DESTINATION REPORT BY ROB GILL
Bucharest, Romania
Another option for event organisers is to use a regional hub, such as Austrian Airlines’ network of flights to central and eastern Europe from Vienna. Routes across the region include eight destina- tions in the former Yugoslavian countries, as well as cities in Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. And using Vienna as a hub to eastern Europe could become more attractive to some UK buyers when Austrian Airlines starts a daily service from Manchester to Vienna on September 10. Whether the region’s flight con- nections are enough to attract global events is open to debate. HRG’s Hanlin describes air access to major cities such as Budapest, Prague, Warsaw and Riga as “fantastic”, which makes these desti- nations “accessible to clients no matter where they are based in the world”. But Chambers Travel Events’ Leeson is not so convinced that the region’s major airport hubs can compete with other parts of the continent, especially when it comes to worldwide events. “The problem will always be the lack of flight access for global programmes,” he says. “The region cannot compete with western European hubs if you are holding a global programme.”
GROWING POPULARITY If Prague and Budapest continue to be the headline attractions in the region, which other cities are starting to get more attention from MICE organisers? The Baltic states are becoming a more popular option and the fact that all three
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have now joined the eurozone, which had previously increased on-the-ground costs in some destinations, has not de- terred buyers from choosing cities such Riga, Tallinn or Vilnius. Both Hanlin and Leeson say that the Baltic states have grown in popu- larity in recent years and this trend should continue. Leeson says that Riga is benefiting
from new “infrastructure and resource” to cater for the meetings industry follow- ing the city’s distinction as a European Capital of Culture last year. The Latvian capital is also benefiting from new hotels from brands such as Mercure and Wellton, which are not only adding more rooms but also new meetings spaces. “Tallinn is a popular tech event des- tination – Estonia is one of the most technologically innovative countries in the world and Tallinn, in, particular is known for its tech community and entrepreneur- ialism,” adds Leeson. “It’s among the top
countries in the world for start-ups per capita and is the birthplace of Skype and Transfer Wise, among others. Estonia is becoming a popular destination for events where organisers are looking for a balance of innovation and cutting- edge technology alongside a historical backdrop and beautiful scenery.” The Lithuanian capital of Vilnius should also benefit in the long-term from the opening of a new conference centre in 2019. The city will get a much sooner boost in September when Wizz Air begins flights from Glasgow. The Romanian capital of Bucharest, once known as ‘Little Paris’ because of its wide boulevards and historic Parisian- style buildings, may also soon be more in vogue as a meetings destination. The Romanian Convention Bureau also talks up the city’s range of museums, art gal- leries, theatres and music halls, as well as major venues, such as the Romexpo exhibition centre. CWT’s Bryant says: “I recently went to Bucharest on a fam trip and would definitely recommend it to clients as an up-and-coming destination. It is still very good value and there are some excellent hotels and unusual venues that would be perfect for gala dinners – our clients are always after venues with a ‘wow’ factor and we try to impress their delegates, but still keep to budget.” Bucharest will also be boosted by the addition of the Sheraton Bucharest Hotel. Scheduled to open its doors on August 29, it will include 270 rooms, plus 1,200sqm of events space in a conven- tion centre featuring ten meeting rooms for up to 1,400 people, including two ballrooms and a boardroom. Another destination that is likely to become more of an attraction, particu- larly to UK-based buyers, is the historic Polish second city of Krakow, which is benefiting from new direct flights by British Airways from Heathrow, operat- ing four times per week, as well as the long-awaited opening of the ICE Krakow Congress Centre. This new facility, which was unveiled
in late 2014 after 12 years of planning and construction, features 36,000sqm of meetings space – including the main auditorium, which can accommodate up to 2,000 delegates, as well as two smaller halls catering for up to 300 and 600 people respectively. Krakow is also set to benefit from the opening in September of the Doubletree
BBT JULY/AUGUST 2015 77
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