| |
The Spanish PCO Top Congress and the global meetings industry portal conworld.net, in the framework of their collaboration, have received praise by the Meeting in Brugge Congress Bureau, Vlaanderen (Flanders - Belgium) for a 'Destination Spotlight' feature written by Francesc Poyato.
The article, with title "Brugge, Bridges to Congresses", was a "LOVELY testimonial from a meeting planner" in the words of Mrs. Kathleen Bertier, Director at Meeting in Brugge Congress Bureau.
"Brugge, Bridges to Congresses" is also a good way to get in touch with such a lovely city like Brugge in order to hold a congress/convention. Brugge is one of the few destinations where a meeting can be hosted at a medieval environment and with venues at a short walking distance to one another.
"Brugge is a very good place to organise a congress. The airport is only an hour away, and Brugge is very accessible by IC trains, Thalys and Eurostar. The many owner operated hotels are charming, the historic venues for meetings are simply stunning and near to everywhere in the city, food is excellent and people are very professional and experienced. I will always recommend Brugge. It is a destination for success"- comments Poyato, commercial director, Top Congress.
The article is reproduced below:
Brugges, Bridges to Congresses.
Brugge is maybe one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its name “Brugge” comes from the word “Bridges” as they are everywhere crossing water canals all around the city.
Brugge is one of the best preserved medieval inhabitated towns in Europe.
Just the fact of walking around, is not only a pleasure but almost a luxury feeling for your five senses.
Brugge lives always around its main square, Grote Markt, where you may see its impressive Town Hall. Due to its urban layout, our congress will have the possibility of avoiding a lot of bus transfers as you may take most of the transfers by walking.
Brugges is directly linked to Oostende, Charleroi and Brussels not only by motorway but also by train, having its “natural” airports at Brussels and Charleroi as the excellent Belgian motorway network allows Brugge to be at a prudential distance from most important airports.
Close to France, Luxemburg, Germany and Nederlands, this beautiful city is supossed to be an ideal venue for European congresses.
One of the most positive surprises you are to take in Brugge is its assorted congress venue offer.
So, Brugge has at its very heart the Congress Hall Site Oud Sint-Jan, a former hospital from XIX reconverted today into a Congress Hall with 14 function rooms with three of them being able for events up to 500 people each on theather format.
Its main auditoriums may also hold cocktails for 750 and banquets for 250. And of course, Brugge possibilities are not only over here, so beside the Old Walls you are to find, close to the station and to the canals, the MAZ Auditorium, important premises also serving the city as a cultural centre with an auditorium of 400 seats.
Also in Brugge the Concert Zaal Brugge is ready for a meeting up to 1,300 assistants, while de Bierkorf Auditorium, again at the old town, has a function room for 225 guests. The former Carmeliten Priory also offers a function room for 250 as the Municipal Theater from 1869 and fully renovated on 2002 is an unique Renaissance building with 650 seats.
Town Hall at Brugge is for sure one of the most emblematic buildings where you should take into consideration Garemijn function room on ground floor –for 300 on theatre format, 350 for banquets or 400 in cocktail) and Pickery & Rodenback twin function rooms for 600 persons either in theather, cocktail or banquet formats.
About hotels
I must say that Brugge is a city plenty of small, lovely and old hotels. Even so, Crowne Plaza Brugge has 96 rooms and nine function rooms where to organise events for up to 370 guests in theatre format, 450 on cocktail or 300 for banquet.
Best Western is present with hotel Navarra which holds 94 rooms as Acacia does it with 48; in the meantime, independent hotel Casselberg is a modern and functional hotel with 118 rooms.
Some suggestions for those who want to settle headquarters at small hotels would be hotel Aragon -42 rooms and fully renovated-, Jan Brito -36 rooms-, De Tuillerien -45 rooms- and Die Swannen, one of the most beautiful hotels at the most beautiful city with 30 rooms.
About leisure visits, we must never forget to visit with local guides old town Brugge as they will explain and show a lot of secret medieval places and histories. About the restaurant table you are not going to have any problem as you are going to be in Belgium with the finest restaurants and kitchens.
Town Hall or Grote Market restaurants, may be nice suggestions for a dinner venue. Mossels, Belgian Beer and North Sea fresh fish are a must.
Brugge, maybe the only city where it is possible to have a medieval congress.
And as my last recommendation, the Spanish NH hotel company is also present with its charming hotel at a fomer XVII cloister. A good one for sure!!
By Francesc Poyato. Sales Director at Top Congress.
Top Congress is a Professional Congress Organiser with offices in Barcelona and Mallorca (Spain) and is a specialist in Congress, Incentive, Convention, Meetings, Events and Special Groups Management. Top Congress is a Destination Management Destination serving at Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Top Congress sponsors this section.
|
topconsulting[.]topconsulting.es 
