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GERMANY – The evolution of Germany’s meeting and convention industry and future trends
The year that just finished has been very successful for the German Convention Bureau: extensive researches have been launched and new trends for the future have been discovered.
GCB launched a new publication, ‘Germany. Expertise’, in response to growing demand for conference venues in destinations that are linked to a particular industry. The book was developed in conjunction with experts and focuses on the country’s key sectors. This search tool enables event planners to research venues which have links to a particular area of expertise in order to create the perfect event.
Partnering with the Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT), the GCB released findings from “Meetings and Conventions 2030: A study of megatrends shaping our industry.” This extensive study was generously supported by the European Association of Event Centers (EVVC), MCI Germany, Ruhr Tourism, the Seven Centers of Germany, and visitberlin.
The study revealed the following top five megatrends: Technology in work and life, Globalisation and internationalisation, Mobility of the future, Sustainable development, Demographic change, feminisation and diversity.
According to Matthias Schultze (image), Managing Director of the German Convention Bureau: “The meetings industry is an economic driver for nations all over the world. As an innovation leader, we envision this megatrends study helping players in the industry develop a future-oriented strategy that can generate business and economic success.”
The GCB’s 40th anniversary was the central theme of its General Assembly at Messe Essen. Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) and Chair of the GCB’s Board of Directors, paid tribute to what has been achieved in this time: “The creation of the GCB 40 years ago was a courageous and ground-breaking move. The GNTB, along with a host of other partners and stakeholders, can now look back on the real success story of Germany’s development as a conferencing and meeting destination under the leadership of the GCB.”