Iceland Becoming The Hottest New Destination For Conferences?

April 14, 2010 - PRLog -- Location is everything when it comes to attracting guests to conferences and Iceland plans to offer an interesting alternative on the international conference market. It's not only a spewing volcano Iceland is adding to the package, but also a brand new conference and concert center designed by the world-renowned artist Olafur Eliasson.

Iceland has become increasingly popular as a destination for conferences in the last years offering exciting experiences to conference guests including the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, hot springs and amazing waterfalls, snowmobiling on glaciers, super-jeep tours, horse riding and a variety of other activities, many of whom are unique to Iceland due to its natural wonders. At the moment, you can add helicopter tours to an active volcano eruption to the list. Despite the global travel market being in a recession Iceland saw an 0.7% increase in the year 2009 and March 2010 was 9.5% over March 2009.


HARPA - NEW CONFERENCE AND CONCERT CENTER
Olafur Eliasson, the artist behind the waterfalls in New York, the Sun in Tate Museum and the hydrogen driven BMW that was built of ice, has teamed up with Henning Larsen architects in Denmark to create an architectural masterpiece by Reykjavik harbour. Harpa, Reykjavik Conference and Concert Center is now under construction and will open its doors to guests in spring 2011. Bookings are already taking place.

Iceland has been relying increasingly on the tourist industry after the economic collapse in 2008 for its much-needed foreign currency, and is hoping for a good boost in international conferences with the new state of the art conference center. With an international airport that was chosen Europe's best in 2009 Iceland has become an exciting option on the international conference scene with good infrastructure and competitive prices.



Harpa in brief
Harpa will have very flexible facilities and the best possible technological equipment. The concert hall is the largest of the three main halls, all of which are on the second level. There are two additional meeting halls on first level, along with eight smaller meeting rooms on the first level and on the fourth level. A large entrance hall on the first and second level can house exhibitions, receptions and banquets. The building contains a first-class kitchen, a restaurant, a viewing balcony with a bar and a coffee bar on the ground floor. Harpa will be home to both the Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra and  the Icelandic Opera.



Thanks to those who dared to keep going
One of the conferences already booked is the European Orthodontic Society’s Congress 2013. Kristín Heimisdóttir, Chair of the Icelandic Orthodontic Society, addressed guests at a recent reception in Harpa. She especially praised the foresight and determination of those who battled for the completion of construction of the Harpa Concert and Conference Centre.

“Despite the economic collapse, there was great interest in holding the Congress here in Iceland, and we decided to give it a go."

“We must support activities that bring visitors and generate high earnings, while keeping demands on our sensitive environment to a minimum. For this to happen, we need good conference facilities, and I would like to take this opportunity to send greetings to those who gave their support to the struggle to build Harpa, and thank them for daring to march forward into the future.”


Official website: http://www.harpa.is
Images: http://www.harpa.is/en/about-us-/marketing-/3d-pictures-/

Further information:  
Anna R. Valdimarsdóttir,
Manager, Icelandic Convention & Incentive Bureau  
Tel: (+354) 562 6070 or (+354) 867 6196