Belgrade vs. Istanbul
A current comparison of the closest competitors on the 2013 ICCA scale following the Kongres travelogue methodology – meetologues.
| BELGRADE | ISTANBUL |
|---|---|
| Population: 1.34 million | Population: 14.16 million |
| ICCA Country and City rankings 2013: 44th place 52 meetings | ICCA Country and City rankings 2013: 8h place 146 meetings |
| Mercer Quality of Living 2013: 135th place | Mercer Quality of Living 2013: 121th place |
| Sunshine hours: 2080 | Sunshine hours: 2421 |
| + Belgrade is an authentic, open and hospitable congress destination with soul. It features a plethora of floating restaurants and clubs, plus lively riverbank promenades. The city has a good basis for the development of the meetings industry, with a large convention centre, the Belgrade Fair, numerous convention hotels, a long tradition and very reasonable prices. Belgrade bases its congress story on a rich culture at the crossroads of East and West, the central position in South-East Europe and a vibrant social life. Belgrade is a city on the rise and a rough congress diamond that has enormous development potential. Once it improves its infrastructure and handles the entire meetings sales chain it can be placed geo-strategically side by side with world congress capitals. In short, the zeitgeist of Belgrade is best summed up by writer Momo Kapor: “Belgrade is a low-budget New York.” | + Throughout history Istanbul has been at the crossroads of civilisations and some sort of a meeting point. It offers its congress product through seductive orientalism. Congress facilities are too many to set out here, but the city is easily capable of hosting the largest congress events. The main advantage of Istanbul is that it reorganised its meetings industry and took advantage of its strategic location at the crossroads between Asia and Europe. This is further complemented by exceptional air accessibility, since 50 airlines fly into the city daily. Cosmopolitan Istanbul has come back in full shine and has become one of the top global congress cities. The destination is back in the limelight and is the new global success story. We believe that the meetings industry of Istanbul will be the new congress success story, for it has already fulfilled almost every condition and at the same time it is still relatively inexpensive. |
| Belgrade meetings flashpoints: | Istanbul meetings flashpoints: |
| 1. Crowne Plaza - new 416-room hotel with meeting space for up to 800. | 1. Hilton Bomonti - one of Europe's largest convention hotels, which is setting new Hilton standards here |
| 2. The Royal Compound - a palace built in Serbian-Byzantine style in 1924. | 2. Basilica Cistern - unusal gala diner in the largest underground cistern in the world |
| 3. Skadarlija - The most evocative part of Belgrade packed with traditional restaurants. | 3. Tea time a la Turca - a memorable enjoyment of drinking tea is unforgetable experience for your conference guests |
| 4. Tito's Train - Journey back in time on board President Tito's famous Blue Train - art deco style hotel on wheels. | 4. Club scene at Bosphorus - a club with the most beauutiful views of the Bosphours Reina, Sortie, Suad and Super Club |
| 5. Sava Centar - Serbia's prime convention facility with 16 meeting rooms. | 5. Santralistanbul - a special venue in the restored electrical central |
| STAY: Radisson Blu Old Mill, Belgrade | STAY: Ciragan Palace, Kempinski Istanbul |
| FINAL MARK: 4,42/5 | FINAL MARK: 4,71/5 |
Belgrade: FINAL MARK; 4,42/5
ISTANBUL: FINAL MARK; 4,71/5
ISTANBUL: 4,71/5
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