Berlin, 13 August 2009 Association Meetings in Berlin attract the most participants in the world. This is confirmed by the latest statistics of the International Congress & Convention Association, ICCA. According to them, more than 100,000 participants came to the German capital last year. This means that the convention metropolis Berlin is well ahead of other cosmopolitan cities like Barcelona (81,933), Paris (73,872) and Bangkok (58,007).

Between 1999 and 2008 517,943 visitors in total travelled to Berlin to attend events. The German capital now ranks amongst the most important international convention destinations alongside Vienna (636,800), Barcelona (623,313) and Paris (573,564) in the last ten years. Furthermore, a clear upward trend can be observed for visitor numbers. In 1999 there were 30,850 guests in Berlin but by 2008 this number had increased three-fold to 106,171.

Heike Mahmoud, Director Convention of the Berlin Convention Office (BCO) comments, “Over the last decade Berlin has developed into a convention metropolis that is in demand the world over. The city offers organisers excellent conditions: the most up-to-date hotel landscape in Europe, excellent value for money, renowned convention centres like the ICC Berlin and unusual locations. The latest visitor figures in the ICCA statistics confirm the highly positive response to this diversity – a resounding success for the German capital and the Berlin Convention Office.”

Further information on the convention destination, Berlin, can be accessed on the website www.berlin-convention-office.com.

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