Again, an intensive cooperation of MECC Maastricht, other partners and the Maastricht Convention Bureau has led to the signing of a contract for a major event: from May 19th-23rd 2013, 1,500 to 2,000 delegates will be participating the 13th CISTM Conference in Maastricht & surrounding area .
“The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM), a truly international scientific membership organisation, is delighted to bring its 13th International conference to the Netherlands, and to Maastricht, in 2013. The city is a truly international, European city on the cross roads between the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, which fits very well with the international nature of the ISTM membership. The city is charming and has good restaurants and cafes, both indoor and outdoor, but is compact enough to ensure the delegates will meet and socialize outside the conference venue as they explore the city. It is a city with an ideal size for a conference of approximately 1,500-2,000 delegates and the venue is ideally sized for a conference of our magnitude. The offer has been very competitive and the city gave the evaluation team the feeling that Maastricht is a really welcoming host and we look forward to enjoying that hospitality in 2013.”
These words are from ISTM’s Past-President Frank von Sonnenburg and future ISTM President (President-Elect) Fiona Genasi.
The ISTM Conference (CISTM) is held every two years, in prominent destinations. In 2009, the conference was held in Budapest (Hungary), and Boston will be hosting city in 2011. Before the board of the International Society of Travel Management comes to a decision as to where they will be having their conference, the destination will undergo a whole selection procedure.
Sonja Opreij-Speth of the Maastricht Convention Bureau explains: “the board first came to Maastricht & surrounding area in October 2009, to get to know this region as a conference destination and to see whether the facilities, possibilities and atmosphere were suitable for CISTM. After that, the future President (President-Elect), Fiona Genasi, visited Maastricht last March, during TEFAF. And last but not least: in July 2010, the bureau organising CISTM, COCS from Munich, together with Past-President Frank von Sonnenburg, came to Maastricht & surrounding area. Such visits are crucial during the site selection procedure.
Therefore, we are very pleased with the good regional cooperation with MECC Maastricht and our other partners. Thanks to cooperation and support of all those parties involved, we can organise high quality visits to Maastricht & surrounding area. The decision makers notice this as well, and this is reassuring for them: next to good facilities and atmosphere, they experience the are dealing with professional local parties, who will do their utmost to make the conference as perfect as possible. All of which are crucial for a successful conference! But that is not all: all those delegates, who will be staying in the city for four days, are good for the local economy.”
