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German locales are major meetings players

Last summer, Germany rejoiced as the men’s football team claimed their fourth World Cup, placing die Nationalmannschaft one title behind Brazil for all-time wins. Taking the sum of all international competitions, however, Germany, the only nation to win both the men’s and women’s World Cup, is the world’s football champion.

Germany dominates the MICE league tables, too. Ranked No. 1 by ICCA in Europe and second behind the U.S. globally over the last decade, Germany’s hosting strength is defined in a number of ways—with great appeal to the North American market.

“While most European countries typically offer just one or two meeting locales, Germany has a significant number of destinations that attract U.S. meetings both large and small,” explains Laura d’Elsa, the German Convention Bureau’s New York-based regional director for USA & Canada. “More than 30 German cities made ICCA’s ranking of the most popular global meeting destinations, hosting 722 international association conferences in 2014, or 11.2 percent over 2013.”

Among other attributes, North American planners book Germany for its superior know-how, infrastructure and value for money.

“Planners can tie our centers of expertise, local experts and activities directly into their event goals and objectives, while relying on conveniently accessible, flexibly designed meeting facilities,” d’Elsa says. “There is something for everyone in Germany.”

From leading centers Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich to a host of other inviting cities, Germany offers a winning lineup for scoring meetings goals.

Capital Ideas
Attracted by the same plentiful, affordable living and work space that drew artists here a decade ago, an influx of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists has transformed Berlin into Europe’s top start-up destination. Home to 3.4 million people, Germany’s capital and largest city is also a buzzing MICE hotbed.

“Berlin has an authentic place in history and in the 25 years since the fall of the wall, the importance of our city in the global meetings industry has climbed exponentially,” says Heike Mahmoud, director of conventions for the visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office. “In the top five of worldwide meetings destinations, we expect Berlin’s numbers will continue to grow in 2015.”

Hosting 108,500 events with 8.26 million participants last year, Berlin is a planner’s dream, with superior hotels and infrastructure and venue options including unique sites like Funkhaus Berlin, the former production and broadcasting place of East German radio, and the soaring event-capable TV Tower. Set to open this fall, the addition of a second event complex will make Estrel Berlin one of the city’s largest state-of-the-art conference and trade fair venues.

Frankfurt may be synonymous with money as one of the world’s financial capitals, but Frankfurt Convention Bureau Director Jutta Heinrich says the city is the sum of many parts.

“Planners will quickly discover a successful blend of Old World charm and modern convenience at venues such as the famous Alte Oper, its prestigious exterior complemented by modern facilities inside,” Heinrich says.

Globally renowned for hosting the city’s annual IMEX trade show, Messe Frankfurt ranks among the world’s largest exhibition facilities. Enticing local programs, meanwhile, include visits to the nearby wineries of the Rheingau, the spa town of Wiesbaden, “City of Science” Darmstadt and Hanau, birthplace of the Brothers Grimm.

Ranked Europe’s top technology hub for 2014 by the European Commission, Munich boasts some 29,000 companies in the IT, medical technology, telecommunications and related sectors. Offering more than 35,000 hotel rooms, the Bavarian capital, like its famed Oktoberfest celebration, overflows with venues, cultural attractions and leisure activities.

Along with the International Congress Center Munchen, Munich’s group draws include the Beer and Oktoberfestmuseum, the futuristic Allianz Stadium and Olympiapark. Award-winning Munich Airport is a conference destination unto itself, featuring the world’s only airport brewery and beer garden.

More in Store
By no means exhaustive, several other compelling destinations extend Germany’s MICE reach to all corners.

Some 90 miles south of Berlin in the Saxony region of eastern Germany, Leipzig is ranked fourth in Germany by ICCA for conferences, with close to 70 percent of overnight visitors coming for congresses or business.

“One of Europe’s excellence centers for regenerative medicine, Leipzig offers an unparalleled environment for events surrounding this field, including biotechnology and life sciences,” says Hiskia Wiesner, head of conventions for Leipzig Tourism and Marketing.

Dating to Roman times, this culturally rich city is full of hidden charms, with tours and driving experience at the futuristic Porsche production facility among its group draws.

In the far north, the port city of Hamburg is a global transportation and logistics hub, with IT and renewable energy also part of its diversified economy.

“The MICE market is an important one for Hamburg, accounting for one-fifth of overnight stays in our city last year,” says Florian Gerdes, marketing manager, conventions for the Hamburg Convention Bureau.

As one of Germany’s leading center of media, advertising and fashion, Dusseldorf, capital of the North Rhine-Westphalia region, hosts major entertainment events along with trade shows, conferences and incentives. This cosmopolitan city entices groups with attractions like Frank Gehry’s “Neuer Zollhof” geometry-defying structures in the Medienhafen (Media Harbor) district, the Rhine Tower and its revolving restaurant, shopping along the swanky “Ko” and historic Zum Schlussel brewery.

Also in North Rhine-Westphalia, media powerhouse Cologne produces one-third of all German TV programs. Hosting over 45,550 events in 2013, Germany’s oldest city is also a strong MICE proposition, offering a wide range of event centers, conference hotels and special venues.

Renowned for science and innovation, Hannover in lower Saxony is home to the world’s largest exhibition center, the massive Hannover Messe, where its flagship event, CeBIT, is the world’s biggest communication, information and telecommunications show.

Home to iconic brands including Puma and Adidas, Nuremberg, about an hour north of Munich, is ideal for planners wishing to integrate sports and athletic angles into their programming. Capital of the Baden-Wurttemberg region northwest of Munich, automotive stronghold and sustainability leader Stuttgart is also a major center of aeronautics. The city offers convenient conference facilities at its airport and venues including the Messe Stuttgart, with a capacity for 14,000 people.

CONNECT
German Convention Bureau (New York)
212.661.4582
www.gcb.de/en

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About the author
Jeff Heilman | Senior Contributor

Brooklyn, N.Y.-based independent journalist Jeff Heilman has been a Meetings Today contributor since 2004, including writing our annual Texas and Las Vegas supplements since inception. Jeff is also an accomplished ghostwriter specializing in legal, business and Diversity & Inclusion content.