Top 6 Second-Tier International Cities

Culture, gastronomy, history, and art attract meetings and incentives to first-tier cities across the globe. But some planners are broadening their focus and turning to international cities a bit further off the beaten path -- and for good reason.

"Second-tier destinations are sought after by groups, because they often compete harder against their larger counterparts, by offering memorable experiences their attendees can't find anywhere else," says Mickey Schaefer, FASAE, CAE, CTA, CEO and founder of The Experience Institute, based in Tucson, AZ. "Most of today's attendees are discerning travelers who have seen the sights and done the museums, which is why they crave authentic experiences. Some call it 'authentiseeking,' -- finding the truly unique things that a destination offers, which may encourage them to attend the conference and talk about it afterward."

Here are six second-tier international cities that are attracting the interest of meeting and incentive planners.

Cologne, Germany
North American meeting planners have historically focused on the culturally rich cities of Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich for meetings and incentives in Germany. But Cologne, with its famous cathedral's twin spires dominating the skyline, is growing into a popular meeting and incentive destination in its own right. Not only is it a modern city, but with 2,000 years of history, it is Germany's oldest major city as well.

A broad range of venues is available to groups, including everything from traditional congress centers to film studios and ships that sail on the Rhine. It is considered one of the leading regions in Europe for biotechnology, life sciences, and the automobile industry.

For foodies, Cologne offers a distinctive gastronomy complete with its own beloved beer, Kölsch. In addition to restaurants, which reflect the city's multiculturalism, its breweries radiate a tradition of hospitality.

In many instances, Cologne is tapping into its areas of expertise to help attract meetings and conventions. "Cologne has done a fantastic job in reaching out to the local academic and business communities to determine what industries and fields of research the city is known for and then actively promoting these areas in their marketing as reasons to visit the city," says Laura d'Elsa, regional director, U.S. and Canada for the German Convention Bureau, based in New York City. One example of this is the European Astronaut Centre, a center for astronaut selection, training, medical support, and surveillance, as well as support for astronauts and their families while preparing for and during flights. Tours of this unusual venue are available for groups.

Lausanne, Switzerland
Frequently referred to as the Olympic Capital, Lausanne, the second-largest city on Lake Geneva, combines an ultra-modern infrastructure with the features of a resort, making it a worthwhile meetings destination. The town is built on three hills, surrounded by vineyard-covered slopes, with Lake Geneva below. It is an ideal departure point for exploring the lake, mountains, countryside, vineyards, and forests of the surrounding area.

"Lausanne is an ideal meeting and incentive destination, with excellent infrastructure 45 minutes from the international airport of Geneva," says Caroline Pidroni, director of sales and marketing for Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau.

Sixty international sports federations and administrations, including the International Olympic Committee (which has been based here since 1914), call Lausanne home. Thirty world and European multinational headquarters are also based here, including Nestlé/Nespresso, FERRING Pharma, Adecco, Cisco, Logitech, British American Tobacco, and Philip Morris.

The Lausanne region is sometimes compared to a miniature European Silicon Valley, with more than 100 start-ups, hundreds of research laboratories, incubators, and bio-medtech companies.

Lausanne offers a diverse array of museums and art galleries, numerous events and festivals, creative opera and theater, and the renowned Béjart Ballet Lausanne.

Algarve, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal's capital city and Europe's westernmost mainland city, is a popular meeting and incentive destination. Some groups are turning to another destination in Portugal -- Algarve -- for its mix of scenery, ancient history, and modern resorts.

"Sea, sun, and sand mark Portugal's Algarve Region and have made it a favorite vacation destination for millions of Europeans," says Jayme H. Simões, spokesperson for Turismo de Portugal. "The climate and topography also make the Algarve Region the perfect setting for meetings with some of the finest golf courses in the world -- 30 at last count -- while its beaches and picturesque villages provide a diversion from the greens when necessary."

Cape Saint Vincent,
the southwesternmost
point of Europe — Cape Saint Vincent, the southwesternmost point of Europe

Gazing out at the Atlantic from Algarve's Cape Saint Vincent, one can understand why early Europeans believed it was the end of the world. Its name comes from the Moors who named it al-gharb, or the West. Their distinctive architecture dominates the historic center of the capital of Faro. Whitewashed houses with massive chimneys and castles are prevalent throughout the region, which is also home to some of the most luxurious resorts and spas in all of Europe. The region has 16 cities and its Atlantic coastline measures about 93 miles. The region's climate is temperate, with little rainfall.

Algarve's waters provide a massive playground for those who enjoy fishing, sailing, surfing, or diving. To set sail from Lagos is to sail from a marina from which many of the great explorers departed during the Age of Discovery.

Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico
Cancun and meetings go hand-in-hand, but there is another destination in Mexico that is turning the head of many a meeting and incentive planner: Puerto Los Cabos. With three miles of white-sand oceanfront property at the base of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, this city serves as a luxurious gateway between San Jose del Cabo and Los Cabos' pristine East Cape coastline.

The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) hosted its 2014 Annual Incentive Invitational at the 500-room Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort. The event brought together incentive travel industry professionals to network and enjoy the oceanside resort on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula.

"It was a phenomenal event," says Incentive Research Foundation President Melissa Van Dyke. "West-coasters have long known San Jose del Cabo offers the same stunning beauty and ocean retreats as Cabo San Lucas in a relatively quieter, more relaxed environment." Apart from the increasing amount of lift available to and from Los Cabos, Van Dyke points to San Jose del Cabo's great restaurants, strong culture, and stunning natural beauty. "Additionally, all of the new build that is happening in Puerto Los Cabos is incorporating the needs of planners with more meeting space and better Wi-Fi capabilities," she adds.

Macau, China
For groups looking for a more affordable option than Hong Kong or Singapore, there is Macau, located on the western bank of the Pearl River Delta in southern Guangdong Province, China. No longer just a gaming destination, Macau is a modern city with a cultural heritage influenced by its history as a Portuguese colony. The city has emerged as one of Asia's most exhilarating entertainment centers, with gourmet cuisine, high-end shopping, and a pulsating nightlife.

IBM recently hosted a four-day event at the Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central, for 1,200 delegates. The IBM Analytics Sales Academy 2015 included IBM analytics sales, technical sales, and its business partners to develop and further refine their industry acumen and consultative selling skills. More than 1,200 delegates from Asia Pacific, Greater China, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan attended the event from Aug. 4-7 of this year.

"We went through a competitive bidding process, and Sheraton Macao came out and won that process from a fiscal and a logistics perspective," says Terry Bird, the organizer of the IBM event and mechanical engineer.

What will people remember most from the event? "Our reception at the Tiki Pool was a night everyone will remember," says Bird. Located on the eighth floor of Sheraton Macao with views overlooking the Cotai Strip, the Tiki Pool party was the perfect way to set the scene for the event that would follow. Then, as the perfect closure to the event, IBM invited musician Freddie Ravel on the final day to talk to the delegates about leadership through music.

"The overriding thought was that music would really work with different cultures, especially in Macau where we had people from the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East, and South Africa. Music is universal," says Bird.

Having hosted more than 6,000 events with 200,000 attendees since opening in September 2012, Sheraton Macao Hotel has raised the profile of Macau, as a MICE destination and was recently recognized by its peers as the "Best Meetings and Conventions Hotel in Macau" at the TTG China Travel Awards in 2015. As the largest Sheraton in the world and one of the largest hotels in Asia, with nearly 4,000 guest rooms and suites, the property has expansive meetings facilities offering approximately 151,000 square feet of meeting space, while versatile enough to cater to more intimate gatherings.

Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Close to both the beach and bush, Port Elizabeth has an airport with convenient connections from Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. Port Elizabeth features an array of historical and cultural attractions, including the Red Location Museum, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, and the Donkin Heritage Trail. There are also great beaches and superb golf courses nearby, with easy access to game reserves. For entertainment, The Boardwalk Entertainment Complex offers 24 hours of fun a day.

Port Elizabeth is close to pristine golf courses and is within driving distance of the Fancourt Hotel in George, whose golf course, The Links, is sculpted into what Gary Player has described as his greatest feat as a course designer.

Other activities available in Port Elizabeth include the Van Staadens Wild Flower Reserve, bird watching at Settlers Park, and game drives at the Seaview Game Park. There are a number of outstanding safari game reserves around Port Elizabeth where you can view the big five, one of which is the renowned Addo Elephant Park located just outside of Port Elizabeth. The Shamwari and Samara reserves are two other outstanding examples. A boat ride to Seal Island shouldn't be missed with whale watching along the way.

Questions or comments? Email [email protected]

This article appears in the November 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.

Two elephants face off
in the Eastern Cape — Two elephants face off in the Eastern Cape