After its launch two years ago, the MICE Luxembourg Cluster (CML) entered a new phase of development with the constitution of a new executive office and the reappointment of its president Patrick Hoffnung during the general assembly at the Sofitel Luxembourg Europe yesterday.
The meeting was chaired by outgoing President Patrick Hoffnung and Romain Weber, President of Luxembourg for Tourism.
The MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) cluster is a participatory body whose 27 members represent a cross-section of the sector, including hotels, conference centres, transport providers, events managers and public institutions.
The action plan that Luxembourg for Tourism develops in collaboration with the members of the cluster is part of the national strategy for Luxembourg as a MICE destination. Over the past two years the sector has grown by 4%.
In 2016, the cluster had eight technical committees (CTs), which had gathered around a number of specific projects, including the development of a national bid book for the procurement of large International congresses, development of a calendar of MICE events to optimise capacity management, creation of a quality charter governing the sector as a whole, and development of a statistical tool to monitor the activity of the sector in the Grand Duchy and to analyse development potentials.
In 2016, the MICE sector also underwent a major promotional operation with the organisation of the "Meet Luxembourg" event, which presented to almost 120 international congress organisers the strengths of Luxembourg as a MICE destination. Targeted promotion actions were also carried out in Paris, Frankfurt, London and Barcelona.
The General Meeting elected a new Executive Board and confirmed Patrick Hoffnung (Managing Director of Luxembourg Congress - European Convention Centre Luxembourg) for a second term as President. Jean-Michel Collignon (Managing Director of Luxexpo The Box) and Alberto Kunkel (Executive Vice-President LuxairGroup) were appointed Vice-Presidents.
At the meeting, Patrick Hoffnung said, "We now have a real exchange platform, a shared national strategy for the MICE and coordinated annual national plans that have strengthened the impact of our actions on the stairs. Through the involvement and work of all, we have seen considerable progress in many areas. We have implemented many actions that are essential to the development of the MICE and contributed to the best positioning of the destination at the international level."
The members of the MICE Luxembourg Cluster are Accor, Brain & More, Casino 2000, CCRN Neimënster, Chamber of Commerce, Château Urspelt, Domaine Thermal, Excellence Hotels, Goeres Group, Le Place d'Armes, Luxempo The Box, Meetincs, Melia Hotel, Ministry of Economy, Mudam, Alvisse Park, Park Inn by Radisson, Philharmonie, Rockhal, Sales Lentz, Trifolion, Travel Emile Weber, and Wemperhardt Massen Hotel.
