SEPTEMBER 2019 businesstravelerusa.comDESTINATIONS
F
or over a decade, Cardiff has been known as a
United Kingdom city success story, from its
revitalized waterfront to Cardiff Castle, which
was center stage hosting a banquet honoring
President Barack Obama, Prime Minister
David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela
Merkel and the other leaders of the 2014
NATO Conference.
Familiar to American audiences for its continued high
profile image as the setting for TV shows like the legend-
ary Dr. Who, Torchwood and others, Cardiff continues to
write and star in its own blockbuster.
Now, two major news stories are taking Cardiff ’s
magnetic appeal to a new level as a place for businesses
to meet and mingle. One is the September opening of
the International Convention Centre, just outside the
city, attached to the famed Celtic Manor Resort (where
NATO met in 2014).
The other is the reinvention of Cardiff Airport, recent-
ly bought from a private company by the Welsh govern-
ment for £52 million ($64 million). The inauguration
of Qatar Airlines’ flights from Doha and a collaboration
between the airline and Cardiff Airport to market Wales
as a destination have been called "transformational" by
airport and city officials.
“The introduction of a regular service between Cardiff
and Doha has opened up a world of connectivity for cus-
tomers across Wales and the southwest of England,” Deb
Barber, CEO of Cardiff Airport commented recently inthe UK edition of Business Traveller.
“Direct flights to Qatar Airways’ hub
in Doha creates onward connections
to destinations across Australia, New
Zealand, Asia and many more, all with-
out the hassle of having to drive down
the M4 to fly from London airports.
This new and exciting service has also
reaffirmed Cardiff Airport as a key gate-
way to the United Kingdom, ideal for
visitors, international students, business
travelers and expats alike.”
Cardiff has always been known as
essentially accessible from all parts of the
UK and Europe. For one thing, it's a short
two-and-a-half hour train ride from London.
It is also one of the UK's best connected links to
Europe and the world with over 50 direct flights and
1,000 world-wide connecting destinations.DOWN TO BUSINESS
The city's corporate credentials, along with its meetings
bona fides, are stellar. Cardiff is one of the most com-
petitive locations in the UK for skilled service sector
businesses, and is home to companies such as Admi-
ral. The region is also home to a flourishing advanced
manufacturing sector, linking with universities delivering
world-class research, and is a business hub for automotive
manufacturers, including Ford and Aston Martin. AstonThe city's corporate
credentials, along with
its meetings bona fides,
are stellar52