Iceland review - 2015, Qupperneq 98

96 ICELAND REVIEW
Because of its glorious nature and ideal geographic location be-
tween North America and Europe, Iceland is rapidly becoming one
of the most popular destinations for international conventions and
conferences. However, planning a large-scale event in a small nation like
Iceland can be a difficult task if you don’t know where to begin.
alWays a Plan B
“I was sending a group off on a glacial excursion to Langjökull this
morning. Half the group was supposed to start driving in super jeeps
and the other half on ski-doos and then switch. But because all the
snow that has fallen is so light—it’s pure powder—it covers the cre-
vasses on the glacier but isn’t thick enough to support the weight of
the vehicles,” explains CEO and owner of Iceland Congress Sigrún Sig-
urðardóttir of the unpredictable conditions event organizers in Iceland
sometimes have to deal with. Fortunately, her partners were quick to
come up with an alternative route—the group did go jeeping and ski-
dooing, just in a different location. Although the snow created a bit of
a problem, it made the day in early December a lot more adventurous.
Founded in 2007, Iceland Congress is one of the nation’s foremost
destination management companies, organizing successful corporate
gatherings, conferences and meetings in and outside Reykjavík. A
small, family-owned business, Iceland Congress is a member of several
reputable international organizations, including the International Con-
gress and Conference Association (ICCA) and the Society of Incentive
Travel Executives (SITE). With numerous connections throughout the
country, Iceland Congress can find the perfect location for any occa-
sion. Their enthusiastic, multi-lingual team of professionals will help
customers navigate through the ins-and-outs of the event-planning
process and make their experience in Iceland hassle free.
comPacT ciTy, vasT WilDerness
No event is too big or too small. Iceland Congress arranges a vari-
ety of different services and incentives to ensure that conference-
goers have a pleasant stay, including transportation from Keflavík
International Airport and full reservation services. Teambuilding
activities outside the city are popular because in the untouched
Icelandic wilderness, people feel as if they’re alone in the world.
“Like yesterday, a group was driving to Landmannalaugar [a high-
land destination]. In all the snow, they spent 40 minutes trying to
drive up a hill with one-meter high snow, which gave them a taste
of true Icelandic winter and wilderness; that was an experience
they truly valued. In Iceland, we don’t have mass tourism and we
can create unique circumstances that don’t exist anywhere else,”
states Sigrún.
Reykjavík is the ideal location for conferences, Sigrún explains.
“One can easily walk between locations—conference halls, hotels
and restaurants—and not much transport is needed, resulting in
minimal pollution. Also, in a 100 km (62-mile) radius of Reykjavík
some of the most spectacular natural treasures in the world can
be reached, such as Geysir, which is really special for a capital
city.”
Ever since the first Alþingi (Iceland’s parliament) assembled in
930 A.D., Icelanders have upheld the tradition of organizing and
planning important meetings. Iceland Congress wishes to con-
tinue the legacy of drawing people together to discuss and ex-
change new ideas.
icelandcongress.is
An expert event planner, iceland congress is always prepared
to deal with changing circumstances and will make sure that
every meeting and incentive runs smoothly.
SPeCiAL
PromotioNconventionS
no tWo days the same