Florence bureau gets new backing as city welcomes WorldVentures Convention

The Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau (FCVB), celebrating its 20^th anniversary, has been confirmed as the official partner for the Florence Municipality in promoting the city around the world for congresses and major events. The Major of Florence announced the partnership extension at a press conference recently in Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall and most prestigious venue of the city. Over the past five years the FCVB has increased the number of its associate partners to 170 and won a succession of pivotal events and international congresses. The FCB recently opened a new division dedicated to the international weddings market. The new agreement with the Municipality means that the bureau will be now in charge of organising the Municipality’s events. Listed as a UNESCO heritage site, Florence is the cradle of Renaissance. It is also a ’smart’ city: its “green” transport network includes electric buses, trams and cycle tracks which makes the city easy to get around. There is also an extensive municipal wireless WI-FI system. Meanwhile, Florence has landed, for a second time, the WorldVentures convention. The convention, which is forecast to bring €2.8m in revenue and €1.2m of economic impact for the city and surrounding area, will also deliver about 10,000 overnight stays. The convention takes place at the Mandela Forum, Florence’s largest sports arena, 20-22 November 2015. The Forum hosted the event also in November 2013. WorldVentures is an American travel and tourism marketing company present in 23 countries and boasts 100,000 independent representatives worldwide. Carlotta Ferrari, director of the Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau, said: “Having brought the meeting in Florence once again was a victory not only for us but most of all for the whole city. Hosting an event for 6,000 people during low season will be great stimulus to the MICE sector and to the local economy.” Co-founder and chief visionary officer of WorldVentures, Wayne Nugent, said: “We’re honoured to hold our most theatrical and engaging event, A View from the Edge, once again, in Florence.”