Determined to be different the “Room with a ZOO” kicked off in a new sphere by entering the world of association conferences and opening for events on the 19 April, 2017. The story of how an historical scientific research organisation brought not only new business through its doors, achieving 60 events in its first year, but also opened new eyes to the impact on events of exposure to nature and animals by running conferences in a professional conference centre located within a zoo.
After only 14 months in the business, the story of delegate experience and how organisers could use this as a way of giving back or “instant CSR” was told by Commercial Director Anja Stas in her personal inimitable style at the marketing “Olympics” of the international congress world – ICCA’s Best Marketing Award in November 2017. “Winning this award has meant so much to us as a new venue in this industry especially as it has also given us the opportunity to link our mascot, Matadi the Silverback Gorilla, to the convention world and show the very real difference these events make to the conservation work done particularly in Matadi’s home – The Congo” stated Stas on receiving the Award on behalf of the whole Antwerp ZOO community.
Starting as she meant to go on the FMCCA designed an elaborate opening event to introduce local and international conference and event organisers not only to the new meeting facilities but also to just exactly what was meant by Instant CSR. Enlisting the support of renowned photographer Jimmy Nelson and conservation action evangelist Emmanuel de Merode the presentations showcased vanishing worlds and the very real threats to the survival of the Silverback Gorillas in the in the wild “Every penny spent at our venue goes to directly benefit our projects in animal welfare, heritage, breeding programmes, scientific research and nature conservation. Thanks to events such as the “15th International Conference on Cochlear Implants and other Implantable Auditory Technology” held at the FMCCA we were able to donate a sum of €25,000 to the Virunga National Park, the spiritual home of Matadi our Zoo mascot” confirmed Stas in her introduction.
This news really hit the right note with the Convention Organizers who experienced first hand what it was like to have a reception in the Butterfly Garden, a morning jog between the flamingoes and dine in the undersea world of the ZOO’s Aquarium, here’s a little of what they had to say:
Luc Niville, Executive Director of the Semico Group
“It promises to offer the wildest dreams of every PCO – a well situated high-end congress venue, in a class of its own; spacious well equipped rooms placed around a central atrium; a large number of breakout rooms and that so important extra element, the gardens of the ZOO.”
Liz Jackson, FASAE, President Jackson Consulting Inc
“I have been to many client events over my years in the MICE industry and yours was one of the best organized and most carefully designed to draw buyers into an appreciation of A Room with a ZOO. I will recommend it with enthusiasm.”
