FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERotterdam Partners Convention Bureau and The Hague Convention Bureau Appoint Development Counsellors International To Generate Conventions & Meetings BusinessRotterdam & The Hague, The Netherlands (May 15, 2017) — Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau and The Hague Convention Bureau – each respective city’s principal business tourism organization – have collectively appointed Development Counsellors International (DCI) to advance the positioning of the destinations as hubs for corporate meetings and associations. DCI will focus on securing new business meetings, conventions, and tourism revenue for Rotterdam and The Hague from the North American market. DCI will support the marketing and promotion of Rotterdam and The Hague through initiatives focused on enhancing existing relationships with association executives and corporate meeting planners throughout the United States and Canada. DCI will also outlay a media relations plan to engage the business events press. “Rotterdam is known for its drive toward innovation and resilience and we’re delighted to work with DCI, a firm which has continued to demonstrate innovative approaches to sales, marketing and public relations across North America,” said Marie-Thérèse Marcusse, director of the Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau. “With Rotterdam and The Hague located in such close proximity – just 17 miles apart – we see partnering as a unique opportunity to leverage the strength both cities can offer in a single visit.” “With the Convention Bureaus of Rotterdam and The Hague working together to promote our business tourism sector in North America, it will enable us to showcase the appeal of these unique cities,” says Ms. Nienke van der Malen – van der Horst, the director of The Hague Convention Bureau. “The Hague and Rotterdam have strong profiles as event destinations and offer attractive hotels, diverse conference spaces, world-class infrastructure and alluring neighborhoods. In partnership with DCI, we will be able to bridge connections, enhance existing programs and ultimately add to the economic prosperity of the region.” According to van der Malen - van der Horst, The Hague and Rotterdam are in the perfect position to prove themselves to North American event organizers. Last year, the cities were awarded the C&IT award as the Best Short-Haul Destination and are very eager to enter a new market, this time across the Atlantic. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau and The Hague Convention Bureau in North America,” reports Karyl Leigh Barnes, Excecutive Vice President and Managing Partner – Tourism Practice, Development Counsellors International. “Our strategy is to elevate Rotterdam and The Hague’s position as leading business events destinations by amplifying the cities marketing efforts and target prospective meeting planners and association executives.” With about 630,000 residents, Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands. Rotterdam has 7500+ hotel rooms and 3 professional conference centres as well as a wide range of alternative historical venues. The Port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe and has had a major influence on the international character of the city, counting more than 170 nationalities. Rotterdam is a mecca for fans of art & architecture, cultural festivals and life along the river Maas. Business guests are drawn to Rotterdam for its strengths in maritime & harbour related activities, its leading university medical centre Erasmus MC with more than 1,000 active research projects, its role as a hub for cleantech, and as the gateway to one of the world’s major agri-food hubs. The Academy of Urbanism named Rotterdam European City of 2016, and Lonely Planet named the city #5 in its Top 10 for 2016. Most recently CNN and the Huffington Post have noted the city’s rise to coolest city in Europe / The Netherlands. It is no wonder that in 2016 the city saw over 1,058,000 hotel guests and 1,670,000 overnight stays, and has moved up 5 positions in the ICCA rankings, holding the position of 2nd conference city of the Netherlands for 10 years running. The Hague is the only major city in The Netherlands beautifully located next to two of the country’s best beach resort. The Hague’s modern city centre and its vibrant atmosphere are some of the reasons the city is acknowledged as an ideal destination for business events. The Hague offers diversity as it brings together historical landmarks and modern architecture. The Hague is known as the International City of Peace and Justice and it is also the residence of the Dutch Royal Family. The world-class venues and event infrastructure surely exceed the needs of any association and corporate event organiser. The city has more than 4,000 hotel rooms and over 580 meeting rooms. The Hague is one of the top 50 international congress destinations among European cities, according to the ranking of The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). It is also one of the top 100 most attractive congress cities in the world. Global newspapers such as the Guardian in the UK and Le Monde in France have recently written about The Hague as a must-visit destination to explore. Rotterdam Partners
focuses on strengthening the economy of Rotterdam and its surrounding region. It spearheads initiatives which promote innovation in the Rotterdam economy. Rotterdam Partners is the link that connects, strengthens, and enhances local and regional networks, and brings together supply and demand in fields like tourism, business events and conferences in the city. With more than 170 partners in our event infrastructure network, and 60 Knowledge Ambassadors hailing from top universities in and around Rotterdam, the Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau is ideally positioned to support you with advice, services and mediation, at no cost to you. The Hague Convention Bureau (THCB) is the official organization for promoting The Hague as an outstanding business and association event destination. We offer support to event planners who are hosting meetings and conferences in The Hague. Our well-established partnerships with local suppliers enable us to ensure association and corporate events benefit from The Hague’s excellent event infrastructure and world-class venues to full extent. Our services are free of charge and include all activities related to the planning and hosting of business events in The Hague. About Development Counsellors International ### Media/Industry Contact: Sierra Brown, Account Executive, DCI |