Published on 15.11.2024
"Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit" on 15 November 2024 at the Gasometer, EUREF Campus: 250 experts will discuss major events and their significance for the capital city of Berlin.
Berlin, 15 November 2024 Today, around 250 experts from Berlin’s visitor economy and the congress industry, along with representatives from politics and the city community, are coming together at the initiative of visitBerlin for the first Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit at the Gasometer on the EUREF Campus. In the year of UEFA EURO 2024 and the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the summit will focus on the theme of "major events". Representatives of the tourism and MICE industry will jointly develop new ideas and measures to ensure Berlin continues to position itself as a top destination for both leisure travel and business events.
Michael Biel, State Secretary for Economics: "We support the tourism and events industry in Berlin because it is both an important economic factor and our showcase to the world. We are focusing in particular on two major issues: securing skilled workers and developing a growing but sustainable and city-compatible tourism. Together with the industry, we also want to attract more events, trade fairs and congresses to Berlin, strengthening the economy and generating added value for the city. That’s why I’m already very much looking forward to the Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit and the exchange on site!"
Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin: "Hosting major events is a vital economic factor for Berlin. The Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit is about finding ways, together with the travel and events industry, to shape and deliver such events in the future. We’ve invited a wide range of experts to explore this with us."
In the year of UEFA EURO 2024 and the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, major events are a particularly relevant topic. The day’s key questions revolve around: What role should major events ideally play in Berlin in 2035? What opportunities do they offer, and how can they reshape the destination? With which strategy and values will Berlin position itself in global competition? How can all stakeholders be actively involved in shaping major events? And to what extent can the city community benefit from them?
Following the opening by visitBerlin Managing Director Sabine Wendt, the morning agenda features keynotes and talks. In the afternoon, workshops and discussion rounds will take place. Confirmed speakers include: Michael Biel, State Secretary for Economics, futurologist Anja Kirig and political scientist Liya Yu, who in her keynote will address the connection between major events and their impact on the human brain. All results from the day will be evaluated and compiled by visitBerlin, with findings to be published as a white paper in 2025.
An important focus of the summit is talent development. Wild Cards provide students and trainees from the tourism and events industry with free participation at the event. In addition, several young talents will take an active role: they will moderate the pitches on the so-called marketplace, where summit participants will work in teams to develop and present ideas and measures on specific issues within a short timeframe.
In response to the initiative by visitBerlin, the first Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit is co-hosted by further Berlin project partners: the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, DEHOGA Berlin, IHK Berlin, the Berlin Event Network (BEN) e. V., and visitBerlin Partnerhotels e. V. Until now, the MICE Summit and the Day of Tourism alternated annually. This year, the two events have been combined for the first time to create synergies between these closely related sectors.
The event hashtag is #BerlinTourismMICESummit.
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