If you are looking for a venue for the prestigious annual meeting of your company or a world class event or exhibition, the first thing that will come to your mind is — if the venue has the right facilities and standards to make your event a success; a venue where the nitty-gritty of planning is taken care of, leaving you free to attend to other business details. This is where the professionalism and competitiveness of convention centres come. They make some of the best venues for MICE and other events with their state-of-the-art facilities. Right from planning for the space and catering to providing secretarial or translation facilities, everything is taken care of in the top category convention centres around the globe. They surprise their buyers by going the extra mile. Let us take a look at the five best convention centres of the world today.

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, USA 

This award winning convention centre is located in Downtown Orange County, at the famous International Drive and at a convenient 15 minutes from the Orlando International Airport. This ‘Center of Hospitality’ has two facilities – the West Building and the North/South Building. From catering to telecommunications, everything is taken care of by expert service providers.

USPs:

• 2.1 million-square feet of exhibition space,
• Two 92,000-sq. ft. general assembly areas,
• 74 meeting rooms/235 breakouts,
• The 2,643-seat Chaplin Theatre,
• A 200-seat Lecture Hall,
• The 62,000-sq. ft. multi-purpose Valencia Room,
• Three full-service restaurants,
• Eight food courts,
• Three business centres,
• In-house electric, plumbing, rigging and technical services, plus wireless mobility throughout the complex,
• On-site parking for 6,227

While in Orlando…

Enjoy the International Drive in Orlando most commonly known as the “I-Drive”. It is one of Orlando’s hottest spots for sightseeing, shopping, fun and food. I-Drive has three entertainment complexes and three stadium-style cinemas; more than 485 designer outlets and over 150 restaurants. The famous I-Ride Trolley Service conveniently transports tourists to all the fun spots in the I-Drive area. The six theme parks – SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica SeaWorld’s Waterpark, Wet ‘n Wild, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are among the top tourist attractions in Orlando. Walt Disney World, the world’ best loved theme park must not be missed.

Did You Know?

• Orlando is home to more theme parks and attractions than any other city in the world.
• Orlando goes by the nickname ‘The City Beautiful’ or “O-Town”; it is also known as Hollywood East due to the numerous movie studios in the area.
• Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, Florida (so named due to the large citrus groves which once existed there).
• Orlando has the second largest number of hotel rooms in the US.
• Lynx public transportation will take you to various tourist destinations in Orlando.

Adelaide Convention Center, Australia

Ranked among the world’s best convention centres, the Adelaide Convention Center, is located in a city famous as the ’20-minute city’, for its ease of access and travel. The Adelaide Convention Center has world class facilities and dedicated staff to ensure the success of any event.

 USPs:

• Affordable and flexible multi-purpose convention, exhibition and banquet facilities,
• Plenary Hall with 3500 seating capacity and tiered, adjustable seating,
• 10,400 sq. m. pillar less exhibition space,
• 14 serviced meeting rooms fully equipped with motorised screen, data projector, DVD player and lectern with microphone,
• Latest technology and experts to support events,
• An atrium linking exhibition and plenary halls, conference and banquet areas, offering beautiful river and garden views.

While in Adelaide…

This capital city of South Australia is a charming place with a variety of attractions to choose from. Head to Adelaide Zoo, home to over 14000 species of wildlife; visit Hahndorf the oldest German settlement in Australia to marvel at 100 year old buildings and sample authentic German fare; admire the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia or the beautiful Botanic Garden. Explore the lovely Barossa Valley, Kangaroo Island, Glenelg and Victor Harbor around Adelaide if you have the time. Lastly, shop till you drop at the Rundle Mall or indulge in night shopping at the city stores till 9 pm every Friday.

Did You Know?

• Adelaide’s only tram track takes you straight to Glenelg.
• The most famous festival here is the Adelaide Festival of Arts.
• Smoking is not allowed in public places in Adelaide.
• A 10 per cent tax is there on most items purchased in the city; but if purchase exceeds AUD 300 from a single seller, a full tax refund can be claimed within 28 days.

Vancouver Convention Center, Canada

The award winning Vancouver Convention Center is located in the heart of downtown Vancouver with beautiful waterfront views. It has made a name for itself among the leading conference centres of the world with its excellent services, technical capabilities and high quality banqueting.

USPs:

• East and West Buildings of the VCC offer 466,500 sq. ft. of total meeting, exhibition, ballroom and plenary theatre space,
• Flexible design of both buildings allows various events to be held simultaneously and separately,
• State of the art technology to ensure success of events,
• 471,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space,
• World class catering and banqueting facilities,
• Sustainable designs and features including a six-acre ‘living roof’ and a marine habitat built into the building’s foundation.

While in Vancouver…

The beautiful island city of Vancouver, nestling between the Pacific Ocean and coastal mountains, has spectacular natural beauty and a host of activities to offer to tourists. The enchanting Stanley Park with woodlands, beaches and gardens is a nature lover’s paradise. Granville Island is famous for its Island Market and seafood variety. Kids will love the Vancouver Aquarium and Science World. Other interesting places include the Maritime Museum, Whistler, Grouse Mountain and the Orpheum Theatre.

Did You Know?

• Vancouver is one of the ten cleanest cities in the world.
• Summer is the best time to visit Vancouver.
• One can golf, ski and swim all on the same day in Vancouver.
• Vancouver receives an average of around 42 inches rainfall annually.
• 35 per cent of Vancouver’s population are foreigners.
• Vancouver has over 200 parks.

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC), Hong Kong

This imposing multi-purpose award winning venue is located in the heart of the city on Victoria Harbour of Wan Chai North in Hong Kong Island. It provides a beautiful view of the harbour and is strategically located close to the city’s Business District. Many important hotels and the Business District are within walking distance and are linked by covered walkways.

USPs:

 

• 6 exhibition halls: 53,292 sq. m.
• 2 convention halls: 5,699 sq. m.; total seating for 6,100
• 2 theatres: 800 sq. m; total seating for 1,000
• 52 meeting rooms: 6,004 sq. m.
• Pre-function areas: 8,000 sq. m.
• 7 restaurants: total seating for 1,870
• Business centre: 150 sq. m.
• Car park spaces parking: for 1,300 cars and 50 vans,
• Total available rental space: 92,061 sq. m.
• Capacity: 140,000 visitors per day,
• State of the art technology and tools to support events.

While in Hong Kong…

The dazzling and dynamic city of Hong Kong is an extremely popular tourist destination. The skyscrapers, shopping malls and bustling night life as well as the natural beauty and various adventure and fun activities draw tourists from all over the world. The Ocean Park is a fantastic place for viewing marine life. Victoria Bay offers splendid views of bustling port activities and ships. Ever popular with the children is the Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island. Victoria’s Peak offers amazing views and also has popular spots like Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium and the Zoological and Botanical Garden. Visit the famous Wong Tai Sin Temple too. Hong Kong is a shopper’s paradise with street markets like Ladies’ Market at Tung Choi Street and Stanley Market or upmarket malls like Pacific Place.

Did You Know?

• English, Cantonese and Mandarin are the official languages of Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong was a British colony; it is now a Special Administrative Region of China with autonomy in its affairs.
• The Madam Tussaud Wax Museum has figures of local celebrities, including Jackie Chan.
• Victoria Bay is the 3^rd largest harbour in the world.
• Spitting, jay-walking and littering in public places will attract fines.

Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC), Dubai

This world class Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center is located in the heart of Dubai and is at the hub of the region’s busiest commercial district. It has a flexible design suited for multi-functional utility. With over 1 million sq. ft. of exhibition space and its proximity to the airport, this remains a favoured MICE destination of all time.

USPs:

• Sheikh Rashid Hall having 7,703 sq. m space and 2,500 retractable seats; soundproof walls; 10 interpretation booths; can be divided into 6 meeting rooms, which can seat 6400 people cocktail style.
• Sheikh Maktoum Hall, 3,859 sq. m. in size can be divided into 4 meeting rooms with seating capacity of up to 750 delegates each. It can be combined with the Sheikh Rashid Hall to form one huge venue space as well.
• Sheikh Saeed Halls is a new addition with 25,000 sq. m. of exhibition space.
• Other facilities like car parking, onsite catering and latest audio-video and video conferencing services are available.

While in Dubai…

Dubai is one of the leading tourist destinations of the world. Vast stretches of sand, sky scrapers, beaches, bustling city life – it has it all. One of the leading cities of the Middle East, it attracts over a million tourists each year. The iconic Burj Al Arab, the 7-star hotel tops the list of things to see. Located on the famous Jumeirah Beach, this boat shaped structure is truly a man- made marvel. The Burj Khalifa is another landmark and touches the sky with 153 floors. The Wild Wadi waterpark and Palm Jumeirah are other must-see places. Last but not the least; one must head to the havens of shopping like the Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates or Souq-the most famous gold market in the world.

Did You Know?

• You can actually ski in Dubai – in the indoor ski and snow park in The Mall of the Emirates.
• Smoking ‘Sheesha’ is a favourite local pastime; sheesha is an ornately designed glass pot with a pipe.
• Dune bashing, a desert safari is greatly popular among tourists.
• Dubai has been ruled by the Al Maktoum dynasty since 1833.
• The Palm Islands in Dubai are the world’s first man-made islands.

Beautiful settings, meticulous planning, the best audio-visual and technological tools, a host of useful services, these convention centres have it all. No wonder, they are among the most famous names in the MICE industry today.