Located in the very heart of Europe, Austria is easy to reach for all UK and international participants and also a convenient gateway to the East. Austria is a secure country with low crime statistics. Austria as a destination for meetings goes back to 1815, when Vienna hosted the peace talks following the Napoleonic Wars ("Congress of Vienna"). According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) statistics, Vienna was still the world’s most successful conference city in 2005. Austria is defined by its rich imperial history, state-of-the-art infrastructure, high quality service and great hospitality. The Alpine scenery and the fascinating cityscapes create a charming contrast between old traditions and modern design. Its stable economic and political infrastructure evolves around a sustainable social and environmental responsibility concept which together with a well established supplier network ranks Austria among the top 10 destinations worldwide for meetings and incentives.