Over 100 guests from more than 30 countries came together for three days at this year’s Meeting Place, to discover the special features and possibilities of the capital city. After just a few minutes, there were already handshakes and amazement.
On her first visit to Berlin, Harriet Walker (ATPI Corporate Advanced) was awestruck straight away: “There is so much history, so many historic buildings that are used as something else now.” At this point, the event planner from the United Kingdom had only been in the capital for a few hours. Together with around 100 international guests from 30 countries, she travelled to Berlin to spend three days discovering the possibilities and special features of the congress city. Occasion: The 10th Meeting Place Berlin – an event of the visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office (BCO), which enables selected decision makers from the international conference and congress industry to get to know some 50 Berlin partners, visit locations and, above all, to get a feeling for the city.
“I had to come to Berlin – this helps me to get a feeling for the city and to find what fits for a group,” explains André Webber (Touché Viagens) from São Paulo, Brazil, on the opening evening. It is his first time in the meeting metropolis. However, he was already a Berlin fan before. “For me Berlin is the place to be. The city shows how tolerance works and how important it is.” 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he sees the moving history of Berlin as an example of how peace and tolerance can break down barriers. When it comes to choosing Berlin as an event location, the history of the capital city is an important factor for many guests and customers: “History is a big topic for us. Our customers like BMW or Audi want to know where they come from and what the German culture is like,” Chrisiama Gil explains to us (Eventesse Tour & Incentive). She also made the long journey from São Paulo to find partners and to get a feeling for the capital: “If you are planning an event with more than a thousand people you have to have a feel for where to put a group and how it will work.”
Feeling and experiencing Berlin, getting to know business partners, discovering the city – this is what joint workshops, incentives and tours provide over the three programme days. The participants of the Meet Berlin Day literally encounter the capital city from different perspectives: High up on the gasometer of the EUREF campus, on a Trabi Safari Trabant tour of the city or from the water on a tour on board the CO2-neutral and environmentally friendly Seminarschiff. Speaking of environmentally friendly: This year for the first time there will be a special look ‘behind the green backdrop’ of Berlin on Meet Facilities Day.
“I get the vibes that Berlin is the place for sustainability in Europe,” explains Harriet Walker, in reference to the site inspection tours on day 3 of Meeting Place Berlin 2019. One thing is certain: If an event is planned sustainably, it is more attractive for participants. This is why the visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office is offering a sustainable tour for the first time in its anniversary year. Here event planners have the opportunity to discover the green side of the capital and sustainable partners, including the Umweltforum and the Hotel Berlin, Berlin. Participants also discover a climate-friendly transport alternative right away: on a ride in a Velotaxi.
Tip: Learn more about sustainable event planning here: Sustainable Meetings Berlin.
Whether sustainable, five star or historical – the most important aspect for all participants is the chance to meet in person, which is also made possible by the one-on-one appointments at Cafe Moskau and the networking events of visitBerlin Convention Partner e. V.. Vanessa Fisher (CongressMed) from Israel also wanted to use this opportunity to personally decide which venues would be suitable for the congress she is planning for 2,000 people in two years. However, the three most important reasons for planning an event in Berlin are already clear to her: “Why Berlin? A) easy to get to b) attractive – in terms of choices, options, prices – and c) its international culture.” It is the multicultural nature of the German meeting capital that makes her particularly enthusiastic. In the spirit of the international meeting, participants from 30 countries shook hands on the first evening at the 030 Eventloft in the historic Spreespeicher and looked forward to a personal meeting with the capital, the BCO team and all partners.
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