Over 3000 European and international psychiatrists and experts will visit the capital of Poland for 4 days in April 2019, in order to exchange their knowledge and discuss the issues of mental healthcare. The EPA Congress is organised annually in different European cities and every year a number of destinations apply to host this event. In 2016, EPA took place in Madrid, Spain and the next edition will be held in Florence, Italy. Poland will be hosting this congress for the first time, in EXPO XXI Warsaw.

 

 

With active individual members in as many as 88 countries and 40 National Society/Association Members who represent more than 78,000 European psychiatrists, the European Psychiatric Association is the main association representing psychiatry in Europe. The European Congress of Psychiatry is organised by the core PCO – KENES Group. The efforts to host EPA Congress began 1,5 year ago – said Anna Górska, Business Development Director at EXPO XXI Warsaw – As much as time consuming and laborious the congress application process can be, it is still very profitable. According to the ICCA International Congress and Convention Association’s statistics, the congress attendee spends on average USD 708 a day. It is also an opportunity to promote Warsaw, Poland and the venue (EXPO XXI) internationally. The more major scientific events Poland will host, the more associations will perceive our country as a MICE destination.

Association clients are very specific, they require an excellent relationship approach as well as much patience, beacuse the results are usually long-awaited, added Anna Górska. Certainly, EPA wouldn’t choose Warsaw to host their congress without a great support from the city and Warsaw Convention Bureau. Warsaw CVB coordinated the site inspection in July 2016 and assisted to gain the complimentary venue for the gala dinner in the Palace of Culture and Science as well as free public transport tickets for the congress delegates.

The representatives of EPA and the PCO who came to Warsaw in July this year were amused by the city’s diversity and heritage, it’s professional infrastructure and safety. Greater the success of Warsaw and EXPO XXI is!