Into the city

If the venues were not within walking distance of the congress centre, delegates were transported by ferry boat or electric buses. Otherwise, the chance to ‘walk and talk’ - while taking in the sights of Porto - added an extra dimension to the traditional conference programme.

I opted for the Creative Edge track and enjoyed a twenty-minute stroll with my fellow creatives along the banks of the Doura, stopping to take photographs on our way. Our destination was WOW (World of Wine) – a cultural district of museums and restaurants situated around the historic wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, boasting conference halls and outdoor plazas.

The venues were chosen to enhance, or at least compliment, the content. The Impact & Sustainability Track, for example, took place at the Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal, a distinctive spiralling structure, under whose roof you will find, as well as conference and exhibition rooms, a research centre advancing marine science, climate innovation, and environmental stewardship. Meanwhile, the Leadership and Future Resilience Track was held at the prestigious Ferreira Cellars, named after the pioneering businesswoman Antónia Adelaide Ferreira who became widely celebrated for her leadership in the cultivation of port wine in the 19^th century. The Technology and Innovation Track was held at the CEiiA Innovation Centre, and so on.

Of course, there were a few grumbles about the amount of pavement-pounding involved or getting caught in the rain - ponchos were advised! – but this was an ambitious experiment in destination placement for events, and - in this delegate’s opinion - it was well worth the risk.

Sure, it's impossible to get to know a city in five days, but by the end of the congress, I felt as though I had at least a sense of Porto, and other delegates felt the same. The feeling was overwhelmingly positive. With its hilly, cobbled streets, and surprising panoramas, the city exudes a spirit and energy that is typically Iberian. It has seductive bars and restaurants and a trove of museums, galleries, theatres and architectural gems that stop you in your tracks.

So, job done on the destination marketing front.

But there were practical reasons for experimenting with the multi-venue format, too. For starters it meant hosts Porto Convention Bureau were able to give more of its members the chance to shine on the international stage. So often, one or two venues steal the limelight. Here a range of venues – from wine cellars to ports – got to showcase their meeting facilities.

More strategically, it gave Porto a blueprint of how to accommodate larger meeting groups in future.  With 1,514 delegates, from 81 countries, it was ICCA’s largest congress on European soil, and it used every available space inside Alfândega, a repurposed Custom’s House dating back to the 18^th century, which, while a quirky and perhaps more ‘authentic’ alternative to purpose-designed congress centres, had its limitations, in terms of wayfinding and people flow.

The venue also sits on a busy dual carriageway and with delegates jumping in and out of Uber’s every five minutes, the patience of local commuters, caught in the rush-hour snarl up, gets stretched. By dispersing delegates throughout the city, that problem was solved at a stroke.

The final word, then, to the bureau itself ...