Tourism Secretary of Argentina, Mr Enrique Meyer. Executive director of Inprotur, Mr Leonardo Boto, Mr Fernando Garbaran, president of AOCA and Arnaldo Nardone director of MICE.

With the presence of Mr. Nardone in the 11th edition of the Argentinian Congress of AOCA.
Costa Salguero Center, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

El gobierno argentino elogió su avance en 14 lugares como país destino turístico gracias al trabajo de Arnaldo Nardone, gerente de marketing del Hotel Radisson Victoria Plaza de Montevideo. El turismo de reuniones está formado por la organización de congresos, ferias, exposiciones, viajes de incentivo y corporativos. Se trata del segmento turístico de mayor crecimiento en la última década.
Según las estadísticas del año 2007 elaboradas por la ICCA (Asociación Internacional de Congresos y Convenciones), Argentina se ubicaba en el puesto 36° del ranking mundial de destinos para eventos.

En el año 2008, tras la implementación del Plan de Marketing de Turismo de Reuniones, Argentina avanzó 14 lugares en tan sólo un año, ubicándose en el puesto 22º del ranking mundial de países organizadores de congresos.

El Plan de Marketing de Turismo de Reuniones es la herramienta de gestión mediante la cual Argentina busca consolidarse como destino turístico en este rubro. Es un mercado que tiene grandes atractivos si tenemos en cuenta que el gasto de quienes participan en el turismo de congresos es habitualmente entre tres y cuatro veces más alto que el gasto generado por los visitantes de otros productos turísticos.

Hace aproximadamente un año el Instituto Nacional de Promoción Turística argentino y la Secretaría de Turismo de la Nación contrataron los servicios de Mice Consulting, la consultoría del uruguayo Arnaldo Nardone, gerente de marketing del Radisson Victoria Plaza, para elaborar en conjunto esta serie de medidas que permitiesen profundizar la inserción de la Argentina como destino turístico en los mercados emisores.

Entre los principales objetivos propuestos para el 2011, se encuentra el de lograr un crecimiento anual sostenido de entre un 35% y un 40% y el de ubicar a Buenos Aires entre las 10 ciudades sedes de reuniones más importantes del mundo.

Los resultados a pocos meses de la implementación de estos lineamientos estratégicos sorprendieron gratamente a los involucrados, ya que los acerca mucho a las metas que se habían propuesto para el 2011.

Por primera vez desde el año 2002, Argentina se ubica en el segundo lugar del ranking entre los países latinoamericanos, superado únicamente por Brasil.

Por otra parte, Buenos Aires como ciudad receptora de este tipo de eventos pasa del puesto 32, alcanzado en el año 2007 al puesto 15 en el 2008, siendo superada sólo por San Pablo entre las ciudades latinas en la cantidad de eventos realizados.

Quien dio a conocer estos resultados fue el secretario de Turismo de la Nación, Carlos Enrique Meyer, quien elogió el trabajo realizado por Arnaldo Nardone en la asesoría del Ministerio. “Nardone es una persona con bastos conocimientos del país, las posibilidades, las acciones, el cómo invertir justificadamente en cada uno de los pasos que hemos dado, de las acciones que había que hacer en materia de producción. Y nosotros estamos muy felices de tener junto a nosotros a un experto del calibre de Nardone”, indicó.

Por su parte, Nardone señaló algunos de los aciertos de este Plan Estratégico que genera muchas expectativas en el sector. “Especialmente el que Argentina tomara el plan en forma muy seria y consensuada, el hecho de haber recorrido prácticamente todos los destinos sedes en el interior de Argentina, el haber fomentado la creación de los burós, el haber capacitado a los integrantes de los burós y el manejo de las bases de datos, el manejo de captación de eventos. Creo que siguieron al pie de la letra lo que le fuimos diciendo: cómo hacer las estadísticas, y eso es muy importante”, afirmó.

Uno de los aliados estratégicos en el Plan es, obviamente, la Asociación Argentina de Organizadores y Proveedores de Exposiciones y Congresos (AOCA).

Su presidente, Fernando Gorbarán, también subrayó la importancia del desempeño de Nardone para el desarrollo de estas líneas de trabajo, planteó que los resultados obtenidos por Argentina también favorecen a Uruguay y reivindicó el trabajo en conjunto entre ambos países. “Creo que muchas veces (…) cuando una gran congreso se hace en Argentina derrama mucho turismo en Uruguay. Nosotros promovemos que la gente visite el Uruguay, la cercanía de Colonia, Montevideo, Punta del Este. Yo creo que esto hay que lograrlo. Un trabajo en conjunto de todos los países del Mercosur es una cosa en la que Arnaldo siempre ha insistido”, afirmó.

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In recognition of his outstanding work over many years in supporting ICCA's growth and raising its profile within Latin America, in promoting the importance of the international congress industry throughout the region, in acting as the leading congress ambassador for his home country, Uruguay, and in launching major initiatives to improve areas such as statistical measurement and professional development and training, the ICCA Board recognised Arnaldo Nardone’s contribution with the association's highest honour, the Moises Shuster Award, named after one of ICCA's founding fathers and past Presidents. A limited edition Mont Blanc fountain pen was presented to Arnaldo during the Gala Dinner at the 47th ICCA Congress & Exhibition which took place on 1st to 5th November 2008 in Victoria, Canada.
Arnaldo also served on the Board for six years, has been Chairperson of the Latin American Chapter, and was the leading host of the successful and highly memorable 2005 ICCA Congress in Montevideo.

The ICCA Congress, the International Congress & Convention Association was drawing to a close in British Columbia, Canada and in Victoria’s centennial Fairmont Empress Hotel. 760 delegates from 67 countries were enjoying the closing Gala Dinner. They sat listening to the words of the organization’s President, Leigh Harry, as he summed up the event, thanking people, making forthcoming announcements, gradually drawing near to the moment that he knows exists in every congress. From his eminent position, wearing a loud red jacket and matching bowtie, he announced that he was about to give out the highest accolade the association bestows, the Moises Shuster Award, a prize which honours the memory of the founder of ICCA and is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to ICCA and the Congress industry.
“And this year, the Moises Shuster Award goes to…. Arnaldo Nardone from Uruguay, our Vice President!”
As one, the participants rose to their feet and burst into a round of applause to greet the winner.

Arnaldo, sitting with his wife, couldn’t believe his ears - he had no idea, nobody had told him anything. He got up and walked to the stage and embraced his friend Leigh and, with his natural sense of occasion gathered his wits and expressed his thanks, his surprise, his exaltation and joy at being acknowledged this year at the highest level of his profession.

2008 will not be quickly forgotten by Nardone. In March at the COCAL Congress in Montevideo, he received the Award from the organization that assembles all Latin American and Caribbean congress organizers; in August, at Expoeventos, which we covered exclusively, at the Buenos Aires Centro Costa Salguero, he was named Conference Tourism advisor by the Argentinian Government: on 26th September at the celebration dinner for World Tourism Day, in Montevideo’s Club de Golf, the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism paid tribute to him as the Tourist Personality of the Year and now he had obtained the highest award, from the worldwide association of which he is Vice-President and one of the key figures.

"I hadn’t the faintest idea, I was the only one not to know – they’d asked my wife about the best present they could give me and she hadn’t breathed a word to me. How could I imagine that the award would come to our little Uruguay when there are huge countries at the head of the association’s activity all year round?

PDU – Let’s drag you away from this incredible story for a second, put you back in the region, in the country, you who have been one of the Uruguayans who has travelled most widely round the world over these last few years and are in permanent contact with major figures from the whole world. What comment do you have to make on the current world situation?

AN – Things are hard, there’s no denying it and there are tough times to come, it would be foolish not to admit it. But our country must lose the fear it’s always under and put its money on tourism, and specifically on conference tourism.

This area of industry has arrived to stay and grow and it’s the way we must all go, banishing fear - we stand by the predictions we made at the Chamber’s Seminar today, we have to bet on conference tourism.

PDU – Now that you’re working for a foreign government, how do you see the question of promoting tourism?

AN – Once and for all we should all devote our efforts to creating the possibility of a National Tourist Board just like Brazil, Argentina and Mexico have.

I cannot give out the figures for obvious reasons but I can assure you that the amount of money they can count on in Argentina - and more so in Brazil - is really enviable.

We should return to the Bureau; just think that in Montevideo, where hotel occupancy rates are extremely high, how great it would be for promotional ends to keep back two dollars per hotel night. Simple maths adds this up to a million dollars a year which could be added to the Ministry’s budget.

We are sure that this year’s ICCA prize couldn’t be in better hands.
Congratulations to our companion Nardone, a roving Ambassador for Uruguayan tourism.

Interview: Sergio Antonio Herrera

CAMTUR: an excellent evening out at the Golf and Arnaldo Nardone is named "tourism personality of the year"
For the first time, the Uruguay Chamber of Tourism, celebrated and organized World Tourism Day. With a great response and excellent turnout, M.P. Luis Borsari as chairperson announced the publication of their website and awarded Arnaldo Nardone the tourism personality of the year prize.

AN EXCELLENT CELEBRATION
The mere choice of venue guaranteed the success of the party which was then confirmed by the gathering itself, with excellent service all round.
The sector’s response was outstanding. Representatives from all areas of the industry, nationwide, turned up.
Announcements were made regarding the publication of the institution’s website: www.camtur.com as well as forthcoming events involving the Chamber in one way or other. Time will tell the true significance of this event that has come to complement and fill a space existing at this time of year.
Above all it should be noted that the event turned into the most important World Tourism Day 2008 celebration, helping take the pressure and obligations off the State which had, until now, been in sole charge of organizing this festivity.
As M.P. Borsari himself mentioned in his speech, this fraternal dinner, this cordial reunion has come to stay and will turn into a permanent feature in future celebrations.

TOURIST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
In all fairness and logic, this year’s award went to Arnaldo Nardone who we justifiably baptized long ago as “Mr Marketing”.
He has devoted three decades of tireless labour in the hotel industry to the same firm, the Compañía Rioplatense de Hoteles, former Victoria Plaza Hotel - with all that name means within Uruguay’s hotel industry history – now the Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel where he successfully holds the position of Director of Marketing.
Nardone is the Past President of AUDOCA and COCAL; current Worldwide Vice President of ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association and is the Congress Tourism advisor for: Centro Banamex in Mexico City; Quito, the capital of Ecuador; Punta del Este’s Solanas Convention Centre; Maldonado City Hall’s projected Jaguel Convention Centre and has recently been named advisor to INPROTUR, the Argentinian Tourist Promotion Board which answers directly to our sister nation’s Presidential Office.

Nardone represents a wonderful example for all Uruguayans – he is a mirror we can judge ourselves against - besides which he is a fine Uruguayan who is a flag-bearer in every action he undertakes and at every event he attends.
He has given talks and conducted human resources training round the world and is one of the major reasons behind the fact that Uruguay has been the second Latin American country after Brazil with the largest Congress Tourism growth over the last decade. The Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism have been spot on, firstly for creating this award because it is a way of encouraging the efforts of Uruguayan professionals and it is doubly laudable that they have awarded it to Nardone, thus sending out a clear message to all agents in tourism and related industries on the road to go down.

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In Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, within the context of the COCAL Congress a new edition of the meeting of ICCA’s Latin American Chapter was held. Representatives for ICCA Member Companies from nine different countries took part.