Budapest has a good chance of acquiring the non-official but impressive title of conference capital in the region. This October, Hungexpo will a new multi-functional, single floor pavilion “G,” with a total area of nearly 10,000 square metres. Interest has already been shown in renting it for 2010 and even 2011.
Conference organisers and tourism professionals have for several years called for a new conference centre with a capacity for several thousand people (conference tourism is one of the leading sectors of Hungarian tourism).
A recent survey based on 2007 figures showed that Hungary was the 6th most popular European destination for organising international conferences with more than 50 participants. The number of events that year increased by more than 20 per cent over the previous year. Budapest maintained this strong position by hosting 90 international events, overtaking London, Prague and Brussels. The International Congress and Conventions Association’s (ICCA) 2007 list shows Vienna at top place, followed by Berlin and Singapore.
It is common knowledge that conferences yield higher revenues than traditional forms of tourism. Two years ago, more than 100,000 participants arrived for 430 conferences and they spent on average twice as much than leisure tourists.
In addition to the new pavilion to be completed in autumn 2008, three other conference centres are planned for in Budapest. One of these, to be built entirely from private investment at the Buda side of Pet?fi Bridge, using the already existing building of Tüske hall. This will have a capacity of 4,300 and will have an underground car park with space for 650 cars.
Another conference centre is planned to be built in place of the current Körcsarnok in Pest, to consist of five halls that can be combined to provide a total capacity of 5,100. The building will be connected to the Syma hall by a passage and completion is planned for September 1, 2009.
Preparations for a third conference centre are underway on an area of 32 hectares on the Hajógyári Island. Dream Island, as the development project is named, is estimated to cost HUF 400 billion. The investment will result in a conference centre with a capacity of 3,500, a hotel with 2,000 rooms and a casino of a size equalling the total of Hungary’s five largest casinos.
Budapest has extraordinary assets and it is no surprise that the city has become a popular conference destination. Its greatest advantage is that the city is located in the centre of Europe and has a climate free of extremes. The city is also considered safe in international comparison.
The results of a recently published study show that Hungary and its capital have a clearly favourable position in the eyes of Western European tourists and business visitors—from the point of price and value comparisons as well. Visitors have realised that they can receive excellent services at a moderate price because there are sufficient good-quality hotels – for accommodation and conference services. This is coupled with experienced and highly skilled staff speaking many foreign languages.
Budapest also boasts the business and scientific life of a real metropolis and there are plenty of opportunities for spending leisure time profitably and pleasurably after professional events.
