Interview with Erik Wood from Eventonline

MPI Belgium has started with a range of interviews among their partners and Erik Wood has the privilege to start.

Brief introduction; tell us more about the person Erik behind Eventonline?

Actually, normally I’m the interviewer so for met it’s funny to sit at the other side and being interviewed. Let’s go almost 12 years back in time when Erik started with Eventonline. Before Erik worked in different companies, always in the MICE sector and communication has always been his passion, as many of you might know Erik loves to talk. Before he started Eventonline he was a great believer of digital communication and working for his last employer 13 years ago, he decided to start his own company. He took the challenge, jumped and put all his money and effort to create Eventonline. With succes! Although Erik is persistant it was challenging but now Eventonline is a common name in the MICE market in the Benelux. Besides communication he is passionated about sports and is convinced if you push your limits in the sports, you will succeed better in your professional life.

The origin of the MICE Party, how this initiative became a must attend event. What is your ‘secret’?

January 2014 Erik received a call from Davy Luyten from Eventsfactory and told Erik, the Pureliner is in Antwerp, if you want to use it it’s yours. Erik decided to use this opportunity although it was on very short notice to create a party on the boat for the MICE industry. After he launched the party and started with the communication, he quickly reached 400 subscribers. A huge succes! The year after he celebrated this 10th anniversary and since then the party is getting bigger and bigger. In 2015 he received more than 500 persons on the Oceandiva. Not only in the number of participants but also the range is wider, they are coming from the Netherlands and Luxemburg as well.

This year the party will be in the new headquarters of J&M Catering, which is an unique industrial venue where the focus is to ‘tickle your senses’ in different ways. Of course there will be excellent food, amazing acts and special effects. And what’s new this year as well is around 100 corporate clients will be present as well. Perfect for networking!

This year you will organize your first ‘cycling’ trip, can you tell us more about this sportive event?

Erik is a passionate cycler and started again with an idea which he shared on Facebook; a cyclye trip for 15 persons and within 3 days the trip was sold out. All participants are working in the MICE sector where during the trip will be time for networking and discussions as well, aprt from cycling of course. He wants to inspire others to cycle as well as all his ideas were created during his cycle tours. Cycling is his passion, his best friend, his challenge, outlet and source of inspiration.

Eventonline exists now more than 10 years, where do you want to be in 5 years time?

Erik wants to continue to focus on his niche, the MICE industry, to get more return on investment. The website of venues online will be relaunched and has the unique possibility to visit venues virtual. In september this year the website of MICE Magazine gets a facelift and the one from Eventonline will get a refreshing look and feel.

Besides being an sportive and active entreprenuer, Erik also wants to share his knowledge with the upcoming generation. He gives lectures at the Artevelde Hogeschool and universities and is part of the advisory board of Artevelde Hogeschool. They are the next generation!

Erik has the full support of his partner Olivier Wauters and his entire team.

Thank you Erik and good luck with all your challenges.

Erik Wood,  Managing Director
Eventonline  Provinciesteenweg 535 | 2530 Boechout
www.eventonline.be
info@eventonline.be,
tel : 0032 (0)474 467 291