Berlin impresses with steady growth

The German capital of Berlin continues to be a hub of activity for industry, as it offers superior meeting space for all types of events. Various divisions of the medical sector are making the most of the city’s high-quality facilities.

Berlin is a busy hub and a popular convention spot for many organisations, including medical and pharma societies.

International participants in meetings and conventions, incentives and events from across the world appreciate the excellent event destination Berlin. The German capital boasts Europe’s most up-to-date hotel landscape, diverse meeting centres and a cultural offering that sets international standards.

The Berlin Convention Office (BCO) of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH offers professional support for the organisation of conventions, meetings and incentives. Customers benefit from its wide network of contacts and the free-of-charge sourcing and booking of hotel places. Committed BCO staff members provide information on Berlin as a convention and event metropolis and on culinary and cultural highlights in the German capital.

Popular for a reason
Approximately 2,500 events with about 850,000 participants were held in the six convention centres and halls in the German capital. Europe’s biggest convention, entertainment and hotel complex, the Estrel Berlin, played its part as did the axica Meeting and Convention Centre and the International Congress Center Berlin (ICC Berlin) of Messe Berlin.

The convention department of Messe Berlin rates 2009 as a successful year for business as the additional conference facilities on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds and in the Palais am Funkturm are increasingly being used for all kinds of meetings. Bookings by convention organisers have been made for as far ahead as 2016. In 2008 a total of 623 meetings and shows with more than 280,000 participants were staged. The convention business of Messe Berlin GmbH doubled its sales revenues in 2008 (€20 million) compared to the previous record year of 2005.

‘Meeting happy’ physicians
The medical sector has played an important role in securing the leading international position of the convention destination Berlin. Several reputed organisers have chosen ICC Berlin as their conference venue for the next few years. The joint convention Orthopaedics and Accident Surgery is to be held annually up to 2015 in the German capital. Every year it attracts more than 10,000 specialists to the metropolis on the River Spree. Meanwhile, Medicine + Health, the largest health conference in Europe with approximately 7,500 participants, is to stage its convention every year up to 2012 at the ICC Berlin. The German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology reported that its annual meeting in Berlin was a success with steadily growing numbers of visitors. The society is therefore set to hold its annual conventions with approximately 8,000 participants in the German capital up to 2011.

The German Cancer Society will continue to stage its conference and action day at the ICC in the even years up to 2012. Approximately 15,000 experts attend this event in Berlin. The German Surgery Society has committed to holding its meeting in the even years between 2008 and 2016 at the ICC. It brings together up to 6,000 physicians from practice and research every year to its congress that alternates between Berlin and Munich. The convention industry enjoys not only economic success but also global recognition. For the fifth time in a row the ICC Berlin has been presented with the World Travel Award as the Leading Conference & Convention Centre.

Company profile

The Berlin Convention Office of
Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH
(BTM) is the official representative
of the city of Berlin in the field of
conventions, meetings, company
events and incentives. Since 2001
BCO has promoted this destination
both nationally and internationally
as the destination for conventions,
meetings and incentives of all
kinds. For further information, visit:
www.berlin-convention-office.com.