The Conference Centre attracts twice the number of international visitors to Valencia in 2009

At the lastest meeting, the Board of Directors of the Valencia Conference Centre analysed the management report for the period April to September 2009, which detailed the venue´s results.

The Valencia Conference Centre received over nine thousand visitors during this period; this was almost double the figure for the same months of 2008.  This was due to the significant (55%) increase in the number of international events that were held at the Centre. These events included the 2nd World Congress of Thoracic Imaging and Diagnosis in Chest Disease, the Fifth Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Congress, the Valencia Festival of Media 2009 and the Hay Group International Conference.

According to the Conference Centre´s Managing Director, José Salinas, “visitors to this kind of event are those who generate the most income for the city and thus make the greatest contribution to the Centre achieving its mission and objectives. In addition, statistics published by the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) show that Valencia has been the fastest growing European city in terms of event tourism over the last ten years, and that the city is currently ranked 19th in Europe and 34th in the world as a conference destination”.

ECO Project
During this period, the Valencia Conference Centre completed the development of its ECO (Ecologically Committed Organisation) concept, which forms part of its corporate strategic plan. This project is the culmination of the Conference Centre´s Global Sustainability Plan and aims to combine the holding of events with respect for the environment, making it the ideal venue for green events.

In practice, the ECO Project has involved adding extra ecological and environmentally-friendly services to those we already offer. These include the creation of virtual spaces for downloading information, a catering service which provides food from controlled sources and the use of recyclable and reusable materials in the design and holding of events. 

The Project also highlights the measures that have been taken in the building itself to turn it into a sustainable venue. One of the most visible aspects of this is the building´s photovoltaic roof  which has generated over 350,000 kWh of energy since it was started up, thereby avoiding the emission of almost 200 tonnes of CO2. The photovoltaic roof, together with other initiatives, signifies an annual saving of around one million kWh, and nearly ?250,000.

These energy-saving policies have also benefited the organisation itself; they have resulted in the VCC being the first conference centre in Spain to be awarded the UNE 216301:2007 for Energy Management Systems environmental certification. 
   
New website
As a complement to the ECO Project, the Conference Centre has redesigned its website www.palcongres-vlc.com. The site has been adapted to current digital trends, though it is based on two fundamental premises: accessibility and user segmentation.

In other words, the venue´s new website complies with all current digital accessibility regulations and can be configured differently according to whether the person viewing it is a trade visitor or a member of the general public. By registering on the site, visitors can receive information on the events that are held at the Centre.

José Salinas emphasises that the new site ´´is another step forward in the Centre´s marketing and communication strategy. In addition, this new tool is linked up to our database and this allows us to be more effective in targeting our audiences´´. 

To date the Valencia Conference Centre has received 1.2 million visitors, hosted 1,812 events and generated over ?500 million for the city, more than 16 times the amount it cost to build.