Kyoto has been chosen to host the International Liver Cancer Association’s (ILCA) conference in 2014. The three day event, held September 5-7 2014, will take place at the Hotel Granvia Kyoto.
ILCA is the only international organisation devoted exclusively to liver cancer research for experts from all related disciplines. The Annual Conference’s programme adheres to the ILCA principle of linking research to practice, and features will include state-of-the-art sessions, plenary lectures, symposia, general sessions and scientific workshops.
Kyoto was chosen as the host city due to its appeal as a business destination in the region and because of its academic heritage. Géraldine Damar, Executive Officer at ILCA, comments: “Kyoto was a natural choice for our conference in 2014 because it offers solutions to help us achieve our dual goals of drawing on the scientific expertise of the APAC region and raising the profile of our organisation in Asia. We look forward to coming to Kyoto and experiencing all it has to offer our community.”
Kyoto Convention Bureau’s international marketing manager James Kent has welcomed the news, saying: “I am delighted that Kyoto has been chosen as the destination for ILCA 2014. I am convinced that the city is the right fit for this organisation and will contribute to one of ILCA’s goals – maximising participation – because of the inherent attraction of the city. Japan’s first dedicated terminal for low cost carriers at Kansai International Airport (opened in October) is linked directly to Hotel Granvia. These excellent transport links will mean ILCA can expect an increase in attendees from the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore the vast number of universities and hospitals in Kyoto and the surrounding Kansai region will provide the meeting with an extensive local contribution to the scientific programme.”
Yuka Murata, Manager, Overseas Marketing at Hotel Granvia Kyoto, says: “We are excited by the news as we continue to build a
global reputation as the meetings hotel of choice in Kyoto. In order to serve the ILCA 2014 the hard work starts here and we are very much looking forward to the development of the partnership.”
The event is being organised by the ILCA office based in Brussels, Belgium. Julen Bastarrika Alemañ, Conference Manager explains: “I was very impressed with the way Hotel Granvia, Kyoto presented itself during the site visit – first impressions made a big impact, and they were incredibly flexible throughout the negotiations that led to the final decision. The mock room set ups were really effective in helping conceptualise the running of ILCA 2014 in Kyoto, and we believe their input will contribute to the smooth running of the conference.”