Past Wild Card Winners
Back to the main Wild Card page, 2010 winners, 2009 winners, 2008 winners, 2007 winners, 2006 winners, 2005 winners, 2004 winners
The 2011 Wild Card winners were:
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Budva, Montenegro
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Jurmala, Latvia
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Mongolia
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The 2010 Wild Card winners were:
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Uganda
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Morzine, France
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Hof Conference and Cultural Center, Iceland
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The 2009 Wild Card winners were:
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The Cook IslandsOne of the world’s last truly unspoiled places, this extraordinary chain of Pacific islands is situated right in the heart of Polynesia. Amongst their treasures are stretches of dazzlingly white, coral sand beachfront, palm fringed lagoons and mountainous forested interiors. |
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Novi Sad – Vojvodina, SerbiaLocated on the Danube River in the autonomous Serbian province of Vojvodina, Novi Sad is Serbia’s second largest city offering both urban sophistication and bohemian relaxation amongst the beautiful ornate architecture. |
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Tianjin Economic – Technological Development Area (TEDA), ChinaTianjin is a modern city with 600 years of history known for its unique architecture and cuisine. TEDA is a well-built industrial zone with comprehensive infrastructure within easy reach of Beijing in northern China. |
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Masurian Conference Centre Zamek Ryn, PolandLocated in the Ryn Castle hotel in the Great Masurian Lakes region, the Conference Centre offers up-to-date facilities for both small and large conferences and meetings, and banquets. |
The 2008 Wild Card winners were:
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ArmeniaFormerly part of the Soviet Union, Armenia is now an independent country. It lies along the Great Silk Route and reflects a long history of mixed Turkish and Persian influences. Infrastructure investment is now allowing Armenia to develop its meetings and incentive travel industry services. |
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Torun, PolandTorun is known as 'the beautiful city' which already welcomes one million tourists each year. A prominent trade centre in the Middle Ages, much of its medieval architecture has been preserved thanks to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city can currently host events for up to 1,000 delegates and has a growing reputation as a centre for science, medicine and new technology. |
The 2007 Wild Card winners were:
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Addis Ababa Tourism Commission, EthiopiaAs the major economic and political centre of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa is a metropolitan city, representative of Ethiopia's 80 different ethnic groups. It is home to the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union. More than 100 embassies and diplomatic missions are already situated there, which makes it the fourth most important city for diplomatic and international organisations after Washington DC, New York and London. As a result, Addis Ababa offers a range of excellent meetings venues and conference services. |
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City of Praia, Cape Verde IslandsCape Verde, which comprises nine inhabited islands, is one of Africa's most stable and democratic countries, also known for its peace and quiet. Plans are currently underway to develop two further islands as eco-tourism centres. The country is well served by two international airports and now benefits from regular charter flights from the UK, Denmark and Sweden as well as many southern European cities. Flights from Ireland are also due to begin soon. |
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Corbet-Transair, Mures County, TransylvaniaTransylvania positions itself as one of the most romantic and inspiring of all the Romanian provinces. With a rich tradition of folklore, myth and music plus exceptional castles and citadels, the region claims to be a land of 'magical obscurity'. |
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Western SiberiaOne of the most stable and developed regions of the Russian Federation, Western Siberia and its capital Khanty-Mansiysk, draw visitors for skiing, snowboarding, hunting, fishing and boating. The area is also known for the traditions of the indigenous people - the Khanty and the Mansi - such as reindeer sledging, folklore festivals and shaman, as well as its thermal spa. |
The 2006 Wild Card winners were:
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Asuncion, ParaguayAsuncion allows visitors quick and easy access to landlocked Paraguay in South America. It is a peaceful and relaxed city, famous for its orange blossom and jasmine-covered facades. The city provides a wide range of hotel and convention facilities and also benefits from average temperatures of 25 degrees, plus exceptionally low prices for goods and services. |
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The Ardenne Bleue region of BelgiumThe Ardenne Bleue region lies to the east of Belgium and represents a group of 20 towns most of which are about 1.5 hours from Brussels, Dusseldorf and Luxembourg. It is a spa region, famous for its natural springs, thermal baths and extensive forests. There is also a well-established hotel infrastructure and high quality golf course. |
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Georgia (Eastern Europe)Two million mainly eastern European visitors already visit Georgia’s breathtaking coastline, mountains and skiing resorts each year. The region is rich in cultural heritage and is exceptionally strong on folk traditions which include dance and polyphonic singing. Importantly, there are no visa restrictions for EU, US or Canadian citizens. Developing its full potential as an incentive travel destination has been one of Georgia’s aims since it underwent the ‘Rose Revolution’ in 2003. |
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Libya, North AfricaLibya is probably the newest destination to the meetings and incentive market, having only recently been open to tourism of any kind. It remains largely untouched but offers one of the Mediterranean’s longest coastlines. Here lie features such as Leptis Magna. Once one of the Roman Empire’s greatest cities, it is now one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. Away from the coast visitors can experience the Sahara Desert and witness the lives led by nomadic people, such as the famous Toureg. |
The 2005 Wild Card winners were:
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Timor-Leste, South-East AsiaTimor-Leste, also known as East Timor is the world’s newest nation. It is an excellent place for diving and snorkeling, dolphin, whale and bird watching. There are pristine waters, exciting four-wheel drive tours, high mountains and deep sea. |
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Pau, South West FranceThe Pau Congress Centre's unique architecture and geographical location earned it Historic Conference Centre Status in 2001. Pau is inland in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques area of Aquitaine, an hour north of the mountains and an hour from the Atlantic coast. |
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Cameroon, AfricaOne of the most culturally diverse countries on the continent, Cameroon’s population includes ancient tribal kingdoms, Muslim pastoralists and forest-dwelling pygmies. The landscape is no less dizzying in its diversity, from Mt Cameroon, the rolling grassfields of the Ring Road area, the Mandara Mountains, some of Africa’s oldest rainforests, to the excellent Parc National de Waza, with abundant mammal and birdlife, and large herds of elephants gathering at water holes in the dry season. |
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Dakar, SenegalDakar is the capital city of Senegal, located on the Cape Verde Peninsula, on the country's Atlantic coast. Dakar is colourful and culturally-rich, a feverish city that brims with life. It has some of the best nightclubs, live venues, and film, music and arts festivals in the whole of West Africa. |
The 2004 Wild Card winners were:
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Roturua, New ZealandWhether seeking to experience Maori culture, geothermal earth forces, spa rejuvenation, thrills and adventure, or any of the other natural assets such as 16 lakes, some of the world's best mountain biking trails, fantastic trout fishing and myriad forest walking tracks – Rotorua delivers it all! |
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Cesky Krumlov Town, Czech RepublicCesky Krumlov (UNESCO) is unique historic town with a famous castle (one of the largest in Central Europe), baroque theatre and beautiful Medieval centre. |
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Snowmass Village, ColoradoTucked high in the Brush Creek Valley, Snowmass Village, Colorado, is like the shy neighbour who turns out to be vivacious upon closer acquaintance. Within this 25-square-mile town resides over 40 miles of hiking and biking trails and one of the best summer resort music scenes in the state. |
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Mali, AfricaMali is the jewel in West Africa’s crown, a destination that has all the right ingredients. The country occupies the heart of a territory that once supported Africa’s greatest empires and is rich with historical resonance. All of Mali is alive with a fascinating cultural mix of peoples, from the nomadic Tuareg people of the Sahara to the Niger fishing societies of the Bozo. |