From 16th to 18th December an interactive MICE event for European buyers will kick off in Milano – Italy at Hand, organised by Convention Bureau Italia and Enit; 3 days,100% onsite, featuring a tight B2B appointment agenda between 35 Italian MICE suppliers and 45 top qualified European buyers, integrated with formative and fun activities.

The Starhotels Rosa Grand Milano – Starhotels Collezione will host Italy at Hand’s opening night on Thursday 16th. The hotel is placed just beside Milano’s Duomo, in the heart of the capital of fashion and design: according to Convention Bureau Italia, the perfect choice to give buyers a first, unforgettable first impression of the city.

The B2B meetings on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th will be hosted by Palazzo Serbelloni, a historical palace in which halls and corridors used to stroll giants of our past such as Napoleon Bonaparte and Mozart. It is one of Milan’s monumental historic buildings and one of the finest examples of Neoclassical architecture, furnished with more than two centuries’ worth of art and antiques.

Villa Necchi Campiglio, which will host the Gala Dinner, was used as an actual set for the upcoming “House of Gucci” movie. The Italy at Hand’s Gala Dinner on December 17th will take place in its stunning ‘Glass Room’, combining classic elegance with a sophisticated modern design. According to Convention Bureau Italia, Villa Necchi Campiglio is a jewel hidden in plain sight in the heart of an elegant and quiet district in the center of Milan. It was designed in the early 1930s by the architect Piero Portaluppi on behalf of the sisters Nedda and Gigina Necchi and Angelo Campiglio from a Lombard industrial bourgeoisie.

According to Convention Bureau Italia, there are still few slots available to apply as a hosted buyer for the event. This year the Hosted Buyer programme will exclusively be available to European Buyers. Beyond giving admission to the full event, Convention Bureau Italia will grant them travel, hospitality, and accommodation to the event.

It has been a while since an international B2B event was held onsite, but the overwhelming response from the Italian suppliers (whose registrations went “sold out” just two weeks after announcing them) is a strong statement about Italy being ready (and safe) to welcome back again MICE operators from all over the world.