A portrait of…. ECM Vice President – Stefan Diender

Born on 29^th June 1951 in Alkmaar, Stefan Diender graduated from the Netherlands Scientific Institute for Tourism and Leisure Studies. He started his professional career with various positions in the hotel & restaurant industry, travel agencies and with tour operators. In 1983 Stefan became a the Managing Director of co-operative association of travel agencies Toekoop u.a. in Hilversum and in 1994 he accepted the same role at Toerbusiness bv. He is the founder, owner and Managing Director of the management consultancy firm DIMID bv (Diender International Management to Service Industry) in Nieuwegein in the Netherlands. Since 1st January 2000, Stefan Diender is the CEO / Managing Director Amsterdam Tourist Board BV, holding company for BV Amsterdam Marketing & Data Center, Leisure Consultancy, Reservation Center, Tourist Office and Congress Bureau. An ECM Board member for the past two years, during the General Assembly in Gothenburg in June 2009, Stefan was elected the ECM Vice President for the Tourism Forum.

What is interesting about being ECM Vice President?

I have already been on the Board for two years now. The position of vice president became vacant because colleagues on the Board step down from time to time. I feel the amount of responsibility, although I do have more meetings. I bring my experience and knowledge of destination marketing for the benefit of my colleagues and the ECM organisation.

For me Amsterdam is…“I AMSTERDAM”, the city of creativity, innovation and the spirit of commerce. The smallest metropolis of the world with an exciting multicultural atmosphere for tourism and business visitors.

My favourite… Film: Dances with Wolves, because of the music, nature shots and Kevin Costner

In the world of tourism, a destination is successful when… there is a good balance between living (inhabitants), visiting (international visitors – tourism/MICE) and business (international companies).

If I could change one thing in the world, I would……… like to solve the problem of people starving because there are people in the world who do not have enough food to eat or water to drink.