Budapest: a first-class meetings and incentives tourism city in the heart of Europe 

Motaz Othman

Budapest 

With direct connections to most of the metropolitan areas in Europe, and with good connections to Middle East and North America through the new terminal at Budapest Airport, Budapest city welcomes delegates from all over the world to hold their meetings, events, and conventions. 

I was invited from a Hungarian convention to participate in a study tour in Budapest city. 

Our program started with a visit to the oldest part of the city, the Castle district, which is also known as the Royal Castel, a World Heritage site. The Baroque Hall, the Gothic room, and other parts of the Royal Palace are offered for delegates to enjoy the wonderful Panorama of the Danube River and the other parts of the city. The Royal Castel is a unique place for those who are interested in holding their meetings and gala events inside a World Heritage district. 

The Segway, a unique form of transportation, was offered to us to discover the Castel district. Everyone took his Segway (after we got a lesson how to ride) and rode through the area for 15 minutes, reaching the Budapest Hilton Hotel, one of the worldwide hotels that is located inside a World Heritage site. Rooms at the Hilton face the Danube River, and the ballroom can be offered for 660-seated events, where some medical and pharmacy conferences have taken place. The President of China, Astonia, and Roger Moore, are among the VIP visitors that have been at the hotel, explained Ms. Dorottya Kovacs, the Sales Manager of the Budapest Hilton. 

Other venue alternatives available inside the Castel district include the Fisherman's Baston Restaurant, which offers a luxury atmosphere for delegates, along with delicious Hungarian food and wine. The Strudel House (Restaurant), famous for its thin strudel and Hungarian food was offered to us for dinner attended by Ms. Aniko Ferenczy, Director of the Hungarian Convention Bureau. 

Late night incentives in Budapest are also really great. The Ruin Pubs offers visitors a unique place to have a cocktail and to spend few hours listening to music and dancing.

The biggest treasure in Hungary is the healing waters - over 100 thermal baths are spread throughout Hungary, with one of the best and nearest being the Szechenyi thermal bath with its three pools, which offers different water temperatures, massage, and other facilities. 

Another World Heritage place for meetings and eventss is the VAM design. This three story has both open and covered spaces, along with a highly-experienced team. Delegates will enjoy the place. 

The historical parliament building can be a place for gala events. Our visit to the building was very special, and we received a complete idea about its history, as well as its meetings facilities. 

Restaurants are available anywhere you go in Budapest, even in boats, where you can have your lunch, dinner, or even hold a gala events inside the boats on the Danube River. 

For those who love chocolate and sweets, the famous Gerbeaud Confectionary can also be a place to hold your meetings. Here you can have your meeting and, at the same time, enjoy the tasty cakes and chocolates. 

One of the five-star hotels in Budapest is the InterContinental Budapest, which offers 402 beautiful guestrooms, including 18 river-view suites and 184 superior rooms with the Danube River, Royal Castel, and Chain Bridge views. Twelve meetings rooms serve 10 to 850 delegates, together with an 8,000-square-foot ballroom that creates an ideal setting for weddings and special celebrations. A 482-square-foot spa and swimming pool are there for delegates, together with a truly Hungarian cuisine. Ms. Virag Nobik, the Revenue Manager, welcomed us when we visited. 

The Palace of Arts is a modern concert hall of Budapest, and a Fipresci award-winning building. It is a popular event location that offers places and halls for meetings. 

Ms. Ildiko Dudas, the Marketing Manager of Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, showed us her hotel located in the heart of the shopping area in Budapest. Over 300 rooms, 31 suites, Presidential suites, Kempinski spa with different wellness programs, a grand ballroom, and over 10 meetings rooms are available for meetings and event venues. Food and Hungarian cuisine is offered from 8 different restaurants for you to choose from the cuisine you like. 

Another unique, unusual, and industrial place for your meetings and event venues is the Hungarian Railway Station, reaching there by a steam-hauled train. Here, you can hold your event with delicious Hungarian food and a culture program. 

There are many more very unique places for your meetings and events, such as the Baroque Royal Castel of "Sissi" in Godollo, 30 minutes from Budapest. This Royal Castel offers plenty of rooms, halls, and theaters in royal surroundings. 

But the place that attracted me the most was the Lazar Equestrian Park, where you can have your meetings and gala events, at the same time you can offer your delegates a wonderful horse show, a horse-driving competition together with several exciting programs, and a park area for hunting. 

Budapest city, with its many tourism incentives and meeting places and facilities is really making Budapest one of the most perfect cities in the world for the MICE industry. With such a wide variety of conferences and congress sights, along with festivals, food, wine, and 16 five-star and 61 four-star hotels, Budapest city is ready to offer delegates excellent service from a highly-experienced professional congress and incentive organizers.