cultural and historic factors to explain the city’s attraction to delegates. Rome has a host of venues, such as the
Palalottomatica, a sport and entertainment complex, and theatres such as Auditorium del Massimo. There is also the Fiera Di Roma exhibition centre, as well as hotel options such as the Rome Marriott Park Hotel, near Fiumicino airport, Sheraton Rome and the Rome Cavalieri, which is part of Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria group and hosted ACTE’s global conference in 2012 (see panel, below). CWT’s Merritt says: “A lot of the hotels are built in to the old buildings, so they have a lot of character, while providing excellent modern facilities. While Rome can be seen of more of a leisure destination, its world- renowned attractions, such as the Coliseum and the Vatican, are perfect for team building and general activities during business trips.” Chambers Travel Events says that, while logistically, Milan may be favourite for larger symposium groups or congress events, Rome is the top Italian destination for the mid- range conference market. Events held in Rome “consistently draw
high numbers”, says ACTE’s executive director Greeley Koch. “Rome was, and will continue to be, a business event des- tination for ACTE. However, it should be noted that Italy – and Europe – has other commercial centres as well, where costs may be more manageable.”
Rome Cavalieri hotel
Another development which could help
take Rome to another level is the much- delayed new convention centre, known as La Nuvola or ‘The Cloud’, which is currently set to open in early 2015. The futuristic building, which was first commissioned in the late 1990s, will have capacity for up to 8,000 delegates including an auditorium with seating for 1,850 people. There is still speculation about whether the building will be finished amid fears about funding for the project. It is being constructed in the Eur district which was first developed in the 1930s for the Universal Exposition that had been scheduled for 1942, but never happened due to the Second World War. The current plan is for La Nuvola to open in the months leading up to Expo 2015 in Milan, which runs from May 1-October 31. Rome is also hoping to benefit from the holding of this major event in Italy, par- ticularly with the increase in competition on flights between the two cities. Rome could do with a boost as a meetings venue as it only ranked 20th in the Interna-
“A lot of the
hotels are built in to the old buildings, so they have a lot of character”
tional Congress & Convention Association’s list of the most popular worldwide cities for meetings – a long way behind European competitors such as Vienna, which topped the list, followed by Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona and London.
ACTE CONFERENCE
ACTE HELD ITS GLOBAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE in Rome in October 2012 with the three-day event taking place at the Rome Cavalieri hotel. The association’s executive director, Greeley Koch, says: “The location drew a high vote of support, as measured by the registration numbers.” Around 700 delegates attended the conference.
The hotel, which is part of
Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria group, is located on Monte Mario hill, 5km from central Rome, and
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has spectacular views from its grounds. Conference facilities include the 1,600sq ft Salone dei Cavalieri, for up to 2,100 delegates theatre- style, or 1,350 for a banquet. ACTE held its general sessions and lunches in this room. “The Rome Cavalieri hotel
more than lived up to its reputation as a superb business destination,” adds Koch. Staying at the Cavalieri did not come cheap, with single rooms from Ð259 per night, even with the
early booking discount secured by ACTE. A cheaper option was offered at the Courtyard by Marriott Rome Central Park, which was a 20-minute bus transfer from the Cavalieri. ACTE chose the top-floor terrace of the Hotel Exedra in the Piazza della Repubblica in central Rome for the opening night reception. The gala dinner on the final night was held at Villa Miani, which neighbours the Cavalieri. Koch says: “It is relatively easy to host an event in Rome – the
city is accessible to most of Europe by relatively short flights. Yet cost is always an issue in the business travel sector, and the cost of hosting major events in Rome – depending upon the time of year – can be high. “During the early autumn, the cost of venues, local transportation and even restaurants throughout the city can eat up conference attendance budgets quickly. It isn’t possible to negotiate everything.”
BBT MAY/JUNE 2014 109
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