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Amsterdam MICEdition - winter 2013
Industry update
The newest venues, latest initiatives and industry-related news.
Collaborating for success
For four days in 2013, Amsterdam was the beating heart of the European Society of Cardiology, playing
host to ESC Congress 2013, the world’s premier conference on the science, management and prevention
of cardiovascular disease. More than 30,000 healthcare professionals attended the annual event,
held at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre.
ESC Congress 2013 is just one example
of the increasing number of
conferences and corporate events
that take place in Amsterdam each
year.
Maximising the benefits of a successful
collaboration between
Amsterdam Marketing (the official
marketing organisation of the
City), the thriving hotel industry,
the City of Amsterdam and the
award-winning Amsterdam RAI
Conference Centre, the Amsterdam
meetings industry is welcoming
more congress visitors every year.
Between 2008 and 2012, attendance
at corporate events in the city
increased by some 300,000 people
– and numbers are expected to
continue to grow.
Since the congress and hotel sectors
are so closely related, the city
has been working to significantly
increase the number of hotel rooms
across the Amsterdam Area. A recent
agreement earmarking 16,000
hotel rooms for each convention
in Amsterdam – all bearing the ‘I
amsterdam Approved’ charter label
– demonstrates the City’s commitment
to improving infrastructure
and facilities in support of the
booming conference industry.
Location, location, location
Some of Amsterdam’s best-loved
venues are improving facilities
and building new wings to meet
demand. The Amsterdam RAI is
already the city’s largest conference
venue, but the construction
of a new multi-use addition will
cement the venue’s industryleading
reputation. Also known
as the home of football club Ajax,
the Amsterdam ArenA has recently
completed the construction of a
new conference centre, making
it a premiere league location for
the gamut of business events and
congresses, with room for five to
1,000 delegates.
Creative connections
It is clear that Amsterdam has the
necessary infrastructure in place to
support the growing conference
industry, but what makes the Amsterdam
Metropolitan Area unique
is especially strong corporate
sectors, which provide conference
organisers with seamless synergy
they cannot find elsewhere.
©ESC Congress 2013
Ground-breaking initiative gives congress
organisers guarantee
Quality Seal
Since April 2013, Amsterdam Marketing
has been able to guarantee
organisers of international, citywide
congresses the availability of
a maximum of 16,000 hotel rooms
in the city. Amsterdam Marketing
has also given them permission to
offer their customers hotel rooms
with the ‘I amsterdam approved’
quality seal as part of the package.
Participating three-, four- and
five-star hotels specify beforehand
in a charter how many rooms they
can offer the city-wide congress
organisers. This enables the city
to field bids for large conference
proposals in a fast and efficient
way without holding preliminary
discussions, and to guarantee
the availability of a maximum of
16,000 rooms.
Over the last three years the
hotel capacity in the Amsterdam
Metropolitan Area has increased
significantly, from 25,000 to 30,000
rooms. As a result, Amsterdam is
better equipped to accommodate
large congresses and to further extend
its position as an international
congress city. Amsterdam Marketing
cooperates closely with all
stakeholders in achieving that aim.
Revealing the city’s potential to congress organisers
I amsterdam uncovered
On Tuesday, 3 September 2013,
Amsterdam Marketing organised
an exclusive business case event in
cooperation with the Amsterdam
RAI Convention Centre called ‘I
Amsterdam uncovered’.
During the event, Dutch and
international conference organisers
from various societies and
associations spent 12 hours
learning about the many possibilities
Amsterdam has to offer as a
conference city.
The reception took place in the
recently opened hotel Roommate
Aitana, which was also the location
for the casual meet-and-greet.
The group subsequently enjoyed
a networking lunch while sailing
by boat to the Amsterdam RAI
Convention Centre to visit the
ESC Congress and gain a good
impression of what Amsterdam has
to offer very large conferences (the
ESC Congress welcomed 30,000
Dutch and international cardiologists
and specialists). The opportunity
was also taken to emphasise
how the city works together with
its stakeholders, including hotels,
public transport, the airport and
the cultural sector.
The ‘I Amsterdam uncovered’
group was transported by bicycle
rickshaw to a reception at the
mayor’s official residence. The
rickshaw ride went over a bicycle
path specially constructed for the
ESC Congress. Delegations from
Professional Congress Organisers
and the Taskforce for Citywide
Congresses joined the networking
reception. The taskforce is committed
to optimising the citywide
reception of conferences. This
informative and inspiring day was
concluded with an informal dinner.
Are you a congress organiser and
also interested in a business case
event? Please let us know
acb@iamsterdam.com
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