"My time in Germany was well-spent with some amazing people in a beautiful country! The IMEX Conference is quite an experience in itself, with people from all over the world under one roof. You see different cultures, hear different languages, eat different food, and connect with people you would never normally get a chance to meet face to face. Everyone is professional, energetic, friendly and ready to do business! I learned a lot about the different countries, what they have to offer, and how they do business. I expect to send some them some business in the future! I was lucky enough to have the chance to explore on my own as well! I went to Heidelberg and hiked on Philosopher's Way, took a boat tour down the Rhine valley where I enjoyed castles, German food and a wine tasting! I also had the chance to visit the Linderhoff and Neuschwanstein Castle’s of King Ludwig II. The Neuschwanstein Castle was Walt Disney’s inspiration for Cinderella’s castle- so of course this was the highlight of my trip!
I got the opportunity to go when Paragon Events was asked as a company to attend. I asked Renee if I could be the one to go to represent Paragon. You have to have someone host you (like a supplier hosting a planner) and NH Hotels ( a European company based out of Spain) chose me! We had to get RFP’s ready and do practice interviews and appointments! Paragon will benefit from my experience because I built personal relationships, learned about other destinations that we never would have thought about, got leads for new business, new ideas for team building, heard about some great renovations at hotels, learned about new hotels, and learned a lot about how the international market works! For example, if you plan a meeting in Germany you get all of the VAT (value added tax) back to you (which can be up to 20% bill). It was incredible."
Enjoy the photos!
