In 2016, the International Orthoptic Congress (IOC) will be held in the Doelen in Rotterdam, from 28-30 June.
The decision to come to Rotterdam was announced directly after a presentation by Rotterdam Marketing and an IOA Council Representative from the Netherlands to the International Orthoptic Association (IOA) in Prague.
Over 800 orthoptists will attend the congress, yielding 1.1 million euros in revenues for the city. Rotterdam was chosen over competing city Florence.
Rotterdam Marketing, Congrex Holland, De Doelen Concert Hall and Congress Centre, the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, and the Netherlands Orthoptic Association (NVvO) worked together to bring the 2016 IOC to Rotterdam.
“Since we won the national bid in 2009, Rotterdam Marketing has taken the lead in supervising the bid,” explains Ton Wesselink, director of Rotterdam Marketing.
“Relying on the congress criteria, Rotterdam Marketing provided advice on suitable locations and sent a representative to Prague to present the bid.” The Incentive Fund was a factor in the IOA’s choice to hold its 2016 congress in Rotterdam.
Another reason for the IOA to choose Rotterdam is the fact that Europe is a leading region in the field of orthoptics. There are excellent training programmes for orthoptists in the Netherlands, and the Netherlands Orthoptic Association actively works to involve students and young professionals in its activities.
Moreover, Erasmus MC is a leading medical centre in orthoptics.
The Rotterdam Incentive Fund offers financial support to initiators of international association congresses under certain terms. Set up several years ago, the fund will be continuing its activities in the coming year.
The Incentive Fund targets the priority themes for the city: port/industry, medical and creative.
