Divided by the Danube but united with historical charm and modern vibrancy, Budapest has always represented an enticing option for rewarding incentive programmes and affordable meetings.
The river flows between Buda on one side – with its UNESCO World Heritage castle site – and the buzzing city centre of Pest on the other. The city is famed for its thermal baths and natural springs, boasting 123, more than any other capital city in the world. No visit is complete without a dip in Szechenyi, Gellert, Lukacs or Rudas baths.
And in the latest Global Destinations for Meetings & Conferences Index – compiled by Global DMC Partners – the Hungarian capital has risen into the top five.
It sits fifth in the Top Global Destinations for Meetings and Conferences for 2019, while it is ranked fourth on the 2020 Incentive Destination Hot List – ahead of Iceland and New York.
According to Global DMC Partners, Budapest is a strong performer due to accessibility, safety, and variety.
“It’s easily accessible in the heart of Europe with a host of direct flights, while the city itself is very accessible with an efficient metro train system and most points of interest are within walking distance within Pest,” says Catherine Chaulet, Global’s President and CEO.
Catherine Chaulet“At the same time, it’s viewed as a safe destination, so it’s been popular for European companies to host meetings in Budapest, and over the past few years we’re seeing more and more interest from US clients who see it as a unique option for incentives.”
Venue variety is crucial to Budapest’s continued appeal. Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn have opened or are opening properties, with a Hard Rock Hotel coming soon.
“When it comes to hotels there are upscale, boutique hotels for high-end incentive programs and international hotel chains that can handle large conference groups. For incentive groups, you can treat your attendees to one of the many bathhouses and spas right in the city or take them over the river to the Castle District or a wine-tasting experience in the countryside,” adds Chaulet.
In May last year, a revised edition of the Budapest MICE Guide was launched showcasing 32 hotels, 18 conference centres, 35 unique venues, and 39 PCOs and DMCs.
It is part of a focused campaign to promote the city by the Hungarian Convention Bureau. Its data says that 65 per cent of business tourism events take place at hotels in Budapest and the average number of international delegates attending events is 150.
Budapest is benefiting from being almost halfway through a four-year overseas online, print and TV ad campaign designed to position it as a top European capital, ahead of Prague and on the same level as Vienna. Under the campaign branding Spice of Europe, a large part of the budget is being spent with the broadcaster CNN and airlines including Ryanair, British Airways and Lufthansa. Specially commissioned films will also appear on YouTube and Instagram.
New openings and venue redevelopment are keeping Budapest’s offering fresh. Next month (February) the 136-bedroom Hard Rock Hotel is due to open. It will include three meeting spaces including a rooftop venue able to host up to 150 guests and featuring technology to support multimedia meetings and live music performances.
Also coming this year is the W Budapest, opening in the 19th-century former home of the Hungarian Ballet Academy. The building, which has been empty for more than a decade, is being renovated to include 162 bedrooms and three meetings rooms.
And following the opening of the 110-bedroom Parisi Udvar Hotel Budapest in June last year, Hyatt is now set to open its first Regency Hotel in Budapest this year. The 231-room property will be located in the landmark Postapalota building, a former postal office.
While as part of attempts to attract large-scale conventions, a €170m refurbishment at the Hungexpo Budapest is underway. It will see two new exhibition halls, a new reception building and congress centre built by 2021. The latter will be spread over three levels and will include a 2,000-seat auditorium, two dozen smaller meeting rooms and a rooftop terrace.
It is not only the growing choice of hotels and venues across Budapest that make it such an attractive proposition. Value for money regularly gets mentioned by event organisers.
The grand Ballroom at Cornithia Hotel.“It is a great value destination for conference and incentive groups. A varied mix of good quality hotel products, competitive rates and a variety of eclectic dining options further enhance the appeal,” explains Antony Waite, MD of Conference Contacts.
For Waite, the secret of Budapest’s success is that there are hidden gems which represent exceptional value when compared against other popular European destination venues. In addition, to which groups are able to take advantage of the cultural benefits, the city has to offer – such as pre-programme city tours and networking dinners cruising the Danube.
“Budapest is playing host to a conference we have been engaged to organise for a popular IT/telecoms provider in early 2020. The draw of the city was its proximity to key customers, good accessibility and cultural appeal to the customer base.
“The event is for an audience of 350 delegates and is being held at the Corinthia Hotel. The hotel boasts flexible meeting space with a stunning ballroom, a solid bedroom product for the business traveller together with outstanding catering. This helps Budapest to provide an impressive backdrop to wow delegates,” adds Waite.
Case study:
- Name of lead organiser: TBC
- The client: Banking software company
- The venue: Corinthia Hotel
- The event: European market forum and global sales drive
- The participants: 300 customers and 400 company sales staff
Then the story of the event:CWT Meetings & Events was appointed by a banking software company to communicate its new strategy and product messaging to 300 customers, as well as to unveil a recognition programme to encourage a sales team of 400 staff to sell more.
The events required keynote and breakout sessions, exhibition space and networking opportunities. To achieve this with such large numbers, CWT arranged the customer event from Monday to Wednesday and the sales staff event from Wednesday to Friday. The historic five-star Corinthia Hotel was chosen as the event venue.
CWT provided specialist attendee management software to allow both groups to register for the event and accommodation. The software also allowed breakout sessions and executive meetings to be booked.
The programme included a guest motivational speech from a former Hungarian government secret service officer.
For the customer event a causal evening reception, in the style of a local Hungarian market with local beers, wines and entertainment, was hosted in a nearby train museum. While the same venue provided the venue for the sales staff gala dinner, themed around Harry Potter with a Hogwarts Express train. During the dinner, the annual incentive scheme winners were announced in front of their peers.
Who to contact:
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
