G20 Summit to Have Positive Effects on Hamburg as a Meetings Location

On 7 and 8 July, the Heads of State and Government of the world's leading 20 industrialised and emerging economies and their delegations are meeting in Hamburg, Germany. The G20 summit, a large-scale event with more than 10,000 delegates and journalists, will provide positive impetus for Hamburg's image as a meetings and convention location. With its strong public appeal, the summit will also create opportunities for the city to present itself as a business travel destination. Following the spectacular opening of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg in January 2017, the G20 summit will be yet another opportunity for Hamburg to raise its profile at an international level.

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/527585/Hamburg_Fair_Complex_Zapf.jpg )

More than 10,000 international delegates and media representatives will be gathering in Hamburg next month. In addition to political issues, talks and projects, the G20 summit will offer further potential for the city, with sustainable positive effects on Hamburg's image as a congress destination. As a successful host to high-profile business events, Hamburg has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to handle such event formats professionally and reliably, while also meeting the highest security standards. Hamburg's track record of successful large conferences and the city's network of experienced, highly collaborative service providers are making an impact within the MICE industry.

In the current lead-up to the G20 summit, Hamburg is drawing the attention of industry associations, event planners, professional congress organisers and agencies, who are adding Hamburg to their list of suitable destinations for future large-scale conventions. So in addition to the more short-term, monetary value being added by the G20 summit, Hamburg as a location will also benefit from long-term gains as it is now paving the way for subsequent meetings and generating increased awareness within the meetings industry.

Michael Otremba, Managing Director of the Hamburg Convention Bureau, believes that the opportunities created by large-scale meetings are indeed considerable. "Events such as the G20 summit and the 2019 Rotary International Convention provide Hamburg with opportunities to demonstrate its capacity as a professional, well-versed host of high-level meetings and conferences. What is more, such events add strong impetus to the development of economic power and the quality of life across the entire region," Mr Otremba said.

The fact that Hamburg is no longer a newcomer in the conference sector was certainly demonstrated in 2013, when some 24,000 participants gathered for the Lions Clubs International Convention in Hamburg. Back then, the city showcased its capacity to handle the requirements and conditions posed by such large-scale congresses. The 2019 Rotary International Convention - the international annual meeting of the Rotary International Service Club - will be one of the upcoming highlights in Hamburg's event agenda. About 25,000 participants are expected to attend the event.

What is more, the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH) is currently undergoing comprehensive renovation and remodelling. Once completed in 2019, it will be one of the largest conference centres in Europe, with 12,000 m² of exhibition space, 12,000 m² of foyer space and seating for 12,000 people in up to 50 function rooms.

The locations for the G20 Event this July will be the just opened concert house "Elbphilharmonie Hamburg" and the Hamburg fair complex in the middle of the city. With more than 40 trade fairs and events, up to 15,000 exhibitors and approximately 700,000+ visitors per year, the fair complex is a major meeting place for people from around the world. Hamburg's fair site comprises roughly 950,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space in eleven halls as well as 100,000 sq. ft. of open-air space. Major events cover all industry sectors, with a focus on the business clusters that are well-established in Hamburg, such as SMM, INTERNORGA or WindEnergy Hamburg.

With the opening of the spectacular Elbphilharmonie Hamburg concert hall in January 2017, the North German port city of Hamburg has positioned itself within the tourism sector as one of the top places to be in 2017. The building, the music programme and the quality of life in Hamburg have received abundant praise in city rankings and editorials e.g. by the New York Times, Le Monde as well as by China's leading media titles.

To learn more about Hamburg as a meetings and convention destination and the opportunities it offers, please visit www.hamburg-convention.com/en.

Media Contact:

Hamburg Marketing GmbH
Guido Neumann
Media Relations
Wexstraße 7, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
Tel: +49-40-300-51-580
Mail: guido.neumann@marketing.hamburg.de

Web: www.mediarelations.hamburg.de