Choosing a Congress Destination: In Conversation With Zürich Convention Bureau
From your perspective, what are the key factors associations should prioritise today when selecting a destination?
Associations should look beyond traditional criteria such as venue size and accessibility. The most successful congresses are the ones where the destination aligns with the association’s mission, industry focus, and long-term objectives.
The key factors include access to relevant academic and industry communities, opportunities for legacy and impact, sustainability credentials, ease of travel, and the overall delegate experience. Ultimately, a congress should not only take place in a destination, it should benefit from being there.
How has the role of Zürich Convention Bureau evolved in recent years, particularly in supporting associations beyond the initial bid phase?
At Zürich Convention Bureau, we increasingly support associations in areas such as stakeholder engagement, local ambassador programmes, sustainability initiatives, delegate experience design, and legacy development. We also act as a connector between organisers and Zürich’s extensive network of academic institutions, industry leaders, venues, hotels, and service providers.
Our goal is not simply to help win a congress, but to contribute to its long-term success and impact. We now work much more closely with our local academic hosts, rather than focusing only on international association contacts, as many bids no longer follow a traditional tender process.
What support can associations expect from Zürich Convention Bureau across the full life cycle of a congress, from bid to on-site delivery?
Support begins at the bidding stage, where we assist with destination presentations, bid documentation, local ambassador engagement, site inspections, and letters of support. Selected congresses may be eligible for financial support if they align with Zürich’s strategic industries, demonstrate strong legacy potential, and contribute significant value to the destination.
Once a congress is confirmed, we continue to provide destination expertise, support the local organising committee in delegate recruitment and attendance growth, facilitate legacy and impact projects, advise on accommodation planning in cooperation with Kuoni Tumlare Congress, and help identify networking and social programme opportunities.
On-site, we support delegate services such as destination information desks and welcome initiatives that help attendees experience Zürich beyond the congress venue. We are also developing programmes that encourage delegates to extend their stay before or after the congress, including Zürich Card offers and selected regional experiences. Throughout, we remain an independent and neutral partner focused on helping organisers achieve their objectives.
When associations are comparing several destinations, what should they look at beyond financial support and venue availability?
Financial support is important, but it rarely determines the overall success of a congress. In our experience, congresses are not won because of funding alone. What ultimately makes the difference is a strong scientific community, engaged local ambassadors, and a destination that aligns with the association’s objectives.
Associations should evaluate the destination’s ecosystem: the strength of local scientific and industry networks, accessibility, safety, sustainability performance, accommodation quality, and the destination’s ability to create memorable experiences for delegates. Another important factor is the level of support provided by local partners and the convention bureau. A collaborative destination with strong stakeholder alignment can significantly reduce organisational complexity and increase the overall value of the event.
In a city like Zürich, what are the main accommodation-related challenges associations should be aware of when planning a congress?
Zürich is often perceived as an expensive destination. While hotel rates are not necessarily higher than in congress destinations such as London, Paris, or Amsterdam, budget planning remains an important consideration for organisers.
One advantage is Zürich’s compactness. Thanks to an excellent public transport system, delegates can stay in different parts of the destination while remaining conveniently connected to congress venues. The airport area in particular offers substantial hotel capacity and is often a cost-effective alternative to the city centre, with travel times of only a few minutes by train.
Another trend we increasingly observe is that associations no longer contract large room blocks across multiple hotels. Delegates prefer flexibility and often book accommodation independently, according to their own preferences and budgets. In many cases, organisers contract only a headquarters hotel and, where required, a hotel for VIPs or speakers.
To support this, we work closely with Kuoni Tumlare Congress, whose Accommodation Management service lets delegates book individually while giving organisers visibility and control, without requiring hotels to block large amounts of inventory far in advance. This creates greater flexibility for organisers, delegates, and hotel partners alike.
If you could describe Zürich to a congress organiser in five words, which would you use?
Choosing a Destination, and a Partner
Vanessa Reis’s answers point to a consistent theme: the destinations that win and deliver international congresses are those with the strongest ecosystem and partnerships behind them. Coordinating venues, hotels, and accommodation into one credible offering is the work Kuoni Tumlare Congress does through its Destination & Venue Partnerships service, supporting bureaus and venues across Europe.
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