MTLG 2017 Results: XL 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.

X LARGE MEETING DESTINATIONS
Destinations that can host more than 2,000 congress attendees
Check out the new MTLG categorization for 2017 here.

WORLD CAPITAL OF MEETINGS INDUSTRY

1. VIENNA, AUSTRIA 4.77/5

With the richest and most groomed congress tradition in Europe Imperial Vienna is leading the game across many different scales of the congress industry. Over the past decade, Vienna has also broadened its modern content and offer. As a bridge between eastern and western Europe, Vienna is known as a starting point and a central hub, which many other destinations are trying to mimic. Vienna’s success also owes more than a little to the well-organised meetings industry represented by the legendary Christian Mutschlechner, with proof if it were needed of the city having one of the most professional convention bureaus in that as many as eight Certified Meeting Professionals (CMP) operating at the Vienna Office.

LIVEABLE MEETINGS

2. MUNICH, GERMANY 4.68/5

Unsurprisingly, the city of quality beer, wurst, dirndl skirts and “lederhosen” is also a first-class European congress destination with one of the most developed fair infrastructures in the wider region. There are 31,000 hotel rooms in 395 excellent hotels with conference capacities. Added to the charm and picturesqueness of the Bavarian capital are numerous green open spaces and a high quality of living. Munich airport is also one of the key European air-traffic hubs, cementing the city’s position on the world congress map. Its history has always been distinguished by major events, including the 1972 Summer Olympics. In the world’s beer capital with centuries of tradition, beer doesn’t just flow freely in October, but the whole year round. The city belongs at the very top of our evaluation.

WALK THE WALK

3. BERLIN, GERMANY 4.64/5

Berlin is exciting in every sense of the word and one can only speculate on the range of its different options in this congress ‘land of plenty’. The Convention Bureau is known for its ingenuity, creativity and the rich offer it brings together. Moreover, Berlin’s congress offer is jam-packed into a very reasonably priced package. It’s no surprise that the city hosts more than 115,000 events annually and this number is expected to increase once the new Berlin Brandenburg airport finally opens its doors. Fuse Berlin’s excellent congress offer with its urban heartbeat and you get a first-class congress destination. The city is also the capital of fun, dance, creativity, socializing and unforgettable nightlife, which sets it apart from its competitors.

THE CLASSIC IN A NEW LIGHT

4. ZURICH, SWITZERLAND 4.62/5

According to Numbeo, Zurich is a city with one of the highest “quality of life” indexes in our comparison and a similiar result is provided by Mercer. Switzerland’s biggest city boasts quite a few superlatives and is known as the commercial, cultural and congress centre of Switzerland. It is the hub for train, road and air traffic, which gives it a big advantage over its competitors. It offer great congress infrastructure in the Kongresshaus Zurich and numerous other spaces, acccompanied by some amazing special venues. Congress guests will appreciate the excellent public transport, which, in combination with great public infrastructure, is a must if you want to stay at the top of your game.

AN IRRESISTIBLE PASSION FOR MEETINGS 

5. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND 4.62/5

Edinburgh is a top convention destination, which is blessed with outstanding cultural and historical heritage. The destination is in its mature phase, with a fully-developed congress infrastructure and excellent destination management. Four universities and numerous centres of excellence in science and art related to the Edinburgh Science Triangle are a guarantee for further successful development of the destination. Congresses and events are a part of a scientific breakthrough and further development of the city, as it stimulates numerous multiplier effects. The key stakeholders in Edinburgh are aware of this and this message should also be transmitted as an example of best practice in new European destinations.

THE MEDITERRANEAN BREVIARY

6. BARCELONA, SPAIN 4.58/5

Spain’s second largest city has become an annual stop on the congress pilgrimage to IBTM World. Its extroversion and trendy city architecture and design, in combination with a healthy dose of Mediterranean casualness, is all worthy of serious praise and admiration. Barcelona is a city that comes alive in the evening, when it becomes a paradise for lovers of cuisine, cool taverns and cultural icons. Barcelona’s list-topping luxury and designer hotels and a nearly perfect congress infrastructure have positioned the city at the very peak of Europe’s congress industry. Although it is battling its current “OMG, there are so many tourists!” syndrome, we believe it will soon evolve into a city where the congress industry becomes part of the positive transformation of an otherwise overcrowded destination.

SLAVIC PARIS 

7. PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC 4.55/5

Prague has for a long time not been an Eastern European gem, but a true European tourist metropolis with a diverse and comprehensive offer, luxury hotels and sometimes too high prices. The story is reminiscent of Škoda, of which the Czechs are very proud and is one of the oldest automotive
in Europe. Reputable, solid and reliable pre-war limousines were after the war changed by cars that were behind the times. Today, Škoda’s shine again and again puts the Czech manufacturer where it once was. The same can be said for the meetings industry, where Prague began to seriously falter the locations top of the European league. If we look at the position of Prague regionally, Prague certainly has all the conditions to remain one of the most popular congress destinations for a long time.

MAKE IT BIG

8. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM 4.46/5

London is the unofficial capital of Europe and a place where events are going on day and night, from the galactic Olympic Games to a series of other diverse events. The city has no match in Europe in terms of variety and from the moment the development of the congress scene became a priority it has been doing very well indeed. It is by far the most accessible destination on our list, boasting five airports in the vicinity of its city centre. For quite some time now, it has been the mecca for foodies and all of the corporate events connected to it. The ExCel Centre is the heart of London’s congress offer, capable of carrying out mega events that not a lot of other cities can handle. Its prosperity can only be rocked by the question of safety, which virtually no European city is able to avoid right now.

BRIDGING THE GAP 

9. ATHENS, GREECE 4.41/5

A historic city with excellent connectivity to the rest of the world and where you will find infrastructure befitting a major European capital, but with better weather and in a more interesting location. The Athens allure includes 300 days of sunshine a year, more than 30,000 hotel rooms in 439 hotels, 95,000 sq.m of conference space, 1,000+ restaurants and 200,000 flights per year. All major hotels in the city underwent a refurbishment for the 2004 Olympics. Athens is an attractive destination in its own, very special way. It is a unique combination of the old and the new, set in a spectacular Mediterranean landscape.

PEOPLE MAKE MEETINGS 

10. GLASGOW, SCOTLAND 4.40/5

Glasgow has realised an urban transformation and has become the congress city in which people want to organise events. This is supported by excellent infrastructure and the connectivity of all players. In the field of infrastructure the King is the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre. It is an events hub that can’t be compared to any other venue in Europe, as it combines a comprehensive range of hotels, special venues and excellent accessibility. It is not surprising that on the ICCA scale last year, if we look at the number of participants, Glasgow surpassed destinations such as New York, Munich, Washington, Dublin and Beijing. Looking at the number of events, Glasgow is even ahead of cities such as Melbourne, Geneva, Chicago, Florence, Cape Town and Los Angeles (of 400 cities, Glasgow was ranked in 28th place in 2015). Within the UK, only London has surpassed Glasgow. Destinations in the region of New Europe can learn a lot from Glasgow, especially on how to get congress tourism among the sectors, which can transform the city and provide a breakthrough in development.

CLEAR VISION

11. WARSAW, POLAND 4.39/5

Today Warsaw is one of the fastest growing capitals in the EU and a city that can pride itself on a mix of new and old architectural styles. Its growth in infrastructure was strongly boosted when Warsaw was the host of the UEFA European Championship in 2012 and many new hotels were opened.
The biggest congress hotel, the Hilton Warsaw with a hall for 1,600 participants, is one of the biggest in Europe, but The Palace of Culture with its 40 congress halls is also an interesting option.

SIZE DOES MATTER

12. ISTANBUL, TURKEY 4.34/5

The Turkish congress tiger is relentlessly growling and overcoming everything set in front of it. Professionalism and entrepreneurship when they are competing for international events is not lacking and they could be setting an example to other convention bureaus. Congress Bazaar of Istanbul offers everything that a meetings organizer needs, in addition to 7 convention centers, 3 fair grounds and almost 100.000 hotel rooms, and the excellently organized Convention Bureau of Instanbul. The quality of life in Istanbul is improving as well as the general infrastructure; Turkish airlines has become the fourth largest airline in the world.

QUEEN OF THE DANUBE 

13. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY 4.30/5

Budapest enjoys a very favorable position in Europe, at the crossroads between the East and the West. It is one of just a few cities in the world that literally lies on thermal springs and to which the Danube River gives a special experiential value. The city has no shortage of picturesque special venues nor the most luxurious hotels and crazy and diverse incentive locations. If Prague is love at first sight, then Budapest is love on the long run. All this has been for many years an excellent and well-established MICE destination with well-oiled congress
machinery.

SUNNY OUTLOOK 

14. SEVILLA, SPAIN 4.28/5

Sevilla is a city that grows on you with its relaxed approach, friendly locals, rich cultural heritage and a typical Spanish temperament that all attracts meeting planners. Almost every sign, building and alleyway tells a story about the city’s historical and cultural meaning. Sevilla’s leading congress provider is the legendary FIBES Congress Centre. The city is also home to some amazing hotels, connected by the well-organised Sevilla Convention Bureau. As a university city, it hosts a lot of international associations and as the artistic and financial capital of Spain also attracts many corporate events. Just one friendly piece of advice – don’t bother going to Sevilla in the Summer, as the 40+ Celsius temperatures will leave you soaking wet. In our opinion, Andalusia is best enjoyed in the Spring or Fall.

A CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

15. BELGRADE, SERBIA 4.14/5

Belgrade bases its congress story on the rich culture at the crossroads of East and West, the central position in the South-East Europe and a lively social life. It is a city with remarkable cuisine, world-class nightlife, world events and positive vibrations, which makes it a very dynamic and attractive tourist destination. Belgrade is a city on the rise and a rough congress diamond, which has enormous development potential. With the establishment of the Serbian Convention Bureau in 2007, co-operation and promotion has thoroughly improved and now Belgrade has in terms of management a unique opportunity to take advantage of its benefits, provided so the complete infrastructure can be thoroughly renewed.

POSITIVE SPIN

16. MOSCOW, RUSSIA 4.09/5

The Russian capital is one of the biggest cities in the world, but what makes it really special is not its size. First mentioned in 1147, Moscow has a way of interlacing its historical roots with a very modern way of life. The city’s congress industry, offering everything from the most modern congress centres to the more traditional providers, reflects that intertwinement. The list of venues goes on forever and encompasses everything from luxurious hotels of international chains to excellent congress centres. The size of the city isn’t the only thing that’s hefty, as Moscow has also become known as the most expensive city in the world. This somewhat dampens its competitiveness, but Moscow is nevertheless a great host for any kind of event.

PARIS OF THE EAST 

17. BUCHAREST, ROMANIA 4.03/5

Bucharest is a city of contrasts. Great palaces and the latest congress hotels but on the other hand poorly recognized brand and unrelated congress offer. These are the main disadvantages compared to the much more active cities such as Belgrade and Sofia in the vicinity. But at this moment it is certainly the most affordable major European Congress Capital. With a little effort you will find everything you need for any events. Even the friendliness of the staff in the hotel and congress sector deviates from the average. It appears that the city is missing a little bit more energy so it can be placed alongside big cities, where it actually falls depending on its situation and the conditions for the congress industry development.

ON THE MAKE 

18. BAKU, AZERBAIJAN 3.88/5

Baku is the capital city of ‘the land of fire’ by the Caspian Sea which has lately been turning into a Dubai of the Caucasus. Oil and gas revenues have given Azerbaijan the chance to develop in different fields, with the congress industry being one of them. Investment in infrastructure has seen the rise of first-class hotels and architectural pearls, such as The Heydar Aliyev Centre designed by Zaha Hadid. It’s simply astonishing to see how fast and how many projects are being realised in the country. A turning point in terms of mega events was definitely the Eurovision contest, hosted in 2012, which was a proper test run and one that proved that Baku is capable of hosting big projects and has a lot of potential in the congress industry scene.

HIDDEN CHARM 

19. SOFIA, BULGARIA 3.79/5

Sofia is a typical transition convention destination, which needs some more quality of services and a connection of the meetings industry with creative industries. As a destination to discover Bulgaria Sofia has a lot to offer, yet it will have to internationalize its meetings industry and strengthen marketing. The biggest opportunity is in the added value of the destination unknown to the rest of congress Europe. Sofia needs to get rid of the image of a cheap congress destination of a lesser quality and become an internationally recognized congress brand. Sofia is a congress sleeping beauty caught between east and west.