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the February 2021 digital version , and the region ’ s largest boat show in March .
While in-person events are suspended , Stockholmsmässan has been running virtual events – including ‘ Morning Show ’ TV style shows and digital seminars . The venue was recently awarded the city ’ s Penguin Prize for its innovative ways of communicating on the recycling issue .
Stockholmsmässan , which has been used as a vaccination centre , also has a new Studio 16 , built to facilitate hybrid meetings and to host TV and film shoots . Like the other big city venues , it has also been busy putting in place a rigorous safe meetings policy for when it is able to open fully again .
Gothenburg repositions as a hybrid experience centre GLOBAL DESTINATION SUSTAINABILITY INDEX LEADER PIVOTS TO ITS STRENGTHS
weden ’ s second biggest city , Gothenburg is preparing for the future and recently launched a hybrid experience project to facilitate post-pandemic recovery . A continued focus on sustainable development , collaboration and strategically important meetings and events , is Gothenburg ’ s strategy for emerging strong again in the MICE sector .
Many international meetings and events in 2021 have been rescheduled or being held virtually . The annual Book Fair , the Gothenburg Film Festival and the International Science Festival have successfully gone virtual , with the upside being they reached a far larger audience than usual . All are looking at developing
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a hybrid format even post-Covid .
The largest e-health event in Scandinavia , Vitalis , was organised as a hybrid event in 2020 and will repeat the format in 2021 . The first major in-person international meeting is due to take place in early 2022 .
Göteborg & Co , the Gothenburg DMO , recently launched a project to position the city as a leading destination within the development of hybrid experiences . The project will involve venues , arenas , event organisers , attractions and others within the visitor and experience industry . It is financed by the City of Gothenburg , with support from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth . At the same time , the local meetings industry has invested in relevant infrastructure . The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre , in the city centre , recently opened Sweden ’ s largest studio solution , Hybrid Event Arena . Other venues and conference hotels also offer studios or other solutions for virtual and hybrid meetings .
Gothenburg Convention Bureau is working on a number of bids for large international meetings , together with their meetings ambassadors . The focus is on meetings related to the city ’ s areas of strength that can help develop and drive research , business and society forward and have a long-term positive impact .
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Above : Future vision from the studios in Gothenburg Photo : Peter Kvarnström |
Public / private collaboration Gothenburg has a long tradition of collaboration between the public and private sector , a big factor in the city ’ s success as a meetings and events centre and for it gaining the top position in the Global Destination Sustainability Index four years in a row . The collaboration between different suppliers in the city was recognised when Gothenburg was awarded the IAPCO Driving Excellence Award in 2020 .
The Gothenburg Strategic Plan for Meetings , developed in collaboration between the public sector , the business community and academia , focuses on intensifying strategic collaborations , creating long lasting positive meeting impact and strengthening the Gothenburg brand . The convention bureau is working with the local economic development agency and R & D companies to identify strategically important meetings .
Gothenburg Convention Bureau is a member of the collaborative European convention bureau alliance EU CVB Network , together with bureaus in Florence , Ljubljana , Lyon , Rotterdam , Salzburg and Valencia . The destinations all have a strong collaboration locally in their cities and a focus on sustainability and innovation .
Several new hotels are also opening and new science and experience centres will open in the coming years , including World of Volvo and Gothenburg Green City Zone , a large geographical area of Gothenburg , which will serve as a testbed for new technology with the goal to be 100 % emission-free by 2030 .
In autumn 2019 , Gothenburg was named the European Capital of Smart Tourism , an initiative recognising cities that excel within accessibility , sustainability , digitalisation and cultural heritage / creativity . In its submission for the title , Gothenburg emphasised its ambition to share knowledge and experiences with other destinations , an aim that was certainly put to the test during the past year .
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