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COUNTRY FOR HIRE: LOW RATES, ALL AMENITIES

Anxious to put itself on the world map, the Ruritanian statelet of Liechtenstein has hatched an extraordinary plan: it is putting itself up for rent. The tiny country, famous mainly for not being famous and for allegedly sheltering the tainted millions of drug barons and dictators the world over, is about to metamorphose itself into one giant corporate hospitality centre.

In what is though to be the world’s first rent-a-state scheme, the tiny principality is to offer itself for hire by multinationals for conferences, celebrations and even office parties.

Not that as a country it amount to very much. Squeezed between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein has a mere 33,000 inhabitants and covers just 60 square miles. It is, in effect, 11 villages.

But for a fee of up to £320 per person per day, a multinational can have it all: the scenic Alpine backdrop, accommodating tourist officials, and the adrenaline rush of symbolically taking over an entire state.

At the top rate, a four-day conference for 900 delegates (the maximum that can be accommodated) would cost £1,2m. The facilities are, however, far from conventional.

Corporate clients can “brand” the entire state with their logo, emblazoning it on prominent buildings. Arrangements can also be made for the discerning multinational to have access to the national art gallery and theatre, the royal family’s wine cellar, and at least one of Liechtenstein’s fairytale castles – the 13^th-century Schloss Gutenberg.

THE GUARDIAN, Feb. 14, 2003