Destinations Unlimited

Sweden

Proven Sweden, Stockholm Destination Management Company: DMC and Planner
for Specialist Incentive, Conference, Event and Convention Travel Organisers Worldwide

	RISBECKER INTERNATIONAL (SITE / MEET STOCKHOLM)
Contacts Postal Address P.O. Box 5128 S-102 43 Stockholm Sweden Visiting Address Adolf Fredriks Kyrkogata 10 4th floor 111 37 Stockholm Sweden Tel: 00 46 8 214 707 Fax: 00 46 8 240 380 Email: sweden@dudmc.com Web Site: www.risbecker.com Contacts: Pauline Risbecker Kim - Chairman Lisa Karlen - CFO Niklas Karlsson - Managing Director Links Company Destination Example Programme Suggested Sightseeing Theme Party Ideas for Incentives Convention Centres A Few Extra Touches Enhancements for the Incentive Programme Welcome Gifts Specialist Groups

COUNTRY MAP

(Map by kind permission of the CIA Official Website)

General Information

Company

Risbecker International a.b. owned by the Risbecker family was established in Stockholm on May 2, 1977 as a family corporation and the first Destination Management Company in the world - by name - we invented the phrase! Since our 20th anniversary in 1997 we have introduced a new phrase:

THE HUMAN EVENTS MANAGEMENT COMPANY
Over the years, Risbecker International has been entrusted with some of the most prestigious incentive programs ever operated in Scandinavia by the very top incentive organisers of the world. Their clients have been such well known names as General Motors, IBM, Coca Cola, 3M, Volkswagen, Ford, Rover, SAAB Volvo, SF, State Farm Insurance and many more.

If you are looking for a company to help you with the creation and implementation of a performance improvement oriented program, an incentive awards program, a team-building program or a corporate meeting/conference of highest standards, then turn to RISBECKER INTERNATIONAL. We have the local knowledge, the experience and the determination to provide the very best in service and quality.

Let us be the planner for your next meeting or event.

Destination

SWEDEN
Sweden is the fourth largest country in Europe. From beyond the Arctic Circle it stretches 1000 miles to the south. Of its total area (173,000 sq. miles), 65% is covered by forest and 10 % by lakes. There are about 96,000 lakes in Sweden, some as big as inland seas. It is an historic land. It is also a very modern land but the tones and shapes of the new glass and steel structures blend with the historical, medieval and older buildings. There is a harmonious unity in the architecture rarely found in other countries. The cleanliness of the cities is striking and they are completely free from slums. Only a little over 9 million people live in a country roughly the size of California, or almost twice the size of former West Germany - so there is also plenty of space!

STOCKHOLM
Stockholm - the City that Floats on Water stands at the centre of Scandinavia. Located on nearly the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska, Stockholm (and most of Sweden) is blessed with warm winds from the Gulf Stream, which has produced a climate with rather mild winters and fairly hot summers.

Few cities can match its beauty or its setting amidst the islands and the sea. Stockholm is a noteworthy centre in many senses of the word. It is the largest combined market in Scandinavia and its trade and industry are very diversified. Stockholm has the highest productivity and average personal income in the whole of Sweden. The population of the inner city is approximately 850,000 and that of Greater Stockholm is 1.7 million. Yet, Stockholm is physically a surprisingly small city built on 14 islands, which are connected by some 60 bridges, making it as easy for the visitor to get around the city almost as easy as it is to get to Stockholm.

A strong plus for selecting Stockholm as an Incentive Destination is not only the richness of the possible excursions to nearby areas, for example among some of the 24,000 islands of the Stockholm archipelago, but also the high quality of food and entertainment. We bid you hearty welcome to a most motivating destination, i.e. STOCKHOLM ! Or VÄLKOMMEN as we say in Swedish.

Example Programme

Things you can only do in Sweden Program

Rival Hotel - ABBA member Benny Andersson's boutique hotel
Former ABBA member Benny Andersson has opened this brand new hotel located on Södermalm (the second oldest inhabited island in Stockholm). The hotel is situated on Södermalm's height in classic premises. Around the corner from the hip Bar and Shopping area on the Southern Island. The seventh floor with its magnificient view is reserved for suites. Hotel Rival is Stockholm's first boutique hotel, the antithesis of all that huge standardised hotel chains represent.

The hotel offers a cocktail bar with original art deco interior, a bar, a bistro, a café, a bakery, a restaurant and a movie theatre.

Day 1 - Be a Swede for a day
Ice Hockey tournament in the largest Spherical building in Europe
Try the national sport of Sweden, a speed induced game that will take you a life time to master but just a few minutes to have fun with. Everyone who wants to participate will be geared up with skates, helmets and other protective gear. A Hockey Coach will take you through some real hockey excercises before he blows the wistle and the tournament starts. You will play in the Globe Arena. It looks like a huge golf ball and is the largest spherical building in the world and an experience in itself.

Crayfish party with Aquavit  
Let's enjoy a typical Swedish Crayfish party. You will be guided to the main banqueting restaurant, where long tables are decorated beautifully and colorful paper lanterns are hanging from the ceiling. Each participant receives a crayfish bib along with a small 'funny' hat. A glass of Swedish Aquavit and a cold beer is a must when you eat the boiled crayfish accompanied by toast and taste the strong and delicious Swedish Västerbotten cheese. You will not only receive a lesson on how to eat, a musician will play on his own accordion and help you sing along from many of the songs of your songbook, which is available at your seat.

17th Century Dinner around Vasa Ship
The Very Unique Vasa 17th Century Banquet - This is indeed a very unique opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the famous Vasa ship from 1628 who sanks on hear maiden voyage. The entire ship was salgvaged 333 years later and is now on magnificent display in the special museum created for her. Servants dressed in appropriate costumes, tables dressed with plates, glasses and cutlery also in the 17th century tradition. Musicians playing typical music from the time in question will add to the ambiance on top of the extraordinary presence of the ship itself.

Day 2 - A day of Swedish Inventions

IKEA Challenge Day at IKEA flagship store
Today you will be taken to the biggest IKEA store in the whole world, located in Stockholm at Kungens Kurva. The vision with IKEA is to make peoples living easier. In our amusing raid we will make your life harder, while the contestant get to know all of the IKEA flagship store. Fun questions about Sweden, midsummer and the royal family is mixed with meeting with a Lucia and other Sweden guides. When the teams leave IKEA they have experienced a thorough look into Swedish culture, especially the funny parts and some have probably had time for some shopping as well. Today IKEA has established more than over 200 stores in over 30 countries all over the world.

Junibacken -visit Pippi Longstocking and friends
Come for a voyage of discovery through the magical world of children’s stories at Junibacken, a building full of tales and mischief. This is where Sweden’s most-loved children’s characters come to life. Where you can act and play, discover and learn. You will meet many of the characters created by Astrid Lindgren such as Pippi Longstocking, Emil, Karlsson on the
Roof and many more.

A success story Junibacken was opened amid great pomp by Sweden’s royal family on June 8th, 1996. Since then they have received over 300,000 visitors and have quickly become Stockholm’s 5th most-visited attraction. Junibacken is a popular destination for Stockholm dwellers and tourists from all over Sweden.

City Hall Nobel Banquet
Nowhere in Scandinavia is there a more elegant Theme Dinner to be found than the Nobel Dinner in the Golden Hall or the Blue Hall of the Stockholm City Hall. The latter building is a work of endless beauty, a true architectural masterpiece indeed and with its beautiful location on the shores of Lake Mälaren in downtown Stockholm it has become a national landmark. The huge tower in the southeast corner creates another sort of exclamation mark further emphasized by the three gilded crowns on the very top of the tower. These crowns are national symbols reminding us of our history and old hopes for a united nation of the three Scandinavian countries.

An exact copy of the latest Nobel Prize Dinner Banquet menu is being offered i.e. a four course dinner with champagne and wines. (It could also be the Nobel Dinner from a particular year of importance for your client). A mini firework is lit off from the balcony of the northern wall in the Golden Hall when the dessert is being served.

Day 3 - Up high – down low and something in between

Hot Air Ballooning over Stockholm
A trip in a hot air a balloon is a rare experience. An unforgettable sense of freedom, excitement and adventure. The beautiful city of Stockholm reveals herself in all her splendor leaving you with a memory for life. Let our professional staff serve you with this exclusive arrangement. Not that you are likely to ever forget the breathtaking beauty but we are sure you will want to share your experience with your friends - so do not forget your camera. During the flight we skim the tree tops as well as "pop" up to a few thousand feet.

Meet the wolves
We promise you that it’s a powerful feeling to be face to face with a wolf. Now you can spend time with the wolfs and see these special animals in their home during an hour. The animal keeper will be there with you to teach you about wolfs and answer all your questions! The wolves are very curious and may want to come close however their paws are not always clean, so don’t wear your finest clothes. And remember they love big earrings and long necklace, so please leave your jewels at home!

Underground Art Tour - the longest art exhibition in the world
Stockholm's subway is the world's longest art exhibition, 110 kilometers long. In some 90 of the 100 metro stations, travelers can enjoy exciting, beautiful and varying artistic experiences - sculptures, mosaics, paintings, installations, engravings and reliefs. Around 140 artists have helped to create underground grottoes, verdant gardens, rippling springs, water lily ponds and fabulous caves, reflections on times of old and documentation of contemporary life.  An additional few hundred artists have added temporary art features.

Suggested Sightseeing

STOCKHOLM

The Royal Tour (2½ hours)
Inside visits to the Royal Palace, the Great Church, The Royal Treasury and the Royal Armoury - a tour concentrated around the quarters of the Royal Palace.

Gripsholm Castle and Mariefred Tour (6 Hours)
A tour by vintage steamer on Lake Mälaren. It is one of the few surviving Swedish small towns with timber buildings as well as the home of Sweden's oldest inn and the medieval Gripsholms Castle, which houses the National Collection of Portraits.

Drottningholm Palace & Theatre (3 Hours)
This tour takes you to one of the most cultural treasures that Stockholm has to offer. Presently the home of the Royal Family. The Theatre is the oldest still in use in Europe in its original version. (Afternoon Tour Only)

Vasa Warship And Millesgarden Sculpture Park (3 Hours)
The specially designed building contains the Vasa Man-of-War, exhibitions, shops and cinemas for films about the history of the man-of-war VASA. Lastly visit the lovely sculpture gardens of Carl Milles.

GÖTEBORG

City Tour of Göteborg (3 hours)
Visit the impressive Göta Platsen Square and on to the "Feskekjörka", The Fish Market Hall, across the Göta Älv suspension bridge, then passing "Scandinavium", the biggest indoor area in Scandinavia. Then short a tour of Göteborg.

Göteborg Coastline Tour Including Lunch (5 Hours)
This tour takes you north of the City to the Archipelago of Göteborg and the famous sailing harbour and yacht basin of Marstrand, dominated by the Fortress of Carlsten, dating from the 17th century.

Tour To Swedish Castles Including Lunch (7 Hours)
A tour of Swedish stately homes. Visit will be made to the 18th Century castle at Gunnebo and also to the Tudor inspired Castle of Tjolöholm, the coach museum and the beautiful surrounding gardens.

Full Day Excursion To Nääs and Borås (7 Hours)
Tour to the Castle of Nääs in West Gothia. The castle remains exactly as it was in 1898. Also visit the town of Borås, home of the mailorder business.

Theme Party Ideas for Incentives

Elegant Nobel Prize Banquet in the Stockholm City Hall
Nowhere in Scandinavia is there a more elegant Theme Dinner to be found than the Nobel Dinner in the Golden Hall of the Stockholm City Hall. The latter building is a landmark with a beautiful location on the shores of Lake Mälaren in downtown Stockholm. Start with a cocktail reception in the Blue Hall and then followed by an elegant dinner in the Golden Hall along the scenario used for the real Nobel Prize Dinner. Max. capacity 1200 persons in one room.

Viking Party
Looking for a more leisurely theme party evening then let's celebrate in the good old Viking style. Come and join us for a memorable evening at Stockholm's famous Skansen Park. Here you will find HÖGLOFTET - a wooden structure in log-cabin style surrounded by a low stone-fence and a lovely, green park. Viking helmets, swords and wonderful food and music included. Max. 250+180 in two adjacent rooms.

Vasa 17th Century Banquet - The Very Unique
This is indeed a very unique opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the famous Vasa ship from 1628 who sanks on hear maiden voyage. The entire ship was salgvaged 333 years later and is now on magnificent display in the special museum created for her. Servants dressed in appropriate costumes, tables dressed with plates, glasses and cutlery also in the 17th century tradition. Musicians playing typical music from the time in question will add to the ambiance on top of the presence of the ship itself.

Convention Centres

STOCKHOLM

Kistamässan – from 2009
Space: 10000 square metres
No of meeting rooms: 19 / Capacity of largest: 4500

Stockholmsmässan - The Stockholm Fair
Space: 30,000 Square Meter - Expansion In Progress
No Of Meeting Rooms: 41 / Capacity Of Largest: 2000

Stockholm Globe Arena
No of meeting rooms: 26 / Capacity of largest: 16000

Sollentuna Fair & Conference Centre
Space: 140,000 square feet
No of meeting rooms: 8 / Capacity of largest: 1000

GÖTEBORG

Svenska Massan - The Swedish Fair
Space: 27,000 Square Metre
No Of Meeting Rooms: 8 / Capacity Of Largest: 222

Scandinavium
Capacity of largest: 12500

Liseberg Conference Centre
Space: 1080 square metres
No of meeting rooms: 7 / Capacity of largest: 2323

A Few Extra Touches

Abba Look-Alikes - No music group has meant more to Sweden than ABBA. If they were performing today they would have their hands full. We offer the next best - an excellent group of look-alikes playing ABBA music for a memorable evening.

Lucia Choir to perform and offer a bit of a very Swedish tradition.

Children, Children, Children - always creating a smile when distributing welcome flowers or handing out welcome gifts. Dressed in national costumes or acting as small TROLLS.

Enhancements for the incentive Programme

The Viking Raid - A Scanvenger Hunt!
This is a team-oriented fun competition, which "forces" participants to really participate and to adapt to the local way of life. We use the local transit system and local store keepers for this fun event. Could be combined with a luncheon or dinner.

Dirt Road and Tracks
Excellent team activity with 4 x 4 Landrovers in the midst of the wilderness.

Submarine Gimmick (enhane a new product line, company name etc.)
The Swedish Navy was, for many years, hunting uninvited foreign submarines in Swedish territorial waters. Now we invite you to take advantage of this by making use of our special submarine gimmick, when cruising in the Stockholm archipelago. In short a periscope will show up on the surface and the hunt is on. In the end a company logo or a message comes up from the depth of the sea. Excellent surprise effect!

Wine Testing At Ulriksdals Värdshus - the number one Swedish restaurant located some 20 minutes from the Grand Hotel. This is also an excellent little surprise for a small group of VIP's. Only 18 seats but we could take turns too, while the other part is trying to.

Or
Join the Chef preparing the meal in his Instruction kitchen on the same level as the Wine Cellar. Afterwards we consume the result in the dining room! Here again 18 seats are available in the Instruction kitchen. No extra cost involved if meal is taken in the restaurant. (Seasonal availability only).

Welcome Gifts

• The Dalecarlian Horse - This colourful handcarved wooden horse is considered a sign of success. Comes in blue, red or white in many different sizes.
• Book - Stockholm (or other destinations in Sweden) or specific subject: Royal Palace, Milles Sculpture Garden, Vasa Man-of-War etc.
• Swedish Crystal - excellent for gifts and wide variety . Suggest Nobel Champagne Glass in two-packs.
• Absolut Vodka - made in Sweden. Different sizes and flavours. Nice gift-packs!
• Vacuum-packed Reindeer meat or Salmon slices - tasty popular gifts. Add a pack of Swedish Crispbread too - knäckebröd as we call it!

Specialist Groups

• Will research into any specialist Group.