Alexandre Willmann, Development Manager (promotion and marketing, shop, coffee and space leasing) at the Unterlinden Museum, discusses the unique position of the new Unterlinden and its evolution objectives for Business Tourism clients, aiming to compete with the largest cultural destinations.
What is the objective backed by the Unterlinden Museum regarding the specific Business Tourism sector?
Although the museum was beforehand fully dedicated to its cultural vocation, its extension allows us to envisage other development strategies and numerous partnerships. The expansion of its exhibition area designed by the well-known architect firm Herzog & De Meuron, contributed to open the museum more and more to companies. Today and upon reservation, we provide different areas like the Salle Louis Hugot event-room which can seat up to 400 people but also the 13th-century cloister for gala dinners, organizing conferences or even general assemblies.
What place does culture have in the MICE offer proposed by the Museum?
When prospect clients contact me I invite them first to come visit and discover the Museum. Everything starts by a visit. Just standing in this setting is a sure bet they’ll fall under its charm, due to the abundant collections of old and modern works as well as the prestigiously reworked architecture. It’s the blend of culture and standing which gave us the opportunity in 2016 to host 60 events and 6000 professionals. It’s obvious that there’s the curiosity-effect related to the new Unterlinden.
What is the service proposed by the Unterlinden Museum?
The service proposed is à la carte which allows us to meet all sorts of requests: from a simple room reservation to more sophisticated requirements. We’ll fulfil all demands down to the smallest detail. For example, we propose personalized lighting in the event room, corresponding to the brand-specific corporate identity allowing everyone to feel “at home”.
Does the reputation of the Herzog & De Meuron architect firm allow the Unterlinden Museum and Colmar to compete with the larger cultural and MICE destinations?
Our destination was undeniable put into the spotlight thanks to all the promotion done for the reopening of the Unterlinden Museum as well as its inauguration by the President of the Republic. It’s thanks to this exceptional lighting that the Museum welcomed the Paris head-office of the ROEDERER insurance agency in 2016 with around 350 of its clients. Today we have the responsibility to develop an exclusive place whose image goes way beyond the Museum doors, Colmar or even Alsace.
For example, thanks to the Herzog & De Meuron firm based in Basel, Switzerland has become an increasingly important development area. Our contacts there are numerous but that’s not enough. This is why we’re working to diversify our Business Tourism to propose more original products but also we’re opting to adopt a very proactive approach. In 2017, alongside our partners, the Colmar Convention Bureau and the Agence d’Attractivité de l’Alsace, we’re going to pursue our promotional offers in Europe and abroad.
