More than 65 meetings industry professionals from 23 countries attended the 21st EFCT Summer School from 25 to 29 August in Tallinn, Estonia.

This is the first Summer School organized by the new European Cities Marketing, association that brings together the former European Federation of Conference Towns (EFCT) and European Cities Tourism (ECT).

The intensive 3-day seminar, which has become one of the pivotal events in the global industry’s educational calendar, offers every year a combination of plenary sessions, hands-on demonstrations and site inspections.

Aimed at recently-appointed managers, market researchers, meeting planners, PCOs and executives, the main purpose of the Summer School is to train professionals with the latest marketing tools and help them develop the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in conference, meeting and event management.

The programme also allows well-structured time for networking with colleagues from vastly varied cultures, careers and backgrounds.

The Summer School’s faculty was composed this year of 15 renowned speakers from many professional backgrounds and countries, representing a broad span of the meetings industry sector.

Among the seminar’s activities, the case study “The Tallinn Experience” gave the students the chance to visit different venues in Tallinn to assess the possibilities of organising an event during, which included a tour of the city.

The social programme was full of surprises, with meals in traditional Estonian restaurants, a visit to the Town Hall for greetings from the Deputy Mayor and a gala dinner at a very original venue – the House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads.

Located on Estonia’s northern coast, Tallinn is today considered a city of culture both on the local and international arena, and as the economic hub of a new Northern Europe.

This year’s Summer School received the kind support of Tallinn City Tourist Office and Convention Bureau, the Estonian Tourist Board, Estonian Air, Congress Rental Estonia, IMEX, BTC and EIBTM.

The event took place at the Reval Hotel Olümpia, at the heart of Tallinn’s business centre.