EDGE Venues

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.”

The Italian hotel chain Ata have joined Great Hotels of the World, for marketing purposes. The collection includes the  Ata Villa Pamphilli in Rome

SET – Spazio Eventi Tirso, the new events space located just a stone’s throw from Villa Borghese, in the green heart of Rome, is set to open its doors to the public on 19 December.

Extending over a surface area of 1, 200 square metres, SET – Spazio Eventi Tirso, is a multi-functional, modern, highly versatile complex which can be used for exhibitions, photo shoots and all types of events. This sleek, minimalist space is characterized by large windows, skylights and the use of cast-iron, resin, glass and cement elements.

The structure has a large, 70 sq.m. glass-fronted foyer and three different spaces: the first has a useable floor surface of 770 square metres and is  bounded by nine pillars; the second, measuring 140 square metres, has a vaulted ceiling and an aerial lighting system; and the third, measuring 110 square metres, has a ceiling made from glass and exposed steel beams.

The location is also designed to offer additional amenities including props and settings, an audio-visual system, artistic and creative direction, catering, back-up staff (security, hostesses and cloakroom attendants), a press and PR office and a car park with 400 spaces.

The 4-star Diplomat Hotel is located in Prague’s diplomatic centre, close to the historic city centre. The high standard of quality and the convenient location make the Diplomat Hotel Prague the ideal conference and venue place in town. A dedicated professional team is looking forward to tailor make events and conferences.

The large conference and event centre consists of 22 meeting rooms for up to 1,050 people with a total of 1,600 m² of conference space as well as a 2,000 m² exhibition area.

The variable conference rooms with spacious foyer have a capacity for up to 400 people. Perfect working conditions are guaranteed thanks to climate control and state-of-the-art audio-visual and multimedia technologies, broadband internet access, electronic screen navigation and simultaneous interpretation facilities.

Hotel guests and conference attendees will enjoy the service of the restaurants Loreta, CD and Katsura with exquisite coffee breaks, a balanced business lunch or a gourmet dinner.

Extra services such as a business centre, 24/7 Grab&Shop, car rental, a hairdresser and a beauty studio add to the convenience and comfort of the hotel.

Zürich is Switzerland’s biggest tourist destination and was in the «Lonely Planet» guide book’s top ten of best places to visit around the world. The City of Zürich offers visitors from Switzerland and abroad a wide variety of cultural and sporting opportunities to enjoy with various events and public festivals taking place throughout the year

From November 22, Zürich’s most famous shopping street, the Bahnhofstrasse, will shine out more brightly than ever. “Lucy”– as the Christmas lights are called – will be switched on. These Christmas illuminations comprise almost 12,000 crystals containing luminescent white, red and blue LED lights that can be controlled individually, producing dots of color of varying intensity in the sky. What’s more, on the same evening visitors can enjoy late-night shopping in the inner city until 10.00pm, fortified by the culinary delicacies and mulled wine on sale at any of the numerous food stands.

Under the motto “Charming Christmas at Bellevue”, the Sechseläuten square will be transformed into a Christmas market with traditional and top-quality products. Not only full of festive markets but also Zurich’s traditional Conelli Christmas Circus is bridging the gap from classic to contemporary circus arts. The different acts are a feast of colours and imaginative performances, likely to enchant even the most demanding public. 

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and one of the world’s largest financial centres. Most Swiss banks have their headquarters in Zurich and there are numerous foreign banks in the Greater Zurich Area. By far the most important sector in the economy of Zurich is the service industry, which employs nearly four fifths of workers. Located in Zurich, the Swiss Stock Exchange is the fourth most prominent stock exchange in the world. Ten of the country’s 50 largest companies have their head offices in Zurich

SWISS has launched the ‘Official Carrier Agreement Light’, which will offer a 15% reduction for overseas delegates attending international conferences with a minimum of 50 and up to 400 delegates. With a dedicated link provided via the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, planners can book and manage all flights themselves