Given its strong commitment to new technology, the Association of Spanish Congress Centre (APCE) has enhanced online marketing tools using the World Wide Web as a work platform (www.palacios-congresos-es.com).
With the implementation of these initiatives, APCE has opened up new windows of opportunity that contribute to the development of the business tourism industry in Spain, to which, in the financial year of 2010 alone, the member centres contributed by hosting more than 4 million delegates and generating revenues of EUR 1,600 million.
Visitors to the association's website are now just one click away from a full agenda listing the congresses and conventions hosted by Spanish congress centres, with direct links to the webpage of each event or a general information page.
Another of the website's new features is the integration of one of the most popular tools in the Blogosphere 2.0, or which APCE, as a benchmark for the Spanish meetings and event industry, now forms a part. The idea behind the launching of the APCE Blog is to provide a professional but closer perspective of business tourism, and to facilitate online debate or interaction with social networks and other bloggers.
Likewise, when developing the function, the association has not overlooked one of its most important targets: event planners. Thanks to a simple form, RFPs can be sent automatically to one or more centres in Spain, thus facilitating the work of intermediaries as regards requesting quotes and available dates.
In the words of Jose Salinas, president of the association: "The implementation of these new online applications widens the possibilities of interaction between users and the association, not only for the benefit of the member centres but also for that of event planners, whose job will be made easier."
