News

EU funds available for mega congress centre

The tender for a multifunctional congress centre capable of hosting at least 4000 persons in the Central Hungary region has been issued by the National Development Agency. According to the tender conditions, only one such investment can be funded to the tune of HUF 950 million (3.7 million euros) by the EU Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Hungary. The only project currently fulfilling the criteria is the SYMA Congress Centre, which has finally received the necessary permits for construction.

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Meetings&Conventions Magazine gives thumbs up to Budapest

The November issue of US Meetings&Conventions recommends the Hungarian capital as a foreign business destination. Even though this might not be the best time for American companies to organise events abroad, cities like Buenos Aires, Budapest, Kuala Lumpur and Panama City are really worth considering, the magazines editors agree. Thanks to the favourable exchange rates, these cities offer value for money in hotels, transport is convenient, the local cuisines are great and there is also a wide variety of attractions.
The New York office of the Hungarian National Tourist Office has already drawn attention to the value-for-money proposition Hungary represents with various effective campaigns in the States. Earlier this year Forbes magazine voted Hungary the number 1 destination for affordable travel.

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The 21st EIBTM enjoyed its highest ever number of hosted buyers, unaudited figures show

The 21st EIBTM enjoyed its highest ever number of hosted buyers, unaudited figures show. The three-day show, held in Barcelona this week, saw a 2 per cent growth in hosted buyers compared with last year, standing at 3,791. The buyers undertook 54,255 pre-scheduled meetings, which was also up 4 per cent on 2008. Meanwhile over 3,100 exhibitors, representing over 90 countries, participated in the show – including 28 new organisations. Overall attendance – as yet uncalculated - is expected to be similar to last year’s figure of 8,031, said Vanessa Cotton, chair, meetings and incentives events, Reed Travel Exhibitions. Mandy Torrens, EIBTM exhibition director, added: “We had more press conferences, more networking, more sponsorship around the venue and more advertising in the EIBTM Daily than ever before. We also had the most comprehensive education programme with 43 sessions attended by over 3,000 delegates, which is 15 per cent up on last year. That must be the biggest gathering for education in Europe." The Association Programme also attracted record attendances from 24 countries including Russia, Israel, USA, Sweden, Chile and China. Cotton reported that Visit London had enjoyed their best EIBTM ever and expected to exceed last year’s figure of £52m worth of business enquiries, having organised three fam trips with North American, South American and Norwegian buyers. Cotton said: “There were qualified leads being exchanged for 2010 and beyond. It won’t be an easy year but the signs are the swing will be in an upward direction.” The Hungarian Convention Bureau standed for convention facilities of Hungary with 16 exhibitors on 84 m2.

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Pelion may become a regional event centre

The new event centre of Hunguest Hotel Pelion in Tapolca was opened last week. The 500-person conference room and the significant exhibition capacity will enable the hotel to become a leading event centre for the Central Transdanubia region. Some other new services ? an extended wellness section, a new playground and a sports room were also inaugurated.

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Mária Valéria Hotel opening with 154 rooms

The Mária Valéria Hotel, the latest 4-star hotel in Esztergom, will open with 154 rooms in summer 2010. The business & spa hotel is targeting both leisure and corporate customers and will offer a 140-person fine dining restaurant, 500-person conference room, large suites, VIP lounge for 40 and a medical wellness section.

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Successful conferences and meetings at the BTS

3000 corporate buyers and tourism experts have visited the 100 exhibitors of the 7th edition of the Business Travel Show, held on 14-15 October in Budapest's SYMA Hall. The conference programme also attracted hundreds of travel trade professionals, as the most important issues of health tourism, airline operations and business travel were discussed by well-known panelist. One of the interesting tendencies discussed at the conferences is that many enterprises who have tightened the budget earlier this year, finds some savings that can be spent on corporate events before 2010.

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Continental Hotel Zara Opening June 2010

Zara Hotels is opening a luxury property in Budapest in what was once the Hungaria Spa and Continental Hotel. The newly renovated, 4-Star Superior, Continental Hotel Zara will open in June 2010. The property will feature 280 guestrooms and suites, successfully combining the former hotel’s Art Nouveau style with modern design. Event facilities will comprise four meeting rooms and a boardroom. The main conference hall will accommodate 300 attendees theater style and all rooms will be equipped with the latest technology and feature natural light. In addition to the dedicated meeting space, the hotel’s roof garden and two courtyards will be available for events. For dining, the hotel will be host to a Mediterranean Restaurant, Cocktail Bar and Gallery Café. For wellness, the hotel will offer one of the largest rooftop wellness and fitness centers of all the hotels in the city.

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Hotel Pelion doubles conference capacity

To celebrate its 7th birthday, Hunguest Hotel Pelion has doubled its conference room capacity, so from now it can host up to 1000 guests at one time. Although construction lasted for several months the hotel had to be closed for only two weeks.

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Hunguest to develop north Hungarian hotels

Hunguest Hotels received HUF 348 million (1.3 million euros) funding from the Regional Operative Programme for the restoration of several hotels. In the Hunguest Grandhotel Galya, Galyatető, a partitionable conference room for 300 and a luxury apartment will be built, while the parking lot and pavements will be renovated. In Eger’s Hunguest Hotel Flóra the therapy section will be extended with wellness services, six new rooms will be built and in 32 of the rooms the bed capacity will be increased, plus some minor upgradings will also be executed.
Lillafüred’s Hunguest Hotel Palota’s category will be upgraded from 3 to 4 stars with the renovation of rooms and communal areas. Plans also include increasing the area of the wellness section and the expansion of services. Source:HTTH

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Hungarian CSR MarketPlace 2009

The Hungarian CSR MarketPlace 2009 will take place on the 14th of May in the Millenary Park. The event gives  the opportunity to the Hungarian companies to present their CSR solutions and programs, and share their experiences on CSR with the rest of the participants of the event. More than 40 multinational companies and SMEs will have the opportunity to present their CSR solutions. Only a limited number of participants can take part in the workshops, therefore you are advised to send your registration as soon as possible! More information here.

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Ungarn-TV started last month

In the beginning of March a brand new German online platform http://www.ungarn-tv.com/ has started. The operator of the website, Flying Media works in cooperation with the Hungarian National Tourist Office to promote Hungary. Reports, hotel presentations, interesting interviews and lots of other information seduces German travellers to Hungary. For more information please click here!

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Royal Club Hotel opened

The 4-star Royal Club Hotel in Visegrád opened on the originally planned date, quality and budget, said Mr György Friedrich, owner and director of the property. The hotel, built in a year, offers 49 rooms and apartments, a section room for 50, restaurant, bar, wellness section and beauty treatments. The hotel is a member of the Interval International organisation with almost 2 million club members in 75 countries. Source: HTTH

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Continental Hotel Zara to open next summer

The former Continental Hotel in Budapest’s 7th district will reopen in June 2010 as Continental Hotel Zara, following a renovation of HUF 12 billion (45 million euros). The investment will partly reconstruct the former Hungaria bath which used to be the third most popular such facility in the capital. One wing of the bath will serve as the main entrance of the Art Nouveau-style hotel. The former pools will be rebuilt as ornaments.
The 280-room, 4-star superior hotel aims to become a centre of Budapest social and cultural life. Special venues will include the Galéria Café and Bar and the roof garden with a capacity of 150. A meeting room for 230 persons, section rooms and a business & corporate club will await business travellers. Further information here!

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Sport and conference hotel by December

Construction of the ETO Park Hotel, part of the ETO Park project in Győr, has started next to the ETO stadium. The 6-storey, 4-star business and conference hotel will offer 98 rooms and 5 apartments, a rehabilitation and health centre. The specialty of the hotel is that some guests will be able to watch stadium events from the window of their rooms.
The hotel conference centre will offer space for events up to 1000 guests but the meeting rooms are flexible in size. The hotel will also be an excellent place for athletes; opening is planned by December. Source: HTTH

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Danish professionals got introduced to the MICE supply of Budapest

Between the 25th and 27th March, the representatives of seven Danish tour operators, all specialized on the MICE market, visited Budapest with the help of the Hungarian National Tourist Office. During the 3-day study-tour the participants visited the Hungarian Academy of Science, the State Opera House, the Royal Palace of Gödöllő and the Hungaroring. In the Adventure Park they could put their skillfullness to the test, participated on a horse show and tasted Hungarian specialities as well. The Malév, the Ramada Resort Budapest and the STH Special Tours Ltd co-operated in the realization of the program.

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April