ACCOMMODATION

With a population of some 300,000 people in the canton and city of Geneva, it is not difficult to appreciate the problems the region experiences in accommodating the thousands of visitors that descend on it for the World TELECOM every four years (154,671 at TELECOM 95). While Geneva has undoubtedly many assets (including security, neutrality, the seat of the headquarters of the ITU), the local authorities accept that accommodation in the host city represents a problem.

We recommend visitors to contact our official travel agent, Carlson Wagonlit Travel at the following address:

You may also wish to broach the issue of private accommodation with Carlson Wagonlit Travel. This form of accommodation has the benefit of being less expensive on the one hand, while being more conveniently situated to PALEXPO, on the other.

Geneva Tourist Office: "Bourse Des Chambres"

For hotel reservations during the exhibition, and in order to cope with the large number of visitors and exhibitors in Geneva during TELECOM 99 + INTERACTIVE 99, a computer infrastructure (Deskline) will be put in place by Geneva Tourism for the duration of the exhibition.

Four hotel centres will be set up at the following points and will be functional as of  7 October 1999 :  PALEXPO Hall 0, PALEXPO Hall 7, Cornavin Train Station and Geneva Tourist Office at the rue du Mont-Blanc.

This computer service aims to find accommodation for poeple arriving in Geneva without a reservation and manages the allotments or rooms not being used (ie it re-lets those rooms which have been reserved but are not being occupied by individuals/companies).

For each reservation made by these four centres, clients will be required to pay the total amount due for the length of their stay, together with a reservation fee of Swiss Francs 20.-- .It should be stressed that the objective is not to make a profit, but to offer an additional service. Also, please note that prices are indicated in each hotel room in Geneva.

In order to garantee optimal availability and use of accommodation facilities, we would like to encourage any individuals/companies who have reserved and paid for rooms that they do not need to contact the relevant hotel or travel agent responsible for the reservation. These rooms could then be used to accommodate other attendees. After the event, the individual/companies who have released rooms will be reimbursed 50% by the relevant hotel on the condition that the hotel manages to resell those rooms through the Boruse des Chambres.

VISAS