Japan’s Sapporo lifts Bronze
Without a doubt, Japan has been hot these days, and so has Sapporo. The city’s announcement of its intention to bid for another Winter Olympics came as no surprise, with the country’s popularity constantly rising. Meanwhile, the capital of Hokkaido prefecture has become an attractive destination for not only world’s travelers but also meeting organizers. Sapporo ranked 3rd in Japan (world’s strong #7), following Tokyo and Kyoto, in the 2014 ICCA rankings, almost doubling the number of association meetings hosted last year.
Why Sapporo, then? For obvious reasons actually. Plenty of top educational institutions, outstanding research facilities, extensive experience hosting various prestigious international meetings, not to forget numerous environmental advantages, have made Sapporo an expert in such fields as geophysics, biotechnology, chemistry, medicine, veterinary sciences, ethology and agriculture. Be it the General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG, 4,500 pax from 99 countries) or the International Union of Microbiological Societies Congress (IUMS, 4,800 pax from 66 countries), Sapporo has definitely been flexing its convention muscles lately.
Last year, Sapporo landed the first World Buiatrics Congress for Asia, which will be held in 2018. The win of WBC is an important occasion for Sapporo/Hokkaido to define the region as a preferable, advanced destination for ethology and veterinary sciences. This July, Sapporo will host another large congress to be held in Asia for the first time - the International Wildlife Management Congress. Oh, and there is another big one - the Asian Chemical Congress. Home to 2010 Nobel Prize Laureate for Chemistry, Dr. Akira Suzuki, Sapporo has been actively building its reputation as a front-runner in chemistry and related sciences.
Meanwhile, the city has also been flexing its meeting muscles, with various international IT and medical gatherings held in the northern capital. Well, accessibility and rates do matter. Sapporo can easily be reached directly from major capitals in Asia, while it is only an hour and half flight away from Tokyo - the world’s busiest air route in the world, with over 70 flights per day. The travel time between Sapporo airport and the city centre is only 35 minutes via rapid train. And when it comes to accommodation in the nation’s most walkable city, the prices and selections are unbeatable. Add the powder snow ski or hot spring baths right in the airport, or the brand-new unique venue - Sapporo Racecourse,with its splendid downtown view and space for up to 300 pax., and Sapporo will never disappoint you.
Now with the 2016 FIS Snowboard World Cup, 2017 Asian Winter Games and 2019 Japan Rugby World Cup secured, stay tuned for more medals to be won at the Top of Japan!
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Dima Azarov
Sapporo Convention Bureau
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