Hyderabad, which is fast-emerging as a convention destination in the country, will have another feather in its cap from next week when the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, a world-class facility for hosting global conferences, will be formally inaugurated.

"Before the formal inauguration scheduled for next week, we already have bookings for 17 national and international conventions to be held in 2006," HICC general manager Philip Lagon told PTI in Hyderabad Wednesday.

HICC will host the celebrations of the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas between January 7-9 in which over 600 delegates from different parts of the world will participate.

Hyderabad is the best place to have the facility, with built data cost of Rs 300 crore, in view of equal distance from Dubai and Singapore/Malaysia, the friendly weather and growth value of our economic assests, Lagon said.

HICC also has a five-star hotel -- Novatel -- with about 300 rooms, which will operate as an independent business entity.

HICC's main conference hall can accommodate over 6,000 with a pre-function foray area of 6,500 sq mt. It also has an inbuilt projection screen of 18/16 ft with state of the art accoustics.

Besides, there is ample space for front office registration terminals, a back office with 16 workstations with attached kitchen, pantry and two additional rooms.

The other facilities at the convention centre are Internet cafes, ATMs, shops, five-star hotel, pool, restaurants, bars, car parking for 1,000 cars, loading docks and power back-up generation facility, among others.

HICC is a joint venture of Dubai-based MR Partners and Andhra Pradesh Infrastructre Investment Corporation.