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Aalborg: Attractive Conference City with a Green Profile
July 23, 2020
IMAGE: VisitAalborg
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Once a rough industrial town, Aalborg has evolved into a vibrant, small city, with a great focus on sustainability and unique surroundings in which accessibility is a top priority. Here, you can easily get around by foot or by means of public green transportation connecting Aalborg from north to south and east to west.
Some cities are giant vibrant metropolises--others are small cosy villages. And then we have Aalborg, which is exactly the right size; big enough to house and handle almost any congress, meeting or conference, yet small enough to be the perfect size for getting around without a vehicle.
In the Danish city of Aalborg, living sustainably is easy, and green solutions will always be an integrated part of a visit to the city—and any conference or event held here.
IMAGE: VisitAalborg
Accessibility Is Key
Aalborg is a fantastic place for cyclists and pedestrians alike. The city has a manageable and smart layout and well-organised public green transportation, but with everything being within comfortable walking distance, there’s rarely a need for any transport beyond your own two legs or a bicycle. When moving between venue, hotel, shopping and social events, you can choose to stroll around and enjoy the city or use the many bicycle paths. As an extra bonus, Aalborg Airport is centrally situated only 10 minutes from the city centre.
Aalborg Airport has numerous daily connections from both Amsterdam and Copenhagen, making it easy for the outside world to visit Aalborg. At the same time, Aalborg Municipality is working hard to optimise the city’s public transportation, which will include driverless buses and an environmental BRT-connection (Bus Rapid Transit). There will also be a new railway line to Aalborg Airport, which means that as of December 2020, the airport train will travel directly to the backyard of AKKC (Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center)—the first and only event venue certified according to the international ISO 20121 standard.
AKKC - Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center
IMAGE: VisitAalborg
AKKC is one of the largest and most flexible venues in Scandinavia, hosting up to half a million guests and 1,000 events each year, with conference facilities that can accommodate from 10 to 2,400 participants.
“We are experiencing a great interest in the green transition among our customers and we are hosting more sustainable congresses and conferences than ever before. When turning to us, the hosts now increasingly ask for environmental solutions, whereas before, we were the ones giving green recommendations prior to a meeting or a conference. This is an extremely positive development, which highlights the fact that more organisations are now starting to take responsibility for the sustainable work,” Nicolaj Holm, CEO of AKKC, explains.
The ISO 20121 certification really put a spark to the sustainable profile of AKKC, and holding the certification entails an annual check by an independent third party, which ensures the congress centre continues to meet the high standards of management systems for sustainable events.
“We chose to become certified for several different reasons. Firstly, we wanted to make sure that the environmental considerations were included as a natural part of our daily working procedure, and secondly, it is paramount that our guests can run events in good conscience,” Nicolaj Holm continues.
Kunsten Museum of Modern Art
IMAGE: VisitAalborg
Security, ‘Hygge’ and Transformation
Aalborg has made a highly successful transformation from industrial town to attractive conference city, welcoming Danish as well as international guests. VisitAalborg Convention Bureau is the professional partner for conferences in the city: “At VisitAalborg Convention Bureau we have more than 30 years of experience within the fields of congresses, conferences and meetings, which means that we are the natural gateway to the many players in the city. Through the years, we have acquired an in-depth knowledge of the necessary elements for securing a successful and green conference, and so we see it as our most important task to give guidance to both international and Danish congresses regarding everything from venues and catering to transport, accommodation and unique social events,” explains Hanne Kristiansen, Head of Conventions at VisitAalborg.
The Radiographer Council, which is the agreement-making union for Danish radiographers and radiography students, is one of several organisations that has turned its gaze towards Aalborg to host a large congress. The Council is currently cooperating with VisitAalborg Convention Bureau to place a bid to host the ISRRT World Congress, which will welcome up to 1,200 radiographers from all over the world. According to Head of The Radiographer Council, Charlotte Graungaard Falkvard, there are several reasons why Aalborg is an attractive option as a conference destination: “I noticed and fell in love with the very unique approach to people and cooperation in Aalborg. The airport, hotels and the congress centre are all working together in making everything succeed and that is very unique. Furthermore, Aalborg is a great symbol of several Danish core values that I would like to share with our international colleagues. Security, the Danish concept of ‘hygge’ and the transformation into a modern city are all going strong in Aalborg and in addition to this, it is also an advantage that the city is manageable with everything being within walking-distance,” explains Charlotte Graungaard Falkvard.
IMAGE: VisitAalborg
Unique possibilities in Aalborg
Today, Aalborg offers a long list of hotels situated within a short walking distance from the city’s congress centre and a charming city life with cafés, shopping and a lively waterfront. The accommodation options span from small family-run hotels to large international chains, but whatever their size, they all offer not only a nice bed to sleep in, but also a chance for people to participate in the movement towards a greener city.
In addition to its many attractive hotels, Aalborg also provides opportunities to strengthen your network through a list of social activities. Meetings and conferences can be combined with unique experiences that are impossible to find anywhere else in the world. Deep in the Forest of Rold in Rebild National Park, for instance, you may experience the historic ’Rold Robbers’ who have set up their camp under the treetops. The 'robbers' offer a relaxed but unforgettable networking event with historical bite and wit.
“In Aalborg, we not only focus on the meeting or conference itself. It is important to us that our guests get the full experience when visiting the city which is why we value the networking aspect a lot. It is often small bursts of originality that spice up a professionally successful event, making the guests even more satisfied because they get the opportunity to boost their network and make strong connections with business partners and colleagues,” says Hanne Kristiansen.
VisitAalborg Convention Bureau is your professional conference partner in Aalborg, and with more than 30 years of experience, we are the natural gateway to the many of the city’s players. We provide 100 percent impartial and free advice.
Would you like us to help you with your next conference?
Please contact:
Hanne Kristiansen
Head of Conventions
Email: hk@aalborg.dk
Direct: +45 9931 7522
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