Hidden Hamburg
Hamburg Convention Bureau ’ s Florian Gerdes on the city ’ s hidden event appeal
Why choose Germany ?
Matthias Schultze , managing director German Convention Bureau
Why hold events & meetings in Germany ? A combination of excellent infrastructure , great value for money , connectivity and a highly versatile range of meeting facilities from convention centres to unusual venues , makes Germany a compelling destination for meeting and event planners . The country retains its place as a global leader in the industry , ranking number one in Europe and second worldwide ( only behind the US ) for the 12th consecutive year , with 667 meetings in the annual ICCA rankings . One of the factors that makes Germany a global leader in its field is its focus on trendwatching and keeping up-to-date with the latest innovations in society and the meetings industry . The GCB recently launched a series of future meeting scenarios as part of its Future Meeting Space research project in partnership with the European Association of Event Centres ( EVVC ) and the Fraunhofer Institute of Industrial Engineering ( IAO ). The Future Meeting Space project aims to give planners , delegates and service providers a preview of the best practices for meetings , conferences and events incorporating design , technology , format and knowledge sharing approaches . ■■■
With around 1.7 million inhabitants , Hamburg is Germany ’ s second largest city and has long been a hub for trade and business . It is a stronghold for brands , a media city , the third largest civil aviation location in the world , and one of the most important ports in global trade . In addition , its elegant city centre and many green spaces make it an extremely popular visitor and meetings destination as the city continues to record overnight stays .
BUSINESS MEETINGS – tap into local expertise The Port is also the economic heart of the city and the maritime and logistic sectors are some of the city ’ s areas of expertise which organisers and delegates can tap in to – experts in these industries can serve as speakers , guides for tours or hosts for site visits . This makes it easy for organisers to add a distinctive flair and personality to their events .
VENUES – the ‘ rolling wave ’ of Hamburg Designed to look like a rolling wave in homage to Hamburg ’ s famous harbour , the
Elbphilharmonie is due to set sail in January 2017 – providing a truly unique new meeting venue with performance halls and a new five star Westin hotel . www . elbphilharmonie . de / elbphilharmonie-hamburg . en
ACTIVITIES & AFTER HOURS – climb a ship ’ s mast across the River Elbe Hamburg is best experienced on the water – choose a solar-powered raft , a cutter ride on the River Schlei , a mini cruise on the Baltic Sea , a speedboat on the River Elbe or a Chinese dragon boat on the Alster Lake . Courageous travellers can even scale the mast of the cargo ship Cap San Diego , crossing 30 metres over the River Elbe . Every night owl should visit the renowned Reeperbahn district packed with restaurants , bars , theatres and nightclubs .
ACCOMMODATION Once the office for Electricity and Harbour Construction , the recentlyopened 25hour Hotel Hamburg Altes Hafenamt is a piece of living history . www . 25hours-hotels . com / en / hamburg-hotels . html
TRAVEL Hamburg Airport , just a 20 minute journey from the city centre , offers direct international connections to Europe , America , Africa and the Middle East . The city ’ s comprehensive public transport system of six S-Bahn lines , four underground lines and numerous bus connections means that there are excellent transport links throughout the city and beyond . ■■■
EW / EN 2016 Germany , The UK Organiser ’ s User Guide 19