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Country Facts
The Netherlands, often confused with the well-known
name “Holland”, which originally referred to only two of its provices, is in fact a Kingdom consisting of twelve
provinces. Due its location and proximity to water and major West European
rivers (the Rhine and the Maas), combined with their sense of adventure and
aspiration, the Dutch have always had a far-reaching influence in world
trade.
The Netherlands is a geographically
low-lying and densely populated country. It is popularly known for its
windmills, cheese, clogs (wooden shoes), delftware and gouda pottery,
dikes, tulips, bicycles, and social tolerance.
Each of the Netherlands' major cities has
a distinctive character, even though they are all so close in proximity.
Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht all belong to the Randstad metropolitan
area, with a population of ten million, the total population of the country
being over 18 million.
With Rotterdam the biggest container/sea
port in the world, the Netherlands is an important gateway to Europe and
the world. However, with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines being the first
established commercial scheduled air carrier in the world, the Dutch have
also pioneered commercial air travel. Amsterdam’s
International Airport Schiphol is also one of
Europe's biggest airports and both Air
France-KLM and Schiphol
Airport and Aéroports de Paris are leading
innovators in aviation.
A Parliamentary democracy, the country is
also known for its rather liberal policies in many social-political areas.Further, The Netherlands has an international
outlook; among other affiliations the country is a member of the European
Union (EU), NATO, the OECD, and has signed the Kyoto protocol.
City Facts
Amsterdam, the capital of
The Netherlands (though not the seat of Government) is one of Europe’s
great destinations, as popular with tourists as it is with businesspeople.
Amsterdam’s lifeblood is water, which courses through the city in a
concentric network of canals and waterways spanned by more than 1000
bridges. As Amsterdam is inextricably linked with water, one of the most
attractive ways of viewing the city is on a canal tour. Many of the houses
date back to The Netherlands’ golden age in the 17th century. These
narrow-fronted merchants’ houses are characterized by the traditionally
Dutch ornamented gables. The oldest part of the city is Nieuwmarkt,
located near the first canals – Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht
– built to protect the city against invasion. In the 17th century,
Amsterdam gained a reputation for religious tolerance, which attracted thousands
of Flemish, Walloon and French Protestants, as well as Jewish merchants
from Spain, Portugal and Central Europe. The city has also long been a
center for diamond cutting and it is still possible to see diamond cutters
at work.
Boasting 53 museums, 61 art galleries, 12
concert halls and 20 theaters, Amsterdam has a booming cultural life. A
special canal boat (the ‘museum boat’) links 20 of the major museums. A
special Museum
Pass entitling holders to free entry to
over 400 museums is available from participating museums and local tourist
offices.
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the
largest museum in Holland and attracts well over a million visitors each
year. It is internationally celebrated for its exhibitions and publications
as well as its scholarships and research. The museum features works by
Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Breitner, as well as dolls houses, silver, prints and
drawings, delftware, furniture, weaponry, ship models and Buddhas. Fellow Dutch artist Van Gogh is celebrated
throughout the city, with the Rembrandt
House Museum, housed in the historical building where the great
artist used to live and work. The Stedelijk
Museum of Modern Art, a collection of Dutch and international art
from 1850 onwards, includes works by Cézanne, Chagall, Monet and Picasso,
as well as photography, video, film and industrial design.
A more light-hearted attraction is the Heineken Brewery. Heineken,
the Dutch national brewer, is the world’s second-largest brewing empire and
this brewery, which operated from 1932-1988, is now a museum. There are
daily guided tours, which culminate with ice-cold samples of the famous
beer.
Airports
AMS – Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Ground Transportation
The Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre offers a
complimentary shuttle service to and from the Amsterdam Central Station
every 30 minutes, starting at 0700 until 2230.
From the
hotel to the Central Station
To make use of the
shuttle service please reserve at the concierge desk. Our car is
a white Ford Transit for maximum 8 persons, with luggage space for
maximum 8 persons. It will leave from the front side of the hotel entrance.
Please make reservations at the concierge desk.
From the
Central Station to the hotel
The shuttle will
arrive 5 to 10 minutes after the whole/ half hour to pick you up in case
you are waiting on the station for the shuttle to the hotel. If you are in
the main hall of the station, walk in the direction of platform 15 and
follow the signs Noord / Boot. Exit the building
and walk past the construction side. Opposite to the boat departures,
before crossing the street you will find a small parking zone for cars. The
car is a white Ford Transit and has Mövenpick
signs on front and the sides of the car.
If you could be so
kind to give us a call (0031 20 519 1213) when you know your exact
arrival time at the railway station, we will be able to pick you up
approximately 5 or 35 minutes after the hour.
Conference Hotel
Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre prides itself on being the best accessible hotel in the Amsterdam, located
on the water edge of the city centre. The hotel offers 408 elegant and
comfortable rooms that have excellent views over both river and the city of
Amsterdam. The hotel is within walking distance from the old town centre
and Central Station. Silk Road restaurant offers a fascinating East meets
West Kitchen. Weather permitting you can enjoy lunch or dinner at the vast
outdoor terrace while watching the ships pass by. The hotel offers free
wireless internet in the hotel rooms and public areas and is completely
non-smoking.
Registration
The
registration fee includes conference technical materials, all scheduled
meals and social events outlined in the meeting agenda. To encourage participation, the
registration fee is being subsidized by AGIFORS.
The
early registration fee before 17 April 2009 is USD 475 for airline and
academic delegates and USD 675 for other delegates. An unbundled social program is available
this year for guests: USD 75 for the welcome reception and USD 135 for
Monday night’s canal dinner cruise.
Registration fees received after 17 April 2009 will be considered
late and will incur a USD 100 late fee – no exceptions.
You
may register for the conference via the AGIFORS website using any major
credit card (including American Express, MasterCard or Visa). Major credit cards, traveler’s checks or
company check will be accepted at the on-site registration. No cash or personal checks will be
accepted on-site.
Please
complete the online registration
process
and submit it directly via the Internet.
Attire
Business Events - Business
Casual
Welcome Reception - Business Casual
Social Events - Evening Casual
The average temperature in Amsterdam in May: 45-65 F (7-17 C).
Contact Information
If someone needs to contact you
during the conference, you can be reached at the Hotel.
Conference Organizers
Gina Morello +1.817.967.9798 Email
Jamison Graff +1.301.255.8303 Email
Sunny Ja +1.817.931.8527 Email
Ricardo Pilon +1.514.295.1275 Email
Brian Wishlinski +1.713.335.7935 Email
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