Berlin, 4 March 2011visitBerlin and TMB Tourismus-Marketing Brandenburg GmbH break new ground together in order to strengthen the capital region Berlin-Brandenburg as an attractive destination. The joint appearance at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Berlin this year is the first visible step of an even closer co-operation. At the future Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Schönefeld the two organisations will, moreover, open a joint welcome centre for visitors to the region. Further measures to intensify the tourism co-operation, which has existed since 1998, have been laid down in an action plan for 2011.

visitBerlin CEO Burkhard Kieker describes the existing co-operation be-tween visitBerlin and TMB as very successful and satisfactory. "Together with our partners in Brandenburg, we would like to strengthen the positioning of the capital region in national and international competition", says Kieker. "The new stand at ITB and the WelcomeCenter at the Berlin Brandenburg Airport are two decisive measures to achieve this goal."

For TMB CEO Dieter Hütte the good co-operation between Berlin and Brandenburg is a tourism town-country love which is trend-setting for Europe. "The intense co-operation allows us, in addition, to earmark the resources of the two marketing organisations more efficiently and effec-tively."

For the first time visitBerlin and TMB Tourismus-Marketing Brandenburg GmbH will present themselves on a joint stand at this year's ITB. On 1,600 square metres 79 co-exhibitors embody the diversity of the capital region. Popular metropolis and wide cultural landscapes, neighbourhood tourism and "safari courtesy of Brandenburg" – the stand concept of stand builder FAIRNET of Leipzig combines the tourism strengths of the two federal states in a perfect experience zone.

The central contact point for trade fair visitors is the Infocounter of visitBerlin and TMB. A special eye-catcher is the so-called "free flight", which presents Berlin and Brandenburg from above. On Saturday and Sunday, when the general public will be admitted, a diverse programme with different performances, quiz and raffles will take place on a stage in front of the professional visitor zone. This stand will not only be used at the ITB but individual modules will also be combined for other trade fairs.

The gate to the capital region – WelcomeCenter at the new airport

From 2012 all guests of the capital region will arrive at one single airport. The two marketing organisations will welcome guests to the region in future in a joint Welcome Centre. The WelcomeCenter Berlin Brandenburg combines three functionalities. On the one hand, it is a classical tourism information centre. As such, it offers arriving guests full service for their visit to Berlin and Brandenburg: from agency services for accommodation, via the sale of the Berlin and Potsdam WelcomeCard to the offering of event tickets and sightseeing tours.

At the same time, the WelcomeCenter serves as a platform for tourism service providers from Berlin and Brandenburg to present themselves to visitors and tourists – with posters, films and free-of-charge information and advertising material. Furthermore, it offers a perfect welcoming service for companies, representatives from politics and the business community and organisers of large-scale events and congresses. On request, a lounge and a VIP area can be made available for meetings and customer support.

The two federal states Berlin and Brandenburg are absolutely in vogue with visitors from Germany and abroad. Last year Brandenburg recorded a 4.3% growth for room nights whereas this number rose by 10.2% in Berlin. Overall, the capital region boasts more than 31 million room nights per year.

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