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SPAIN – Barcelona’s DMCs organize a great example of “coopetition”
The target: large French agencies. The goal: to convince these savvy customers that Barcelona reinvents itself every day, and surprise them. The method: a case of “coopetition” in which several competing DMCs are linked by a common goal, which is promote the city, without restrictions and providing the best of each of them.
Barcelona Convention Bureau´s head of promotion for France, USA and Canada, Cecile Dorian, organized a 3-day trip for 15 French agencies. The idea was to get them to rediscover the city as “authentic Barcelonans”. Another justification of the action was to get them to try the high-speed train, new way of connecting Paris and Barcelona.
After a welcome at the Paris station, they took the train with an especially reserved space including F&B and funny animation (a Franco-Catalan comedian played several amusing roles..) and could watch on iPads several movies which take place in the city, like Vicky Cristina Barcelona or The Gunman. After arriving at Sants, they had lunch in Can Martinez, a ´chiringuinto´ in Montjuic, before being split into five groups to visit, following their selection previously expressed, convention centers, MICE hotels, boutique hotels and event venues. After checking in at the W Barcelona hotel, they enjoyed dinner at the Hidden Factory, turned into a ‘poetic brothel ´, where they lived a night of ambiguity, sensuality and humor.
On Saturday, after visiting the W hotel, they visited different neighborhoods (Sarria and Sant Gervasi as urban villages, bohemian Gracia, and authentic Poble Nou), accompanied by the DMC who live in these neighborhoods. After lunch at the One Ocean Club, a yacht on the old port, a relaxing spa and massage moment in Aire de Barcelona, they had some free time for shopping and to go for a walk. They ended the day with dinner at the Tickets restaurant of the Adriá brothers and cocktail at l´Eclipse W.
On Sunday, meetings with suppliers of the city in the Lando restaurant with a “vermouth”, the great sunday tradition of the city; food in Fabrica Moritz and transfer to Sants.
This is a very interesting example of collaboration between DMC; in this case, between B Network, Iberoservice, ITB and SHE Spanish Heritage, and a surprising way to rediscover Barcelona.
(eventoplus.com)