Meet in Reykjavik

November Newsletter

Iceland has had an outstanding year for hosting international events and business meetings, despite the global pandemic restricting travel and in person meetings. Behind the smooth running of the country's burgeoning MICE market is Meet in Reykjavik, which aims to promote Reykjavík City and surroundings as a conference city and incentive destination of international standard.

LATEST NEWS

NEW HOTEL: Reykjavik EDITION Hotel to open this November

The Reykjavik EDITION Hotel will be the latest hotel to open its doors in Iceland's capital city, available for stays from 9th November. The hotel is part of EDITION Hotels, a luxury lifestyle hotel brand created by hotel maverick Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott International.   

 The five-star Reykjavik EDITION is located in the historical, scenic heart of downtown Reykjavik by Old Harbour port, close to Laugavegur Street, the main shopping street and the city's iconic Harpa Concert and Conference Centre. Easily accessible, the hotel is a 45-minute car ride from the Keflavik airport. It is also a perfect spot from which to explore Iceland's volcanic landscapes, renowned Blue Lagoon and for evening trips to search for the northern lights. 

For the MICE market, the hotel has over 502 sqm of private meeting and events spaces, that can be adapted to host anything from intimate meetings and conferences to lavish gala dinners. Each venue is supported by cutting-edge audiovisual technology and the catering menus have been designed by local chef of Reykjavik's Tides Restaurant, Bjarni Kristinsson. The Reykjavik EDITION's bedrooms and suites offer spectacular views of the harbour, Mt. Esja and the Snaefellsjokull Glacier. 

NEW INCENTIVE: Iceland's newest volcano available to business travellers – last chance to see it!

Iceland is one of the world's most volcanic countries and now visitors have the chance to witness the country's newest volcano, Fagradalsfjall, an ideal incentive to add on to a trip.  The volcanic activity is now simmering down with scientists expected to declare the eruption over soon, so travellers should take the chance to see the lava field whilst they can.

Troll Expeditions has launched a guided trip that involves a two hour hike up to the Geldingadalur Valley to experience the old lava fields, before moving on to the site of the volcano.  No better place to enjoy the Icelandic chocolate, hraun, which translates as… 'lava'! The trip costs from £61 per person.  

CASE STUDIES AVAILABLE OF RECENT EVENTS

Reykjavik hosted one of the most prestigious e-sports events of the year 

In May and October this year, Iceland played host to the League of Legends 2021 World Championship, one of the most prestigious e-sports events of the year, having won against 15 cities in an intensive bidding process. 

In May 2021, Reykjavík successfully hosted the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) at the Laugardalshöll indoor sporting arena, without a live audience (due to COVID restrictions). The 2021 MSI was the most successful MSI to-date.

This is the second major League of Legends e-sport tournament in Reykjavík's Laugardalshöll in 2021. Riot Games hosted the LoL Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) in May 2021. In a statement, Riot Games explained that the Reykjavík MSI event "...was the most successful MSI to-date," with record-breaking peak viewership of 23.7 million and unparalleled average minute audiences. The decision to host the event in Reykjavik again is due to reportedly there being zero COVID-19 cases among players, staff, and partners in May.

The World Championships kicked off on 5th October 2021 with The Play Ins, followed by various knock-out stages of the tournament taking place throughout October and culminating with the finals set to take place on 6th November 2021.  Approximately 700 players and production crew have stayed in Iceland for the past few weeks, and several domestic companies have been working on this significant event.

Reykjavik hosts the World Geothermal Congress

The World Geothermal Congress has just been in held in Reykjavik at its iconic Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre.  Being a leader in powering a country using geothermal energy, there was no better host for the World Geothermal Congress. A truly global event; 2,000 people from 97 participating countries took part with 50 companies attending with approximately 1,100 delegates on-site for the event.

Arctic Circle Assembly 2021

The conference was held on October 14-17, 2021, at Harpa Conference Center and Concert Hall in Reykjavík.

The annual Arctic Circle Assembly is the largest annual international gathering on Arctic issues. This year it was attended by more than 1,400 participants from 60 countries, including heads of states and governments, ministers, members of parliaments, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, indigenous representatives, environmentalists, students, activists, and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the future of the Arctic.

COMING UP:

Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders

On November 9-10, 2021, Women Political Leaders (WPL), the Government of Iceland, and the Icelandic Parliament will co-host the fourth annual Reykjavík Global Forum in Harpa Conference Center.

The Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders is not just a conference – not just a single moment on the calendar. It is both a convening and a community. And at a time when equal representation and equal rights have never been more important, more in focus, or more at risk, this is a critical moment to come together.

Global Goals World Cup (GGWCUP)

The annual Global Goals World Cup Finals will be held 8-10 November 2021 in Iceland, where each team will represent one of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The goal of the GGWCUP is to amplify the importance of closing the PLAY GAP, advancing gender equality, and the UN Global Goals. GGWCUP is one of the 100+ Global Goals Week partners making the UNGA week a powerful week of action, awareness, and accountability for the UN Global Goals (SDGs). Since 2016, the annual GGWCUP has been a part of Global Goals Week. This year Meet in Reykjavik is proud to host the event in Iceland. It is a great privilege to be hosting the GGWCUP during the Reykjavík Global Forum - Women Leaders 2021.

ACCOLADES:

Reykjavík ranks 5th on GDS-Index 2021

The Global Destination Sustainability Movement revealed its GDS-Index for 2021. Reykjavík is in 5th place with a score of 80.32 out of 100. Reykjavík has been on the Index since its launch in 2016 and has maintained a top 10 ranking ever since.

"Although we are delighted with our score this year and are among the top five destinations on the Index, we are working to do even better. We have already identified what we need to do and changes to implement to reach the Index's top. We are already collaborating with our partners and stakeholders in the business events industry towards that goal," says Hildur Björg Bæringsdóttir, sustainability manager at Meet in Reykjavík - Iceland Convention Bureau.

The GDS-Index is a performance improvement program to make the business and leisure tourism industry more sustainable. A collaborative effort supports destination management organizations and convention bureau to adopt, promote, and recognize responsible and regenerative practices.

The Index evaluates four key areas vital to sustainability performance: the city's environmental strategy and infrastructure, the city's social sustainability performance, industry supplier support, and the destination management organization's strategy and initiatives.

AND FINALLY…Did you know?

Iceland has over 45 natural hot springs and more than 200 swimming pools for its small population of only 350,000 people. A not to be missed iconic Icelandic experience for any business traveller is a dip in an outdoor geothermally heated pool, available in any weather at any time of day. Perfect after a day of meetings for some mindless relaxation. The luckiest of visitors might spot the northern lights when having a nighttime dip!

For more information about meetings and business travel to Reykjavik visit meetinreykjavik.is

-Ends-

For further information on Meet in Reykjavik please contact one of the team at Finn Partners on meetinreykjavik@finnpartners.com

About Meet in Reykjavik
Meet in Reykjavík is the official Convention Bureau for Iceland and Reykjavík City. The bureau's mission is to help business event planners create an unforgettable event in a one-of-a-kind destination. Cooperating closely with an extensive network of professional partners, the team offers all the support needed to ensure a successful event. As a non-profit organization, all services are complimentary.

Meet in Reykjavík is a part of Business Iceland, a public-private partnership established to lead the promotion and marketing of Iceland in foreign markets and stimulate economic growth through increased export. 

For more information: https://meetinreykjavik.is/