Prague Convention Bureau marks 10 years

The Prague Convention Bureau celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The PCB was established April 3, 2008, to build the awareness of Prague as an ideal congress destination and, through assisting both foreign and local event organizers, support the economic development of the Czech capital.

The PCB has been involved in attracting 633 congresses, conferences and corporate events for Prague with a total of 292,570 delegates and 620,747 roommates over the last 10 years. At the average price of a hotel room in Prague, which amounted to Kč 1,990 between 2011 and 2018, the income in excess of Kč 1.2 billion.

Administrative support was provided for a total of 274 events. Since 2013, the organizers of the events have been presented through 1,538 articles with a total value of about 2,137,541 euros (more than Kč 55.5 million).

The Prague Convention Bureau continues the work of the Prague Association of Congress Tourism (PAKT). Nowadays, PCB members include 60 hotels, event organizers, congress centers, and other service providers such as carriers, AV suppliers and catering establishments.

“The congress industry is one of the major economic sectors of Prague. In Prague's gross domestic product it accounts for 1.1 percent and directly in the tourism sector it is 15 percent. We appreciate the fact that this fact is being realized by Prague, and that tourism and the congress industry have been supported for a long time,” Prague Convention Bureau director Roman Muška said.

“Since 2014, when grants for the congress industry have been issued, the City of Prague has provided financial support in excess of Kč 23 million for a total of 49 congresses and conferences on the territory of the Czech capital. Over the last 10 years, this amount has reached nearly Kč 35 million, but between 2008 to 2013 grants were awarded not only to congresses and conferences but also to other projects related to tourism support in general,” Muška added.

On its 10th anniversary, the Prague Convention Bureau has launched a campaign called PCBturns10, which will present milestones not only in the congress industry in Prague, but also important events related to the capital and the Czech Republic.

The organization has also set up various networking opportunities and events in the framework of celebrations for people to meet with representatives of the Prague Convention Bureau:

IMEX Frankfurt (May 15–17, 2018)
Association evening at the Prague House in Brussels (June 26, 2018)
IMEX America Trade Fair (Oct. 16–18, 2018)
IBTM Barcelona Trade Fair (Nov. 27–29, 2018)

The organization has long-term and active cooperation with key stakeholders in meetings and tourism, such as the Capital City of Prague, the Ministry of Regional Development, the CzechTourism agency and Prague City Tourism.

Thanks to this collaboration, the PCB can offer assistance and advice to local and foreign event organizers and provide administrative support, including processing requests for free urban public transport, handling grant applications and providing support documentation. The PCB, through its Ambassador Program, also serves as a base for local congress ambassadors, professors, scientists, doctors and other professionals who act as guarantors for events that come to Prague.