Once dismissed as merely a monochrome city of banks and industry, Frankfurt am Main has been reinvented by a growing creative scene that brings fresh energy to its historic quarters and modern skyline. Nicknamed “Mainhattan” for its distinctive high-rises, the city’s warm atmosphere and central European location have also made it a leading destination for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.
“Frankfurt’s popularity as an event and business travel destination is unquestionably the result of its central and very convenient location in the heart of Germany and Europe,” says Jutta Heinrich, director of the Frankfurt Convention Bureau, part of the Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board. “Long known as a financial hub, Frankfurt has become much more than that. Today the city offers a wide range of unusual event venues, a rich cultural scene and attractive surroundings.”
With more than 5.5 million residents representing 180 countries in the wider region, Frankfurt is one of Germany’s most international cities. That global mix blends authentic German traditions with diverse cultural influences and helps attract business and leisure visitors year-round. For event planners, the city provides more than 8,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center and over 3.8 million square feet of exhibition space.
Frankfurt’s long history of trade fairs stretches back centuries—the first documented fair dates to 1150—but the city’s airport plays a major role in connecting it to the world. Frankfurt Airport handles more than 60 million passengers annually and offers direct flights to roughly 300 destinations in 105 countries. Conveniently, the airport sits only 12 subway minutes from the main train station, enabling attendees to combine short business trips with extended stays to explore the region.
Frankfurt’s Main Tower set among skyscrapers © Anna Duda | Dreamstime.com
“Accessibility extends across the city,” Heinrich adds. “Frankfurt’s compact downtown means no central destination is more than a 20-minute walk away. An efficient public transportation network also links the city quickly to the surrounding Rhine-Main region.”
The city’s major exhibition venue, Festhalle Messe Frankfurt, offers extensive barrier-free event space, while several airport-adjacent hotels cater specifically to meetings. Notable examples include the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and Conference Center and the Hilton Frankfurt Airport in the Squaire complex. Downtown, a mix of boutique properties and larger chains serves business travelers, and luxury options such as the Jumeirah Frankfurt provide flexible meeting rooms alongside signature amenities like its Crystal Ballroom and on-site dining at Max on One. Its central location places guests within easy reach of attractions such as Main Tower, the Städel Museum, the Goethe House, Old Sachsenhausen and the Zeil shopping promenade.
Frankfurt’s skyline sits at a crossroads between romantic castle country to the south and orchards to the north where the region’s famous apfelwein (apple wine) thrives. Many top restaurants and eateries also offer private meeting spaces; for instance, Restaurant Zenzakan provides several recently renovated rooms suitable for groups up to 155 guests.
No visit to Frankfurt is complete without tasting its beloved apple wine. For meetings with local character, Obsthof am Steinberg—an organic apple-wine farm roughly 20 minutes from downtown—offers a rural setting for events, tastings and relaxed gatherings. Run by Andreas Schneider, a respected producer with more than two decades of experience, the estate invites visitors to tour orchards, join tastings and enjoy light lunches under the trees featuring regional specialties such as grüne Sosse (green sauce), homemade sausages, goat’s milk cheese, fresh vegetables and locally made charcuterie.
“I love the green and cozy aspect of Frankfurt,” Heinrich notes. “Over 52 percent of the city is open space or water, and a 70-kilometer natural greenbelt surrounds the area. Those green spaces make it easy and rewarding for locals, visitors and conference attendees to explore nature close to the city.”