City focus
Antwerp – building brand awareness
ANTWERP CONVENTION BUREAU ’ S BRAND RESET SEEMS TO BE HAVING THE DESIRED EFFECT , REPORTS SIMON GEORGE
A ntwerp is rising up the ICCA European rankings ( up to 34th in 2023 from 51st place in 2022 ) reflecting the quickening pace of events in Belgium ’ s second city . And major international conferences in the city ’ s pipeline include the World Tunnel Congress in 2027 and PIANC World Congress in 2028 .
First port of call The port of Antwerp , second in size only to Rotterdam in Europe , is the lifeblood of the city , its biggest employer and – an interesting statistic for coffee lovers – has the largest storage capacity for the soft commodity in the world .
To get a sense of the port ’ s size and importance and the urban regeneration that is taking place close by , head to MAS ( Museum aan de Stroom – ‘ The museum by the stream ’ in Dutch ) and the rooftop terrace for its panoramic views over the city . This iconic red-coloured museum highlights how , historically , international trade and shipping have connected Antwerp with the rest of the world and , in so doing , shaped the city .
In terms of event space , dart up to the ninth floor and check out OneEighty – Room One is suitable for smaller seminars / boardroom style meetings while Room Eighty , where the restaurant is located , can be used to host larger events and receptions .
Botanic – an event sanctuary Antwerp port may provide a sense that the world is its oyster in terms of trade , but head to the 5-star Botanic Sanctuary in the centre of the city and you get a sense from this former 15th century monastery that the world is its cloister . Recently opened after a two-year refurbishment , the hotel has 14 multifunctional meeting rooms , including a 15th century chapel for weddings .
The Hilton , which overlooks the old town square , has 15 meeting rooms and a total event space of 2,331sqm .
Left : Antwerp : a major port of call for conferences
Nearby , the boutique Hotel FranQ has three compact meeting rooms and a vault , highlighting its previous incarnation as a bank . Crowne Plaza and Mercure City South have recently renovated their meeting space and three new hotels are coming into the centre , including a Moxy .
Cultural event space A walking tour of the city can bring you to the neo-Gothic Handelsbeurs Antwerpen . Opened in 1531 as the world ’ s first purpose-built commodity exchange , it now offers a range of elegant event spaces including 10 multifunctional rooms that can cater for up to 1,200 guests . Among the many places of interest for potential delegate visits is the Plantin Moretus Museum , dedicated to the work of 16th century printers Christophe Plantin and Jan Moretus . It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and showcases the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world .
ISCoS annual meeting Antwerp ’ s accessibility was a major factor in the International Spinal Cord Society ’ s ( ISCoS ) decision to hold its annual conference at Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp ( 22-25 September ), “ the number one priority for the event ”, according to PCO Susan Hayden , director of Association Services Limited . She also praised the inclusivity of the city , given its barrierfree public transport system , tactile paving , safe crossings and city routes designed specifically for wheelchairs .
Antwerp Convention Bureau ’ s CEO Tadeja Pivc Coudyser explains the strategy reset for the CVB in 2022 had brought a new dynamic approach and the slogan “ The city is your venue ” fronted a campaign rolled out in 2023 . “ We wanted to showthat the city is comfortable and accessible for MICE delegates , that people are willing to open their event spaces ,” she says . n
ISSUE 133 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 27