Over 500 Italian and international operators from the meeting and incentive sector and from the world of medical associations were invited by Fiera Milano Congressi to the marketing launch of MiCo – Milano Congressi, Europe’s most modern and largest congress centre. For three days, from 20th May, Milan catalysed the attention of the congress world, here in force represented by operators from many European countries (Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, England, Switzerland, Russia, Scandinavia) as well as from the USA, Canada, South Africa, China and India.
Their stay in Milan began with guests arriving at the congress centre, immediately followed by a debate on the delicate transition phase of the world economy. The subject ‘Recovering from the crisis; challenges, future perspectives and new business opportunities’ was debated by Salvatore Rossi, Managing Director of Banca D’Italia, and Michael Cox, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Moderator was Corriere della Sera leader writer Dario Di Vico.
In the afternoon Fiera Milano Congressi showed guests the structures, technical capabilities and support services of MiCo (including the vast exhibition area nearby). But it also illustrated the joint efforts in promoting congress business being made by the city, its administrative and cultural bodies and the hotel and entertainment systems.
MiCo, built by Fondazione Fiera Milano with an investment of 65 million Euro, places the city firmly in the exclusive circle of the most prestigious congress destinations in Europe. This is largest congress location in Europe, as well as being also the first privately-funded work already in place for Expo 2015: seating for up to 18,000 people, a 1500-seat auditorium, a meeting space with 4500 seats, 64 modular meeting rooms from 20 to 2000 seats, backed up by 54,000 square meters of exhibition area. All with maximum attention to comfort, supported by congress services of absolute excellence and with an amazing functionality and flexibility of the spaces. The project, by architects Mario Bellini, for the exterior and Pierluigi Nicolin for the interior, repurposes for congress use some exhibition space downtown no longer used by Fiera Milano, integrating it with the already existing Milano Convention Center (MIC), which was already the largest congress centre in Italy.
The three-day programme would not, of course, have been complete – especially for foreign visitors – without a visit to the city of Milan and its most important sights and monuments. Because the city is a key element in effectively supporting congress activity. “What MICE operators look for nowadays”, says Francesco Conci, Executive Director of Fiera Milano Congressi, “is a city able to combine excellent congress spaces, like those guaranteed by MiCo, with a plethora of cultural events and entertainment, while of course guaranteeing optimum hotel accommodation. Milan now ticks all those boxes.”
