1/26/2016 Iceland wants business to 'meet in the middle' CNN.com
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says Karitas Kjartansdottir, Harpa's conference director.
Though the venue is in its early days, and Kjartansdottir reckons it
takes up to five years to market a new conference hall, Harpa has
already booked some big gigs.
"If you're a manager, and you're riskadverse, you might be hesitant
to send several hundred of your best employees overseas
somewhere, especially if you're not fully sure of how evolved the
infrastructure is in that place," says Gudmundsson. "People who
have been here already know how stateofthe art our technology
and infrastructure are, but there are some who have no idea, and
they might think of Iceland as primitive, in a sense. Our focus right
now is in trying to shift that perception."
See also: Iceland bouncing back on tourism boom
Another advantage that managers may not be privy to is
the convenience of Iceland's location. Though it may
seem like a distant land, the country is a mere threehour
flight from central Europe, and five hours from many
North American destinations.
Meet in Reykjavik has adopted the slogan "meet in the
middle," a reference to both the country's handy midway
coordinates, and to the historic Reykjavik Summit, where
former U.S. President Ronald Reagan met with General Secretary
of the Soviet Union's Communist Party Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986,
to negotiate arms control.
"It will be a long time before we get another meeting as prominent
as the Reykjavik Summit," says Gudmundsson. "Though one could
say that it was the starting point for Iceland becoming a destination
for meetings."
The national carrier, Icelandair, has also been a major
factor in developing the country's connectivity with the
world. Over the last few years it has developed its flight
network, increasing both the number and frequency of
direct routes.
"We have great connections from the [United] States to
Iceland, and that puts us in a strong market position,"
notes Kjartansdottir.
Watch video: Richard Quest's presidential tour of Iceland
But perhaps the country's greatest sell is its natural
beauty. The Blue Lagoon the most visited sight in
Iceland is also set up for meetings and conferences.
There are board rooms and theaters that can
accommodate up to 90 guests, and which overlook the lava fields,
glaciers, waterfalls and the lagoon itself. Some companies even
hold meetings in the midst of the steaming waters.
"The Blue Lagoon brings more energy to business groups, and
makes corporate events more fun and productive," notes Magnea
Guomundsdottir, the director of public relations for Blue Lagoon
Iceland. Gudmundsson attended one such meeting while a
management consultant at McKinsey & Company.
"There were 30 of us standing in the blue water, watching the snow
come from the sky while discussing the values of the company,"
said Gudmundsson. "It literally blew the socks off everybody there.
"Six weeks earlier, we'd had an event in New York. It was very nice,
and memorable, but nothing close to how distinctive the Blue
Lagoon was."
As if the setting wasn't unique enough, Blue Lagoon has also
arranged DJs, circuses and modern dance performers for corporate
events.
"It's in keeping with the spirit of the setting," notes Guomundsdottir.
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