CITY OF BARCELONA – TRUSTING HOST

Mr Christoph Tessmar, Director of Barcelona Convention Bureau

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Barcelona 01

Barcelona 01Barcelona was founded over two thousand years ago on the Mediterranean coast in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, between two rivers, a short distance from France. Since then, it has been the traditional gateway to Spain through which a number of cultures have entered to enrich the city.

In order to present Barcelona as a one of the top meeting destinations, we had the honor to speak with Mr Christoph Tessmar, Director of Barcelona Convention Bureau.

1. Barcelona is for years in top three meeting destinations, according ICCA statistics. In your opinion, what is it that most contributes to such an admirable position?

Barcelona keeps in the top 5 positions as a meeting destination since 2001. Barcelona 02We reached also the 1st position in the past. We’ll keep promoting Barcelona as a meeting and incentive destinations and trying to maintain the top positions in the future.

Barcelona has fabulous facilities and reliable professionals. We do have 4 conference centres. The hotel offer is equally abundant and modern, with meeting facilities up to 1.000 people. Barcelona also offers a handful variety of places and structures to organise meetings for large or small dimensions. It also gives a wide range of historical or charming venues, ideal for banquets, cocktails, exhibitions and products presentations, in modern and fully equipped structures.

2. Barcelona is host to one of the most significant meetings industry exhibitions – EIBTM, since 2004. Is this fact perhaps in some extent contributed to the popularization of the city as a meeting destination?

Without any doubt, the fact that Barcelona is hosting EIBTM is very helpful. During these dates, EIBTM attendees have the opportunity to taste on site the great feeling of Barcelona

Barcelona 033. Which events would you especially extract or which events are you particularly proud of, hosted by this wonderful city?

We are proud of all the events held in the city from association conferences to IT, car launches, corporate meetings.

Nevertheless we are also so proud that big conferences such as the European Cardiology, European Respiratory Society, Mobile World Congress, Diabetes (EASD), EIBTM keep on trusting in Barcelona to host their conferences

4. Barcelona has been selected as the first Mobile World Capital. What are the main benefits for the city from this selection?

A constantly flourishing city like Barcelona is the perfect location for the equally thriving and innovative mobile industry. Barcelona’s nomination as Mobile World Capital confirms the city as a natural setting for generating more business and encouraging relationships and networking. Barcelona aims to be the ultimate platform where both professional and personal alliances are created and cultivated.  It is a place to perfect strategies, promote brands and expand business enabling all to benefit from the selection of our city as Capital.

5. Also, what can attendees expect from Mobile World Congress Barcelona 042013?

The city of Barcelona is proud to host, for the 8th consecutive year, the GSMA Mobile World Congress. The highlight for this year’s event is its new venue, the Fira Gran Via. It is a state of the art exhibit hall offering more than double the space, which allows for additional comfort and equally importantly, room for growth. Fira Gran Via is also equipped with the highest level of technology matching the expectations of the global mobile communications market. No doubt this year attendees will gain from a fresh perspective and take advantage of the infinite professional opportunities available at the GSMA Mobile World Congress, the world’s premier mobile event.

6. What are the main plans for the future to keep the position of one of the best meeting destinations?

Keep maintaining Barcelona as a top meeting destination.

S.G.

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