Alfândega is Europe´s Best Congress Centre
25/11/2014
The distinction, delivered last June 19th at the Portuguese Embassy in London, is by British magazine Business Destinations (BD), published in association with American Express. The interesting aspect about these awards is that the readers are the ones who choose the winners. The magazine states that, these days, and particularly with the advent of mobile platforms and social networks, it is very easy for a customer to express his dissatisfaction, but he rarely, if ever, tells anyone how satisfied he was with a service.
In its fifth edition, the Business Destinations Travel Awards claim to offer a rare opportunity to correct this imbalance. The challenge is, "Remember your last year of travel, think of a hotel that exceeded your expectations, an airline that flew beyond its simple duty, a city you promised yourself to revisit, and share them with us by voting." Gathered BD’s readers’ votes, the four finalists in each category were found. From there, a panel of judges composed of experts in business travel and editorial staff of Business Destinations, chose the winners.
The result was a victory for Porto’s Alfândega, as Best Meetings and Conference Centre in Europe, awarded based on parameters such as range and quality of services, value for money, online presence, sustainable practices, environmental awareness, customer support and ability to make good decisions quickly.
The magazine also highlights aspects such as accessibility, with the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport just minutes away, a destination that is classified by UNESCO World Heritage Site, the hotel and gastronomic offer, cultural and historical heritage, the connection to Port wine and the coexistence of modern facilities in a historic building restored by Pritzker award winner architect Eduardo Souto de Moura.
