Excerpt
Table of content
1. Introduction
2. General description
2.1. Marketability and competitors
2.2. Target Groups
2.3. Events portfolio
3. Description of the room layout
4. SWOT Analysis
4.1. Strengths and weaknesses
4.2. Management challenges
5. Solutions
6. Sources
1. Introduction
The following text deals about the event venue “Schloss Schönbrunn“, located in Vienna, Austria. The principal focus of the paper is the “Tagungszentrum”, the conference centre, of the building.
At first the paper describes the event venue itself. It will show a general description of the company and the building, where the conference centre positions itself on the market and to other competitors, its marketability, target groups and the current event portfolio. Afterwards the room layout and the facilities will be discussed.
Furthermore a SWOT-Analyses will demonstrate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the venue. Due to these findings the challenges of the Management will be discussed. The following aim is to find solutions for the difficulties.
2. General description
The History of the Schönbrunn castle leads back into the 14th century. The today known castle was built in Rokoko style and was finalised in the 18th century (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014d).
The castle is listed as a UNESCO World heritage site since 1996 (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014b, p.7).
The conference centre is located at the “Apothekertrakt”, the pharmacist wing, on the east side of the castle and opened in 2008 (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2009a, p.3).
Formerly the wing had the function to ensure the accommodation and the supply for the royal household. From the beginning of the 20th century until 1976 a pharmacy was located in the wing (cf. www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014c).
The Schloss Schönbrunn is owned by the Republic of Austria. The Ministry of Economics is responsible for the successful leading of the castle and its facilities (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014e).
The conference centre is operated by the “Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.” which was founded in 1992. Its aim is to run the company in the best possible way, to take care of the castle and its historic substance and to generate enough financial resources to renovate and preserve the building (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014e).
The castle provides eight conference and event rooms on 2700m². The rooms have a size of 870 m² in total. They are different in their equipment and architecture and offer diverse layouts for different uses (cf. www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014a, p.2).
In addition to the conference centre the Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H also runs the three exhibitions “Kaiserappartments”, the “Silberkammer” and the “Sisi Museum”, as well as the “Hofmobiliendepot” and the furniture museum Vienna in the 7th district (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014e).
Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten
Fig.2: Overview Schloss Schönbrunn floor plan (www.schoenbrunn.at 2014b)
2.1. Marketability and competitors
The main competitor of the Schloss Schönbrunn is “Palais Events” in Vienna. The company operates the Palais Ferstel, the Börsensäle Wien and the Palais Daun-Kinsky and hosts about 400 events and conferences per year. The event venues are also located in Vienna, but in the inner city. Parking facilities are more complicated and the venues are much smaller than the Schloss Schönbrunn. In total the three venues dispose an exhibition area of 2500 m², separated on three different locations but within walking distance (cf. www.palaisevents.at 2014).
Summed up, the Palais Events is also a possibility for event organisers, who are looking for a historic venue in Vienna. It also has the advantage of the combined sales department for all three locations.
Furthermore there are different museums in Vienna, e.g. the Museum of Historic Art or the Albertina, and other historic event locations, for example the Hofburg, the Börsensäle or other Palais in Vienna. They are all offering a unique atmosphere in a historic surrounding in the inner city or greater Vienna.
The two castles “Schloss Hof” and “Niederweidern” close to Vienna are also part of the company “Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H”. Therefore they are no competitors, much more do they complete the product portfolio of the company.
2.2. Target Groups
The Schloss Schönbrunn presents its event facilities to all kinds of target groups: corporate events, such as presentations of new innovations or products, birthday parties, weddings or other private events (cf. www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014a, p.2).
For weddings usually the “Weißgoldzimmer” is provided, located outside the conference centre in the former private rooms of the imperial family. It also cooperates usually with an outside event company, specialised on weddings (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014c).
Weddings with more than 150 people can be held in the conference centre (cf. www.schoenbrunn- tagungszentrum.at 2014d, p.1).
2.3. Events portfolio
The portfolio is very wide-ranged: as already mentioned the rooms are suitable for all kinds of events, especially weddings, corporate events such as presentations and incentives, as well as congresses.
For example a big number of congresses and medical symposiums are taking place in the conference centre. The Vienna Convention Bureau (VCB) advertised about 31 symposiums and congresses for 2014 on their website with up to 3000 participants per event (cf. Vienna Convention Bureau 2014).
3. Description of the room layout
In total the conference centre offers 8 conference rooms.
The rooms have a size from a minimum of 63m² for 30 persons (room 1a) to a maximum of 262m² (room 1) for 200 persons (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014b, p.25).
Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten
Fig. 3.: Room Overview Conference Centre Schloss Schönbrunn (www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014a , p.8)
All rooms are equipped with modern presentation technique and W-LAN. An innovative ventilation system is also provided. Furthermore all rooms are barrier-free (cf. www.schoenbrunn- tagungszentrum.at 2014a, p.2).
For a unique atmosphere a special concept based on Feng Shui stimulates all five senses. Variable light and colour effects are also available (cf. www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014a, p.2).
Currently three new multifunctional rooms are built to the conference centre, which will be finished in the middle of 2014 (cf. www.schoenbrunn.at 2014f).
As shown in figure 3, a circulation between the conference rooms for guests and catering is unproblematic. All rooms are linked through a corridor and break rooms. Different events which uses more rooms are also possible at the same time. Besides all rooms are, as already mentioned, barrier- free.
The guests can choose from three different inhouse catering companies. If they want to book their own caterer, it is possible to pay for the usage of the catering kitchen, which is also located directly in the conference centre (cf. www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014b).
The access to the catering area is at ground level, so catering companies don’t have problems to deliver their equipment. The area has about 50m² and an electric sliding door for an easy access to the conference area (cf. www.schoenbrunn-tagungszentrum.at 2014a, p.2).
[...]