The city hosts over 4,000 congresses and conventions every year. There is a wide range of venues on offer, which include Feria de Madrid trade fair grounds (Ifema) and the future International Convention Centre to be opened by 2011. Furthermore, the excellent communications -such as Madrid-Barajas International Airport-, its top-quality hotels, and its significant cultural and entertainment offer will surely make the organization of any business event a clear success. Business tourism in Madrid has found a great support in Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB).
Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB) is a municipal organization created in 1984 in collaboration with both public and private companies in this sector. It is devoted to promoting Madrid as a city for national and international meetings, attracting them to the City and ensuring a successful outcome. At present, it has almost 200 partners related to the business tourism industry, and its goal is to position Madrid amongst the top five destinations for business tourism.
In order to do so, the MCB is working on different initiatives, amongst which the Technical Committee for Coordination and Support of the Development of Business Tourism Events in the City of Madrid is particularly noteworthy. This Committee will coordinate the actions of the municipal government as well as those of its public organizations and municipal companies so as to collaborate in the planning and celebration of business tourism-related events coordinated by the MCB.
Furthermore, and for the first time in its history, the MCB has held a tribute to the people who have promoted and supported the city as a venue to host significant and prestigious events. This soirée, celebrated last September, started out aiming to become an annual institutionalized celebration where these benefactors will be acknowledged and given recognition, and where Madrid will reiterate and strengthen its commitment to future activities that might arise from these figures’ work, as well their reliability and contacts. This was also the setting for the presentation of the ‘Ambassadors Programme’.
This project was developed so as to identify the public figures that will make the best ambassadors to our city, and to provide them with the necessary tools and practical support. Thanks to the close collaboration between the MCB and all of its partners, it is able to help in attracting, promoting and following up on a bidding process for the city to host a convention. For instance, it prepares and provides bidding materials,
it helps with the search for an ideal location for the event, it organizes technical visits to the venues, it offers a hotel selection as well as advice in every aspect that might represent a competitive advantage.
A delegation of MCB will be visiting the city of Athens for presentation and workshop on April 14, 2010.
By: N. Peter Kramer
