Three questions to

History, hospitality and fine dining: only in Germany

Three questions to: Mr. Ralph Knoblauch
Manager Corporate Groups & Events Germany, Austria and Switzerland at American Express Int.

GCB: Mr. Knoblauch, you have experience in planning, organising and running customer events all over the planet. What is the attraction of MICE Destination Germany?
Knoblauch: Over recent years there has been a shift in attitudes towards event management and employee motivation. The primary focus is no longer on a destination – the idea of "the further away, the better". Today, the emphasis is on corporate social responsibility, sustainability and content. Helping to build a nursery gives people a better feeling than a trip to say Mauritius.
And, of course, travelling costs are also a factor. Many companies are reluctant to travel long distances because of the expense involved. The new philosophy is very much "I will save money on travel but invest more in content".
GCB: What makes Germany different from other destinations?
Knoblauch: Germany is an outstanding host country for events because of its infrastructure and strong service mentality. Why? There is the legendary German correctness and precision, of course, which comes from the German engineering industry but is also reflected in the service philosophy. Things run like clockwork – reliably and dependably. In Germany, you don't have to plan in extra time for delays. And precisely this reliability is one of the key criteria in event management. When you add in the variety of the hotels we can offer, direct transport connections within Germany and Europe and daily intercontinental flights – you can see how strong the package really is.
GCB: But that doesn't really sound like fun.
Knoblauch: Germany was always seen as a business destination for conventions and meetings. But it probably has even more to offer in terms of incentives and events. After all, there is nothing that Germany doesn't offer - it doesn't do "can't do". We have mountains and the open sea, plains, forests and rivers. In Germany, I can do off-the-wall activities like ballooning and dog-sled racing. And if I want to build an igloo – I can go up the Zugspitze. You can find the rustic and the down-to-earth, the cosmopolitan, the simple and the extravagant. Germany is not just about high quality, it is also Simply Fun.

Three questions to: Ms. Diana Katz
Specialised US journalist based in New York

GCB: Ms. Katz, why do you recommend Germany to your readers as a venue for their events?
Katz: Germans and Americans are more similar to each other than any other nations. We have the same values in terms of innovation, globalisation and "green issues". Around 43 million Americans have German ancestors. In Germany, "yes" means "yes" and "no" means "no". So there is a natural understanding between people. We also admire the German instinct for innovation – for example, Germans are way ahead of the Americans in environmental matters. Americans find that interesting. From Germany, they hope to learn how effective "green" can be and that "green" doesn't have to be expensive. That gives them a good feeling.
GCB: What image do Americans currently have of Germany?
Katz: Unlike the Americans, Germans are very thorough. Efficiency – that is what Americans see. So far they have not discovered the hospitality and warmth of the German people. And Germans offer excellent service into the bargain: very warm and everywhere you look. When Germans roll out the red carpet, it extends beyond the hotel and conference centre. Germans love to have a good time and they want you to join in. This combination is simply fascinating.
GCB: So efficiency and hospitality are the keys to Germany's success?
Katz: A conference centre alone is not a reason for leaving the United States and flying to Germany. It is the adventure of Berlin. Berlin is hot: its museums, the art, the history. Or the cultivated ease of "smaller" cities like Düsseldorf. The quality of traditional and brand-new infrastructure is wonderful together with the tremendous knowledge found within German universities as well. But mostly it is down to the amazing infrastructure and airports. Just look at airports like JFK in New York City – they are Third World airports!

Three questions to: Mr. Cecil Burdick
Regional Director of HelmsBriscoe based in Houston, Texas

GCB: Mr. Burdick, with more than 750 partners in 31 countries HelmsBriscoe is the largest location-seeker, event planner and booker of hotel room capacity in the world. How do you give your clients a taste for Destination Germany?
Burdick: I've already taken a lot of large groups to Germany and indeed all over the world - multinational groups of 2,000 to 2,500 people for trips of ten days. Our clients simply want the best and money is no object. About two years ago, everyone started wanting to go Germany. That's a dramatic change! Here is an example - an international technology corporation was looking for a suitable venue for a convention with 3,000 participants. And even though mega-cities like Sydney were on our list of suggestions, they wanted to go to Berlin at all costs - because of the history, the RadissonSAS with its giant aquarium in the lobby, the Sony Center and the historic site behind it - and because of a "Trabbi safari". I've never had more fun on a team building activity than on that "Trabbi safari" through Berlin. You can't do that sort of thing anywhere else. You hardly have any rules!
GCB: Hardly have any rules? In Germany?
Burdick: If you've ever tried to organise an incentive in Italy, for example, you'll know what I'm talking about. Germany means low stress for us planners. And that's because Germans like to have fun - much more so than Americans. They've never learned to relax. All people talk about is work. But in Germany you hang up your boots after work. What is the slogan of the German Convention Bureau? High Tech - Simply Fun? I think: Germany is High Tech + Low Stress = Simply Fun.
GCB: Thank you for the compliment! And as a major customer, what do you think of our range of hotels?
Burdick: Paradise! Germany has so many five-star venues. In America, the hotel companies focus on cost per bedroom – not on style, not on the design. It's a different story in Europe. Take a look at the RadissonSAS in Berlin, or the Radisson in Frankfurt: it's a disc! Or the wonderful grand hotels! There's one thing a lot of people don't know: Americans don't eat breakfast. But they do use Wireless LAN. That's why they go to places like Radisson SAS Hotels, where the technology is available and can be used free of charge. That is a good reason.

Three questions to: Mr. Richard John
Specialised Journalist RJA – The Coach House in the English county of Lincolnshire

GCB: Mr. John, the British have their own special view of the "Krauts" on the European mainland. What, in your view, are the selling points for conventions and events in Germany, what are the highlights?
John: For groups from the UK, there are so many attractions in Germany: exciting, bubbling Berlin; the richness of the history, for example in northern Germany; excellent facilities for trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses; the charms of a wine-producing country; the winter activities, which perhaps the English associate more with other countries; a fabulous range of outdoor pursuits; the magnificent infrastructure and transport services as well as the opportunity to see the difference between East and West close up.
GCB: An American colleague has invented his own formula for Germany. He says: "Germany is High Tech plus Low Stress which equals Simply Fun." Do you agree?
John: I think Germany is a pretty advanced high-tech country. But the low stress factor for planners is also down to German efficiency, quality and a culture, which is based on precision - so things happen when they should!
GCB: What do you personally like best?
John: The great food! And everyone seems to speak perfect English.