Curitiba Set on Being Host of International Events
Curitiba is keen to be known both nationally and internationally not only for its transport system, with its bi-articulated and express buses, its immense green areas and the Christmas presentations at the historic HSBC building. The city also aspires to become part of the important expositions tour.
In eighth place among cities that hosted international events last year, according to the International Congress and Convention Association -– alongside Santos-SP, Gramado-RS, and Recife-PE — and third place among the cities that most received business tourists according to Embratur, the capital of Paraná remains firm in its attraction for big events.
For Juliana Almeida Vosnika, executive director of the
Curitiba Convention & Visitors Bureau, one of Curitiba’s main differences in relation to other capitals is value for money. “Research by the Brazilian Hotel Industry Association shows that the daily rate for a four-star hotel in Curitiba is, on average, R$ 80.00. In Sao Paulo it is R$ 230.00; in Belo Horizonte, R$ 180.00; and in Porto Alegre, R$ 150.00. As well as this, Curitiba boasts three super-modern convention centres, capable of catering for diverse types of events, a wide gastronomic range, and an air network of 150 daily flights.” The CCVB alone brought eight events to Curitiba between January and September of this year and sponsored another 51, attracting around 145 thousand tourists and generating close to $ 102.5 million. Another 19 events are booked for between now and 2011, which should bring approximately 40 thousand people and $ 27 million.
Convention centres
Curitiba’s principal convention centres are of unanimous opinion: the events market in Curitiba is firing on all cylinders, especially now in the second semester, and is fully booked until December. According to Nelson Bolduan, general director of Expotrade, in Pinhais, the venue’s booking rate for the whole year stands at 45%, a vast improvement on last year’s meagre 30%. “Without a doubt, this is the best year since Expotrade was inaugurated.” The venue, opened in 1998, sports 23 thousand square metres of floor space for expositions alone, plus convention facilities that were added in 2003.
Hosting a greater number of events, Expotrade’s turnover should increase around 40% in relation to last year. “We still need to advertise the venue better”, Bolduan admits. According to him, the ideal booking rate for a convention centre is 65%. In the opinion of Heber Garrido, Expotrade’s general manager, Curitiba’s other two event venues – Expo Unimed Curitiba, owned by the Positivo Group, and Estacao Embratel – don’t threaten Expotrade. “The venues don’t compete with each other; they were conceived with different purposes in mind. As well as this, Expotrade has the advantage of its size: we can hold events for 10 thousand people, and receive heavy machinery for expositions.” Garrido would like to see more companies offering services such as security, stand construction, receptionists, etc. to promote event tourism in Curitiba.
Inaugurated in March of this year, Expo Unimed Curitiba – with a constructed area of 8.3 thousand square metres – is also fully booked until the end of the year. According to the executive director Marcelo Franco, the venue was occupied for 23 of the 30 days in September. “In the six months that we have been open, the Expo booking rate was 70%, and that of the Positivo Theatre was 65%”, he revealed. He went on to say that they have events booked for 2009, 2010 and 2011. “The bigger the event, the earlier it is necessary to book the venue’, he explained, adding that national medical events are clinched up to three years in advance. The aim for 2009 is to increase turnover by 15% in relation to this year. “There is competition between the venues, but it is healthy competition.” Expo Unimed focuses on events for up to 2 thousand people.
Equally strong in the market, the Estacao Embratel Convention Center, with a constructed area of 25 thousand square metres divided into 3 multi-use floors, has its location – close to hotels, restaurants and shopping centres – in its favour. “Our turnover has increased 26% over last year’s, and we expect a similar increase next year”, said Rodrigo Swinka, general director of Estacao Embratel. According to him, this year’s turnover projection had already been superseded in September; and the booking projection should be met in November. For strategic reasons, Estacao Embratel does not divulge its booking rates. “We have hosted 213 events this year, and we should reach 270 by the end of the year”, Swinka concluded.
