Florence Convention Bureau (FCB) celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. In the last five years, the bureau has registered an increase in the number of associate partners (currently around 165), and in doing so picked up several pivotal events and international congresses for the Renaissance city.
While it may not be an instant birthday celebration, in 2017 Florence will boast a new renovated airport, connecting the city with direct flights to and from international and worldwide destinations. This will see the city make the transition into becoming the third airport hub in Italy, thanks to its recent merging with the airport of Pisa. Located in the heart of Italy, home to a high-speed train network, visitors can connect to either Rome or Milan in one-and-a-half hours.
Listed as a UNESCO heritage site, Florence prides itself on being the cradle of Renaissance. But while the city capitalises on its past history, today it is investing in its future. Florence is a smart city; its ‘green’ transport network includes electric buses, trams and cycle tracks which makes the city easy to get around.
It is also a crucial part of Florence’s delegate offering. Cobbled streets, fantastic architecture exemplified by its beautiful terracotta-tiled dome cathedral, and of course numerous bars and restaurants showcasing one of Tuscany’s – and the country’s – famed exports, its cuisine, provide a winning backdrop for any event.
So how about large events? Firenze Fiera manages the three Florentine congress and fair venues: the Palazzo dei Congressi, Palazzo degli Affari and Fortezza da Basso located in the heart of the city’s historical centre. Florence refers to the three venues as a ‘congress citadel’ capable of accommodating MICE events from 10 to 10,000 participants. The Palazzo dei Congressi boasts a 1,000-seat auditorium connected to an area of 920sqm. Its other meeting rooms can host 50, 80 or 200 people. Palazzo degli Affari, a modern, multi-purpose building of 4,000sqm, can host a total of 1,800 people while the 16th-century, monumental Fortezza da Basso is the ideal location for large conferences with 100,000sqm, half of which sits under cover.
A new wireless Wi-Fi system covers the whole congress area with 200 access points, and delegates have the possibility to download two official apps, one created by Firenze Fiera and the other by Florence Convention Bureau. Both provide extensive information about events in Florence.
Technological progress can also be seen in its event profile this year when it hosted the 25th International World Wide Web Conference, the result of a successful bid by Florence Convention Bureau and strategic local partners in 2012.
The event, considered the most important event related to the evolution of the web, took place 18-22 May 2015 inside the Firenze Fiera Congress citadel, and discussed the diffusion of the internet’s associated technologies and their impact on society and culture. The event was attended by more than 1,500 delegates, up 20% according to one bureau spokeswoman, who stayed in Florence for almost a week.
Also this year, the 88th edition of Pitti Uomo, one of the world’s most important platforms for men’s clothing and accessory collections, brought buyers to Florence and registered a rise of 5% compared to the June 2014 edition. At time of writing the final numbers had not been verified, but the total number of buyers is expected to total around 20,000, the best result for the most recent summer editions. International buyers continue to grow at this event, up 6.5% with a total of around 8,200 buyers. Local attendees rose by 4%, again according to the bureau. Total visitors are expected to number 30,000.
The National Bishops Conference 9 – 13 November 2015 will be attended by Pope Francis, who will be guest of honour on during his visit to Florence on 10 November.
Upcoming events include the 2016 Annual Destination Wedding Planners Congress, an event won this year. This Congress is Florence’s bid to entice A-list Wedding Planners to experience the destination first-hand. Wedding tourism continues to promise high returns; 41% of the weddings take place in Tuscany and 14.9% in Florence. This event is a proven platform for high-end venues, hotels, luxury brands, travel connoisseurs, wedding service partners, artists and designers.
With these events, improved connections and many more reasons to visit besides, such as the Palazzo Vecchio with its Salone Dei 500 – one of the biggest municipal conference rooms in Italy – Florence continues to improve its offering to the global event organising community.
