The Prague Congress Ambassadors Awards Ceremony is celebrating a decade in April 2019, and the ceremony will honor the contributions of professionals from a variety of fields. Many Hollywood blockbusters have been shot in and around Prague. Prague: Global MICE Powerhouse, The city’s Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance, and Rococo splendor has been featured in films ranging from “Amadeus” to “Anthropoid,” attracting a steady stream of visitors who regularly cross the Vltava River, and this has helped define Prague’s MICE venues and possibilities.
However, despite its potential, the MICE sector has spent most of its existence playing second fiddle to other sectors of the travel industry. Recently, though, this has begun to change, and Prague is now considered one of the world’s top 10 meeting venues. The city hosted one-third of all Czech conferences in 2017, placing it eighth on the ICCA list in 2017 (up three spots from 2016).
The massive, almost aggressive, investment in new congress and convention facilities has been the driving force behind this leap into the global elite. With more options for MICE events, Prague can host a wider variety of conferences and conventions. The city as a whole is experiencing a development boom, with several renovations and new store openings.
O2 Universum
For instance, the new “O2 Universum” is slated to open this summer, and its primary purpose is to “bring together congress events that have not been considered in Prague before, either because of the number of participants or due to the requirements of an exhibition area associated with the congress,” as Marek Chmatal, O2 Arena, puts it.
The O2 Arena, which opened in 2004 and can hold as many as 20,000 people for concerts and 15,000 for corporate events, is immediately connected to the new complex. A further 50,000 square meters over four stories will be available once the O2 Universum opens.
The Prague Convention Bureau (PCC) is currently in the midst of a multi-year expansion plan that will culminate in the construction of a brand new exhibition hall by the year 2020. This renovation was completed in time for the complex to host the prestigious “56th ICCA Global Congress” in November 2017.
As CEO Roman Ray Straub puts it, “expansion paired with state-of-the-art facility renovations and energy-saving technology is important to stay competitive,” and the PCC has been the primary conference venue since 1981. The nearby 251-room Holiday Inn, which offers breathtaking views of the city, is also a part of the PCC.
In 2020, when the PCC’s extension is finished, Straub and his staff may look forward to hosting some large conferences, such as the “XXXII. International Congress of Psychology (ICP) 2020,” which is expected to draw 5,000 attendees.
Cubex Centre
The newly completed “Cubex Centre,” a high-tech, versatile venue with the WOW factor, is propelling expansion and linking these two heavyweight convention centers. The main room in the venue is connected to the entrance via cubist lines of architecture, sensory lighting, and a 102-square-meter media wall.
The 890-square-meter main hall with 360-degree projection capabilities and 325 meters of zigzagging ceiling lighting is expected to be a hit with the fashion, creative, and automobile sectors.
The venue’s reinforced flooring and spacious elevators make it possible to bring huge, heavy items like vehicles to the event. Until the end of the year, Cubex is booked up with fifty future events.
The Hilton Prague
Because of rising demand, the hotel industry in Prague is expanding and modernizing. The Hilton Prague’s expansive lobby and atrium speak to the hotel’s status as one of the city’s major conference hotels, with sufficient space for up to 1,000 attendees.
The Hilton is the preferred lodging option for participants in the Prague Marathon due to its proximity to the starting line and its 2,000-square-meter fitness center. The nearby Hilton Prague Old Town, also conveniently situated in the city center, recently announced the completion of a multi-million dollar restoration that included the refurbishment of 303 guest rooms and 1,200 square meters of conference and meeting space.
Marriott Prague
The Marriott Prague strikes a nice balance between a convenient location and a cozy, personal atmosphere, and its highly attentive staff under the ‘Meetings Imagined’ concept make every event a success.
The expansion of the airport’s terminals, the hotel’s proximity to the historic center, and the remodeled conference room have all contributed to the hotel’s success in luring new customers and keeping existing ones.
Increases in passenger traffic at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport have been steady and consistent since 2013. Prague Airport had 16.7 million passengers in 2018, up 9.1% from 2017.
Meeting organizers would be unwise to overlook Prague’s laid-back and creative approach to the city’s most charming cultural heritage places. The great hall of the Žofín Palace, built during a time of cultural and architectural enlightenment in the 1880s, is decorated in neo-renaissance magnificence.
State leaders have been welcomed by the glittering chandeliers, parquet floors, and grand staircases. The location, on a little island in the Vltava, is secluded.
The National House of Vinohrady, with its design reminiscent of the late 19th century, has various fantastical halls that are perfect for hosting social events before and after conferences.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
The ancient monastery is now the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where you can have meetings with up to 140 people while basking in the opulence of the building’s vaulted ceilings and 14th-century murals. This property captures the essence of heritage, history, and breathtaking old town vistas.
Aside from bringing a new era and renewed hope to Prague, the construction of new conference centers will also contribute to the city’s rich architectural history. The Prague Convention Bureau and its partners are very optimistic about the city’s prospects.
With the MICE industry in Prague increasingly playing a leading role on the international stage, no one should bet against Prague eventually cracking the ICCA’s TOP 5 rating.
More information: www.pragueconvention.cz
