Posts Tagged ‘DMC’

Kicking Back in Krakow

Thursday, January 21st, 2016

“Krakow is one of my favorite places on earth. It is a medieval city full of young people. A wonderful, striking combination.” (Jonathan Carrol: USA Author)

Krakow is possibly the best place in Poland to party!! And for incentive travel groups there are a number of new boutique hotels that are in “historic” converted properties.

Krakow is many things to many people; from international students to millions of tourists to conference delegates, ICE Krakow Congress Centre and incentive travel visitors.

And to provide contrast to your city incentive stay check out Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains.

Poland shares Europe’s second biggest mountain range with other central European countries and Poland’s share has six peaks over 2,000 metres – so a good place for winter sports.

But there is so much more outside of winter – from rafting to hiking, from visiting pretty spa towns and villages to meeting Poland’s mountain people, who have a preserved culture apart from the rest of Poland.

And to give a flavour of what you might do in Kraków & Zakopane: (see more)

  • Horse-drawn carriage ride through the Old Town of Kraków
  • Jewish Trail at Kazimierz District
  • Ship Cruise along Vistula River & discovering the Wawel Castle – the seat of Polish kings
  • Miner’s Tour at Wieliczka Salt Mine – the oldest operating salt mine in Europe – 330m below the ground!
  • Muchelin fine dining without giving your wallet heartburn
  • Rafting on Dunajec River towards Zakopane
  • Quads Adventure in Tatra Mountains
  • Snow Safari – winter expedition around Zakopane
  • Mountain Folk Games in Zakopane – discover the folklore of Polish mountains
  • Mountain Spa visit

Exciting Destination News From Welcome Italy & Welcome Swiss

Wednesday, January 6th, 2016

Breaking News from Italy and Switzerland

Italy – a crossroads of artistic, innovative and ancient wonders!

Switzerland – small is beautiful!

Read all about it in The Switzerlander and Welcome Italy Times!

Simply download the PDF files below, sit back, relax & enjoy the read.

Journal Winter – Switzerland

Journal Winter – Italy……

Makowiec – A Traditional Polish Dessert Recipe

Wednesday, November 25th, 2015

Makowiec (Poppy Seed Roll) is a traditional Polish dessert, especially popular during the Christmas season.

Makes 2 rolls

Recipe adapted from Moje Wypieki

Poppy seed filling

  • 330g poppy seeds
  • 112g light brown sugar
  • 65g raisins or sultanas
  • 33g walnuts, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup candied orange zest
  • 4 egg whites

Dough

  • 30g fresh yeast or 14g instant yeast
  • 320g plain flour + extra for sprinkling
  • 4 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp strong alcohol like vodka or rum
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla paste
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 120ml milk, lukewarm
  • 100g butter, melted and cooled down

Poppy seed filling

Place poppy seeds in a medium bowl and pour boiling water over (you just want it to be covered). Leave it to cool.

Remove the excess of water and grind twice

Add sugar, raisins, walnuts, honey, almond extract, cinnamon, butter, candied orange zest and stir until well combined.

In a separate bowl whip egg whites until stiff, add it into poppy seed mixture and gently fold it in.

Dough

If you are using fresh yeast – mix yeast with 1 tablespoon of sugar (it will turn into liquid). Add 2 tablespoons of flour and all milk, stir and leave aside for 20-30 minutes until you see bubbles on the surface. Follow the steps below, adding the yeast mixture in place of the milk.

If you are using dry yeast – in a big bowl mix together yeast, flour and sugar.

Add alcohol, vanilla paste, egg yolks and milk and knead until well combined (around 5-10 minutes).

Pour slowly butter and knead until incorporated.

Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave it in a warm place to rise,  an hour or longer until it doubles in size.

Assembling

Divide the dough in two.

Roll each part of the dough on a floured surface. You want to have rectangular dough around 3mm thick.

Spread the filling on each of the rectangles, leaving around 2-cm edge.

Starting at the long edge, roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Turn ends under so filling will not leak out.

Place the rolls on a parchment-lined pan.

Bake in a preheated oven to 190ºC/170ºC fan for 30-40 minutes. (The dough get golden very quickly, so cover it with a parchment paper so it wouldn’t burn).

Leave it to cool.

You may decorate it with icing and candied orange zest.

Deutschland: Destination Different – Wiesbaden

Friday, October 16th, 2015

#incentivesgermany, #wiesbaden, #frankfurt, #teambuildinggermany, dmcgermany

“Wine pleases the heart and joyfulness is the mother of all virtues.” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749 – 1832, German poet)GTA loves this quote

Just over 30 minutes from Frankfurt lies one of the oldest spa towns in Europe.
Wiesbaden has catered to people from countries near and far for many centuries; right back to the Romans who knew it as “Aquis Mattiacis”.

To give your delegates a real luxurious spoil why not take a day out to go “Meadow Bathing” in one of Wiesbaden‘s Thermal Spas?

‘Meadow Baths’ is the literal translation of Wiesbaden, whose journey to world fame was begun by the Romans’ penchant for bathing in hot, healthy, mineral-rich waters.

The Romans introduced more than their love of bathing in hot mineral waters, they also brought grapes and wine!
What the Romans started the “locals” finished and a number of current notable wineries have a centuries-old history.

So, given your delegates senses and health are pampered they might also wish to take time to be virtuous?
Why not add in a winery visit and enjoy your virtue – your group will be spoilt for choice!

Great wine deserves, of course, great food and the options for lunch and dinner range from Michelin starred, through Michelin Guide and down.

For team building you could add a cookery class to the winery, or try one of the river-based activities?

Or, if you want something unusual how about a mini Olympics in the dark?!
Black Light Olympics offers team games with a difference that can include table tennis, office golf, darts and even basketball!

And for dinner the night before why not set the tone and try a Dining in The Dark “Blind Experience”?
Incentives groups might like to time their stay to coincide with one of the many fun-packed festivals. Aside from the obvious wine festival they may enjoy festivals based on street theatre, folklore, music arts and cuisine.

Festivals season starts at the end of March and finishes at the end of September, whichever you choose there is plenty of wine and food.

And, of course, Wiesbaden has some good hotel options and amazing gala dinner venues!

A Dish from George: Lobster Pasta with White Sauce

Sunday, September 6th, 2015

George and Ioli love Greek Cuisine…… and what isn’t there to like when you have so many choices? Although home cooking is a must for their family dinners, work obligations mean they often eat out. Their top choice is one of the taverns by the sea side with fresh fish, while their favourite dish is definitely Lobster Pasta with White Sauce.

And because they like to share… here’s the recipe from one of Greece’s most famous gourmet chefs, Lefteris Lazarou, translated into English just for you:

Ingredients:
1.5 kg lobster
1 packet spaghetti or similar pasta
200ml olive oil
200ml white wine
1 garlic clove finely chopped
100g chopped parsley
90ml fish stock (you can use warm water instead of fish stock)
Ground chilli peppers
Salt & Pepper
Chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions:
Step 1
Split the lobster in half along it’s length, from head to tail
Step 2
In a pan, warm half amount of the olive oil
Step 3
Add the chopped garlic, parsley and fish stock
Step 4
Add salt, simmer for 2 minutes and withdraw from heat
Step 5
Boil the pasta al dente according to packet instructions
Step 6
In a frying pan warm the rest of the oil and add the wine
Step 7
Place the lobster, belly down, in the warm oil (careful not to over heat the oil) 
Step 8
Season with salt and pepper and gradually add 2/3 of the garlic, parsley and broth mixture
Step 9
Bring to a simmer and remove from heat
Step 10
In the remaining 1/3 mixture of garlic, parsley and broth add the ground chilli and pour over the cooked pasta
Step 11
Serve in dish, pasta and one portion of lobster. Sprinkle over fresh parsley.
Step 12
Enjoy! Kali Orexi!

New York Style Cheesecake

Friday, August 14th, 2015

Pour boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan, and smooth the top. delicious and a New York Tradition!

Feel like giving it a shot baking it at home? Here is a recipe:

Ingredients

For the Crust:

4 ounces graham crackers, broken into pieces

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

2 1/2 pounds cream cheese (5 8-ounce packages), room temperature

4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces sour cream, room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in lower third of oven.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9- by 13-inch springform pan. Line the sides of the pan with 4-inch-high strips of parchment and butter the parchment.

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers with salt and sugar to fine crumbs. Add butter and pulse until fully incorporated. Press evenly into bottom of prepared springform pan and bake until crust is golden brown and set, 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool 10 minutes.

In a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter, and sour cream with sugar until light and smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Beat in remaining egg yolks, zest, and vanilla extract.

Crisscross two long pieces of foil and place a piece of parchment on top. Place springform in center of foil and wrap foil tightly around bottom and sides of pan. Transfer to a roasting pan, pour filling into springform pan, and smooth the top.

The Switzerlander & Welcome Italy Times

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Read all about it!!

Latest news from Welcome Swiss & Welcome Italy

Journal Swiss italy

Traditional Currywurst Recipe

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Did you know that the currywurst was invented in Berlin in 1949?

The currywurst is an icon of German popular culture. Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is a noted fan of currywurst. By tradition, every candidate for Bürgermeister (mayor) of Berlin is photographed at a currywurst stand. More than 800 Million are eaten each year in Germany

The invention of currywurst is attributed to Herta Heuwer in Berlin in 1949 after she obtained ketchup (or possibly Worcestershire sauce) and curry powder from British soldiers in Germany. She mixed these ingredients with other spices and poured it over grilled pork sausage. Heuwer started selling at a street stand in Berlin where it became popular with construction workers rebuilding the devastated city. She patented her sauce, called Chillup, in 1951.

Ingredients

For 4 People

4 brewed veal sausages

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion

1 red chilli pepper

20g fresh ginger

2-3 tsp hot curry powder

150 ml Cola

3 doses lumpy tomato (each 400 g )

salt

sugar

Preparation (30 minutes)

1. Cut sausages on both sides several times and fry in 3 tablespoons medium heated olive oil from both sides until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and chilli pepper. Fry in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Peel the ginger, grate it finely and sauté together with the curry powder. Deglaze and boil up with cola. Add tomatoes, heat it all through and season to taste with salt and 1 pinch of sugar.

3. Cut the sausages into slices, serve with the sauce and serve sprinkled with curry powder. Serve with fries. 

Bon appetit!

Or maybe you want to enjoy the wide range of the traditional Berlin Currywurst directly in Germany? The event locationDeutsches Currywurst Museum Berlin provides an extraordinary ambiance for different events which can be booked exclusively:

http://currywurstmuseum.com/en/

 

 

Join us as a Hosted Buyer at The Meetings Show

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

The Meetings Show just gets better each year!

GTAssociates is delighted to be once again organising Hosted Buyers for this year’s Meetings Show 7 – 9 July 2015.

More overseas exhibitors and destinations for 2015 – they travel – so unlike overseas Exhibitions you do not have to take a flight.

And….. if you are based outside Greater London enjoy one of the best Hosted Buyer complimentary experiences through  GTAssociates and The Meetings Show; with options to:

On Tuesday night “Dine with Melia White House” hosted by Melia. Melia White House will soon be completing a major revamp of their main bar – check it out with us in July. The bar will e-emerge as a Martini Bar.

And take in the stunning views from London’s No 1 Roof Bar at ME London while enjoying post dinner drinks with co-hosts Melia and GTA DMCs.

Alternatively, on Wednesday, “Dine Around The Taj” at St James Court.  Experience a course in each restaurant, including the Michelin starred Quilon where you can journey to the South West coast of India. Hosted by Taj Hotels.

Before dinner enjoy Welcome drinks/canapes courtesy of GTA’s DMCs and enjoy post dinner drinks in St James’s magnificent courtyard or on the terrace.

The Meetings Show provide 1 or 2 nights complimentary accommodation (B&B) plus travel, Hosted Buyer Lounge with lunch and free Wi-Fi plus a number of networking events.

GTA and our DMCs will provide transport, with a surprise, throughout each evening.

Plus should you wish you can meet some of our DMCs for an update on their destinations during the Show.

We would be delighted to host you at this key event.  For details on how to register contact Stephanie or Alan.

See you at the Meetings Show if not before!


Costa Blanca Unveiled!!

Sunday, March 1st, 2015

Mer made great Costa Blanca memories for her Meet & Talk Forum/Fam Trip delegates last week

Both GTAssociates guests and other guests have given some lovely feedback for Mer (Mercedes Cid) who ran the combined Forum and Fam for Costa Blanca Tourism.

Mer and the various suppliers have definitely put Costa Blanca on the delegates MICE map. For many attendees, destinations such as Alicante, Calpe & Torrevieja were simply unknown.

Check our Day by Day program posts to see what we all discovered and check our round up for comments on the hotels/venues.

Arrival Day Thursday 19 February

Not strictly correct as some of us, as I did, arrived Wednesday. Meet & Talk Forums is particularly delegate friendly in that you can, within reason, chose your departure airport and best arrival/departure times/dates to suit.

Our welcome included great tourism authorities’ videos, bubbly in the Champ Bar and a fabulous gourmet dinner with great entertainment.

We started at AR Diamante Beach and Convention Hotel (our host hotel during the Forum) with a welcome by Costa Blanca Tourism and great video presentation and then moved onto Sol y Mar hotel. Sol y Mar hosted us for presentations, by Alicante Tourism and Calpe Tourism, followed by a bubbly reception in Sol y Mar’s Champ Bar and a brilliant gourmet dinner in Abiss.

It was not only our waistlines that were stretched!!

We were entertained by three stretchy acts.  A welcome by                 and during dinner enjoyed two vocal performances that would stretch many singer’s vocal cords.  In between vocal performances we were treated to an Airshow featuring a very stretchy bendy lady balancing on two posts.

Day 2 Friday 20 February

After a very comfortable night’s sleep in my surprisingly spacious room I enjoyed a good breakfast, but not too much, as I anticipated a lot of fab & generous lunches and dinners.

Friday was the business day of the Forum. Our one to one meetings with suppliers from across Costa Blanca along with suppliers from Costa del Sol, Gibraltar and Galicia with Mer as timekeeper.

If only all coffee breaks were as good as today’s break. It was a late break and there were those who thought that lunch was being served on the terrace!!! And what a bonus blue skies and 17 degrees. Sounds like heaven post grey and cold UK but these were lower than normal temperatures.

Time to chill a little and then a walking tour of Calpe’s old town plus insight into the town’s history. Amazing that back in the 70’s Calpe was a sleepy little fishing town and now boasts an impressive MICE offering along with successful tourism.

Much of Calpe’s history mirrors many Mediterranean shores – invasion and conquest, re-conquest, pirates and more. The ebb & flow of Christians versus Moors is celebrated in staged battles/ Myths, legends and great stories abound.

The legacy for MICE is fortunate – a mix of cultures and great cuisine.

Post our walk; back to base to change for dinner at Hotel SH Ifach.

We thought our Abassi gourmet dinner would be had to match but SH provided an equally wonderful meal and an amazing flamenco dance show.

Day 3 Saturday 21 February

A life on the ocean wave – well not quite but post breakfast we visited Real Club Nautico Calpe. Sailing for the brave, a rib boat for those who wanted to watch and the Club bar for those without any sea legs.

As it turned out the rib boat was the bravest option – it least it seemed so to those of us who opted to sail. The sailors amongst us, powered by the wind, felt as though we were on a gentle roller coaster whereas the rib boat sped across the bay smashing into the waves.

Sadly we returned early as the wind dropped.

Our mid-morning break was wine and cheese courtesy of the most passionate winery owner I have met.

In a few decades this winery has gone from a father’s hobby growing and producing for family and friends to the son’s passion for producing wines able to wine awards, supporting local industries and being oh so green and inventive on pest control.

After some quick purchases, shame about luggage space and weight, we were off to see Melia Villaitana.

An impressive village styled resort hotel with great conference space and two great golf courses. Villiatana offers both 4* and 5* accommodation set in countryside with great views and twenty minutes from the coast.

And, onto lunch. We went from village resort to street village hotel. A row of cliff top individual houses with some very different meeting spaces and amazing food. The problem with finger food as good as this is that communication between ones stomach and fingers seems to break down. Would we ever eat dinner!

Post the Pueblo we were on the Fam part of our stay and onto Melia Alicante.

Alicante has amazing views over the sea and beach as well as Alicante’s hilltop perched castle. If you are looking for meetings rooms with a view then this Melia is a great place to start.

Time for a quick walk around Alicante – enough time to appreciate that parts of Alicante really buzz at night and then onto check in at La Finca Golf and Spa Torrevieja. Funky, modern, comfortable with a lovely junior suite complete with fab bathroom and views.

We had time for a few bubbles and a short chill before dinner.

Aperitifs, canapes and entertainment in the glass room. This is La Finca’s principal meeting space and still only a few months old. My fingers and stomach were still not communicating as the canapes maintained the early standard Abassi set.

And, our entertainment was an amazing display of flexibility and strength fit for a gymnast’s gold medal – an Airshow in a large suspended hoop.

Then to the al a carte dining room for four more excellent courses. Few of us managed to finish the so tasty veal entrecote.

A final drink and supposedly off to bed.

However, I had an unusual added entertainment from the room next to mine.

The sounds of guitar and voice came from outside. On the balcony next to mine was, as I found out, a singer/songwriter/musician busy composing/trying out his ideas. My applause earned me a long conversation and a few glasses of rum!! Appears that the artiste was filming a video at La Finca!!

Day 4 – Sunday 22 February, Last Day – what a shame.

After drinking rum, while listening to the creation of some great music, and only fours’ hours sleep I deserved a hangover.

Must have been a special rum or the music – I woke feeling I could bounce off the walls. Must have been a premonition for my afternoon with a gym ball.

Post breakfast we were off for a tour of Torrevieja. We took in an interesting 4 star with a great meeting space, a brilliant concert/congress hall (real hi tech), a view of a pink salt lake and lunch on board a wooden boat – well in board lunch.

Our venue for lunch appeared to be all wood – floors and walls – as if we were on an old sailing vessel. This was our first taste of the food that locals are more likely to eat – muscles, squid, paella, fish and more.

Then back for a show round of La Finca. Thanks Heikki for an unusual show round. A team building quiz based on La Finca with added challenges.

One challenge was to stand on a massive gym ball and walk it up the path while supported (cushioned if need be) by ones team mates.

Fortunately my volunteering to walk the ball was not a disaster – in fact it was fun once I worked out how not to fall off.  Lucky for me my team mates were too busy picking me up after two falls so no photos of me falling; just those of me celebrating.

My return flights meant I had to leave and miss the final hotel visits and dinner.

Overview

Delegates came from Scandinavia, Germany and France as well as the UK.

Not one of us had realised just how good Costa Blanca could be for MICE. Not only good but very competitive. Madrid is lower cost than Barcelona and Costa Blanca is a lot more attractive on rates than Madrid.

And of course flights into Alicante have improved and hopefully Valencia does as well.

Each of Alicante, Calpe, Valencia and Benidorm offer some great MICE conference and incentive hotels and the smaller towns like Altea have smaller hotels that work for small meetings and Incentives.

AR Diamante Calpe and Melia Villaitana are great options for pharma hotels – able to host over 1,000 delegates and with a large number of rooms. There are many hotels close to AR Diamante should you be looking for 1,000 rooms.

Options for team building and incentive activities cover everything you expect, and more, in an area that has amazing sandy coastlines, warm winter seas and mountains over 4,000 feet.

While many activities like diving, sailing, golf, mountaineering, cycling are sport the region also hosts professional winter team training in other sports such as football for those who want to enjoy sunshine and warm winters – 20 degrees is quite normal!

While I wrote this it was over 20 degrees In Calpe (and sunny).

Almost finally – thanks to all those who contributed as suppliers, hotels, venues and activities, especially Mercedes for putting it together and Costa Blanca Tourism Authority for requesting a Meet & Talk Forum and an especial thanks to Laura at AR Diamante and Olga at La Finca for unexpected service.

While it is not unusual for a hotel to sponsor Forums and’ Laura waived payment of our personal spend. While our bar bills were small I have never had my personal spending waived before.

And Olga made sure I could have my morning tea, like a true Brit, by lending me her personal kettle.

And finally if your budget is not generous, have large numbers and want winter warmth without a long flight contact GTAssociates for a proposal from Costa Blanca.