Economic Development Forum 2024

Economic Development Forum 2024:
towards a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future

Meeting in Bilbao

23-25 October 2024

Travel responsibly! Do not forget check if your trip is feasible

by train which, as you know, is more sustainable.

How to get to Bilbao and move around

Bilbao is in a privileged location, just over an hour from France and from several medium and large Spanish cities by car. It is also well connected by sea and air. The airport is twenty minutes away from the city centre by public transport. It connects us to all major Spanish and European cities, including the main European hubs.

A 20-minute journey separates the airport from the centre of Bilbao. The following bus line covers the above-mentioned route:

AIRPORT-BILBAO A3247 Bus: runs daily from 6:00 to 24:00 every 20 minutes.

Itinerary: Bilbao-Loiu airport, Alameda Rekalde 14, Gran Vía 46, Gran Vía 74, Bilbao Intermodal (bus station).

BILBAO-AIRPORT A3247 Bus: runs daily from 5:00 to 22:00 every 20 minutes.

Itinerary: Bilbao Intermodal (bus station), Gran Via 79, Plaza Moyua (Hacienda), Alameda Rekalde 11, Bilbao-Loiu airport.

For additional information, please, keep in mind the Bizkaibus Phone Number: +34 94 612 55 55.

Bilbao city center has a walkable extension, therefore it is very easy to be explored on foot.

Venues

The Economic Development Forum 2024 will be taking place in 2 different venues which are near each other, Iberdrola Tower and Bizkaia Aretoa.

Iberdrola Tower

On Wednesday 23 October (DAY 1) we will be welcomed at the Iberdrola Tower (Euskadi Pl. 3, 48009, Bilbao), the tallest building in the Basque Country, designed by architect César Pelli.

The entire day on Wednesday will take place at this venue.

Bizkaia Aretoa

The morning of DAY 2, Thursday 24 October, and the entire DAY 3, Friday 25 October, will take place at the Bizkaia Aretoa (Abandoibarra Etorb. 3, 48009, Bilbao).

Thursday afternoon will happen in different side visits:

BBK Kuna

Home of SDGs, BBK Kuna is a space for social innovation in which different agents linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) participate in order to offer the society of Bizkaia numerous solutions to respond to the challenges of the future.

Zorrotzaurre island

The Zorrotzaurre project is the latest major urban renewal project to commence in Bilbao. It is an integral and sustainable plan that recuperates a currently derelict site to convert it into a new quarter, well-connected to the rest of the city, with affordable housing, environmentaly-friendly business areas, social and cultural installations as well as spacious green areas for people’s enjoyment. he Master Plan for the project was designed by the prestigious architect Zaha Hadid.

BAT – B Accelerator Tower

BAT B Accelerator Tower is the spearhead of a country project, which aims to put Bizkaia on the international entrepreneurship map. The support of the main Basque institutions makes BAT B Accelerator Tower a unique center in the world; capable of combining public tools at the service of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Local transportation

Tramway

For all three days of the event, Bilbao will provide access to the tramway run by Euskotren; the EDF2024 badge will allow participants to use the tramline without limitations on 23, 24 & 25 October 2024. Make sure you have your badge on when getting to the tram, people checking tickets will ask for it.

Please refer to Metro Bilbao, Euskotren or Bilbobus to check the travel options as well as the timetables.

Accommodation

Bilbao currently counts on a wide variety of accommodations available for all budgets in many strategic areas. Discover the wide range of accommodation in Bilbao here.

However, due to a change in the date of an important medical congress, the availability of rooms is much lower than usual and prices are higher.

Therefore, rooms have been blocked at some hotels in the city with a reduction in price in the accommodations listed below.

Since this blockade has a limited duration in time, it is advisable to make your reservation as soon as possible.

For each hotel and turistic apartament listed below a certain number of rooms have been blocked:

NAME	ADDRESS	PRICE Per night VAT included
ABBA EUSKALDUNA 4*	Ventosa bidea, 34 48013 Bilbao	179€
RADISSON COLLECTION 5*	Gran Vía D. Lopez de Haro, 4 48001 Bilbao	232€
BARCELÓ BILBAO NERVÓN 4*	Paseo Campo Volantín, 11 48007 Bilbao	250€
OCCIDENTAL BILBAO 4*	Avenida Zumalacarregui, 40 48006 Bilbao	250€
HESPERIA BILBAO 4*	Paseo Campo Volantín, 28 48007 Bilbao	295€
SERCOTEL COLISEO BILBAO	Alameda Urquijo, 1 48008 Bilbao	205€
IBIS BILBAO CENTRO 1*	General Concha, 28 48010 Bilbao	155€
APARTAMENTOS LIBERE BILBAO LEDESMA	Ledesma, 5 48001 Bilbao	From 131€ to 150€
APARTAMENTOS LIBERE BILBAO MUSEO	Alameda Mazarredo, 57 48009 Bilbao	From 131€ to 150€

For each hotel and touristic apartment listed below, where a certain number of rooms have been blocked, the following information is provided:

Name with link to the website.
Address
Price per night of the blocked rooms, all prices are VAT included.
Deadline on which the indicated price is valid, provided that there are still rooms available (blocked and not booked). After this date or when the number of blocked rooms is exhausted, price and availability are not guaranteed. In these cases, please contact previously with Cristina Lauzirika, (clauzirika@bilbaoekintza.bilbao.eus) and she will try to arrange, if possible, the best option with the hotel.

For any incident, doubt or query in the booking process, please do not hesitate to contact us via this e-mail:

clauzirika@bilbaoekintza.bilbao.eus

NAME	ADDRESS	DEADLINE	PRICE (VAT included - €/night)
IBIS BILBAO CENTRO 1*	General Concha, 28 48010 Bilbao	Oct. 1, 24
			*Oct.23, 24*	*Oct.24, 24*
Single room with breakfast			152,30€	156,55€
Double room with breakfast			161,80€	166,05€
HOW TO BOOK
Send an e-mail to h6141@accor.com, with the reference EDFBILBAO. Data to be sent: * Name and surname of the reservation * Type of room: single / double * Credit card as a guarantee, to be paid on arrival at the hotel. * Cancellation free of charge up to 7 days before arrival, after that 100%.

*APARTAMENTOS LIBERE BILBAO*
NAME	ADDRESS	PRICE (VAT included - €/night)	DEADLINE
LÍBERE BILBAO LEDESMA	Ledesma, 5 48001 Bilbao		Sep.15, 24
Folding bed studio	2 people	131,00€
Studio	2 people	137,00€
Studio	3 people	144,00€
Studio	4 people	150,00€
LÍBERE BILBAO MUSEO	Avda. Mazarredo 57 48009 Bilbao
Studio (double bed + sleeper sofa )	4 personas	147,00€

HOW TO BOOK
Send an e-mail to mice@liberehospitalitly.com, with the reference: EDFBILBAO Data to send: * Name and Surname of the reservation * Number of persons and type of Studio * Check in and check out dates Conditions: * Payment of one night when booking and the rest 15 days before check in. * Cancellation up to 7 days before check in (Refund of the amount paid)

NAME	ADDRESS	DEADLINE		PRICE (VAT included - €/night)
HOTEL HESPERIA BILBAO 4*	Paseo Campo Volantín, 28 48007 Bilbao	Sep.23, 24
Superior double room for single use with breakfast			295,00€
HOW TO BOOK
Link to book: Reservations.hesperia.com
* Credit card as a guarantee, to be paid on arrival at the hotel. * Free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival.

NAME	ADDRESS	DEADLINE	PRICE (VAT included - €/night)
BARCELO BILBAO NERVION 4*	Paseo Campo Volantín, 28 48007 Bilbao	Oct.1, 24
Double room for single use with breakfast			250,00€
Double room with breakfast			265,00€
HOW TO BOOK
Send an e-mail to reservas.norte@barcelo.com, with the reference EDFBILBAO-NERVIÓN Data to send: * Name and Surname of the reservation * Type of room: single / double * Credit card as a guarantee, to be paid on arrival at the hotel. * Free cancelation up to 48 hours before arrival.

NAME	ADDRESS	DEADLINE	PRICE (VAT included - €/night)
OCCIDENTAL BILBAO 4*	Avenida Zumalacarregui, 40 48006 Bilbao	Oct.1, 24
Double room for single use with breakfast			250,00€
Double room with breakfast			265,00€
COMO FORMALIZAR LA RESERVA
Send an e-mail to reservas.norte@barcelo.com, with the reference EDFBILBAO-OCCIDENAL Data to send: * Name and Surname of the reservation * Type of room: single / double * Credit card as a guarantee, to be paid on arrival at the hotel. * Free cancelation up to 48 hours before arrival.

NAME	ADDRESS	DEADLINE	PRECIO (VAT included - €/night)
ABBA EUSKALDUNA 4*	Ventosa bidea, 34 48013 Bilbao	Oct.1, -24
Double room for single use with breakfast			179,00€
Double room with breakfast			193,00€
COMO FORMALIZAR LA RESERVA
Link in: www.abbahoteles.com
Steps to follow: 1. Write the dates of your stay 2. Write on the cell named “Promocode” EDFBILBAO
* To be paid on arrival at the hotel. * Free cancelation up to 7 days before arrival, after 7 days will be charged 1 night.

NAME	ADDRESS	DEADLINE	PRICE (VAT included - €/night)
SERCOTEL COLISEO BILBAO 4*	Alameda Urquijo, 13 48008 Bilbao	Aug. 25, 24
Double room for single use with breakfast			205,00€
Double room with breakfast			220,00€
COMO FORMALIZAR LA RESERVA
Send an e-mail to jeferecepcion@hotelcoliseobilbao.com, with the reference EDFBILBAO. Data to send: * Name and Surname of the reservation Type of room: Single / Double Credit card as a guarantee. * The card provided will be charged 45 days in advance, and the booking cannot be modified or cancelled after this date.