Break the Ice Forum in Bratislava: A Recap by Tour4U

Between 14 and 16 March 2024, Bratislava hosted the boutique MICE forum, Break the Ice Forum, at the Grand Hotel River Park, where the meetings industry's leading event organisers and suppliers converged for three days of networking and promoting new business opportunities. The event is known for its productive one-to-one meetings, team-building activities, networking dinners and destination exploration that brought out the best in the Slovak capital.

At the same time, participants explored Bratislava's mix of classic charm and modern vibes with strolls through picturesque historic streets and the city's iconic attractions such as Bratislava Castle or St Martin's Cathedral. And by the end, participants also had the chance to take part in post-famil trips to explore Bratislava in more depth, organised by event partners such as Tour4U, one of the leading DMCs in Slovakia. We asked František Fabián, the agency's managing partner, what the main results of this B2B event were.
 

1) The Break the Ice Forum brings together the main event organisers and suppliers from the local industry with hosted buyers to promote new business and networking opportunities. How has this benefited the city and local industry players? Are there already measurable and tangible results that demonstrate the success of this B2B event?

For years, Bratislava has been keen on attracting events of this kind to show what it can do for the MICE segments as we understand the importance of experiencing the city by high-profile clients for its success in this area. There are other similarly positioned towns that are much more successful as measured by number of events, revenues and other metrics, while Bratislava has much more to offer. Break the Ice Forum represents just that kind of event, which meets the criteria for Bratislava aspiring for a high-quality niche destination for events with high value added. We have reached highly positive feedback not only from the buyers but also from the organisers of the Break the Ice Forum. There have been two major effects of the event: there are buyers already requesting Bratislava and there is a very positive word which is spreading throughout the international MICE community.
 

2) Break the Ice Forum aspires to leave a positive and lasting impact on the destinations where the forums are held. Bratislava is no different, so the organisers and the Bratislava Tourist Board aimed to promote multiplier effects for the local community while reducing the event's carbon footprint. Tell me a bit more about these social and environmental impacts and benefits. Where did this forum focus to leave the city in a better state after its conclusion? The local community support

Break the Ice Forum has left a positive impact on the local community. Our aim is not to give, but to support and present local producers, providers and communities so that they can take care of themselves as independent, not dependent, entities, while focusing on those areas where they can improve or possess a competitive advantage. Following this philosophy, we have involved local producers and providers in the event as for example, we gave local honey to the guests as take away gifts, while informing them that Slovakia produces the best honey in the world. As for the carbon footprint, we have demonstrated that the city centre is very compact and conveniently walkable with a high-level public transportation, which the participants had the opportunity to experience and pass this information onto their clients.

3) At the end of the event, what was the organiser's general assessment and what did they highlight about Bratislava? If a post-event satisfaction survey was carried out, what was the general feedback and reaction of the hosted buyers?

As already said, the organisers have provided us with a very positive feedback saying that the event in Bratislava has ranked among the best of the events they had held. They highlighted a great support and professionalism of the local organisers and providers and surprisingly safe and accessible destination. For example they asked for a specific DJ equipment, brand and model, while we offered exactly the same and one model higher to select from. Exceeding the expectations has left a definite mark. The best feedback from the hosted buyers is when they sell the destination and when they spread their experience with their mates. The investment into the forum has been paid and we are ready to host another event of this rank to push the awareness of Bratislava brand, where it belongs.

4) In your opinion as a local event professional, what are the city's key attributes as a MICE stage in Europe? What positioning should the city adopt on the international market?

Bratislava has several attributes, which makes it extremely appealing for MICE events. It is one of the best available cities in the world using the Vienna International airport located between Bratislava and Vienna and Bratislava International airport, it is very well navigable within, very safe, affordable though not cheap, full of innovative solutions and reliable execution. Bratislava is yet quite undiscovered, which makes it a destination for people striving to visit new places. The town should be positioned as a small-medium capital town on Danube in Europe especially suitable for those who seek accessibility, reliability, friendliness, reliable execution, relaxing and comfortable atmosphere while enjoying all the benefits of high-level infrastructure and services of a capital town. I am sure Bratislava can exceed expectations in those areas and will experience a rapid growth in the MICE segment in the foreseeable future.