The 41st Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will be held at the Institución Ferial de Madrid (IFEMA) in Madrid, Spain, Saturday to Tuesday, 3-6 May 2008.

ADB will establish offices at IFEMA during the Annual Meeting. The offices and other Meeting services will be open from Saturday to Tuesday, 3-6 May. Room and telephone numbers will be in the Meeting Handbook and Directory, which will be provided in your registration envelope.

The opening session will take place on the morning of Monday, 5 May. Business sessions will be held that afternoon, and the whole day, Tuesday, 6 May. Seminars and member country presentations will be held from Saturday to Tuesday, 3-6 May. The Meeting will close at about 5:00 pm, Tuesday, 6 May.

Mr. Shyam Bajpai
The Secretary of ADB (member and observer delegates)
E-mail: annualmeeting@adb.org

Ms. Anna Josefina Esteban
Guest Liaison Officer (guests)
E-mail: amguests@adb.org

Ms. Omana Nair
Head, Media and Communication Unit (media)
E-mail: ammedia@adb.org

Mr. Bart W. Édes
Head, Nongovernment Organization (NGO) and Civil Society Center
(NGOs and civil society organizations)
E-mail: ngocoordinator@adb.org

Asian Development Bank
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +632 632 5999 (Annual Meeting Coordination Office)
+632 632 4444 (Trunk line)
Fax: +632 636 2483 (Annual Meeting Coordination Office)

Any communications after Monday, 21 April 2008, should be faxed to:

The Secretariat (Attention: Ms. Jill Drilon, Annual Meeting Coordinator)
Asian Development Bank
c/o Institución Ferial de Madrid - IFEMA
Telephone: +34 91 349 62 95

Restricted official social events will require invitations, which will be available at registration. Registered participants do not need invitations to events that are open to all participants.

Hotel rooms may be booked online from 15 January 2008, through the registration page on this website or by contacting the travel agency:

Viajes Iberia Congresos (VIC)
Address: C/ San Bernardo, 20 - 6º. 28015 Madrid
Telephone: +34 - 91.531.94.49
Fax: +34 - 91.296.37.32
Email: congresos.mad@viajesiberia.com
URL: http://www.viajesiberiacongresos.net/41ADB

A cancellation charge will be paid if a cancellation is made within a certain period of time prior to the arrival date, and a no-show will be charged. Details will be provided on the hotel accommodation page of the Viajes Iberia Congresos website (see above).

Requests for changes to participants' arrival or departure dates, or cancellations of reservations should be sent to Viajes Iberia Congresos.

A name change can be made free of charge, but should be made 72 hours before arrival at the hotel.

Participants should arrange their own insurance cover for medical, travel, and personal effects.

A medical team will be stationed at IFEMA during the Annual Meeting. Ambulances will transfer emergency cases to the nearest hospital. Most major hotels have a list of doctors who can be contacted should the need arise.

Online registration will open on 15 January 2008 and close on 20 April 2008. Participants are requested to register as early as possible. All participants must

• register online in advance by completing a registration form on the registration website; and
• attach a digital photograph to the registration form (specifications can be found in the invitation letter).

The website address and the password will be sent to the invitees or contact persons in governments, organizations, and institutions.

The onsite Registration Center will be open on 2-6 May 2008, to issue identification badges and other materials. Participants must wear their identification badges at all times in the meeting areas and at official events, including social events.

Participants (and accompanying persons) should collect their identification badges in person. One accompanying person (18 years or older) per participant may register for the meeting. Participants must present their passports as proof of identity. Citizens of Spain may present other officially issued photographic identification documents(e.g. a driver's license).

Unless The Secretary of ADB or the guest liaison officer is advised otherwise in writing, the name and position of all registered participants will be disclosed on the registration website to other accredited organizations, banks, and financial institutions to help them issue invitations to meeting functions.

Transportation arrangements. Details of transport arrangements is posted on the Annual Meeting website and the Madrid Committee's website, and will be posted at IFEMA, official hotels, and the ADB Annual Meeting information desks at the airport.

Car rental. Requests to hire chauffer-driven cars should be sent as soon as possible directly to Viajes Iberia Congresos (below) for confirmation and costing. Confirmation will be on a first-come first-served basis.

Viajes Iberia Congresos
Address: San Bernardo, 20 - 6º - MADRID
Telephone: +34 91 531 94 49
Fax: +34 91 296 37 32
Email: congresos.mad@viajesiberia.com

Reaching IFEMA

IFEMA Convention Centre
Address: Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I, 1 28042 Madrid
Telephone: +34 - 91.722.50.74
Fax: +34 91 722 58 01
Email: infoifema@ifema.es

IFEMA is located 10 kilometers northeast of Madrid's city limits, and is accessible both by bus and subway.

• By bus: Numbers 112, 122, and 828
• By subway: Take line 8, and get off at Campo de las Naciones Station.

Subway. The subway is open from 5:45 am until 1:45 am and provides good service at affordable rates. A map of the Madrid metro system can be found at http://www.metromadrid.es/acc_resources/pdfs/Plano_Metro_2007.pdf

Tickets can be purchased at all MetroMadrid stations, the Metro Passenger Information Office (located at the station at Terminal 2 at the airport), and IFEMA.

Flights should be booked as early as possible. The Meeting coincides with the Spanish holiday period, making it a popular time to travel.

Participants must make their own travel arrangements to and from Madrid. It is recommended that they arrive at Madrid-Barajas Airport, located 12 kilometers to the northeast of Madrid's city limits.

ADB help desks will be set up at Madrid-Barajas Airport in Terminal 1 (T1), Terminal 2 (T2) and Terminal 4 (T4). More information on the Madrid-Barajas Airport is available at http://www.aena.es/csee

From the Airport to Madrid. Madrid city centre is accessible from the airport by public transportation:

Bus: T1, T2 and T4 are served by

• Number 200 (from T1, T2 to Avenida de America Bus Station, every 15 minutes)
• Bus route number 204 (from T4 to Avenida de America Bus Station every 15 minutes)
• From Avenida de America Bus Station you can also take the subway (lines 4,6,7 and 9).

Subway: Take the underground line 8 (Nuevos Ministerios-Airport), which departs every 7 minutes at T1,T2, T3, and T4.

Taxi: At each terminal, there is a taxi stand in the arrivals area. It is recommended that you take taxis from the taxi stands rather than from taxi drivers offering their services inside the terminals.

Arriving by Land: Madrid is also accessible by land (train or bus) from all corners of Spain. Further information can be found in: http://www.renfe.es/ave/index.html and http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/ingles.html

Airport tax. No airport tax is levied on passengers upon embarkation at the airport.

Chartered airplane. Participants intending to arrive by private airplane or chartered flights are requested to advise The Secretary of ADB as early as possible and to provide full details of the aircraft to ensure time for coordination with the airport authorities.

Customs Regulations

Cash over €6,010.12 must be declared.

Adults over 18 are allowed to bring in:

• 200 cigarettes, or 100 cheroots, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of rolling tobacco
• 1 liter of alcohol over 22% alc. (by volume), or 2 liters under 22% alc. (by volume)
• up to 50 grams of perfume and 250 grams of eau de toilette.

Prohibited Articles and Restricted Goods. According to European Commission regulations, travelers may not bring foodstuffs of animal origin into Spain as part of their baggage (meats, meat products, milk and dairy products). The only exceptions to this are powdered milk for children in commercial packaging, and special foodstuffs required for medical conditions. Other foodstuffs can be brought into Spain up to a maximum weight of 1 kilogram.

Unless prior authorization has been obtained from the local district police, arms and ammunition are prohibited.

Travelers are permitted to bring personal baggage into Spain, including items for personal or family use, or to be given as presents. These will not be considered as commercial goods regardless of the quantity or type of goods. This appraisal will be carried out by the customs services on arrival.

For further information: http://travelcentre.iata.org/index.php?page=countrypage&destinationCode=ES

Vaccinations. You do not need any vaccinations to travel to Spain. As in any part of the world, it is advisable to have an up-to-date anti-tetanus vaccination if you are going to be in contact with nature and the countryside, as well as any other official vaccination programme.

Under exceptional circumstances, the Spanish authorities may ask travelers to undergo a medical examination to ensure that they are not suffering from any of the illnesses requiring quarantine as listed in the International Health Regulations http://www.who.int/csr/ihr/en/

Visas

• Citizens of the EU, Switzerland, and Norway: need a valid passport or ID card.
• Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and USA need a valid passport, which allows them to remain in Spain for a maximum of 90 days.
• Citizens of other countries should apply for a visa from the Spanish Consulate in their place of residence, subject to criteria established by the EU. A valid passport is essential. It is advisable to apply for a Schengen visa, especially if transiting through or visiting another European country. Please allow at least 4 weeks to process the visa. Other requirements include:

1. specify the reason for entering Spain,
2. provide documents showing confirmation of accommodation in Spain,
3. if taking an organized tour, provide confirmation of booking,
4. provide a return ticket or ticket for a tourist itinerary,
5. provide an invitation by a third party (e.g., the Annual Meeting registration confirmation letter), and
6. demonstrate that you have sufficient funds during your stay in Spain.

Given that conditions may vary, please contact your nearest Spanish Embassy or Consulate for further information: http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Informacion+practica/Embajadas/?Language=en.

For visa assistance, please inform The Secretary of ADB as early as possible, with full particulars (name; sex; date and place of birth; nationality; passport number, date and place of issue, and expiry date).

Attire. The suggested attire for the meeting is business suit or national dress.

Business and Shopping Hours.. The usual business hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Big shopping centers and department stores open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. continuously. Large stores sometimes open on Sunday.

Pharmacies open from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Some pharmacies are open 24 hours. Pharmacies follow a rolling late-opening schedule, which is published in the newspapers, and is posted at all pharmacies.

Tax Free: If you live outside the European Union, you can claim back tax on purchases over €90.15. A tax-free receipt must be requested at the point of sale.

Various companies in Spain are authorized to process the reimbursement of value-added tax (IVA) to tourists, following these steps:

1. Request a tax-free receipt and show your proof of residence (passport).
2. Show your purchases and stamp the tax-free receipts at customs. Receipts must be stamped within 3 months of purchase.
3. Claim the amount due from the company processing the claim. IVA reimbursement points are located at main Spanish airports and borders, and may also be credited to your credit card, by bank transfer, or international check.

Climate. The temperature in May usually ranges from 11°C to 21°C (51 °F to 70°F). http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Informacion%20practica/Clima/El%20tiempo%20en%20Espa%C3%B1a/0?Language=en

Currency exchange and banking.Euros are available in paper notes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. There are also 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euro coins. Further information on currency conversion can be found here: http://www.oanda.com.

Foreign exchange counters are available at the airport, hotels, IFEMA, and branches of commercial banks and several post offices in the city. Cash and traveller's checks will be exchanged, but personal checks will NOT be exchanged. IFEMA will have a foreign exchange counter from 3 to 6 May, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 pm.

ATMs will be available at IFEMA and in all bank offices and will be open 24 hours.

Major international credit cards are honored in most hotels, restaurants, shops, and department stores.

Normal commercial banking hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Banks are closed on weekends and public holidays: 1 May (Labor Day), 2 May (holiday in Madrid).

Electric Current. The voltage in Spain is 220/230V. Sockets accept 2-pin round plugs.

International dialing code.

To call Spain from overseas: Dial the international code (usually 00) followed by 34 (the code for Spain) and the telephone number (9 digits).

To call another country from Spain: Dial 00 followed by the country code and the telephone number. Calls may be made from telephone boxes which use coins or cards available from "estancos" (licensed outlets for tobacco/stamps).

To make national calls within Spain: Dial the number with no prefix. This number should have 9 digits, regardless of whether it is a landline or mobile.

To use your mobile in Spain: Spain uses GSM technology, which is incompatible with mobiles from some countries, including Japan and the USA. A tri-band mobile is needed to make a call. If you have a compatible handset, you should get in touch with your mobile company to make sure that you can use your mobile in Spain (they will activate the international roaming service on your account). Once you have taken these steps at home, you will be able to use your mobile.

Language. Spanish is the official language, though English is spoken at airports and major hotels.

Time Zone. Madrid is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Tipping. All establishments in Spain include service in the price of the meal or drink. Tipping is a common practice at bars and restaurants, hotels, and taxis, depending on the total price for the service, and on the client. The norm is 5%-10%.

Website. General information can be found at:

• Local Government: http://www.esmadrid.com/es/portal.do (available in Chinese, English, French, Japanese and Russian)
• Regional Government: http://www.turismomadrid.es (available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese)
• Information on transport in Madrid: www.ctm-madrid.es or http://www.emtmadrid.es

The recommended route between any two points in Madrid Municipality can be also found at: http://www.ctm-madrid.es/como_ir_a/como_ir_a_ppal.jsp

• A map with the public transport to and from the airport can be found at http://www.emtmadrid.es/data/comun/ITINERARIO/aeropuertoEsp.pdf