The Hungarian National Tourist Office gives priority to conferences and incentive tourism (C&I) from among the components of business tourism, or in other words MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). The marketing activities of the Hungarian Convention Bureau in 2010 include the participation at trade fairs, organization of study tours and fam trips, hosting journalists of international MICE magazines, statistical data collection and analysis, continuous development of the website and expansion of its Partner database. Applications for the Conference Ambassador Programme started in the year 2004 are welcome this year, too. In June, the Bureau will publish the new edition of the Meeting Planners' Guide to Hungary, which will be available on-line as well.

Among MICE destinations around the world, Budapest has been in the top cities for a long time. Lastest [2009] data published by ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) shows that Budapest ranked number 6 among the most popular conference towns in the world in 2008. That achievement can be attributed to Hungary's positive image, high quality accommodation facilities, and also to experienced Hungarian program organizers. According to ICCA data, Hungary was the 25th destination on the listing of the most preferred countries around the world for international business events, conferences in 2008.

Our positioning on the world ranking list of ICCA based on the number of international meetings between 1997-2008 (Source: ICCA):

The Hungarian National Tourist Office has been processing data collected from more than 350 service providers active on the Hungarian meetings market since 2001, in order to get a better grasp of the characteristics of the MICE market in the country. 2009 was a tough year in tourism, and especially in business tourism all around the world. In 2009, Hungary hosted 356 international conferences and 90 international fairs and exhibitions with more than 82.000 participants. The average number of participants per meeting (230,4) was an increase compared to last year (225,3). The average length of conferences was 3,3 days.

The Hungarian Convention Bureau is operating its own website and offers information in six languages: Hungarian, English, German, Spanish, French and Russian. Here information can be found about our MICE partners, upcoming events, industry fairs and all relevant industry news from abroad and from the Hungarian market. You can read about green news, studies and statistics, and it can help you to find the most convenient conference hotel or venue. A CO2 calculator is also operating on our website, where you can count the CO2 emission of your event. We would like to encourage you to use it, and please contact us would you need more information about offsetting!

Our webpage is: http://www.hcb.hu or more information: http://www.co2ntra.hu

IMEX is the essential worldwide exhibition for meetings and incentive travel. In 2009, over 3.500 exhibitors attended it from 157 countries. The guests represented national and regional tourist offices, major hotel groups, airlines, destination management companies, service providers, trade associations and more. Over 3.700 hosted buyers visited IMEX 2009, contributing to a total of 8.900 visitors from almost 100 countries for the show's busiest three days ever. This year we can meet between 25 and 27 May in Frankfurt. Come and visit us at booth nr. F210 to get better acquainted with Hungary and to win a weekend in Pécs.

www.imex-frankfurt.com

Boscolo Hotels opened a conference center at Budapest’s 5-star New York Palace Hotel. The Boscolo Conference Center wing, opened at the end of this year, has a sleek Italian design and several atrium piazzas serving as a skating ring in winter and a lake garden café in summer. The conference center has a spacious lobby and reception on the ground floor, four conference rooms on the first floor and three more event rooms and a business center on the second floor. In total, the Boscolo Conference Center features seven event rooms accommodating from 20 to 600 attendees. Situated right next to it, the New York Palace Hotel has 112 guest rooms and suites. Event facilities include eight function rooms catering for 12 to 150 attendees.
www.boscoloconferencecentre.hu

The official inaugural ceremony of Budapest's new 4-star hotel was held in last October. Located at the entrance of the Budapest Fair Center, the 12-storey building offers 160 rooms, a conference centre for 250, two section rooms, a restaurant, a Sky Bar with spectacular panorama on the top floor, a fitness room and spa. Besides the guests attending exhibitions at the Budapest Fair Center, the hotel also counts on attracting leisure travellers.
www.expohotel.hu

The former Continental Hotel in Budapest's 7th district will reopen in June 2010 as Continental Hotel Zara, following a renovation of EUR 45 million. The 280-room, 4-star superior hotel aims to become a centre of Budapest’s social and cultural life. Special venues will include the Galéria Café and Bar, and the roof garden with a capacity of 150 guests. A meeting room for 230 persons, section rooms and a business & corporate club will await business travellers.
www.continentalhotelzara.com

The Fabulous Shiraz has won the 2009 Goldenstar Prize. The prize was awarded by the leaders of the 50 bigest multinational companies and training companies among the Hungarian 4 and 5 star hotels. According to the Statistical Office, the Fabulous Shiraz is one of the most excellent hotels in 2009. You can find it in Egerszalók, among the foothills of the mountain Bükk, 120km from Budapest. It is a very quiet, small village, ideally suited for recreation and relaxation.
www.shiraz.hu

The OPUS 2010 Pécs Conference and Concert Centre will open by the end of 2010, the year when the city holds the title “European Capital of Culture”. The multifunctional facility will have a floor area of 11,000 sqm, the main hall will host 1000 guests, and the five section rooms combined will be able to cater to the same number of people. Currently the project is in the construction phase.
Further three hotels to be open in Pécs in 2010. Three of the planned hotel developments will certainly open in Pécs in the year 2010. At the moment the Corso Hotel is in the most advanced stage, where the inauguration was held on 1st of April. The 81-room, 4-star hotel forecasts 80% occupancy in the first year. The upgrading of the previously 3-star Makártanya Hotel is also on the way: It will open soon and the final phase is expected by September. On the 1st of May a 27-room, 3-star superior hotel will also open in the downtown. The building will probably operate under the name Árkádia.
http://en.pecs2010.hu/; http://hungary.pecshotels.com

Acknowledging that tourism contributes greatly to climate change, the Hungarian Convention Bureau considers the promotion of environmental practices on the meetings market one of its most important tasks. As the first step towards a more environmentally responsibile operation, the Convention Bureau has offset 2 tons of CO2 with the help of the CO2NTRA company - the amount that is emitted by the day-to-day operation and journeys taken by the employees in a year. The next step was the development of a Green Meetings section on the Bureau's website, which includes a CO2 calculator, updates about the local best practices, programs, and information about international certifications and studies. The Bureau's aim is to work in a greener office every day: the employees are committed to selective waste collection and the limitation of printed materials (all publications are available in a .pdf format).
http://www.hcb.hu/english/green-meetings

The reason for the existence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is rarely doubted nowadays. More and more transactions are prepared in the field of CSR, more and more companies join the generous project and recognize the necessity of helping others in need - and more and more of them organize teambuilding training dedicated to CSR. There are several companies in Hungary that can assist in connecting the ones in need with the companies wishing to help. Among those, KidsPlanet has just launched its Make Me Smile program. Having acquired much experience in supporting children, the company collects together the possibilities and aims to provide the best possible ideas and solutions for the customers and of course, for those they support. Programs include building and renovating playgrounds as well as creative competitions, collecting donations, and adventure programs all over the country.
http://www.kidsplanet.hu/en/make-me-smile.html

The first company providing such an option in Hungary, Chemol Travel offers a green program for its socially and environmentally conscious partners. The program includes eliminating as much paper from the administration of the event as possible, co-operating with responsible service providers (venue, catering, etc), and the possibility to provide conference bags, notebooks, etc. made from recycled material. According to the agency, working with the right caterer is a very important part of the program: for example, during a conference with 1000 participants, more than 100.000 napkins can be wasted. "Making these from recycled paper can save a lot of trees" - says Chemol. Although the price of products made from recycled materials can be a little higher than their 'freshly' made competitors, there are lots of simple green steps that can equal out - or lower - the final budget of the event. Moreover, these green practices not only provide a higher satisfaction to the participants, but show good example and allow the company to gain competitive advantage.