The “VZW Antwerp Experience ” covers: >1000 commercial points

1. The “VZW Meir” covers Teniersplaats via Eiermarkt and Schoenmarkt to Groenplaats:> 250 commercial points

2. The “VZW AntwerpExperience” covers:>1000 commercial points

3. “VZW”= • Non profit organization

4. NEW LOGO NOVEMBER 2010

5. ANTWERP EXPERIENCE= RETAIL, HORECA*, CULTURE & LEISURE*hotels/restos/cafés • Comparewith Paris, London, Milano, New York….. • Strengths: diversity + price/quality + 6000 parkings spaces + everything in walkingdistance + low crime-rate • Difference: accessible to almosteveryone ! • > 1000 commercial points: “mainstream” + “upmarket” + “trendy” • Board of Directors: major commercial pointssuch as:WestEnd – C&A –BNP/Parisbas/Fortis – P&C – McDonalds – Grand BazarShopping Centre – Shopping SFZ – JBC/Torfs • 3 Trimestrial Board Meetings + 1 Annual Meeting • IndependantCoordinator: Linda Cloots/Shopping Street Manager

6. MEMBERSHIP • Today: 60% of the more than 250 retailshops (incl GBShopping Centre & Meir Square) on the Meir-axis pay membership • ie only 15% of alle 1000 commercial points of the Antwerp Experience area! (see further) • Membership Meir-axis is based on M2 commercial space : < 50M2=600Euro; >2000M2= 3850Euro • Membership outside Meir-axis: 250Euro (small shop) or 500Euro (larger shop) • Members are offered a “service pakket” which is continuously revised to reward them for their solidarity • eg • -50% reduction on rental of publicity poles • -only members are involved in our activities: the clients are thus channelled to their shops

7. HISTORY • 1970’s: metroworks – we needed a “voice” in the City Hall • 1980’s: Meir: “carfree” between 11AM and 7PM: second impuls to group the shops into a forum • 1984: official start of the “VZW Meir” (thus 26 years ago!) • 1992: new pavements: closely monitored by the VZW! • 2000: creation of “City Management” – now “Work & Economy” + close cooperation with VZW (umbrella organization which groups all shopping areas of Antwerp – centre and outskirts • 2002: reconstruction of the Leien (Leien still ongoing: phase 1 until end 2007 and phase 2 until …) • 2002: Bin de Sinjoor: close cooperation between police and retailshops (Linda Cloots= coordinator for Meir, Groenplaats & Wilde Zee) • 2003: reconstruction of the Ring (part 1) and new pavements Meir due to surveillance cameras (6 on the Meir – 63 on the whole axis between Central Station and the river Scheldt) • 2007: celebration “750 years Meir”!!! • 2009: creation of the VZW “Beleef Antwerpen”

8. OBJECTIVES • Retail environment > individual shops • This retail environment can only be monitored, channelled and promoted by a professional organization with a independant Shopping Street Manager as Coordinator • This Coordinator acts as link between the retail environment and all partners: ie-City hall, Province, Flemish Region-Police – Maintenance services – Firebrigade -private surveillance companies, such as Group 4 • This Coordinator is employed and payed by de VZW – is thus a politically independant person!

9. OBJECTIVES • Stimulate commercial activities between Central Station and the river Scheldt + between the Meir-axis and Kloosterstraat • Create synergy between all these different commercial points and areas • Create cooperation between the existing commercial organisations • Give content to concepts such as: cleanliness, safety, attainableness, quality and responsible entrepreneurship • Responsible entrepreneurship: we stress ethical practices via our website and via specific events (eg butterfly project in 2006: against (racial) violence). • Conservation and revaluation of the historical buildings of this cultural area • Stimulate private living “above the shops”

10. WORKING CAPITAL • Twosources of income: • Membership money: 67.000 Euro in 2009 • Rental 60 streetlightpoles: approx 57.000Euro in 2009 • Total budget: 124.000Euro in 2009 • Support from the City of Antwerp: partialreimbursementelectricitycostsChrismaslights: 75% of 3500Euro= 2625Euro/year • Supportfrom the Chamber of Commerce: 500Euro/year: membership

11. Usage of Budget (excl 21%VAT) • Christmas lighting + electricity (min 30.000Euro) • Marketing & Communication: all POS material:flyers, posters, promoteam, ads in newspapers, TV, radio, etc…. • Salary Shopping StreetManager and all other “office expenses” (36.000Euro): salary= minimum legal salary for “young shop assistant/no diploma/no experience”office= home office to minimize expenses • Development & marketing of new concepts: eg Antwerp Experience Giftcard

12. Job Description Shopping StreetManager • Making and follow up of all invoices to ensure the above working budget/provide trimestrial input for accountant • Preparation and follow up of trimestrial board meetings + Annual General Board meeting • Setting budget + ongoing budget control • Setting marketing plan and follow up • Setting communication plan and follow up with communication bureau • Ongoing contacts with all relevant partners • Ongoing search of “marketing tools” as a service to our membershops (eg Antwerp Experience Giftcard)

13. BA Kaart=Mastercardwithmagnet strip

14. Card Holder

15. POS campaign December 2009

17. Roll up’s Stadsfeestzaal Fnac

18. POSTERS GBSC

19. Flyers:recto-verso

20. Radio Nostalgie

21. FNAC: selling point /+ saldocheck

22. Exclusief Dynamoo

23. Film Kai Mook: seewww.beleefantwerpen.be

24. The BA Card and Kai Mook:“primeurs” forAntwerp

25. New POS launch as of 15th November 2010: 11 new partners!

26. Thankyouforyourattention! My first steps on the Meir in the late 1950’s!