Eye on Travel

Radio Guest List—InterContinental Geneve Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland—May 2, 2015

Locations in this article:  Paris, France

genevaThis week’s broadcast of Peter Greenberg Worldwide comes from the InterContinental Geneve Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. Celebrating its 50th anniversary last year, this is not a typical business hotel, it is a landmark. Joining us at this Geneva staple hotel is the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, who discloses that 90 percent of its resources still come from governments. He also talks about the trials of getting into conflict and disaster zones.

Then, Resident Managing Director at Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie Fabienne Lupo explains the importance of the Swiss label on watches and the quality that is still associated with that label worldwide. Then American Expat Anne Korkeakivi reveals what has brought her from New York to Geneva, how she’s been able to blend in with Geneva’s culture, and how it has affecting her journalism and novels. Ellen Wallace, another expat and author, dives into the wines of Switzerland and explains why they are not as widely celebrated as other wines in the area. There’s all of this and more on this week’s episode of Peter Greenberg Worldwide from the InterContinental Geneve Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland.

Click here to listen to the show, streaming live from 10 am until 1 pm ET on Saturday, May 2, 2015. Call in with your travel questions at 1-888-88-PETER (1- 888-887-3837) or email peter@petergreenberg.com. (Write “ASK PETER” in the subject line)

Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, describes what the Red Cross does in some of the most difficult places in the world and why a base in Geneva makes sense for its neutral help across the globe.

Professor Jacques Berchtold, Director of the Foundation Martin Bodmer, gives the history of the Bodmer library, its 160,000+ books, and how it houses the only Gutenberg bible in Switzerland.

Juergen Baumhoff, General Manager of the InterContinental Hotel Geneva, talks about the location’s 50-year history, why heads of state call this their second home, and the redesign that has made the hotel “softer” for guests.

Ellen Wallace, Founder of GenevaLunch.com, explains why Switzerland is in the Heartland of European vines, but less than 2 percent of the Switzerland wine is exported.

Anne Korkeakivi, Journalist, Author, and Expat, talks about what an international city Geneva really is—30 percent of people speak English at work and over 40 percent of workers are not originally from Geneva.

Mrs. Fabienne Lupo, President Managing Director at Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, dissects the difference between fake and real watches and why even though there will always be counterfeit watches, people will still pay for the authentic pieces.

Patrick Michel, Professional skipper and sailing instructor on Lake Geneva, talks about his early days on Lake Geneva and how, after a career in the US working in IT, he came back to what he loves…being on the water.

By Darra Stone for PeterGreenberg.com