Budapest is still the Number 1 destination for international meetings – not by chance. The capital offers the planners an amazing variety of locations starting from small luxurious boutique hotels to the Budapest Congress & World Trade Center with its largest hall seating 2000 persons.
With no doubt the tourist will enjoy discovering the hidden treasures of both the hilly historical part called Buda and Pest with its fizzy nightlife and shopping facilities between two seminars… Official programmes organised in time-honoured, turn-of-the-century buildings, or in conference hotels equipped with thermal baths and royal ballrooms ensure the success of the event.
It will soon be clear to anyone arriving in the country that Hungarian hospitality is not just a cliché. Local people are pleased to assist visitors not only in the hotels or restaurants but also in the streets – be it in English or with metacommunication accompanied by a smile. They are at the same time proud of their beautiful country and would like to show the most and best of it.
Altogether more than 800 hotels are operating in Hungary (from these 141 are located in Budapest), which represents more than 100.000 bed-places (34.000 in Budapest). Hungary boasts 23 five-star properties and 164 four-star hotels, and still, newly built houses are opening their doors one after the other…
Although Hungary is not an unknown place on the globe, it is a new destination yet to be discovered for many. And who would deny that in order to attract delegates to a congress, selecting a location they have not known before is crucial….
– The cost-to-value ratio is extremely favourable in Hungary. In general the quality of services is excellent and prices are still lower than in most European countries.
– Budapest is a magical place, rendered enchanting by the river Danube which divides the city into two. Hills, mountains in Buda, the line of hotels and the commercial district on the Pest side… an air of history, the pleasant climate, festivals and cultural events prove that the city is indeed the Pearl of the Danube. Several convention centres up to 2,000 located in pleasant environment, and 5.000 first class and luxury hotel roomsare at the guests’ disposal. Living memories of the past, major historical monuments of Budapest may be special venues for banqueting events and social programmes. The fairy-tale Vajdahunyad Castle, the Museum of Fine Arts or even the Parliament can be rented for special occasions.
– Unique programmes to choose from for groups seeking sport challenges, cultural heritage or gastronomy tours. One of the highlights of your event might be a fantastic evening cruise down the Danube, a magic day on the Hungarian Great Plain with authentic horse shows, and folklore programmes including traditional meals and drinks.
– Budapest is a city of baths, it is also called the Spa Capital of the world. A party spiced with a water ballet performance in the marvellous Gellért bath will surely result in a truly memorable evening. The marching of hussar companies in the Buda Castle; a Renaissance themed evening in a medieval castle; an exciting rally across the country with old-fashioned cars called Trabants: there is plenty to do to enrich your programme.
Hungary is a new favourite in the meetings industry, a place that is exciting and inspirational, and able to offer both originality and quality. The new print publication contains a range of partner suppliers and presents exciting incentive programmes. The motto: “Hungary – more than expected” aims to express that Hungary is a country where tradition, culture and history meets state-of-the-art technology and modern business life, to conclude with the 21st century. The brand new Meeting Planner’s Guide is available at www.hcb.hu.
During October 2012 alone, Budapest was host to two major Congress events proving it’s success and popularity with Event Planners. The first was for the EPCA (European Petrochemical Association), a five day event which broke all records for the number of attendees, a total of 2600.
Later in the month was the Nu Skin 2012 Congress, which was the largest event so far held at the Hungexpo, with a total 6000 attendees
Terminal 1 at Budapest Airport has reopened, four months after its closure, after an event centre has been established in the empty passenger terminal. Terminal 1, shaped like an aircraft when viewed from above, is nearly 2000 square meters, and boasts three halls on the ground floor, a spacious mezzanine level and a terrace overlooking the runway.
There is no doubt that the vicinity of the airport and the Bauhaus-style terminal building offers unparalleled opportunities for event organizers, the terminal building could primarily serve as the ideal location for large, exclusive events such as gala dinners, conferences, partner meetings and car shows. The building is also available for film shoots, as it is nearly impossible to shoot in a real-life but empty terminal anywhere in Europe.
In addition to the unique characteristics, it is also able to accommodate 400 vehicles in its car park, and is fully accessible for persons with reduced mobility.
The annual MCE CEE Event for Central & Eastern Europe is gaining popularity and will be held for the third time 10 – 12 February 2013 in Budapest, Hungary. The 2013 MCE Event will offer more destinations; more Solution Providers offer quality MICE services within Central & Eastern Europe and more qualified and screened Hosted Buyers interested in making use of the potential that the CEE region offers.
It is becoming clearer every day that the CEE regions offer better value for money but also high levels of service. Adding that to the many new flight routes, the immense undiscovered incentive potential and one can understand why attending the MCE CEE Event is offering a huge advantage on the market.
Europe Congress offers this unique and regional leading platform where hosted buyers get familiar with the CEE countries and its quality solution providers. DMCs, PCOs, Event Management Companies, Conventions Bureaus, Hotels, Airlines, etc. will meet up on a face to face basis with the selected and screened hosted buyers. A conference program me offering keynote speakers, discussing hot topics within the industry, ensure increased knowledge on creating optimized events.
Offering the perfect business mix of education, pre-scheduled meetings, networking and social events leads to the most productive business encounters for all event participants.
Nestled in the Tyrolean Alps, Zhero – Ischgl/Kappl blends traditional Alpine hospitality and innovative design. This is the spot for outdoor enthusiasts, boasting walking distances to some of the world’s top ski, snowboard, hiking and climbing locations.
UNIDO describes the 2012 congress which it has just held in Vienna as the most environmentally friendly “Global South-South Development Expo” in history. With the assistance of the Vienna Tourist Board’s Vienna Convention Bureau, for the first time the organization staged this event – held annually since 2008 – as a certified Green Meeting.
The “Global South-South Development Expo” (GSSD) was held this year for the fifth time from November 19 thru’ 23 at the HOFBURG Vienna. During the course of the event, 900 delegates concentrated on international development cooperation with the developing countries, particularly South America and South Africa. The meeting covered political, economic, cultural, and social aspects, as well as technical and ecological ones. There was a special focus on the latter this year, since 2012 is the “International Year of Sustainable Energy for All”. “Nothing could therefore have been more natural than to arrange this congress as a Green Meeting,” according to Weixi Gong, South-South Cooperation Coordinator, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). “And thanks to the expertise and support of the Vienna Convention Bureau, we succeeded admirably in this task. We also learned a lot in the process that will enable us to make more effective use of environmentally friendly measures at future events – and in this sense, this will also be a sustainable effect that we can take with us from Vienna.”
The measures developed in cooperation with the Vienna Tourist Board’s Vienna Convention Bureau (VCB) to minimize the “ecological footprint” of the GSSD Expo ranged from recommendations for the most ecological possible travel arrangements and transport around the city, booking hotels awarded the EcoLogo, all the way through to the use of biologically produced or biodegradable materials for convention utensils such as conference folders, stationery and printed papers. Printing costs were also reduced to a minimum by distributing a great deal of information on USB sticks instead of on paper, and regional and seasonal products were chosen for catering purposes.
New “Green Passport” for congress delegates
In collaboration with UNIDO, the VCB came up with an innovation designed to increase congress delegates’ environmental awareness. At the GSSD Expo, they all received a “Green Passport” explaining the fact that they were taking part in a Green Meeting, and outlining the underlying ideas as well as the measures taken. The “Green Passport” – produced in passport format – also contained tips about what congress delegates themselves could do in support of the Green Meeting philosophy. It gave all the ways of getting to the Imperial Palace using public transport, recommended waste separation and foregoing fresh towels every day at the hotel, and listed businesses selling organic products – from bakery products to cosmetics – and even shops with design objects made from recycled materials. For any delegates extending their stay after the end of the congress, there was also a detailed program suggestion for a “green day in Vienna”.
VCB Director Christian Mutschlechner comments: “The ‘Green Passport’ is a step on the way to more Green Meetings, since the idea is to introduce as many people a possible to the concept of ‘green thinking’ in the conference business. The objective is to establish Green Meetings as an international standard and environmentally friendly behavior as a given.”
