We have organised group charter flights to a wide range of destinations for the automotive industry over the years, so if you’re looking to organise a project or event then it’s highly likely that we will be familiar with the location. This means we are best placed to advise on preferred airports to fly to and whether the location might be suitable from a logistical perspective.
Looking at destination trends over the past year, Spain, Portugal and France remain firm favourites with the automotive industry, however we are also seeing a trend towards up and coming locations such as Croatia and Iceland. Here we take a look at these destinations and discover what makes them so popular for automotive projects.
Spain
Spain is a popular destination with the MICE industry overall and over the years it has remained a firm favourite for automotive events, across many of the cities and regions of the country. The reliable weather and good roads are well suited for press trip photography.
Popular Spanish destinations include:
Barcelona
Popular for: all types of events, from small automotive conferences to large car launches
Venues: the city offers a great array of outstanding venues, hotel accommodation and is easily accessible from the airport. There is the popular race track "Circuit de Catalunya", located just 30 minutes from the city center that can be rented for driving experiences.
Recommended airport: Barcelona airport is located just over 7 miles from the city centre. For bigger groups it is worth to also consider the smaller Girona airport, located 58 miles away from Barcelona.
Palma de Mallorca
Popular for: car launches for dealers and press, test drives
Venues: The Circuit de Mallorca in Llucmajor is located very close to the airport and lends itself to test drives and car presentations. The control tower, located above the start/finish line, is available for use as an operations center during race events or as a VIP area with catering option.
Recommended airport: Palma de Mallorca airport is located close to the city centre (15 minutes) and can be reached easily by car and bus. Extensive bus parking facilities are available in front of the departure area.
Valencia
Popular for: incentive events
Venues: this beautiful Mediterranean city has many historical and gastronomic attractions. It offers a broad range of possibilities for automotive events and for this reason is especially popular for incentives. You can combine your business event with leisure, gastronomy, cultural and sport activities that will make your event a unique experience.
Recommended airport: Valencia airport is situated 5 miles from the city centre
Also popular: Malaga, Madrid and Seville.
Portugal
Reliable weather, short flight time and stunning scenery make Portugal a great choice for many types of automotive events.
Lisbon
Popular for: Car launches, incentive events, congresses, driving experiences
Venues: The city offers a wide range of attractions, a diverse culinary offering and numerous event locations. The Circuiteo do Estoril is located 30 km from the centre surrounded by a natural preserve.
Recommended airport: The international hub airport is located very close to the city centre (15 mins)
France
The South of France has remained popular with the industry for many years now and year after year, we see demand for this destination.
Nice
Popular for: test drives and press events
Venues: Circuit Paul Ricard is located two hours’ drive form Nice. The Cote d’Azur provides the perfect setting for driving experience, a mix of winding roads and amazing straights with enthralling views
Recommended airport: Nice airport is located 3.7 miles outside of the city. Airport Cannes can be used as an alternative airport for smaller group travel in smaller aircraft.
Croatia
Croatia is an up and coming destination with the automotive industry. With great weather from April onwards, it makes it an ideal location for press events. The cities are poorly serviced by scheduled airlines, especially in the winter, so travelling by group charter is the best way to get there.
Dubrovnik
Popular for: press events and incentives
Venues: with attractive surroundings, diverse culinary options and an array of activities, the city provides the ideal setting for incentives. The range of venues makes it ideal for groups of all sizes and there are a variety of options for accommodation
Recommended airport: the main airport is located approximately 9 miles outside the city centre.
Also popular: Zagreb and Split
Iceland
We are also seeing a trend in Iceland becoming increasingly popular with the automotive industry. Its scenic beauty makes it especially popular for press events.
Reykjavík
Popular for: press events, conferences, incentives
Venues: Reykjavík has a high-tech infrastructure, and a range of venues ideal for events and incentives. Activities such as the Blue Lagoon and whale watching are perfect for incentives and for press events, the roads are particularly scenic and popular with car manufacturers promoting 4x4 car launches
Recommended airport: Keflavik airport is located just over a mile from the city centre.
If you’re looking to organise an automotive event, get in contact with one of our Account Managers today.
