Martin Sirk, ICCA CEO visited Gdansk for the site inspection due to city efforts to host 2017 ICCA Congress. Visit was organized by Gdansk Convention Bureau.
During last year ICCA event in Shanghai Gdansk was shortlisted to host ICCA Congress in 2017. Gdansk is competing with Prague (Czech Republic) and St. Petersburg (Russia) to host one of the most prestigious events in international meetings industry. The inspection was next step in process of choosing host city for the 2017 event.
AmberExpo onsite meeting
During three days of site inspection Martin Sirk visited AmberExpo Exhibition & Convention Centre the main venue for the ICCA Congress. He met venue representatives who ensured him about their support for ICCA event in Gdansk.
After visiting the venue Martin Sirk took part in a press conference with local and national media, where he was asked about Congress goals, previous events and others ICCA activities. During the conference Gdansk Convention Bureau presented next steps for Gdansk to be taken: final BID submission (May 1st) and BID presentation for ICCA Board of Directors (May 18th, Frankfurt). Decision, which city will host ICCA Congress in 2017 will be announced just before IMEX.
Important part of ICCA site inspection was meeting with Andrzej Bojanowski, Deputy Mayor of Gdansk. Mayor underlined how important is bidding process for Gdansk meeting professionals. He added that investments like new airport terminal, brand new convention centre and over 7 000 business meetings held in Gdansk & Region (in 2013) are reasons for city to bid for prestigious, international events like ICCA Congress.
Visiting Gdansk top venues
ICCA Congress is not only educational programme but also networking. Gdansk presented four special venues to engage in congress social programme: impressive Gdansk Shakespearean Theatre, prestigious Polish Baltic Philharmonic, modern PGE Arena and strongly connected with Gdansk history – Gdansk Shipyard Centre. Martin Sirk had a chance to visit all of those venues and meet their managers who are supporting Gdansk efforts to host ICCA Congress from the very begging.
ICCA Congress attracts around 1000 delegates from over 80 countries all over the world. It is one the most important and prestigious events for meetings industry professionals, that is why Gdansk bid is supported by: City of Gdansk, AmberExpo Exhibition & Convention Centre, PGE Arena Gdansk, Gdansk Shakespearean Theatre, The Polish Baltic Philharmonic, Gdansk Shipyard Centre, recommended hotels including HQ hotel for ICCA Congress 2017 Mercure Gdansk Old Town, Gdansk Economic Development Agency, Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Poland Convention Bureau PTO, DMC Poland, Mazurkas Travel Poland, Symposium Cracoviense, Targi w Krakowie, Krakow Convention Bureau, Poznan Convention Bureau, Bydgoszcz Convention Bureau, recommended PCO from Gdansk and Region (ATP Activity, ECCO Business, JOYevent, Aktiv Tours Reisen, Grupa Travel, Tarifa, Teja Tur) and supporter of the site inspection Hotel Gdansk.
