park, which was established as a national park in 1980. The park covers 55,000 acres.

Enjoy this sky high experience for your next group that visits Panama City!

Soberanía National Park Day Visit

If you would like to spend more time in the Park, with or without guide, these visits can also be arranged.

Soberanía National Park protects some 525 species of birds, 105 species of mammals, 80 species of reptiles, and 55 species of amphibians. Bird species include toucans, trogons, motmots, flycatchers, woodpeckers, hawks, and tanagers. Rare species include the crimson-bellied woodpecker, crested eagle, yellow-eared toucanets, sirystes, rofous-ventaul, ground cuckoo, and even the endangered harpy eagle.

Pipeline Road is the top place to spot birds within the park. This trail is best during the early morning hours when the forest begins to awaken. Pipeline Road runs for many miles and passes through both old-growth and secondary forests. Other than birds, hikers may be able to spot capybaras (the world’s largest rodent), two- and three-toed sloths, Geoffroy’s tamarin, and coatimundis.

A mile (1.6 km) in from the entrance to Pipeline Road is the Panama Rainforest Discovery Centre, which boasts a 100-foot (30-m) observation tower. The tower is a fantastic place to spot birds in the morning. Do note, however, that there is an entrance fee.

Visitors to Soberanía can also walk along a section of the historic Las Cruces Trail (Camino de Cruces). The trail dates back to the 16th century, when it was used by the Spanish to transport gold across Panama. Today, the first section of the trail is lined with ancient stones that once marked the historic trail’s path.

Note: Whilst Panama’s borders are currently closed to visitors, Think Mice Panama continues to prepare exciting itineraries ready for your return! Contact us on reservas2@colon2000.com