Venue
Convention Hotel
Princesa Sofía Hotel
Pl. Pío XII, 4
08028 Barcelona, Spain
http://www.princesasofia.com/
The Princesa Sofía Hotel, which already hosted BIR in 1994 and 2005, offers a large number of elegant guest rooms and a luxurious spa with hydrotherapy pools and a gym. Located on the Diagonal Avenue, in the heart of Barcelona’s financial and shopping district (Illa Diagonal Shopping Centre within 15 minutes walking distance), the hotel’s location allows easy access to city centre and airport by road and public transport.
Although BIR delegates are free to make their own accommodation arrangements, BIR has pre-booked a limited number of rooms at preferential rates. These rates only apply if delegates return their registration and hotel reservation form to the convention organiser AOPC and register online by 20 September 2012 at the latest. After this date, preferential rates at the Princesa Sofia or at the supporting hotels can no longer be guaranteed.
Do not contact the BIR Brussels Secretariat for hotel room reservations.
Conference Organiser
BIR has appointed a professional conference organiser based in Barcelona to administer the convention on site:
AOPC
Edif. Colon/ Avenida Drassanes 6
08001 Barcelona, Spain
T. +34 93 302 75 41
F. +34 93 302 20 04
congress@aopc.es
Do not contact the BIR Brussels Secretariat for hotel room reservations.
Access
The International Airport of Barcelona is located 15 km from the Princesa Sofia Hotel.
Every 30 minutes there is a direct railway service to Sants Central Station and Plaza Catalunya. There is an Airport Shuttle Bus running every 15 minutes between the airport and Barcelona city centre. A taxi to the Princesa Sofía Hotel should cost around 40€ and take 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Visa
Please always check your status with the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your country before registering to the convention.
In order to assist you with your visa, AOPC can issue a letter confirming your convention registration, but only when your payment has been received.
BIR declines any responsibility in case a participant does not obtain his/her visa in due time and as a result has to cancel his registration. Should a delegate cancel his/her registration/hotel reservation because a visa has not been granted, the delegate will be bound by the registration and hotel reservation terms and conditions. We urge delegates to subscribe to a special insurance covering their cancellation after the deadline of 5 October 2012.
Services at the Convention
Registration Desk
The convention secretariat and registration desk will be open in the foyer of the plenary meeting room and hospitality area.
Opening hours:
Sunday, 28 October 2012 14.00 to 18.00
Monday, 29 October 2012 08.30 to 18.30
Tuesday, 30 october 2012 08.30 to 17.00
Upon arrival at the registration desk, each registered delegate receives a convention bag containing his personal credentials (badge, invitation cards, tickets, etc), the final programme and a list of all registered participants.
Access to the Convention and Exhibition area
You are requested to wear your badge at all times! Access to meetings, exhibition, hospitality area, networking sessions, luncheons and social events are restricted to registered delegates and guests wearing their badge and showing the relevant invitation cards or tickets. Always carry some photo ID or a copy of your passport.
BEWARE OF BADGE FRAUD : lending a convention badge may result in the immediate exclusion from the convention and the company's expulsion from BIR membership. Random checks will be carried out throughout the convention area.
List of Participants
To help delegates identify potential customers, each registered delegate will receive upon arrival at the registration desk the official list of participants (registered before 12 October 2012) with delegate names, company names and addresses, mobile phone numbers (for delegates who have specifically requested it), the hotel where they are staying and the commodity identification codes. An additional list of late registrants will also be distributed at the convention registration desk. Be aware that, when indicating your email/mobile phone number, you are taking the risk that people will send you bulk emails/messages.
Advance on-line access : delegates from BIR Gold Member firms will be able to access a regularly updated list of participants as from 17 September 2012 on www.bir.org using their personal access details in order to organize their appointments and business meetings.
As from 17 October 2012, all BIR delegates will also have access to the list of participants.
Interpreting
Simultaneous interpretation in English, French, German and Spanish will be provided at all plenary sessions. Workshops are held in English only. Participants speaking Spanish are also entitled to speak their own language during debates.
Divisional Luncheons
Registered delegates can attend luncheons on each day of the convention (i.e. Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 October). One lunch is included in the delegate’s registration fee. Please indicate your preferred lunch day by ticking the appropriate box on the registration form. Subject to availability, additional tickets can be purchased at a price of €70 by the registered delegate for his own use or for his spouse.
Hospitality area
Complimentary coffee, tea and soft drinks will be served and a full cash-bar will be available in the hospitality area, which will be set up next to the main plenary meeting room.
"Business suite" rental
BIR is renting additional meeting rooms which any registered delegate can book for up to 2 hours for your business appointments. Prices and availability can be checked at the convention registration desk during the convention but advance booking can be made as from 8 October 2012 with the BIR Brussels secretariat. (contact Yolande Joret at bir@bir.org).
Gold Member Privileges
Delegates representing BIR Gold Member companies benefit from special discount registration fees and early access to the list of participants. They also have exclusive use of the Gold Member Lounge (open on Monday and Tuesday) with complimentary coffee/tea, secretarial facilities and Internet access.
Please consult the full details of our Gold Membership privileges here.LME and COMEX quotations will be provided during registration opening hours in the hospitality area.
Press
Registered journalists will have access to telephone and Internet facilities in a special press room. In addition, a press table will also be available in the hospitality area for the trade press to display their publications. Other commercial advertising will not permitted on the press table.
