Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the reunification of East and West Berlin, the city has been transformed. Beyond regaining its status as Germany’s capital, Berlin has become a magnet for entrepreneurs, artists and international visitors, creating a dynamic urban environment that supports a thriving meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (M.I.C.E.) sector.
The former communist sector of East Berlin has been revitalized into a vibrant entertainment, dining and cultural district. Older buildings and residential neighborhoods across the city have been restored and reimagined as architectural highlights. Coupled with Berlin’s rich history and its cosmopolitan identity, these developments have helped the city emerge as one of Europe’s most successful destinations for conferences and events.
Visitor numbers for meetings and conventions surged after reunification, reaching 10 million participants in 2012—an 8 percent increase over the previous year. That year also saw a record 172 major international events hosted in Berlin, placing the city third worldwide for conference popularity behind Vienna and Paris, according to the International Congress & Convention Association.
“The convention business generates more than a quarter of all overnight stays in Berlin and is therefore an essential economic factor,” said Visit Berlin CEO Burkhard Kieker. The organization continues to expand international marketing efforts from offices in London, New York and São Paulo to attract more global conventions.
One competitive strength for Berlin is its wide range of distinctive meeting venues. Event planners use diverse sites: the top of a 1,100-foot television tower, a historic aircraft hangar at the former Tempelhof Airport that can host 5,000 guests, glass-walled museum spaces along the River Spree, concert hall sound stages, plazas adjacent to sections of the Berlin Wall, locations in front of the Brandenburg Gate, and communal tables in the city’s expansive beer gardens. This variety lets organizers create memorable, site-specific experiences for delegates.
Global meeting and incentive specialists frequently choose Berlin as a program destination. In summer 2012, Maritz Travel ran four programs in the city for a financial services client, each hosting about 115 travelers. “Berlin is an appealing destination for these types of programs because it provides a wide array of group activities, and guests can easily navigate the city in their free time,” said Megan Barry, lead travel buyer for the firm. In addition to attractions and accessible urban exploration, Berlin offers quality hotels, reliable air connections from the U.S., and the kind of international vibrancy that puts it on par with New York, London and Paris as a top city to experience.
Berlin offers many hotels that cater specifically to M.I.C.E. events. Properties with the largest conference capacities include major convention hotels and convention centers that host large-scale gatherings. Several new meetings-oriented hotels have opened recently or will open soon. In 2013 a centrally located hotel featuring a distinctive Berlin Wall facade opened with meeting facilities, free WiFi and about 170 guestrooms. Another large property opened in a renovated historic post office building, offering club-level rooms and customized conference rooms. A boutique hotel inspired by the Swiss painter Paul Klee launched with high-tech conference amenities and suites, while a striking glass-and-metal hotel in the fashionable Mitte district opened with more than 300 rooms and dedicated event spaces.
Additional properties have been planned or announced to expand Berlin’s conference hotel inventory. These projects include hotels with several hundred guestrooms, multiple conference rooms and enhanced spa and business amenities, as well as a large hotel expected to open near the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport to serve incoming delegates.
Berlin’s official conventions organization recently rebranded to emphasize its core mission. Messe Berlin Conventions focuses on organizing congresses and international events across Berlin’s extensive exhibition grounds, including Europe’s largest conference complex. The organization manages events at multiple venues across the site and is preparing to coordinate activities at new facilities that expand Berlin’s capacity for large-scale gatherings.
The opening of new exhibition grounds at the Berlin ExpoCenter Airport in late 2012 and the scheduled completion of CityCube Berlin in early 2014 represent significant infrastructure growth. Although the ExpoCenter’s full potential depends on the completion of the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, the adjacent exhibition space has already hosted major events such as the ILA Berlin Air Show, supported by more than 100 related congresses, conferences and meetings. When fully operational, the airport and its surrounding facilities will include a dedicated rail station and accommodate large passenger volumes, further boosting Berlin’s attractiveness for European and international M.I.C.E. business.
CityCube Berlin, planned on the site of the former Deutschlandhalle near the International Congress Centrum (ICC), will be a versatile venue with two main hall levels, eight conference halls for 400–5,000 delegates each, and multiple offices, suites and smaller meeting rooms. Designed to host up to 10,000 delegates, the facility will be equipped with advanced communications technology and seamlessly connected to Berlin’s public transport network. CityCube is expected to enhance Berlin’s capacity to stage large, high-tech conferences and trade fairs.
Berlin’s event calendar continues to feature major trade shows and congresses throughout the year. Notable events include art fairs, publishing and media expos, industry trade fairs for bars and spirits, global health summits and international cosmetic exhibitions, all reinforcing Berlin’s status as a leading European center for M.I.C.E.