Commencing with January 2016, tmf dialogue, a leading agency for business events content marketing, communication and market research, is responsible for supporting Opatija, a jewel destination in western Croatia. Opatija is definitely worth being on the map of congress and meeting planners because of its great historic background, wonderfully renovated hotels, modern conference facilities, easy accessibility and great diversity for activities.
Being a very compact town in Croatia, located on the Adriatic coast southwest of Rijeka, Opatija allows event participants to walk between all venues and hotels through the city parks and along the promenade by the Adriatic Sea. The town has a long tradition as a convention destination with its first congress being held in 1904 (4th Congress of Austrian Balneologists). Nowadays, Opatija hosts more than 500 congresses, seminars, meetings and events every year. Many of these are national but the number of international congresses and events is increasing.
Besides the easy way of getting around the city, the air which delegates can breathe has a very special quality, the waters are cristal clear, the value is cost-effective and the food and wine are excellent.
The mayor of Opatija, Mr. Ivo Dujmic opened the construction works on one of the key capital investments (5.15 Mil €) of the City of Opatija, the Culture and Tourist Centre. Located in the centre of Opatija, the CTC will be used for public, commercial and social purposes. The building will include the main hall on the first floor, a divisible hall on the ground floor, and a multi-purpose basement floor. The number of seats in the hall will be 500. The expected opening of the CTC is by the end of 2016.
Opatija supports legacy and health projects and it is a perfect space for congresses related to topics of health, balneology, medicine, but also many other themes will fit here very well.
A variety of facilities in Opatija can host small, as well as larger congresses and meetings. The main conference facilities are situated in hotels such as the Remisens Hotels & Villas, Milenij hotels, Grand Hotel Adriatic d.d. and Opatija Hotel Management’s hotels. Furthermore, there are also other special venues such as Opatija’s Open-Air Theatre and Zora Cultural Centre.
Hosting a meeting or conference in the Croatian town therefore provides a unique opportunity for businesses to produce some exceptional, innovative new ideas. Goran Pavlović, Opatija Convention & Incentive Bureau manager, is enthusiastically claiming that: ”… Opatija has a bit of everything that is unique in other famous destinations… Also the whole city is like one single convention centre, people can walk, the hotels are all very nice and in different styles and ambiences, but at the same level of standard and service. It really does not make a difference in what hotel you stay, they are all pleasant. So the conference or congress kind of “owns” the city and is fully integrated.”
