This is indisputable – there are attractive places for larger or smaller conferences in all major cities of Lithuania, but Palanga has an exceptional appeal. In it, work events give the participants the opportunity to step away from the usual environment – to leave the cities not anywhere, but to a resort by the sea.
“There are good places for conferences in all big cities, but the advantage of Palanga is its competitiveness. After the end of the summer season, the prices of accommodation and services in our city become lower than in Vilnius, Kaunas or other big cities,” emphasized Laura Taučiūtė, president of the Palanga Hotel and Restaurant Association (VRA).
Start. The conference tourism season has already started. At the end of August, WellTech – life sciences and health technology startups gathered in Palanga for an event dedicated to creating solutions for health and emotional well-being.
The calendar of various business events in Palanga is constantly filling up. Their organizers take into account the fact that not only in September, but also in October, Palanga is particularly attractive for conferences, trainings, seminars, and at the same time, the opportunity to rest after them. According to L. Taučiūtė, resort hotels are investing more and more funds in the spa sector – they offer massages, exercises, and water procedures to guests, thus creating conditions to get rid of tension and recover.
Volume is increasing. The situation of conference tourism is changing – especially large events are increasing in Palanga, and there is solid experience in organizing them. This September, for the 20th time, the “Tipping Point” conference will be held here, to which representatives from the real estate, legal sector, financial and other business companies come every year.
Annual events at this resort are organized by insurance brokers. Members of the Rotary Club will traditionally gather for the “Rotariad”, an international event, on September 6-8.
There are also events in the last month of autumn. Last November, the Global Leadership Conference was held in Palanga, and this year, an adult training week has already been planned for November.
On October 4-5, the conference “Imperfect Woman” will be held for the first time in Palanga. So far, it has traveled to various cities, and this year it became a two-day event and is likely to stay in this seaside town in the future.
For the first time in the entire history of events, the Seniors Festival will be held in Palanga from September 29 to October 4 for almost a week.
According to L. Taučiūtė, this will be one of the biggest events in Lithuania, the partners of which are Palanga City Municipality and Palanga VRA.
Everything is at hand. “In Palanga, everything is at hand – accommodation, meals, and conference halls. It is particularly attractive for the organizers, because they don’t even need to worry about transport – they can order buses to take guests, for example, from the venue to their accommodation,” said L. Taučiūtė.
According to her, the Palanga concert hall in the city center is perfectly suited for large events. If there is a need, the conference space is expanded – the premises of the adjacent Palanga Kurhaus are used.
“A big advantage of our city is a good geographical location. Everything that is needed for organizing conferences – video and audio technology, room preparation, decoration, banquets – is taken care of either by Palanga or Klaipėda companies located right here”, noted L.Taučiūtė.
Respite after work. Another advantage of Palanga is the opportunity to rest after conferences or other work events. Seaside, Birutė Park, Sculpture Park, Meilės aleja – these are the most attractive places to walk. If acceptable, conference participants can visit concerts, performances, museums taking place in the city at that time.
“Depending on their needs, they can be offered entertainment, excursions, and education. If there is a need, the swimming pool of the city of Palanga is open to guests. Conference participants can be invited to art therapy – drawing lessons or yoga exercises to take a break,” said Ingrida Valaitienė, a member of the Palanga VRA council.
According to her, the international companies participating in the conferences want to see more tourism objects of the Western region in their free time. “Within a small radius around Palanga, you can visit historical museums, monasteries, and take a boat ride along the harbor sightseeing route. Tastings of national heritage dishes and drinks tastings with a sommelier are especially attractive to them,” said I. Valaitienė.
According to her, companies that care about increasing work efficiency could send their employees to the seaside for layoffs.
How to choose? The Palanga Tourism Information Center (TIC) provides a list of hotels with conference rooms on its website. By what criteria do companies choose them?
“First of all, the size of the halls is assessed, and at the same time, it is also taken into account where in Palanga they are located. Some organizers need a place for the event in the city center, others away from it, some need a small conference hall, others need a large conference center, maybe in the countryside. Away from the city, there are hotels that have prepared a complete package of conference services.
The need for work events is increasing, and the most important thing is that Palanga has something to offer their organizers,” said Rasa Kmitienė, director of Palanga TIC.
According to her, when choosing a place for conferences, communication with the city is also of great importance, especially if foreign guests participate in them. “Every year, Palanga airport increases the number of flight destinations, which is another advantage that increases the attractiveness of Palanga for organizers of international conferences,” emphasized R. Kmitienė.
2024-08-23 09:16:28