Germany has again defended its position as one of the leading global destinations for meetings and conventions. For the eighth year in succession, the study conducted by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) showed that Germany is the top location in Europe for association meetings. Globally, Germany occupies second place. According to the rankings, only the USA has more international conventions.
In 2011, the experts counted a total of 577 international association meetings in Germany – an increase of 35 over the previous year – and considerably more than second-placed Spain, which hosted 463 conventions. The United Kingdom follows in third place with 434 events. Evaluations conducted by the GCB offer an insight into the sectors principally involved in the association meetings included in the ICCA study for Germany in 2011. Technology and innovation accounted for more than one quarter of the international conventions in Germany while around 20 percent of the association meetings considered were in the medical and healthcare sectors.
Vienna lands 2018 International Astronomy Conference
The International Astronomical Union, which unites researchers in the field of astronomy / astrophysics from more than 70 nations, will be holding its 2018 general assembly in Vienna. The event will last more than two weeks and generate some 30,000 bednights for the city.
The prestigious general assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) is held every three years together with the world’s largest international astrophysics conference. In August 2018, this event will see over 3,000 of the world’s leading scientists in the field of astronomy and astrophysics convening in Vienna. Altogether this event consisting of numerous symposiums and workshops over several days will last more than two weeks. The decision to hold the assembly in Vienna was taken at this year’s general assembly in Beijing. The event was also attended by Gerhard Hensler, Austria’s national representative, professor of theoretical astronomy and dean of the University of Vienna’s Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy and vice president of OeGAA, the Austrian Society for Astronomy and Astrophysics. He had prepared the application in collaboration the Vienna Tourist Board’s Vienna Convention Bureau, and presented the official application book together with a PowerPoint presentation on Vienna. These made a deep impression on the executive committee of the IAU and convinced the national representatives that Vienna was clearly preferable to other destinations.
With the choice of Vienna as a venue, in 2018 Europe will once again be in the limelight of international astronomy after assemblies in Sydney (2003), Prague (2006), Rio de Janeiro (2009), Beijing (2012) and Hawaii (2015). Local organization will be carried out by OeGAA – which made the application – together with the Austrian Academy of Sciences as the Austrian association belonging to the IAU, whilst organizational support will be provided by the University of Vienna. According to Christian Mutschlechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau, this congress will mean about 30,000 bednights for Vienna and contribute some 12 million euros to GDP. However, hosting the IAU’s general assembly in 2018 is not just an achievement for the congress city Vienna, but also for Austrian astronomy, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of its membership of ESO, the European Southern Observatory the same year
Barceló Sants in Barcelona has been newly refurbished and is looking fantastic! The hotel can accommodate up to 1500 delegates in its largest event room and the hotel comes complete with a space theme!
Why choose Barcelona … Barcelona is one of the most important cities in Europe for corporate events and here’s why … 9 UNESCO heritage sites, 4.5km of sandy beaches, Formula One, over 300 hotels, over 35,000 shops and 9 Michelin starred restaurants!
The Hofburg is home to the finest ballroom in Vienna, if not the whole world. On 31 December 2012 it will welcome guests from across the globe to the glittering premiere of LE GRAND BAL of the HOFBURG Vienna, and get the New Year off to an elegant and stylish start.
The name LE GRAND BAL of the HOFBURG Vienna itself is an unabashed declaration of love for ball tradition and a testament to its French roots. This year, guests plan to celebrate New Year’s Eve in style and strike out in a new direction that incorporates classic elements of traditional Viennese ball culture and an exquisite gala dinner. The centrepiece of the evening’s entertainment is a carefully stagecrafted – and unforgettable – night of ballroom dancing and glamour.
The Italian government has announced plans yesterday to halve its planned 2% VAT increase scheduled for 2013. The Italian standard VAT rate will now rise from 21% to 22% from 1 July 2013. The reduced VAT rate will increase from 10% to 11%. The super reduced rate will remain at 4%.
The original 2013 2% VAT rise was proposed in December 2011 as a measure to assure nervous financial markets. It followed a 1% increase to 21% in September 2011 at the start of the latest Euro crisis.
Since that announcement, the technocrat government of Premier Monti has made great strides in reducing government spending, partially in an effort to avoid the 2% rise. As recently as September the belief was that the rise would not be needed.
However, yesterday the latest budget measures emerged confirming an Italian 1% rise in 2013. It is estimated that this change in the rise will cost around Euro 3.3 billion per annum.
In addition to the changes in VAT rate, there will also be a cut in income taxes.
Barcelona posted a 15 per cent increase in average room rate to £118 in April 2012, contributing to a 23 per cent increase in REVPAR. Conferences such as the International Liver Congress, as well as high-profile sports events including major Barcelona football fixtures at the Nou Camp against Chelsea and Real Madrid and the Cursa El Corte Ingles run, contributed to the increase in business.
EIBTM is extending the show’s remit this year to include an education programme and business travel pavilion for corporate buyers. The pavilion will provide a dedicated meeting area for exhibitors to showcase their products to visitors and buyers with a responsibility for corporate and business travel. EIBTM takes place from 27-29 November in Barcelona.
