Transforming Tampere. From an Industrial Town into Congress City

Tampere was an industrial city producing textiles, pulp and paper as well as machinery, among other things. However, in the 1980's it became clear that new forms of business are needed to replace the smoke-stack factories, which were closing down. This is when the congress business started to develop.

Congresses were seen important for increased international cooperation and new economic growth. On the other hand, musicians in Tampere had hoped for a real concert hall for fifty years. In 1981 Tampere finally decided to make plans for a concert and congress building. The ambitious aim was to build the biggest concert and congress hall in the Nordic countries. Despite hesitation due to the hard economic times at the end of the 1980's, the city luckily kept its decision to build the hall. It was opened 20 years ago and named the Tampere Hall.

Tampere has two universities, a polytechnic, a university hospital and several research institutions. Many professors and researchers are members of international scientific communities and active congress organizers. Therefore, the main focus for the congress sector is on scientific meetings and congresses. The public sector, non-profit organizations as well as companies host international meetings, too.

Tampere Convention Bureau was established in 1995 as a joint effort of the city, the educational institutions and the business sector. All major congress venues, hotels and other companies that benefit from the congress business are involved. Tampere Convention Bureau gives free and impartial consultation to anyone wishing to host an international meeting in Tampere.

The role of the Universities in Tampere has been essential in transforming the city from an industrial town into a centre of education, research and high technology.

The number of international congresses has risen to a substantial level thanks to the active international cooperation among professors and researchers, as well as the active work of congress professionals. Today, Tampere is the second largest congress city in Finland with around 50 international congresses every year. Most of them are Nordic congresses attracting participants from the Scandinavian countries, as well as other countries in the Baltic Sea Region. Some congresses bring in delegates from all over the world.