Iceland will be hosting the 2014 annual convention of the Society of American Travel Writers, SATW.Meet in Reykjavik, the official Convention Bureau, made the bid for this important and valuable event in cooperation with its affiliates, which include the city of Reykjavik, Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, Icelandair Group, and a number of PCO´s, DMC´s, venues and hotels on the market.
Some 350 SATW members are expected to get together in Iceland in the fall of 2014. Following the convention in Reykjavik, the guests will travel to various parts of the country, in order to capture interesting images and stories, to make the most of their visit.
Annette Thompson, chair for the Central States Chapter of SATW, says: “Iceland brought something totally different from what we’d been considering. We were pleased with Meet in Reykjavik’s enthusiasm and responsiveness, which we found contagious. We felt Iceland to be a safe destination, as well as an exotic one. Our members appreciate meetings in places where they have not been, and where they may not have an opportunity to get to. So Iceland met all of our needs. Plus Iceland’s qualities helped it stand out from the other places under consideration. We feel that we can develop more sell-able stories and photographs there. Because Iceland is so close and affordable to North American travelers, the opportunity to tell your story to a broad range of publications is there. Plus, Iceland seems to welcome English-speaking travelers who make up the majority of our audience. And that’s the magic in coming to Reykjavik. “
Thorsteinn Orn Gudmundsson, Managing Director, Meet in Reykjavik commented: „Hosting the SATW convention creates a unique opportunity for us to show Iceland to millions of people trough its members‘ writings and photography. It‘s always great to get more business, but in this case the label added value is almost an understatement. We are thrilled that SATW liked what Iceland has to offer. At the same time we are convinced that it would be difficult to find as inspiring destination as Iceland in terms of interesting stories to tell or photo opportunities for the members.“
