COLOGNE CONVENTION BUREAU INCREASES CAPACITY TO ALLOW FOR MORE MICE MEETINGS
Cologne Convention Bureau, part of the Cologne Tourist Board, has increased its range of services for MICE organisers.
The Cologne Convention Bureau’s landing page for associations has been specially designed to provide them with helpful information for planning MICE events in Cologne.
Dr Jürgen Amann, Chief Executive of the Cologne Convention Bureau, in a two-minute video, explains how in particular the Cologne Convention Bureau can help associations with the comprehensive planning of a convention.
“The latest assistance with regard to convention planning is the first step in the intensification of our acquisition work in the area of association meetings,” said Amann. “In accordance with the expansion of our customised services, this represents further important steps in the strategic and conceptional development of the Cologne Convention Bureau. We are strengthening Cologne as a MICE destination by optimising the range of activities and establishing the Cologne Convention Bureau as a central point of contact, free of charge for customers.”
Cologne offers a large number of geographic advantages for such meetings. The city itself is home to many important commercial enterprises and scientific institutions.
“The clusters of expertise that have developed as a result serve as thematic anchors for the key events of the respective sectors,” said Amann “These include media, science, trade and industry as well as services and logistics. Ever since its foundation, the Cologne Convention Bureau supports association members who wish to initiate a convention in Cologne. Through its excellent networks within the city and its expertise, it provides free of charge assistance to associations and institutes with regard to the application process and implementation of these events, and actively accompanies this laborious process with all of its many planning steps.”
Meanwhile, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) and the German Convention Bureau (GCB) have presented the results of the new Meeting & Event Barometer 2020/2021.
The 2020 data for the meetings, congress and events market in Germany confirms how the sector is changing as a result of the COCID-19 pandemic and reveals that the industry is in a transitional phase towards a new normal.
Germany’s events market, like many destinations, plummeted in 2020. The number of face-to-face events and attendees fell by 70% and 86% respectively, the EventBarometer found, while the share of international attendees was at 2.4% last year in comparison to 10% in 2019.
Petra Hedorfer, Chairwoman of the Board of the German National Tourist Board, said: “Despite COVID-19-related declines, we were able to keep our number one destination for European business travellers in 2020 – with five million business trips, Germany topped the ranking, far ahead of France and the UK in second and third place. The current business year offers cause for cautious optimism. According to IPK International, 22% of foreign travellers worldwide are planning business trips this year. Germany can benefit from this, with 81% of respondents planning business trips to Germany wanting to take MICE trips.”
