MTLG 2017 Results: L Meeting Destinations

The long awaited 2017 MTLG results, the fruit of hard graft, solid field work and unflagging enthusiasm are finally here. We are confident that our objective evaluation will help event organisers and at the same time allow destinations to implement the further improvements required to overcome their comparative disadvantages and keep promoting their destination in the best possible light. Now, let’s take a closer look at the destinations that made it on top, the ones that struck bottom and everyone in between of this year’s evaluation.

L – MEETING DESTINATIONS
Destinations that can host up to 2,000 congress attendees
Check out the new MTLG categorization for 2017 here.

EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL

1. LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA 4.33/5

According to its conference and accommodation infrastructure, Ljubljana belongs to the group of capitals suitable for medium-sized and smaller meetings (up to 2.500 participants). It is positioned side by side with the new EU member states and geographically in the region of the Western Balkans. With two top-level convention centers and a very well developed hotel meetings offer, Ljubljana is the region’s leading congress destination. At the end of last year in order to give Ljubljana a new sales and promotional momentum, a partnership called Ljubljana Strategic Bidding Team (LSBT) was established; it is composed of interested partners from both the private and public area. The city is extremely safe and one of the region’s most sustainably-oriented.

SECOND CITY FIRST

2. GRAZ, AUSTRIA 4.32/5

Graz is a mature tourist destination, which is despite the crisis recording a steady growth of tourist arrivals and overnight stays in all tourism segments. Cultural diversity, rich history and the connecting Mura River have formed a high experiential diversity, which is reflected in the many opportunities for congress and incentive organizers and planners.
In terms of infrastructure and transport, Graz is still the leading regional convention destination and can be also in this term described as modern, dynamic and internationally competitive. With more than 154 congress event and some 46.000 participants it achieves excellent results and is stable on the charts ranking international events. A very big focus in Graz is on environmental responsibility and tidiness of the surrounding areas and infrastructure.

WHITE ZAGREB TOWN

3. ZAGREB, CROATIA 4.31/5

It can be said that Zagreb has a great congress future. As well as Belgrade, Zagreb is also progressing steadily on the chart of development meetings destinations; the final breakthrough of the intire region is intertwined and dependent on the marketing of mayor regional congress cities in the
international market. In the last ten years Croatia has radically improved road infrastructure and thus its accessibility. Significantly improved is also air accessibility via Zagreb Airport, which accepts over 40 % of all air traffic in Croatia. The hotel infrastructure with new acquisitions fully satisfies modern congress guests and is perhaps at this moment the best among regional capitals. Zagreb is a pocket-friendly destination that offers a lot for reasonable money.

CONGRESS SERENISSIMA

4. VENICE, ITALY 4.30/5

The magical city par excellence and one of the most extraordinary world destinations. Venice and its province are unquestionably hospitable by vocation, as illustrated by some of the most famous hotels and temples of hospitality. Venice is a city which has long been hosting world events. As a commercial
crossroads it is easy to reach either by land or by sea, the city offering various means of transport. A city with irresistible charm and a wide range of different offers typical to the “Italian way of life”.

CREATIVE THINKING 

5. TALLINN, ESTONIA 4.28/5

Not many countries of the former Eastern Bloc have made such a huge step in terms of development as the three small Baltic states. Estonians also excel in the field of congress tourism, successfully implementing the creativity that helped them through Soviet times, Scandinavian minimalism and rich folklore into their congress story. For the last couple of years, they have been trying to give the city some of its old glory back by building new infrastructure, like the 21. Century skyscraper. Our own favourite congress venue is the Kultuutikatel, an old electric power plant that has been transformed into a congress centre. This truly special venue is the host of practically every key event of the Estonian EU presidency. Tallinn isn’t short of special venues, as more and more meeting planners are turning towards a combination of its contemporary architecture and local creativity.

PROUD CITY

6. KRAKOW, POLAND 4.23/5

Of all Polish cities Krakow is the one with the greatest soul and is the most fraught with history. In Poland, Krakow will be the destination of the new generation, which will soon be recognized as a high quality, compact and most versatile meetings destination in Poland due to the cultural heritage,
hospitality of the locals, new meetings capacities and because of its huge scientific potentials. Krakow has a variety of hotels services and an exceptional number of tourist attractions.
Being the main tourist city it has excellent conditions in place for the development of congress tourism. With the construction of the new convention center ICE it has also received a real affirmation. Krakow’s recipe is successful and a case of good practice for other more traditional central European destinations.

MEETOSLAVIA

7. BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA 4.20/5

The city of four rivers defines the Danube river with its tributaries and with the mighty Renaissance castle above the intimate and compact old town. Bratislava is undiscovered European congress capital which slowly and steadily penetrates into the congress market. It represents a novelty for international congress market which impresses due to the kind and sympathetic city center but also because of not excessive commercialization. The city is close to the congress organizers mainly due to a more personal congress experience – the city is very friendly and there are no problems with the safety. The city center is full of pubs, restaurants and shops and the hotel offer includes the best known hotel chains.

THE HEART OF THE ALPS

8. INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA 4.16/5

Innsbruck, the capital of Austrian Tyrol, lies by the River Inn and is just a stone’s throw from the Alps. Sometimes hidden behind its well-known sporting spirit are a number of other, different vibes that create an image of an urban, dynamic and metropolitan city with loads of experience in event organisation. Innsbruck has twice been the host of the Winter Olympics (in 1964 and 1976) and its Bergisel Ski Jump is one of the scenes of the prestigious Four Hills Tournament that takes place every year. The famous ski jump was designed by Zaha Hadid and quickly became one of the most attractive special venues in Innsbruck. The city is a combination of the typical Alpine spirit and new urbanism, embodied by the CMI Congress and Messe Innsbruck. It distinguishes itself from the pack with numerous incentive programmes that keep its offer competitive throughout the year.

SALZBURG GIVES YOU WINGS

9. SALZBURG, AUSTRIA 4.14/5

Salzburg offers all the characteristics of a congress destination and a cosmopolitan mix of visitors. With its location in the heart of Europe and because of the high quality of life, Salzburg has a great starting point in congress tourism. For current logistics and transport restrictions of the city, medium sized congresses with up to 2.000 participants are the best suited. Two top-quality, modern and high tech congress centers are together with a top quality conference hotel infrastructure a foundation for this congress destination. In this area they will offer you a superior product wrapped in superior packaging.
Although you will find Mozart on every step of your way and it seems that the clock stopped in the times of the famous composer, Salzburg is a very modern and urban. Otherwise, location, location, location and once again location is considered a crucial reason for choosing Salzburg for your event.

FRESH TALENT

10. THESSALONIKI, GREECE 4.10/5

Thessaloniki is the second largest Greek city, located in the North of the country on the Thermaic Gulf. Many consider it as the capital of Greek cuisine, which is a guarantee for an enjoyable time at your event. Most of Thessaloniki’s big events take place at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Centre, at the heart of the congress offer. The city’s hotel offer is also diverse and perfect for smaller corporate events. The entire congress offer is connected by the proactive Convention Bureau, which despite a limited budget has been maintaining a stable position on the ICCA scale, with 18 international congresses annually. Last year they hit a record number of 28 congresses, a perfect example of how Thessaloniki is gaining new momentum.

CONGRESS CITY WITH A TEMPERAMENT

11. GRANADA, SPAIN 4.07/5

This might come across as something of an exaggeration, but such a rich combination of natural and historical experiences and contrasts are difficult to find in the otherwise attraction-loaded Spain. Granada is nestled between the largest Spanish ski resort of Sierra Nevada and the nearby Costa del Tropico. This creates an unprecedented combination of experiences that attracts both incentive organisers as well as organisers of professional associations. In our view, the number of events would increase with better airline accessibility – the city has great potential in the fields of science and new technologies that are not yet able to be fully exploited.

BALTIC CONGRESS TIGERS

12. VILNIUS, LITHUANIA 4.05/5

Over the last few years Vilnius learned diligently, polished its offer and was preparing for its entry into the international congress scene. In their favour they have the charm of the city, which is cosmopolitan, urban, very European and full of hidden surprises. It’s a city where socialist modernist architecture coexists with the Baroque centre, and unlike some other Eastern European congress destinations this makes it very attractive. By joining the EU the city has become a credible partner of the international meetings industry, making is one of the new, undiscovered convention destinations that appeals because of its freshness. For all three Baltic Congress Tigers – Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn – we predict a sunny congress future.

CITY OF SOLIDARITY AND FREEDOM

13. GDANSK, POLAND 4.02/5

Gdansk differs markedly from other Polish cities because of the special atmosphere in the old town and its many historical sites suitable for congress tourism. There is an attractive mix of west and east, of northern culture and of the old and the new, all adding to the city’s unique identity. Gdansk is
known as a place of freedom, which is written into its genetic code and is reflected in the rich cultural heritage and current cultural and artistic production. As a result of the hyperactive Convention Bureau, Gdansk as a destination is in an extremely high position in comparison with other Polish international destination.

A CITY ON THE RISE

14. BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC 3.98/5

Brno is a congress hybrid that combines the modern with its traditional Central-European city spirit. The city was heavily defined by the industrial revolution, which consequently lead to Brno becoming an important commercial hub. Built in 1982, Brno’s fairground gave trade show activities a new drive and the striking building still manages to impress today. A big advantage is the city’s size, as one can easily get around on foot. Whilst Brno might seem like it’s sitting in the shadow of its bigger brother Prague, it offers some amazing infrastructure and a special Moravian lifestyle that excites congress organisers. For all of the petrol heads and car incentive lovers, Autodrom Brno is a special treat – built in 1987, it is one of the Moto GP tracks. Overall, Brno is a great alternative to Prague.

HIDDEN MEETING GEM

15. KATOWICE, POLAND 3.70/5

Katowice is the heart of Silesia and an epicentre of science, culture, industry, and transport in the South of Poland. The city was built on a foundation of heavy industrial projects, but is starting to see its future in congress tourism as well. The city centre is constantly being renovated and the urban life gives this Polish city a special flare. A big push towards developing the congress industry was the construction of the imposing ICC Congress Centre, an architectural pearl and one of the most modern centres of its kind in Europe. The city is a newcomer to the world congress scene, but one boasting great potential. Its vicinity to the touristically interesting parts of Poland and reasonable prices make for an excellent congress package.

AUTHENTIC CONVENTION “EXIT”

16. NOVI SAD, SERBIA 3.63/5

Novi Sad maintains well its image of an advanced capital also with festi- vals such as Exit and others. Unfortunately, the tourism sector is lagging behind some of the most active destinations, especially the capital Belgrade, which is perfectly establishing itself as an important European congress destination. The question is why to organise a congress in the city, which is only 100 km away from the capital city of Serbia. The answer is in a different, perhaps more authentic atmosphere and hospitality, nu- merous possibilities of accompanying programmes genuine ‘salaš’, in short in the authenticity of the congress story of Novi Sad.

BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

17. SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 3.53/5

The brand ‘Sarajevo’ is one of the strongest trademarks in the region. It gets its character from the dramatic juncture between East and West. In the meetings industry the brand and destination are completely unexploited despite their immense potential. With proper positioning and investments in the meetings industry Sarajevo can quickly catch up with other destinations in the region. A special asset for the development of the meetings industry is the attitude of the people of Sarajevo, who are known for their humour, tolerance and understanding.

THE TALE OF THE EAGLE

18. TIRANA, ALBANIA 3.32/5

Despite the chaotic first impression, you can organise your event in Tirana without any problems and to the satisfaction of your congress participants. Albanians are in fact extremely proud, friendly, calm, excellent hosts, which outweighs any weaknesses in infrastructure. They like to help, are very sociable and stick to their words and promises, expecting the same in return. Tirana has enormous meetings potential, which could be improved with investment in hotel infrastructure. Due to their beautiful nature there are also untapped opportunities for incentive programmes, today marketed by only a few DMCs. For a faster breakthrough they will have to connect and establish a congress bureau.