For an international show like BTC, buyer recruitment from Italy and abroad is of course an important strategic factor.
So much so that the BTC Technical Committee, set up at the behest of parent company TTG/Exmedia and comprising Italy’s national tourism board Enit, the Region of Tuscany, the Florence Municipal Council, the Florence Convention Bureau, Federcongressi&eventi, Federalberghi Toscana, Firenze Fiera, Promotoscana and Toscana Promozione, is also playing a leading role in this area.
In particular, the Florence Convention Bureau is making a specific contribution, as a “steering committee” in a city at the top of the list for Italy’s meetings and events industry.
An exceptional line-up intended to ensure a selection that focuses exclusively on quality: two thirds of the hosted buyers come from abroad (largely from Europe, but also from markets further afield with high purchasing power, such as the US, Brazil, India, China and Japan), and a third from Italy. 50% are intermediaries and 50% corporate. Of the latter, a significant portion comes from Italy, where demand chiefly depends on companies (64%), followed by medical societies (13%), political parties (12%) and associations (11%). In the last few years, corporate demand in Italy has remained steady despite budget cuts, alone accounting for almost half conference attendance figures.
BTC goes glamour with Florence Night Fever
BTC’s programme of evening entertainment for buyers and others is truly exceptional this year. It will begin on Monday 10 November, the day before the show opens, with a buyers-only welcome dinner at the magnificent Serre Torrigiani, the largest enclosed garden in Europe located in the heart of the Oltrarno quarter, in the garden of the 19th century villa of the same name. This is such an exclusive location that the government department responsible for historical buildings has authorised the installation of solar panels on the roof, a unique event in Italy.
The following evening, Tuesday 11 November, will also be extraordinary, with an event to which, for the first time in its 30-year history, BTC will invite all those attending the show, with no exceptions: buyers, exhibitors, even plain visitors, in short anyone wearing a badge with a BTC logo.
The programme is extensive, and begins with dinner – for buyers only – in two restaurants in the historic centre: Boccanegra, owned by Andrea Angelini (chairman of Florence’s Association of Restaurateurs), and the Rubaconte, the historic restaurant on via Ghibellina, part of the extensive Palazzo Borghese complex. The dinners will be staged by Carolina Santarelli’s Chic Celebration by Affresco. Then – for everyone – Florence Night Fever, a 1970s-themed evening in a spectacular discotheque, still in the historic centre, the name of which will be announced shortly. Entertainment and glamour are therefore assured!
“La Fenice” joins the ranks of the new exhibitors
BTC continues to chalk up success on both Italian and foreign markets: never before have we seen new exhibitors join so quickly. The most grandiose and prestigious name is undoubedtly La Fenice Opera House in Venice, dating back to 1792. The venue hosted numerous operatic premieres in the 19th century (works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi) and has now been completely rebuilt – and even improved acoustically – after the fire of 1996.
Other new entries include the Hotel Cristallo in Cortina d’Ampezzo and three Starwood Group brands: Sheraton Fuerteventura Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Southern Germany, which boasts numerous hotels, including seven in Munich (Four Points by Sheraton Munich Central, Four Points by Sheraton Munich Olympiapark, Le Méridien Munich, Sheraton Munich Airport Hotel, Sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel, Sheraton Munich Westpark Hotel and The Westin Grand Munich).
