The Travel Network Group’s 2019 conference – expected to be its biggest ever – will take place in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.
Chief executive Gary Lewis made the announcement ahead of its Business Partner Forum event for 150 members and business partners at London’s Park Plaza Victoria on Thursday morning.
The three-day conference will take place from March 21 to March 24 2019 at the Intercontinental Hotel in the heart of the city. The group hopes that around 500 delegates will attend.
Lewis said: “Budapest will allow us to raise the bar again in terms of delighting our members as it offers us all we need to deliver another amazing conference. From the five star hotels we are using through to our plans for delegates to sample the delights of Budapest, it has all the promise of being our best-ever conference.”
Mr Lewis explained that its conference has criteria including a two-hour flight time; quick airport transfers from; ‘high quality hotels’ and a destination that many of its members may not have visited before.
“Budapest offers us so much in terms of giving delegates a chance to experience what the city has to offer,” he said. “We are planning to make sure that over the course of the few days we are together members will have a chance to experience the delights of Budapest and its authenticity. It really is an amazing and vibrant city and one we think will provide the perfect backdrop for our conference.”
Conference accommodation will be at the Intercontinental and the nearby Sofitel, which both sit within UNESCO world heritage sites on banks of the Danube.
“One of the main reasons that our conferences are so successful is that they offer members and business partners great value for money,” said Lewis. “This year will be no exception. For this coming conference, the Hungarian Tourist Board has kindly offered sponsorship support that will help us ensure that the delegate rates remain cost effective.”
Update, September 13: The Travel Network Group has announced that AMA Waterways will be hosting the first night of its Budapest conference, on board a ship on the river Danube which runs through the city.
The first 250 members to register for the conference will get a place on the sailing.
Gary Lewis made the announcement at a TTNG business partner forum in Manchester this morning.