52 / ConferenCe & Meetings World / issUe 65Meetings on the WaterAbove: Iceland's Blue Lagoon is an attraction in a country where water is never far awaySYC has inclusive pricing that negates these nasty extras.2. Security. The world is an aggressive place. Being on a vessel affords exceptional security for your guests, and also keeps your company's business secrets private.3. The Wow Factor. Pulling together staff, guests and award-winners from disparate locations and bringing them together to one place requires the event hosts to ensure their chosen location not only works for business reasons but also makes invited guests feel special and honoured to be there. 4. Ideal Accommodation. SeaDream I and II each offer identical, ocean-view, luxury bedrooms and two suites, assuring that every delegate is treated the same.5. Pricing. Fares include accommodation, all meals on board, 24-hour room service, open bar, complimentary wines with meals, use of recreational facilities and water toys, as well as onboard gratuities.While exclusive yachting was undoubtedly affected by recession, Buckeridge believes business confidence in international events at sea for conferences and incentives has been on the rise in North America for the last two years and in Europe from last year. "It's not by accident," he says, "that the likes of British Telecom, Goodyear, Toyota and Nokia are among recent business charterers of SeaDream. This is yachting, NOT cruising," he stresses.There is no doubt we are talking yacht club prices, however, with a typical Caribbean four-night itinerary with SeaDream costing around US$325,500 for a private charter.John Donohue of Aerreps, which works with the incentive market, says Seadream "is suited for those who may wish to take a complete deck or for smaller companies who would like to keep their team together in a five-star environment". Such yachting, Donohue adds, offers the ability to combine meetings with visiting multiple destinations. Moving onto land and there are plenty of island destinations like Malta and Iceland in Europe, active in the incentives market and use the sea as an integral part of the attraction.Iceland's new Harpa Centre and the country's Blue Lagoon are also designed with the sea and geysers being a big part of the conference scenery. And there can't be many delegates visiting Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Wroclaw or St Petersburg who haven't sailed the famous rivers or canals. Scandinavia's fjords and the archipelagos of South-East Asia can also provide exotic add-on experiences to any convention delegate.Steve Carruthers, Group Business Development Manager for the UK's Lake District Hotels says a venue that is near to water is always welcomed by Cost of a 3-day yachting charter for 112 delegates in the Caribbeanseadream yacht club$325k

/3310CopyrightL.VetuParisatitsmoststellarisontheSeine.www.ydp.frTel.+33(0)1.44.54.14.70contacts@ydp.frThecharmandrefinementofayacht,servicecombiningluxuryanddiscretion,gastronomiccuisine,theexcellenceofexperthosting,YachtsofParisisatyourdisposalforspecialevents,eithertailormadeorasaturnkeysolution.PrivatecruiseononeofoureightyachtsorreceptioninaprivateroomonthebanksoftheSeineGastronomybyLenôtre.For2†1300guests.ORGANISEROFEXCEPTIONALEVENTS