LUGANO – CAPITAL OF THE SOUTH OF SWITZERLAND
More than 150,000 inhabitants for Switzerland’s second largest city
A financial capital of global prestige: this is what comes to mind when thinking of Lugano, a pulsating center of international business that has managed to keep intact the welcome and elegance of a vibrant city on a human scale. Its strategic location in the heart of the continent, as a bridge between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, has always made it a first-rate economic and commercial center. And that is still true today: the city constitutes the third-largest financial center in the federal government and is host to more than 6,500 credit institutions and financial and trust companies.
With more than 150,000 residents, the Lugano district represents the fourth largest urban area in Switzerland after Zurich, Geneva and Basel, and is home to most of the more than 300,000 cross-border workers who work in Switzerland on a daily basis.
Not only that, Lugano is also the economic heart of Canton Ticino and the Insubric area, which includes the richest and most important provinces in northern Italy, representing an extraordinarily prolific catchment area.
Easily connected to international stopovers thanks to the international airports of Lugano Agno, Milan Malpensa, Milan Orio al Serio and Milan Linate, equipped with luxurious hotels and well-equipped facilities for trade fairs and congresses, Lugano is certainly the ideal city for professional meetings, as well as for pleasant stays to devote to leisure and relaxation. The LAC cultural center, numerous museums, art galleries, and musical events of international scope make Lugano a city of extraordinary cultural vivacity, which is why it is increasingly proposed as a privileged destination for business and congress tourism as well, and a venue for trade fair events.
Lugano is a strongly forward-looking city, home to a prestigious university and continually redeveloped by major projects in which famous architects from Ticino who have represented modern architecture in the world in recent years participate.
In recent years, the city of Lugano has initiated a series of diplomatic relations and negotiations with with a view to future collaboration in the fields of culture, trade, and relations. This openness to the world fits very well with the philosophy of our event, to bring the best of the world’s tourism offerings to Lugano.
For all these reasons, Lugano is certainly the best setting to host the Swiss International Holiday Exhibition.
CENTRO ESPOSIZIONI DI LUGANO
The Lugano Exhibition Center has been the institutional home of the Swiss International Holiday Fair for 20 years. With its 12,000 square meters, divided into 7 pavilions, it represents the largest exhibition space in Italian-speaking Switzerland. It is strategically located within walking distance of the city center, the University and the Congress Palace.
Given its extreme proximity to the historic city center of Lugano, all accommodations are easily accessible, as are connections to the airport, train station and highway.