24 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 67EMEC Reviewand French providing the largest national delegations.The best way for delegates to explore quickly is via the Hop On Hop Off Bus which takes you to Castle Hill with its Royal Palace and the Matthias Church in Buda, a district that, together with the Danube Bridges and the embankment, is a World Heritage site.Budapest is packed with architectural gems, including the art nouveau Gresham Palace on Roosevelt Square at the Pest end of the Chain Bridge. Andrássy Street connects the inner city with Heroes' Square and City Park. A walk along this broad avenue will take you past the State Opera House (available for events). The City Park and Zoo should be checked out for event potential. Let off steam, literally, in Széchenyi Baths. where you can have a face-to-face in the warm outdoor pools. There are 100 hot springs and numerous spa hotels in Budapest, a city built on thermal waters. Budapest testedIn 2011, Budapest, ranked in the top 50 of the Innovation Cities Global Index. The ranking is compiled by 2thinknow agency and rates "ability to generate product, process service and other innovation types across an urban economy". The Hungarian capital added to its pedigree here, by hosting the MPI EMEC conference with the strapline: 'Innovation re-imagined'.When Hungary held the presidency of the EU for the first six months of 2011, it attracted 250 major events, including 10 ministerial conferences. The period brought in 40,000 visitors for these events.Last autumn, Hungexpo Budapest Fair Center hosted 5,000 delegates for the European Neurological Societies' congress and the city is ranked 18th in the latest ICCA City Rankings. Budapest hosted 71 per cent of the country's 537 international conferences in 2010. Three-quarters of these were international, with Germans, British Hotel zone Budapest has 16 fi ve-star and 61 four-star hotels. The Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest is Hungary's fi rst member of Leading Hotels of the World. It has 326 rooms, numerous meeting rooms and a ballroom able to cater for 320 for banquets. It is also the fi rst hotel to offer a public, electric vehicle charging station. Famous guests at the Kempinski have included Michael Jackson and Robert De Niro. The US actor attended the opening of the hotel's Nobu Restaurant. Celebrity spotters at The InterContinental Hotel and Resort will have noticed signatures in the Presidential Suite's visitors' book from Madonna, Elton John and President Hertzog of Germany. Right on the Danube, the hotel is in the heart of the city and offers spectacular views to the Castle Hill. There is an entire fl oor dedicated to meetings and events and the seven meetings rooms have panoramic views. The largest conference room can seat 850 delegates. Marriott Budapest is also central, with panoramic views of the Danube, Margaret Island and Pest. It has 17 meeting rooms and a conference centre seating 650 delegates. Hilton Budapest West End offers, as well as the dramatic views across the Danube, a dedicated personal assistant for all meeting needs. Its largest meetings space hosts 350 guests and there are 11 breakout rooms. Sofi tel Budapest Chain Bridge also overlooks the Danube and Castle Hill. It has undergone a refurbishment and has meeting room space for 340 delegates. Novotel and the Budapest Congress and World Trade Center is the largest conference facility in Hungary and hosted MPI for its EMEC conference. This four-star hotel can seat 2,000 people and it has an additional 19 meeting rooms.sandwich packs for the homelessPREPARED BY EMEC DELEGATES IN BUDAPEST400

At our launch in 2010, we said that 'without people, a venue is just a building'. Since then, we have hosted over 450 events, welcoming an impressive list of Irish and International corporate and association conferences and meetings. Our clients, from Google to Alcatel Lucent, from TM Forum to the International Statistical Institute, have consistently praised, above all else, the warmth, calibre, flexibility and can-do attitude of our team. When you book an event at The CCD, not only will you benefit from an iconic, world-class venue in the heart of Dublin, you will also be safe in the hands of our award-winning team, whose goal is to deliver truly amazing events on every occasion. Since opening, we have won 11 industry awards, achieved ISO 9001 and 14001 accreditation, and a customer satisfaction rating of 96%. In 2012, our mission is to keep improving and innovating, to become the best conference venue in Europe. We would love to talk to you about your next event, so call us today and find out how our team can become your team. Contact our Sales Team on: +353 1 856 0000 Email: sales@theccd.ie or visit: www.theccd.ie Our Team is Your TeamCCD HospitalityCCD TechnicalCCD Events