Berlin, 27 February 2014 Berlin continues to strengthen its position as a leading meeting and convention destination. In the past year, 126,200 events took place in the German capital (+2% compared to the previous year) with 10.6 million participants (+1%). The number of overnight stays generated by the meeting and convention market rose by 1.5 per cent to 6.7 million, which equals about a quarter of all hotel stays in Berlin. These figures arise from the latest conference statistics for 2013* from the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin.

“In Berlin, 345 events are held each day on average. This makes Berlin one of the world's major meeting and convention locations,” says Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin. “The Berlin convention industry has seen rapid growth for years and is a key economic factor for the city.”

The revenues generated by Berlin's meeting and convention industry exceeded €2 billion for the first time in 2013 (2012: €1.961 billion; 2013: €2.019 billion). Approximately 36,000 full-time jobs are created by the meeting and convention travel sector in Berlin.

Science and politics meet in Berlin; one in five participants come from abroad

Berlin is a popular location for science and medical events: Measured by the number of participants, meetings and conferences related to medicine, science and research represented 14 per cent of the total in 2013 (+2%), followed by politics and public bodies (12%). Around 18 percent of all events had an international presence. The number of participants from abroad stood at 1.9 million, meaning one in five participants at events in the city came from outside Germany. Associations are also increasingly opting to hold their gatherings in Berlin: 20 per cent of the events were held by associations.

Behind the success of Berlin as a convention destination: the Berlin Convention Office

The Berlin Convention Office (BCO) of visitBerlin is the engine that drives Berlin's meetings and conventions sector. Last year, the BCO represented the city of Berlin at 72 trade fairs and workshops around the world. It also supported 202 convention applications and provided services to 81 events in the city. Collaboration with international trade associations in the meetings industry have made it possible to position the capital as a well-rounded convention destination, to keep up with trends in the industry and apply this knowledge for Berlin's benefit.

New CityCube Berlin: conventions booked until 2021

In spring 2014, the first major events will take place in the new CityCube Berlin. The BCO is working closely together with Messe Berlin Guest Events to integrate the Berlin CityCube into its marketing activities and supports Messe Berlin in acquiring major conventions. As a result, events have been booked as far in advance as 2021.

For more information about Berlin as a meeting destination, go to convention.visitBerlin.com.