Results for 2011, outlook for 2012
A series of high ranking events, and an upswing in catering revenue set 2011 apart.
The conference centre continues to invest in trailblazing 3D and mobile technologies.
Le Grand Bal ready to debut this New Year’s Eve.
2011 – a successful year all round
With revenue of more than EUR 10 million, 2011 was an extremely strong financial year. “There was a slight upturn on the conference market, while banquets and galas moved into the ascendancy with significant gains,” explains HOFBURG Vienna Managing Director Renate Danler. Accounting for 14 percent of total revenue, the booming Banquets and Galas segment advanced to become the second largest area of business after the Conferences and Meetings segment (56 percent of the total). A number of new arrivals including the Styrian Ball and the Confectioner’s Ball saw the Ball segment claim 10 percent of revenue, followed by fairs and exhibitions with seven percent. Revenue generated by events did not reflect the additional EUR 7 million accounted for by catering activities. The highlights of the year included a line-up of high-level political meetings such as the World Economic Forum, the Vienna Energy Forum and the World Policy Conference. All in all some 320,000 visitors attended the 328 events and conference hosted by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) at the international conference and event centre. Added value for the national economy generated by the HOFBURG Vienna ran to about EUR 190 million in 2011. After the meeting spaces reserved for use by the OSCE, the Festsaal reported the highest occupancy rates. The Grosse Redoutensaal and the Zeremoniesaal were the next most in-demand.
2012 – a year of innovation
From July 2012 the HOFBURG Vienna will be offering culinary creations from three exclusive new catering partners: DO & CO, a premium international caterer; GERSTNER, an established gourmet specialist; and COPALOCA, a byword for creative, fresh event catering. The new catering partners give the conference centre’s customers access to a greater choice than ever before and add a new dimension to event catering.
The HOFBURG Vienna’s very own innovation management strategy is helping it to keep pace with all the latest technological developments and communications trends in the events industry. Recent introductions include free WiFi on request, a smartphone-optimised website and 3D models of the event spaces.
The next phase will see the launch of an augmented reality application which will enable the HOFBURG Vienna to give customers an even more lifelike virtual tour of the facilities. This new technology will bring hybrid events a step closer.
With 21 conferences already booked, 2012 is already shaping up to be a highly promising year for the HOFBURG Vienna. Like scientific events, medical conferences are in the ascendancy. Highlights include the MedicRes World Congress (7-8 June) with around 1,200 medical professionals, the International Conference on Arabidopsis Research with 1,000 cell researchers (3-7 July) and the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERMIS) World Congress (6-8 September) with 1,000 doctors. The international conference of the European Resuscitation Councils (16-20 October) will attract more than 1,900 physicians. Other major dates include the Tara – life goes on benefit gala (1 December) and the inaugural ReiseSalon travel fair (23-25 November). Returning events include the Romy gala (21 April), the Una Notte Sportiva sports gala (28 September) and the Entrepreneur of the Year award ceremony (10 October).
The year will be brought to a glittering close with the first ever Le Grand Bal, the HOFBURG Vienna’s very own New Year’s Eve ball. “The HOFBURG Vienna’s Le Grand Bal is a unique combination of a traditional Viennese ball night, with a luxury gala dinner and New Year’s Eve celebration,” Renate Danler explains. Between 2,500 and 3,000 ballgoers from Austria and abroad are expected to attend.
