[pullquote]In total, events generated over EUR 10.2m in sales revenue in 2015 – this represents growth of 19% or EUR 1.63m on 2014[/pullquote] With a focus on large international congresses, the Austria Center Vienna’s new strategy is paying dividends:
Event revenue was 19% higher in 2015 than in 2014, and is advancing again in 2016
Growth – 63,000 international participants took part in conventions and events at the Austria Center Vienna in 2015
Fierce competition in the European events market: many destinations are investing heavily in conference centres
The Austria Center Vienna is also renewing and improving its facilities. New strategy paying dividends “Our new strategy, which puts the focus firmly on large international congresses and international corporate events, is not only generating success for us. Austria as a whole is benefiting from the increase in delegates from abroad coming to the Austria Center Vienna: in 2015 alone the total reached approximately 63,000,” said Susanne Baumann-Söllner, Managing Director of the Austria Center Vienna.
Over the past three and a half years, Baumann-Söllner and her team have concentrated on offering customers exceptional quality across the board, with a wide selection of excellently equipped event spaces, the installation of IT infrastructure that was recently recognised as providing the best WLAN in the conference sector worldwide, as well as strong partner enterprises and extensive modernisation initiatives.
“Our customers value our new approach and the dedication of the entire team – satisfaction levels are very high,” Baumann-Söllner commented. The commitment from the Vienna Tourist Board headed by Norbert Kettner and its Vienna Convention Bureau under the management of Christian Mutschlechner has also played a major part in the success enjoyed by Austria’s biggest conference centre.
The Vienna Convention Bureau coordinates the key service providers in Vienna so that all of them – from hotels and public transport to Vienna International Airport – are pulling in the same direction.
This has made Vienna a role model worldwide for destinations hosting large international congresses.
Revenue up 19% in 2015
The figures reflect the impact of the new strategy: revenue from events and bookings has risen consistently since 2013. “In total, events generated over EUR 10.2m in sales revenue in 2015 – this represents growth of 19% or EUR 1.63m on 2014,” BaumannSöllner reported.
Fiercely contested European market – Austria Center Vienna is keeping up Other destinations have also identified international congresses as an economic driver and are investing heavily, both directly and indirectly, in their conference venues. Barcelona, Berlin, Milan, Frankfurt and Istanbul all opened new congress centres recently, with major new event venues being built in Paris and Budapest. Many other cities are expanding the amount of event space on offer.
“Our venue is one of the oldest in Europe. So I am very pleased and grateful that we have received such extensive support for our strategy from our owners (the ministry of finance). So we have a new Business Lounge with an adjoining coffeehouse, and an innovative lighting system in the largest hall. We also have new furniture throughout the venue. The new look and feel significantly enhances participants’ wellbeing and encourages networking. Plus the catering areas used by our new catering partners Motto Catering and M*Eventcatering have been completely refurbished,” Baumann-Söllner added.
“The new strategy is really paying off with 63,000 delegates from abroad in 2015, and it already looks like we will welcome a total of around 91,000 in 2016 – another year-on-year increase and a jump of 42% compared to 2015,” Baumann-Söllner stated.
