On 22nd August, the Fabryka Wody in Szczecin hosted the inaugural workshop for the development of the Szczecin Convention Bureau. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to establish a comprehensive operational concept for the bureau. During the workshop, Aneta Książek, Head of the Poland Convention Bureau at the Polish Tourist Organisation (POT), delivered an insightful overview of the MICE market, alongside the promotional activities conducted by the Polish Tourism Organisation within this vital sector of the tourism industry.

The event was held in an extraordinary and inspiring venue, reflecting the aquatic character of Szczecin’s offerings. Participants gathered in a spherical conference room suspended above the atrium of the Fabryka Wody, a setting that perfectly encapsulated the innovative spirit of the city. The workshop was officially opened by Deputy Directors of the Mayor’s Office of Szczecin, Ms. Agnieszka Gardocka and Mr. Adam Morawski, alongside Mr. Ireneusz Nowak, President of Żegluga Szczecińska Turystyka i Wydarzenia Sp. z o.o.

The agenda of the Szczecin Convention Bureau event included a presentation of the project’s timeline and key objectives. Dr. Krzysztof Cieślikowski, responsible for the research methodology, outlined the studies to be conducted, including an analysis of Szczecin’s perception as a business tourism destination.

A highlight of the event was the presentation by Aneta Książek of the Polish Tourist Organisation, where she emphasized the role of city convention bureaus and the significance of such organisations within Poland.

This was a unique opportunity to showcase the efforts of the Poland Convention Bureau and share our extensive experience in developing the meetings and events industry. After 25 years in this field, I am still delighted to discover new places, meet fascinating people, and support initiatives such as the Szczecin Convention Bureau. We look forward to the successful continuation of this strategy - remarked Aneta Książek, Head of Poland Convention Bureau.

Preliminary market potential data was shared by Hubert Gonera, owner of landbrand, who leads the project and facilitated the workshop. The event also featured networking sessions and a tour of the facility.

One of the most valuable outcomes of the workshop was the commitment from nearly 50 participants, all representatives of Szczecin's meetings industry, to collaborate on this project. Szczecin is demonstrating significant potential as a leading hub in Western Pomerania, poised to build a competitive presence on the national stage.

The next collaborative initiative in the Szczecin Convention Bureau project is a focus group session scheduled for 4th September in Szczecin, by which time the analytical work should be completed.

A video recap of the event is available on the Szczecin Convention Bureau’s Facebook page.

The project, commissioned by Żegluga Szczecińska Turystyka i Wydarzenia, is being executed by the tourism marketing agency, landbrand.

Source: Press Release