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| Riva del Garda to extend its conference facilities |
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The charming town located on the northern tip of Lake Garda is a lively conference destination, set to grow in importance in the next few years, with a trade fair district and a conference centre boasting a packed calendar of events. It has top-quality hotels, open all year round, is set in a natural landscape made for outdoor activities, and is within easy reach of Verona airport.
Riva del Garda is a beautiful resort, nestling between the mountains and Lake Garda, a favourite tourist destination thanks to its extraordinarily mild climate and wealth of opportunities in terms of leisure and sport. The town has even more to offer, however, as it is also home to a very active trade fair district with 32,000 sqm of exhibition space, boasting some important events including international shoe fair the Expo Riva Schuh, and to the Riva del Garda Fierecongressi Conference Centre, where association conferences and corporate conventions are held all year round. The project to expand the trade fair district over the next few years is confirmation of its strategic importance: the entire complex will be upgraded, with the addition of a multipurpose space with a capacity of 2,500 to be used both as an exhibition pavilion and a venue for sports and music events. Other plans include a new 12,000 sqm conference centre, just outside the downtown area and overlooking the lake, which will have a plenary hall with a capacity of 1,200.
“Riva del Garda has three strengths” says Serena Longhi, head of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi Conference Centre. “First, it is truly on a human scale, with everything within walking distance. Then, it is set in an enchanting natural environment, which provides an excellent backdrop for a wide range of outdoor and team building activities, including sports. Finally, although it is a tourist resort, it is perfectly equipped for meetings: most of its hotels, for example, stay open even in the winter to meet market demand”.
Riva del Garda has more than 1,800 beds in 3- and 4-star hotels, many with spas and well-equipped meeting rooms. These notably include the Du Lac et Du Parc Grand Resort, a 4- and 5-star complex with a large park, a private beach, a spa and various types of accommodation: rooms in the main building, bungalows in the park, studio apartments in the Villa and the Murialdo Suites in the adjacent modern structure. Then, there is the 4-star Astoria Park Hotel, which manages the adjoining but independent Astoria Conference Centre, with its modern design in glass and steel. The Feeling Hotel Luise, located in the town centre, very close to the Riva del Garda Fierecongressi Conference Centre, is also worth a mention: all its spaces (including the garden) are equipped with wireless technology. |
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 Outdoor activities
An event programme in Riva del Garda can be supplemented by a wide range of sports activities, such as sailing and windsurfing, mountain biking, hiking, nordic walking, free climbing and canyoning.
The main DMC active in the region is Rivatour, the Riva del Garda Fierecongressi agency that specialises in the inbound conference and trade fair sectors. “The most popular activities with corporate groups include canyoning, that is travelling down rivers and waterfalls on foot”, says head of the agency Graziella Zucchelli. “This is an enthralling pursuit that does not require any particular training, and is perfect for strengthening team spirit. Mountain bike excursions have also proved a hit, and take participants along routes reaching up to 200 metres, presenting them with a beautiful view of the lake from above”. Staying with the sports theme, a few kilometres from the centre of Riva del Garda lies the 46° Parallelo Golf Club (www.46pgc.it), which offers individual and group lessons.
Riva del Garda also provides a wealth of cultural and gastronomic activities. “We organise tastings of the region’s wines at local wineries, and in the rooms of historic residences”, Zucchelli continues. “In the Val Sarca and Vallagarina areas in particular, there are magnificent castles available, capable of hosting gala dinners for 300 guests. Finally, Riva del Garda is not far from Trento, the hometown of Mart (the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which has a packed calendar of exhibitions throughout the year), or Verona, one of Italy’s most famous cities of art”.
June 2009 |
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