The US in the Berlin MICE market: fast and diverse
Our expert Katja Sukale talks about developments and trends in the North American MICE market. Whether meeting, incentive or congress - our team will keep you up to date with important know-ho...
Meeting Destination Berlin for UK Event Planners
Summary of the blog post
To cater to the individual needs of event planners from all over the world and to surprise them time and again - no meeting destination can do this as well as Berlin.
The international metropolis for business meetings is particularly well suited to the requests and wishes of event planners from the United Kingdom.
Find out what Berlin has to offer British event planners here
Meeting Destination Berlin: The perfect match for the individual needs of event planners from the UK
Thanks to intensive exchange and a versatile range of long-standing collaborations among partners of the local meeting industry, the Berlin B2B event industry is constantly evolving. That makes it easy and fun for MICE planners from the UK to plan and organise unforgettable events in Berlin.
Facts and figures about the UK market for business events in Berlin
The UK market has been the most important international source market for the Berlin MICE industry for over ten years (source: Congress Statistics 2023). The number of requests for business events received from the United Kingdom is only preceeded by the German domestic market .
In quantitative numbers that means:
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The British market accounts for around 20% of the business events realised by foreign organisers in Berlin.
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The British market is the fastest-growing MICE market for Berlin. The growth trend has been continuous since 2017 (only interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic).
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The annual economic impact of events organised by UK planners in Berlin amounts to almost a quarter of a billion euros.
The connections to the British MICE market are also qualitatively valuable for Berlin. Satisfying the professional demands of the British target group has always been a driving force behind the constant development and pursuit of professional excellence of Berlin's event industry.
Characteristics of the British MICE market
The international MICE business has a strong history in the UK. This might one of the reasons behind the following particularities shaping the Britsih incoming market for global business events:
Affinity for exclusive meetings abroad
The desire for exclusivity in the event business prompts many British event organisers to bring hold their events abroad. Educational trips on focal topics of their own market, specialist conferences enriched by the input of reputable local industry experts, and dedicated networking formats at C-level - the needs of UK customers are diverse.
This is why they like to relocate events to destinations that offer a high level of professional qualification. British planners are predominantly looking for such cities that closely follow and proactively shape movements in the international market and at the same time offer an attractive supporting programme for special meeting experiences.
Strong market differentiation and diversification
It is important to realise that the various stages of event production in the UK are highly differentiated. From the programme curation and venue search, over the organisation of logistics and sponsorships, to the communication of the event - British event planners like to rely on experts in their respective fields.
Specialised agency landscape
Between 80% and 90% of all business conventions are organised by agencies. The agency landscape, which is mostly specialised in the MICE sector, is huge and very dynamic.
There are therefore many different communication interfaces to take into consideraion when working with event planners from the UK market.
High level of professionalism
It is precisely because of this internal complexity of the event business that British event organisers place a high value on professionalism in cooperation.
Organisers from the UK put much emphasis on accuracy, commitment and reliability in the planning of their events and demand an efficient flow of information from their partners. Consistency, loyalty and trust in cooperation play a central role here.
Long-term value of personal contacts
Maintaining personal contacts with key, well-connected multipliers, intermediaries or contact persons (within the agencies and within the market) is therefore key to success.
Those who cultivate their network well will also benefit from long-term relationships and new business prospects through further collaboration.
Points of special attention for service providers:
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Industry knowledge is everything: event service providers should be specialists in business events and meeting formats with a B2B focus.
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Interplay of experience and freshness: the sales team should consist of a combination of experienced MICE planners and innovators.
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Quality over quantity: this applies both to the selection of event partners as well as to all of the services associated with the business trip.
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Surprise with the tried and tested: British business guests love the contrast between an event venue with an atmosphere steeped in history and modern event concepts or contents.
Only those destinations make it to the top whose offers meet the individual customer requirements according to national preferences and market specifications. The Berlin Convention Office is committed to actively shaping Berlin's MICE industry in order to realise tailor-made events.
Berlin for event planners from the UK
In all those aspects, the meeting destination Berlin shines in an international comparison. The combination of the professional service of local Berlin partners, the typical ‘German efficiency’ of the MICE players and the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city guarantees: Anything is possible in Berlin.
5 arguments in favour of the meeting destination Berlin
1. Established and well-connected MICE network on the pulse of the times
Berlin's meetings industry is one of the largest and best organised in Europe and sets global standards and trends for the further development of the meeting and events industry.
2. Diverse portfolio
Berlin offers a diverse portfolio of extraordinary venues, professional service providers and unique incentives - clearly catalogued and individually assembled in the Meeting Guide Berlin.
3. Customised solutions for every event
The Berlin Convention Office supports event planners with customised solutions for business events of all kinds. With offers such as the Berlin Meeting Campus and strong cooperation with visitBerlin Partnerhotels e.V. and other players in the Berlin meetings industry as part of the UK working group.
4. Own team of experts for the UK market
With its own business development managers for the UK market, the Berlin Convention Office promises ultimate responsiveness and a high level of reliability in planning support of international events in Berlin. The constant exchange with Lisa Stewart, the BCO representative in London, ensures the individuality and quality of our support services.
5. More value for your money
The German capital provides countless opportunities to inspire your participants with exclusive experiences in the city and event metropolis of Berlin. Berlin impresses with more than favourable prices and attractive conditions in the Western European market: The strive for best quality in the event business is reflected, among other things, in the high number of state-of-the-art meeting facilities and first-class hotels.
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Plus point for Berlin: Berlin is English-speaking and international
Berliners are cosmopolitan and they are competent in English. Both in business and leisure contexts, English is the standard language for working with international guests. Due to the fluency in verbal communication and familiarity with unspoken conventions business with our UK partners and clients works smoothly.
Berlin is new, exciting and above all surprising. It is a city that is constantly reinventing itself and is in a state of constant change. Amazement is guaranteed every time. Living history meets visions of the future. Anyone who knows Berlin knows that this also applies to the convention industry.
Partnerships for market-specific event experiences
The players in Berlin's MICE industry are jointly thinking ahead to the future of the event industry. In doing so, they are specifically focussing on the needs of their most important target groups.
The Berlin Convention Office maintains the most customer and longest-standing partner relationships with the United Kingdom. For this reason, the team is particularly committed to positioning its expertise for the needs of event planners from the UK in the key areas and proactively helping to shape target group-specific offers.
One example of this special attachment to the British MICE market is the UK working group, which consists of representatives of the Berlin Convention Office, visitBerlin Partnerhotel e.V. and other local players, who meet monthly to discuss new developments and realise joint marketing activities that strengthen the attractiveness of Berlin as a business meeting destination among British MICE planners.
Success stories from many years of collaboration
Further activities in the UK market include a presence at leading trade fairs for meetings, incentives, conventions and events in the UK (e.g. The Meetings Show). On this fair the Berlin Convention Office and its local partners from Berlin who accompanied our team positioned the meeting destination of Berlin with great success among the leaders in the global MICE market for more than three years in a row.
Berlin awaits you
Whether UK, USA, France, Spain or BeNeLux - we will help you with the planning and realisation and bring you together with event partners and experts in our city.
Please write to us at convention@visitBerlin.de.
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DCI is a global economic development consulting firm with over 50 years of experience based in North America.
