During an inspiring networking event on October 8 at Lokaal 55 in Sneek, Friesland Convention Partners presented their new magazine. This magazine positions Friesland as the sustainable conference destination of the Netherlands. The organization emphasizes how the province is an attractive location for business meetings and conferences, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability.
“As Friesland Convention Partners, we work closely with local ambassadors, event locations and suppliers throughout Friesland. Our joint goal is to attract more knowledge conferences to the region and to profile Friesland as a place where sustainability and knowledge reinforce each other,” says Hendrina Zijlstra, Program Manager at Friesland Convention Partners. “With conferences on themes such as water technology, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy, we contribute to strengthening the image of Friesland and stimulate broad prosperity in the region.” During the networking event, there were speakers and soapbox sessions highlighting the latest trends, opportunities for collaboration and developments in the field of business tourism.
A success story: National Circular Economy Conference
A recent success story is the National Circular Economy Conference, which will take place in Friesland in March 2025. “We worked closely with the Circular Friesland Association to bring this conference to our province. Friesland Convention Partners supported the process by providing advice on business tourism and developing a bid book. This resulted in a joint bid book that was the deciding factor in hosting the conference in Friesland,” said Zijlstra.
Friesland as a sustainable conference destination
At conferences in Friesland, the organization focuses strongly on sustainable choices, from locations to transport and badges. An excellent example of this is the Springtij Forum, which takes place annually on Terschelling. Piet Noordenbos, co-founder of the Springtij Forum, spoke in both the magazine and at the event. “Every year, more than 800 professionals come to Terschelling to accelerate the transition to a sustainable Netherlands. Springtij is not just any event; it takes place at carefully selected locations spread across the entire island, which creates a special atmosphere. The distance to an island or to the province of Friesland should not be seen as a loss of time, but as a gain of time. The time to get there literally creates distance and thus space for new insights. These kinds of experiences make Friesland a great choice for event planners who want to look beyond the standard options.”
Inspiration: New magazine and website
A conference in Friesland is experienced differently than anywhere else in the Netherlands. If you want, the entire province is your conference location. The new magazine and the renewed website serve as a calling card to promote the unique possibilities of the province. The inspiration magazine is available online and offline via the website: www.conventionsinfriesland.nl.
