UNEXPECTED VISIT TO LVIV It would never have entered my mind to travel to Ukraine to check out the meetings industry. However, when I received the city of Lviv’s invitation last year to attend the 17th ICCA Central European Chapter Summer Meeting I thought I might give it a try. After locating the city on a map, I was captivated in no time. Lviv, a little known city in the west of Ukraine, delighted me in many ways and for many things... Marcel A. M. Vissers reports
WHAT DOES CENTRAL EUROPE REPRESENT FOR THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY? It is not an easy task to define Central Europe. However, knowing that cities like Budapest, Vienna and Prague take a central position is a good starting point. And perhaps we should also add Kyiv. All these cities have some connection to the Emperor. Lina Ostapchuk, Director of the Lviv Convention Bureau, gave me an excellent description. Lviv, also known as Lemberg, has had many names over time, reflecting the city’s troubled history and positioning it as a landmark of Central Europe’s cultural and historical heritage.
Lina Ostapchuk: “If you have never been to Lviv before, you might feel like you are getting a glimpse into an old world, primarily because of the eclectic architecture, the narrow cobblestone walkways and music playing everywhere in the city centre. The café society, so common in Europe, is widespread in Lviv and you will likely feel at home embraced by the international culture that has been a part of this region for centuries”. I think that all participants went away with similar feelings. Lviv maybe an unknown city but it’s definitely a major asset to help move Ukraine to a prominent position on the meetings industry map.
WHAT IS SAFETY AND SECURITY IN OUR INDUSTRY? The event was attended by 60 participants from 10 countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in particular Poland, Germany, Austria and others. The central theme of the event was "Safety and Security of Our Meetings". Panelists focused on the definition of security and discussed risk management techniques. Experienced conference organisers from Germany, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine shared their views and presented case studies on how to maintain a positive image when safety issues affect tourism. The conference opened with the keynote speech "World in 2030: Global Trends & MICE" by Valeriy Pekar from Ukraine.
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