HIDDEN GUEST: Trieste Congress Centre

• Opened: 1984
• Halls: 12
• Theater max: 600
• Surface area: 6,753m2²
• Category: E-Convention Centre

Trieste has great natural conditions to prosper in the meetings industry, which the city has used to its advantage many times in its history. It is defined by the Karst limestone plateau above the Bay of Trieste. The combination of the incredible variety of landscape at the juncture of the Adriatic, the Alps and the Dinaric plains, a number of Karst phenomena and a rich cultural heritage makes Trieste an excellent starting point for development of the meetings industry. The favourable climatic conditions are an additional attraction for event organisers. Trieste has historically always been a transitional area linking the Mediterranean and Alpine countries. Due to the mixture of influences, the entire area is colourful and diverse.

LOCATION
The congress centre is located in the heart of the city centre next to the harbour and the famous Piazza Unita d’Italia main square. It is one of the most picturesque locations in the city and is also the location of the passenger terminal for cruise ships. The renovated former dock warehouse Magazzino 42 is also nearby. It is a top-level special venue which is a great complement to the facilities offered at the congress centre. The recently renovated Molo (Pier) IV is also located at the harbour, which is currently the ‘hottest’ congress destination in the city.

ACCESSIBILITY
Trieste’s geographical position enables good accessibility. The city is connected with the main European motorway corridors. The railway infrastructure is solid and the Italian rail system is one of the most developed in the region. The worst part is air accessibility, since the city is dependent on nearby Ljubljana and Venice airports, as Trieste airport offers few flights. However, in recent times the number of destinations covered by low cost carriers such as SAS, Ryanair and Vueling has been increasing. The city of Trieste has good communal infrastructure, which enables a high quality of living, aside from the highly industrial areas around the new harbour. Trieste ranks very high on the quality of living scale in Italy.

COLD APETIZER Architecture and Aesthetics
The Stazione Marittima Congress Centre is one of the city’s main historic buildings. Inaugurated on 28th October 1930, the building is one of the major works by the architects Umberto Nordio and Giacomo Zammattio. The conversion of the old harbour station into a modern congress centre was carried out in stages starting in 1984. Thanks to the last renovation works of the ground floor premises, carried out in 2002, the congress centre is now able to house several exhibitions simultaneously. The stateliness of the building is reflected in the vast rooms and exhibition areas. A double grey marble staircase leads from the entrance to the first-floor foyer, which is flooded with natural light thanks to the enormous glass walls overlooking the charming Gulf of Trieste.

WARM APETIZER – Staff and customer service
The company Terminal Passageri has been managing the facilities at the Port of Trieste since 2007 and has a licence for a period of twenty-five years. The company also manages the car parks and maintenance of the harbour infrastructure and the organisation of events. The experienced team also produces its own events. It works closely with the Promo Trieste convention and visitors’ bureau. Everything operates harmoniously, however, event organisers that are used to high-tech centres may desire more up-to-date methods of communication and general congress services. This is perhaps why the otherwise very attractive facilities are too often vacant.

MAIN COURSE – Quality of facilities
Among the three congress venues, there is quite a substantial difference in terms of quality. This is most visible in the central congress centre, which is showing signs of age and is in urgent need of renovation in terms of technology and content. Warehouse 42 is an entirely different story, and for events and receptions in particular, is ‘almost’ an ideal venue. The ‘almost’ is due to the pillars which somewhat spoil its entire look. Molo IV, however, is among the best halls in the city and perhaps even in the entire region, as its volume and historical patina also enable production of the most demanding events. Therefore, there are three very different concepts, which can also be considered as an advantage, as it allows for locations to be customised to meet clients’ requirements.

DESSERT – Catering and additional offer
Congress events can be spiced-up by visiting Eataly Trieste, which is in close proximity to the city centre. The concept of Eataly is simple: a covered market which combines everything from bakeries to butchers, to delicatessens and underground wine cellars.

FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
We feel there is a lack of more orderly infrastructure, smart direction and in general a more modern approach. Congress centres are not only buildings, rather they should be a complete experience.

TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
Trieste is the second name for coffee. Coffee is great in the city and for most of its residents it is the first thing on their daily schedule. Espresso from Trieste rules. And to quote the coffee doctor Ernesto Illy, “Cappuccino is the female side of coffee, espresso is for men”. There are over 50 coffee companies operating in Trieste today.

FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
Trieste’s politicians are also obviously aware of the current shortcomings in infrastructure. In 2020 the city will become the European Capital of Science, and for this purpose a new congress centre will be built with a large hall with more than 1,000 seats as well as three smaller halls. The nearby central Trieste railway station will also be renovated. These measures will logically round-off the existing facilities and provide a leap in the quality of Trieste’s congress industry. Despite solid results, it still seems that the local congress industry could achieve even better results, if the infrastructure would allow, and with somewhat more ambitious marketing of the city.