meetings: Meetings venues
Where the world meets
Home to the Middle East edition of the World Economic Forum (WEF) since 2003, and having hosted the International Monetary Fund, Young Arab Leaders Forum, Ernst & Young Annual Partners’ Meeting and the European Desalination Society, Jordan is well versed in hosting high-profile, highsecurity meetings and events.
Its flagship meeting venue, the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center (KHBTCC), which sits proudly on the shores of the Dead Sea, is home to the WEF. Located just 45 kilometres from the capital city of Amman, KHBTCC - now managed by Hilton Worldwide - caters to large corporate launches, gala dinners and cocktail receptions, as well as exhibitions, workshops and team building activities, and has long been associated with high-profile international events.
In 2010, KHBTCC held a number of international congresses and conventions, such as the AACR Cancer Conference, the Arab Insurance Congress, a conference for the Red Cross, 2nd Arab Radiology Conference, 2nd International Transport Conference & Exhibition and several others. KHBTCC also developed the concept and launched the 1st Islamic Finance & Investment Forum for the Middle East in March 2010.
The state-of-the-art Philadelphia Hall at KHBTCC, measuring 2,120 square metres, provides a column-free space capable of accommodating up to 3,000 people. The facility also has 25 meeting halls spread over three levels, complemented by large wrap-around terraces.
KHBTCC provides all the latest audio visual and technical support, which is complemented by an experienced bilingual support staff, used to working on high profile events.
It’s not all business for the KHBTCC, as several leisure events and activities are also on the roster. Internationally renowned artists perform concerts, and fashion shows are popular during certain periods; while private functions such as wedding ceremonies and engagement dinners fill the facility towards the end of the year. Sporting events such as the FIA World Rally Championship, which takes place in April, also use KHBTCC as event headquarters.
The first stage of an extensive expansion plan, which was announced in 2008, was completed in time for the WEF gala event held in May 2009. This saw the opening of the Dead Sea Floor Terrace, increasing the seating capacity from 1,200 to 1,700 banquet style. The terrace has been expanded by approximately 1,000 square metres with an additional stage facility and changing rooms on site.
Further expansion plans are now taking shape. Hilton took over management of KHBTCC in September 2010. The hotel chain is now developing a 285-room hotel linked to the convention centre.
Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa will feature seven food and beverage outlets including three restaurants (one all-day dining and two specialty outlets) and four bars. Leisure facilities include a health club, spa, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and a kids’ club.
In keeping with the company’s Hilton Meetings product, the hotel will house two meeting rooms of 100 square metres each, a business centre and Hilton Executive Lounge.
The Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa is part of Emaar International Jordan’s Samarah Dead Sea Resort, an integrated community which, aside from the hotel and convention centre, will house 1,000 residences, retail and leisure facilities.
Zara Expo
In the heart of Amman’s business and commercial district, Zara Expo is another worldclass conference and exhibition venue. The centre is built on a hillside overlooking the city surrounded by the majority of the capital’s international hotels, about a 30-minute drive from the Queen Alia International airport.
Zara Expo Amman forms a part of one of the largest and most ambitious construction projects ever seen in Jordan. The complex consists of three major elements: Grand Hyatt Amman, offering 316 guestrooms; the Hyatt Tower, offering 44 residential suites; and Zara Centre, a three-level shopping mall home to some of the world’s most exclusive brands.
All three elements are linked through a series of bridges and paths, providing a seamless centre of business, retail and hospitality.
The Zara Expo is equipped with three state-of-the-art exhibition halls, providing almost 3,000 square metres of space. The halls can be utilised together for larger events or commissioned on an individual basis. If additional exhibition space is required, the halls are linked by a pedestrian walkway to the Grand Hyatt Amman, which offers an additional 1,800 square metres of exhibition and conference space, including the 970-square-metre Grand Ballroom, which can seat up to 1,000 guests.
Above the exhibition halls is a 303-seat auditorium, which can be used as a main conference centre, theatre, concert hall, cinema or lecture hall. The centre has its own reception area, which offers ample space for registering delegates.
There are six break-out rooms as well as an administration office for conference organisers. Each break-out room features its own individual sun terrace making it ideal for corporate hospitality as well as meetings. In addition there is a complete range of meeting rooms close to the main auditorium which can be used as press offices, VIP rooms, etc.
On-site catering is provided at the Sawani Restaurant, which is managed and operated by the Grand Hyatt, and is located above the conference auditorium. The restaurant provides visitors with Jordanian and international cuisines and can accommodate up to 120 inside and around 200 persons for outdoor dining on the Garden Terrace. In addition, there are five international restaurants located within the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
New Venues
The Landmark Amman Hotel and Conference Center offers guests a contemporary and luxurious retreat on the edge of Amman’s pulsing Abdali business district.
The hotel offers first-class conference facilities and state-of-the-art business support alongside leisure facilities and dining options.
Landmark Amman has 17 meeting and function rooms fitted with state-of-the-art audio visual and lighting systems.The hotel also offers the Royal Hall, Amman's largest column-free hall complete with separate pre-function area and backstage rooms. Rum is a banquet and conference hall dividable into two sections, while Venue is the hotel’s conference and exhibition hall, which boasts a large entrance for over-sized items such as cars. Venue has a separate entrance to the hotel.
To accommodate the increasing need for venue space as Amman continues to grow as a destination for business and trade, the development of an extensive new venue has been proposed. While plans for the Amman International Exhibition and Convention Center (AIECC) have not been confirmed, it appears evident that the exhibition and conference industry offers great potential and Jordan is well positioned in the incentive department to take a fair share of the regional pie.
While Jordan has many impressive world-class, fully-equipped venues for large corporate conferences and exhibitions, there are also a variety of innovative options for smaller groups who are congregating for meetings or team building activities. These range from eco-resorts on the many natural reserves to luxury yachts in the Red Sea to unique locations like The Royal Automobile Museum, which can hold events for up to 300 people. With choices like these, selecting the venue that best suits your event is only limited by your imagination.
