This past May, the European Union welcomed 10
new member countries to its ranks, the biggest expansion in the
organization’s 37 years of existence. Eight of these newcomers the
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,
Slovakia and Slovenia were formerly part of the Soviet bloc; the
other two, Cyprus and Malta, are island nations on opposite ends of
the Mediterranean.
Following is a primer of each country’s main meetings
facilities, along with contact information for agencies that can
provide more information for planners.
Cyprus
Divided between Greece and Turkey since 1947, Cyprus has
undergone changes in the past few years. For one, some cities and
towns that had been renamed during Great Britain’s rule have
reverted to their original names. Accordingly, Nicosia is now
Lefkosia, and the popular resort city of Limassol is now Lemesos.
In addition, as of 2004, visitors to the Greek part of the country,
where Lefkosia and Lemesos are, may now travel to the Turkish side
and stay overnight.
Capital: Lefkosia (formerly Nicosia)
Major meeting/convention facility: The
International Conference Center in Lefkosia; exhibit space, 11,880
square feet; meeting rooms, four; (011) 357-22-313-444; fax: (011)
357-22-312-333; www.cicc.org.cy
Contact: Cyprus Tourism Organization, New York
City, (212) 683-5280; fax: (212) 683-5282; www.cyprustourism.org
Czech Republic
This Eastern European nation has a good infrastructure for meetings
and incentives, a beautiful capital city and has served as host to
the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.
Capital: Prague
Major meeting/convention facilities: Prague
Exhibition Grounds; exhibit space, 216,000 square feet, leased by
trade show organizer Incheba; (011) 420-220-103-623; www.incheba.cz
Prague Congress Center; exhibit space, 140,500 square feet;
meeting rooms, 38 (the largest accommodates 2,766); (011)
420-261-172-222; fax: (011) 420-261-222-012; www.kcp.cz
Contact: Prague Convention Bureau, Prague,
(011) 420-224-235-159; fax: (011) 420-224-234-399; www.pragueconvention.cz
Czech Tourist Authority, New York City, (212) 288-0830; fax: (212)
288-0971; www.czechtourism.com
EURO FREE, FOR NOW
To join the union, new members must agree to adopt the euro as their national currency, once they meet economic criteria established by the European Union. At press time, none of the 10 new members had made the switch.
Estonia
The capital of this Baltic state, bordered by Latvia and Lithuana,
is one of the best-preserved cities to emerge from the former
Soviet Union. It showcases a wealth of medieval architecture.
Capital: Tallinn
Major meeting/convention facility: Sakala
Center; exhibit space, 16,200 square feet; meeting rooms, 13; (011)
372-6-444-992; fax: (011) 372-6-466-019; www.sakala.ee
Contact: Estonian Tourist Board, Tallinn,
(011) 372-6-279-770; fax: (011) 372-6-269-777; www.visitestonia.com
Hungary
This former Soviet bloc nation launched a convention bureau in
2000; its website allows planners to submit electronic requests for
proposal.
Capital: Budapest
Major meeting/convention facility: Budapest
Fair Center; exhibit space, 648,000 square feet; meeting rooms,
seven; (011) 36-1-263-6155; fax: (011) 36-1-263-6098; www.hungexpo.hu
Contact: Hungarian Convention Bureau,
Budapest, (011) 36-1-488-8640; fax: (011) 36-1-488-8641; www.hcb.hu
Hungarian National Tourist Office, New York City, (212)
355-0240; fax: (212) 207-4103; www.gotohungary.com
Latvia
Delightfully offbeat, this Baltic nation is a best-kept
secret of planners.
Capital: Riga
Major meeting/convention facilities: The
International Exhibition Center; exhibit space, 185,760 square
feet; (011) 371-706-7518; www.rigaexpo.lv
Riga Congress Center; exhibit space, 16,200 square feet;
meeting rooms, three (the largest holds 1,170); (011) 371-704-3678;
fax: (011) 371-783-0244; www.kongresu-nams.lv
Contact: Latvian Tourism Agency, Riga, (011)
371-722-9945; fax: (011) 371-708-5393; www.latviatourism.lv
Lithuania
This Baltic state has a lovely, metropolitan capital; attractions
include the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum and the KGB Museum.
Capital: Vilnius
Major meeting/convention facility: Lithuania
Exhibition Center Litexpo; exhibit space, 180,000 square feet;
meeting rooms, seven; (011) 370-5-245-1800; fax: (011)
370-5-245-4511; www.litexpo.lt
Contact: Lithuanian State Department of
Tourism, Vilnius, (011) 370-5-210-8796; fax: (011) 370-5-210-8753;
www.tourism.lt
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
The European Union’s 10 new members join Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. On deck: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey have been accepted and await formal induction. For more information, visit
www.eurunion.org --L.G.
Malta
This tiny island nation, south of Sicily in the Mediterranean, has
a well-established meeting and incentive infrastructure.
Capital: Valletta
Major meeting/convention facility:
Mediterranean Conference Center (built in 1574); exhibit space,
36,720 square feet; meeting rooms, 19 (the largest accommodates
1,400); (011) 356-21-243-840; fax: (011) 356-21-245-900; www.mcc.com.mt
Contact: Malta Tourism Authority, Valletta,
(011) 356-22-915-204; fax: (011) 356-22-915-898; www.visitmalta.com
Poland
Also with an excellent meetings infrastructure, Poland launched a
national convention bureau, a division of the Polish Tourist
Organization, in 2002.
Capital: Warsaw
Major meeting/convention facility: The Palace
of Culture and Science; exhibit space, 108,000 square feet; meeting
rooms, 40; (011) 48-22-656-71-22; fax: (011) 48-22-656-64-52; www.pkin.pl
Contact: Convention Bureau of Poland, Warsaw,
(011) 48-22-629-0750; fax: (011) 48-22-621-6244; www.warsawtour.pl
Polish National Tourist Office, Hoboken, N.J., (201) 420-9910;
fax: (201) 584-9153; www.polandtour.org
Slovakia
This country has fewer meeting venues and well-known chain
hotels than its Czech neighbors, but its capital’s main
convention/trade show venue is three times larger than
Prague’s.
Capital: Bratislava
Major meeting/convention facilities: Incheba
Exhibition and Congress Center; exhibit space, 648,000 square feet;
(011) 421-2-6727-2074; fax: (011) 421-2-6727-2754; www.incheba.sk
Istropolis Center for Art and Congresses; exhibit space, 24,840
square feet; meeting rooms, seven (the largest holds 1,175); fax:
(011) 42-7-526-4291
Contact: Slovak Tourist Board, Bratislava,
(011) 421-48-413-61-46-48; fax: (011) 421-48-413-61-49; www.sacr.sk
Slovenia
Once a part of Yugoslavia, Slovenia borders Austria, Croatia,
Hungary and Italy.
Capital: Ljubljana
Major meeting/convention facilities: Ljubljana
Fair; exhibit space, 129,600 square feet; meeting rooms, 13; (011)
386-1-300-26-00; fax: (011) 386-1-300-26-49; www.ljubljanafair.com
Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress Center; exhibit space,
41,000 square feet; meeting rooms, 22; (011) 386-1-241-71-22; fax:
(011) 386-1-241-7296; www.cd-cc.si
Contact: Slovenian Tourist Office, Fort
Lauderdale, Fla., (954) 491-0112; fax: (954) 771-9841; www.slovenia-tourism.si