BRUGES CONVENTION CENTRE
High-quality venue tailored to Bruges
Bruges is a popular city-trip destination, which regularly appears in tourist preference lists. Each year, some 7 to 8 million visitors come to admire the medieval city centre - which has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site - and the fabulous collections of the works of the Flemish Masters in local museums. This results in more than 2 million overnight stays per annum. With the creation of the new trade fair and conference centre, the city authorities hope to encourage the organizing of more multi-day meetings and conferences during the quieter mid-week period.
Bruges is a centre for various sectors of the economy with a strong local anchoring. In addition to tourism, this
includes the port, ICT, health care and metal/mechatronics. The new conference facilities are ideally suited for the organization of medium-sized conferences for groups and associations operating in these sectors.
Here are just some of the strong points of the new trade fair and conference centre:
1. Meeting in a UNESCO world heritage city.
A recent study has shown that Bruges owes its familiarity among international meeting and conference organizers to its status as a world heritage city. The opportunity of meeting in such a city is the strongest trump card of the new centre. Several of its rooms even offer panoramic views of the historic Bruges skyline. In addition, there are 72 city centre
hotels with a capacity of 2,286 beds within easy walking distance.
2. State-of-the-art building with an international allure.
With the construction of the new trade fair and conference centre, Bruges is getting a new landmark that perfectly matches the city’s DNA. The concept demonstrates ambition allied to a deep respect for tradition. In this way, old and new combine to provide a unique conference experience.
3. The possibility to organize medium-sized conferences for up to 500 people.
In 2016, 93% of all non-corporate meetings and conferences held in European cities had fewer than 500 participants. In other words, the new conference facilities cover almost the entire market. For larger conferences it is possible to collaborate with other nearby local partners, such as the Concert Hall and the Oud Sint-Jan Conference Centre.
4. Meeting in full comfort that matches applicable international standards.
These standards ensure that every participant has a chair in the plenary hall, one of the break-out rooms and the catering area. Thanks to the perfect flow patterns for people within the building, participants can move easily from one element of their programme to the next.
5. Maximum flexibility with the ‘plug & play’ principle.
In order to respond optimally to the specific wishes of organizers, the various rooms and facilities (technical or otherwise) of the centre are available in flexible formats (plug & play). Amongst other things, this explains the decision to install retractable seating in the plenary hall. The divisibility of this space means that a number of small meetings or conferences can be held in the building at the same time.
6. Easy access for suppliers and delegates.
The building has been made as accessible as possible for suppliers and deliveries. The ingenious architecture ensures a smooth logistical flow, even when several suppliers are active simultaneously. For participants, the large city centre car park under ‘t Zand is only 50 metres away. The capacity of this car part is in the process of being further extended.
