A welcoming feel and value for money make Madrid a winning choice for your event, says Michelle Mannion
What do you picture when you think of London? If you are not from there, probably the London Eye or the Houses of Parliament. What about Paris? Doubtless, the Eiffel Tower. But how about Madrid? That one’s a little trickier.
The Spanish capital’s lack of an iconic symbol in comparison with its European rivals – even Barcelona has Gaudi’s extraordinary architecture – is something of a bugbear for Alessandro Sansa, director of the Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB). When you are trying to persuade organisations across the globe to choose your city for their meeting, it helps to have a landmark recognised the world over as being unmistakably Madrid.
But what the city does have, Sansa says, is a unique spirit and atmosphere that makes it ideal for holding events. “You have the Spanish way of life and the energy of the people – the tapas and nightlife. It’s a good place to mix business and pleasure,” he says. “It also has a welcoming and open-minded feel. A century ago it had less than one million people – now it has six million [in the Greater Madrid area] and has welcomed people from all over Spain. It’s hard to find someone here with grandparents from Madrid. And if you’re in a city where you or your parents have been welcomed, you are going to be welcoming yourself.”
And what the city also offers, according to Sansa, is value for money. “That is what we’re trying to sell, especially now, when expense management is a key issue,” he says. “At the top end, you can generally get two nights in a luxury hotel for the price you would pay for one night in London or Paris.”
He also points to the city’s warm climate, and its air and transport links. More than 170 destinations worldwide are served direct from Madrid Barajas airport, which is itself well placed – it takes about 15 minutes to get into the city centre using the well-developed metro system, which costs e2. In addition, the high-speed AVE rail system, which operates from the centrally located Atocha station, offers fast, punctual connections to other Spanish cities.
For Juan Carlos Beneyto Benavides, head of the MCB’s corporate and incentives department, being situated in the heart of Spain is a big advantage. “We are strategically located in the centre of the country, so if you want to [build another city into your itinerary] it’s convenient. We do not have the sea, but in two hours 35 minutes you can reach Barcelona.” And when the AVE system is extended to Valencia at the end of the year, you will be able to reach the coastal city in one hour 45 minutes.
The bureau acts as an umbrella organisation for its almost 200 members, which include all of the four- and five-star hotels in the city, as well as destination management companies and conference organisers. “We mainly work with our members because, to become one, you have to meet certain requirements,” Beneyto says. “Being part of the MCB is like a quality standard.”
Event organisers have about 60,000 hotel beds in the city centre to choose from, and three conference centres. A fourth, the International Centre of Congresses and Conventions, will be one of Europe’s largest when finished. Its first phase of development is complete, Sansa reports, but construction has stopped for now as a result of the financial crisis. He
is hopeful that it will be finished
by 2014-2015.
When the work’s done, there is much to attract culture fans, Sansa says. “We have the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia museums all next to each other, and if you are in a conference until 5.30pm you can get into the Prado for free at 6pm.” The three institutions are referred to as the Golden Triangle of art, with the Prado focusing on classical works, the Reina Sofia looking at contemporary art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza (see panel, right) acting as a bridge between the two. There are more than 90 museums in the city centre, more than 5,000 restaurants, and 27 golf courses in the area, while within an hour’s drive are six UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the medieval city of Toledo.
Sansa sums up: “It’s a great city, it’s fun, and it makes business a pleasure. Add in the good hotel rates, infrastructure and the fast link from the airport and Madrid is the perfect place to hold your conference.”
Five incentive ideas
- Traditional tapas tours – taste local specialities in the city’s historic centre
- Photo safaris – hit the metro system in teams to find Madrid monuments
- Flamenco lessons – learn to dance Spanish style
- Historical re-enactments – step back in time as actors bring the old streets to life
- UNESCO visits – see one of the six World Heritage sites within an hour of the city: Avila, Aranjuez, Toledo, Segovia, Alcala de Henares and El Escorial