What really puts a city on the map for meetings? Is it access, infrastructure, the arts, nightlife? We looked at five up-and-coming cities from around the world to discover what's creating the buzz in these destinations of the future.
DENVER
Secret weapon: Craft beer, light-rail
Pipeline: Convention center expansion, new hotels
"Denver is less than a three-and-a-half hour flight from almost anywhere in the country," says Rachel Benedick, Visit Denver's vice president of sales and services. For easy access, a new light-rail (University of Colorado A Line, which opened in April 2016) can take attendees directly from Denver International Airport to Denver Union Station in the Colorado capital's downtown city center and back.
For further accessibility, Benedick cites the Colorado Convention Center, which is also in the heart of downtown and literally across the street from a thriving entrepreneurial neighborhood this, she adds, "has led to chef-driven dining, the country's top craft-beer scene, and a myriad of cultural experiences."
One trend of interest to meeting planners is the modern-day food hall. "The Source in RiNo (River North) Arts District is home to one of Denver's top restaurants, Acorn, as well as a bakery, art gallery, brewery/tasting room, and more. Avanti F&B features seven different international cuisine options housed in shipping containers; and the newly opened Denver Central Market is a fusion of new and established local vendors selling everything from fresh fish and meat to pizza to ice cream."
What are lesser-known aspects of Denver that make it especially great?
Denver's robust live music scene, claims Benedick, rivals many U.S. cities'. "It's even home to more live music venues than some better-known live music cities. There are several arena-sized spaces in Denver that bring in national headliners, including the Pepsi Center, Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 1stBank Center, and, perhaps the most iconic, Red Rocks -- the only naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world, consistently named one of the best outdoor concert venues and a 'bucket list' stage for both fans and musicians." There are also several small, intimate clubs and theaters that round out the music scene for every type of music lover.
PITTSBURGH
Secret Weapon: Enormous civic endowments
Pipeline: Convention center expansion, new hotels
"Many things make Pittsburgh a great city for meetings," says Karl Pietrzak, CDME, CASE, vice president of convention sales for VisitPITTSBURGH, in Pennsylvania. "Affordability compared to other destinations, ease of access, and a great airport to start." Pietrzak notes that Pittsburgh's compact downtown footprint, with more than 20 hotels, 200 restaurants, shopping, attractions, and cultural amenities all within a short distance of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, is also a plus. "We have a Westin hotel attached to the convention center, and all major hotel brands represented in the downtown package, including Marriott, Fairmont, Kimpton, Renaissance, Omni, and Wyndham."
Joining new hotels (that include the Hotel Monaco and the Ace Hotel) will be the Drury Plaza Hotel, which is expected to open at the end of this year. After that will come the Distrikt Hotel ("A boutique hotel with an international flair," says Pietrzak), which is expected to open in the second half of 2017. "The Carnegie Science Center is embarking on an expansion, which will bring new event and exhibit space to the facility," he adds.
Pittsburgh International Airport just announced two new international flights: Wow Airlines will offer direct service to Reykjavik, Iceland, and Concord Airlines is going to provide direct service from Pittsburgh to Frankfurt, Germany -- great news for European attendees.
SAN JUAN
Secret Weapon: Caribbean tourism assures airlift, room inventory
Pipeline: AEG's vast entertainment complex, District Live!, coming
Despite Zika scares and government fiscal issues, San Juan, Puerto Rico continues to serve as a world-class meetings city. "San Juan has always been a top meeting destination," says Milton Segarra, president and CEO, Meet Puerto Rico. "Meeting planners find San Juan to be a destination that provides history and culture, as well as food that is unique to the culture and destination."
The key to San Juan's success as a tourism destination is its wealth of beautiful beaches, top hotels, infrastructure, and nightlife. Joyce Martinez, Meet Puerto Rico's vice president of business development and sales, adds, "Let's start with the airport: We have the frequency, we have the flights, and then you get to the airport, and within five or 10 minutes, you're in the Condado, Old San Juan, or at the Convention Center."
Prior to the 2005 debut of the Puerto Rico Convention Center (PRCC), the city's room inventory was too widespread for comfortable citywides. Not anymore. The transformation of former U.S. Naval facilities into the Puerto Rico Convention Center (PRCC) District, beginning with the 157,000-square-foot center itself, has evolved and now features the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino, the Hyatt House San Juan, and several restaurants. Since July 2016, the Puerto Rico Convention Center has been operated by AEG Facilities, which is also developing District Live!, a five-acre entertainment complex to open sometime in 2019 with a new 6,000-seat entertainment venue, a 170-room luxury hotel with 6,000 square feet of meeting space, a 500-seat club, a 44,000-square-foot Plaza with the Caribbean's largest LED screen and stages, and more.
DUBAI
Secret weapon: Over-the-top everything
Pipeline: AEG's monster entertainment complex, Dubai Arena complex
The difference between Dubai, U.A.E. and the other cities on this list is the intense amount of forethought that went into its masterplan. While its geographical location between the east and west makes it an ideal spot for international meetings looking to draw attendees from around the world, the meeting product available here is absolutely visionary.
According to Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, "Evidence of Dubai's increasing role in hosting global events can be seen in its strong position in global rankings, which saw the city retain its No. 14 position in the 2015 International Meetings Statistics report, published by the Union of International Associations. As we continue in our quest to support the creation of a vibrant knowledge-based economy, the impact delegates have on the economy and the caliber of expertise they bring to Dubai will prove invaluable."
Dubai benefits from strong government control, which, for planners, at least, has the capability to create seamless integration with local strategic partners like Emirates Airline and the hotel sector. Earlier this year, Dubai hit a new milestone with the completion of more than 100,000 hotel rooms, including the W Hotel, The Westin (which offers 16 meeting spaces and a ballroom), and the St. Regis Dubai (which has six meeting rooms and a grand ballroom).
BUSAN
Secret weapon: The film Train to Busan
Pipeline: Major city development, airport upgrade
Busan is currently enjoying a certain amount of cachet, thanks to the hit international zombie thriller, Train to Busan. Korea's "second city" since the 15th century, it was recently reimagined as an official "international meeting city" by the Korean government in 2005, according to Peter Jang, CMO, Busan Tourism Organization (BTO). "It possesses all that could be desired as a MICE destination," says Jang, "There are more than 53,000 hotel rooms, two convention centers, lots of tourist attractions, various kinds of food, and cultural performances."
For U.S. visitors, there is a passing resemblance to Miami, especially where high-rise hotels face Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches, both beautiful (and quite well known within Asia) stretches of dazzling white sand. Every year, the beautiful people of the Korean film industry convene for the Busan International Film Festival.
Of the two major convention centers that meet the national standard, BEXCO Convention Center, which opened in 2001, is Busan's signature venue, according to Jang. With nearly 100,000 square feet on seven floors and one underground level, BEXCO's sophisticated exhibition and convention facilities, spacious halls, and 22 conference rooms could house five soccer fields. In 2015, a new passenger terminal opened at Busan port, with its fifth floor offering a convention center that meets international standards. It has four multipurpose event halls that can be combined, six conference halls (combinable), and 10 meeting rooms (independent) with views.
In addition to tourism development, Busan is a busy port city where three of the world's largest shipbuilding companies (Hyundai, Daewoo, and Samsung) are headquartered. Gimhae International Airport is the gateway to Busan, but, in addition, because of its port and proximity to southern Japan, the city offers ferries to Fukuoka.
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]
This article appears in the December 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.
DUBAI
Secret weapon: Over-the-top everything
Pipeline: AEG's monster entertainment complex, Dubai Arena complex
The difference between Dubai, U.A.E. and the other cities on this list is the intense amount of forethought that went into its masterplan. While its geographical location between the east and west makes it an ideal spot for international meetings looking to draw attendees from around the world, the meeting product available here is absolutely visionary.
According to Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, "Evidence of Dubai's increasing role in hosting global events can be seen in its strong position in global rankings, which saw the city retain its No. 14 position in the 2015 International Meetings Statistics report, published by the Union of International Associations. As we continue in our quest to support the creation of a vibrant knowledge-based economy, the impact delegates have on the economy and the caliber of expertise they bring to Dubai will prove invaluable."
Dubai benefits from strong government control, which, for planners, at least, has the capability to create seamless integration with local strategic partners like Emirates Airline and the hotel sector. Earlier this year, Dubai hit a new milestone with the completion of more than 100,000 hotel rooms, including the W Hotel, The Westin (which offers 16 meeting spaces and a ballroom), and the St. Regis Dubai (which has six meeting rooms and a grand ballroom).
BUSAN
Secret weapon: The film Train to Busan
Pipeline: Major city development, airport upgrade
Busan is currently enjoying a certain amount of cachet, thanks to the hit international zombie thriller, Train to Busan. Korea's "second city" since the 15th century, it was recently reimagined as an official "international meeting city" by the Korean government in 2005, according to Peter Jang, CMO, Busan Tourism Organization (BTO). "It possesses all that could be desired as a MICE destination," says Jang, "There are more than 53,000 hotel rooms, two convention centers, lots of tourist attractions, various kinds of food, and cultural performances."
For U.S. visitors, there is a passing resemblance to Miami, especially where high-rise hotels face Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches, both beautiful (and quite well known within Asia) stretches of dazzling white sand. Every year, the beautiful people of the Korean film industry convene for the Busan International Film Festival.
Of the two major convention centers that meet the national standard, BEXCO Convention Center, which opened in 2001, is Busan's signature venue, according to Jang. With nearly 100,000 square feet on seven floors and one underground level, BEXCO's sophisticated exhibition and convention facilities, spacious halls, and 22 conference rooms could house five soccer fields. In 2015, a new passenger terminal opened at Busan port, with its fifth floor offering a convention center that meets international standards. It has four multipurpose event halls that can be combined, six conference halls (combinable), and 10 meeting rooms (independent) with views.
In addition to tourism development, Busan is a busy port city where three of the world's largest shipbuilding companies (Hyundai, Daewoo, and Samsung) are headquartered. Gimhae International Airport is the gateway to Busan, but, in addition, because of its port and proximity to southern Japan, the city offers ferries to Fukuoka.
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]
This article appears in the December 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.