Record 27 Finalists in 2010 AIPC Apex Award Competition

This year’s AIPC Apex Award will be one of the most hotly contested ever, with 27 finalists vying for the recognition as “World’s Best

Congress Centre”. With all preliminary analyses now complete, these 27 have emerged from an overall field of 36 entrants, up some 30% over the previous competition in 2008.

“These are competitive times in the industry, and a record number of centres have seen the AIPC Apex Award as a way to distinguish

themselves”, says AIPC President Edgar Hirt. “Our members also understand that regardless of whether or not they win, their

participation guarantees them a highly organized assessment of their centre’s performance as seen through the eyes of their international clients, which is a huge benefit in itself”.

Finalists have been selected on their having met all competition criteria, including identifying a sufficient number of client

evaluators to meet the requirements for the competition. The winner will be selected on the basis of how well identified clients rate each centre in terms of a variety of criteria that related to centres performance.

“This year we also had a higher average number of client references per participant, which means that the assessments going into the Award are more rigorous than ever”, said Hirt.

Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre

Adelaide Convention Centre

Congress Center Basel

Belfast Waterfront

Bregenzer Festspiel- und Kongresshaus Gmbh

Brighton Centre

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Cairns Convention Centre

Cape Town International Convention Centre

Darwin Convention Centre

International Convention Center Durban

Messe Congress Graz

Congress und Messe Innsbruck

International Convention Center Jerusalem

Kyoto International Conference Center

Lisboa Congress Centre

m:con – Congress Center Rosengarten

Le Corum Congress Center

Palais des congrès de Montréal

Nantes International Convention Centre

Kursaal Centre

Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre

Congress Centre-Sofia, National Palace of Culture

Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre

Tampere Hall

Valencia Conference Centre

Hofburg Vienna

The AIPC Apex Award is made bi-annually on the basis of an independent “blind” evaluation process to ensure an objective analysis

of evaluation criteria. These criteria address a series of factors including congress facilities, project management, catering and

technical capabilities, and result in a collective score that represents the best overall performer. The 2010 AIPC Apex Award winner

will be announced at this year’s AIPC Annual Conference in Liverpool[1].

AIPC is the pre-eminent international association of convention centres, with a mission of encouraging, supporting and recognizing

excellence in centre management. Its programs are directed toward enhancing the profile and performance of its members, who are purpose built facilities whose primary purpose is to accommodate and service meetings, conventions, congresses and exhibitions.

The AIPC is a global network of 165 leading centres in 53 countries, with the active involvement of more than 650 centre  management professionals.