Published on 17.12.2025
Berlin Paper defines strategy for Berlin's future as a leading event metropolis / Stakeholders pull together: industry initiative strengthens Berlin's event expertise
Berlin, 17 December 2025 Yesterday, the Berlin Senate set the course for Berlin's further development as an event-friendly metropolis. The aim is to position the city as a leading metropolis for sustainable, inclusive and innovative major events by 2035. visitBerlin welcomes this step, which is based on the comprehensive action plan ‘Berlin Paper’. The plan brings together specific recommendations for action and connects all relevant stakeholders in the city – from politics and business to civil society. The city is already very well positioned as a meeting destination, and now it is time to build on its existing strengths.
‘Berlin has sent out a signal and is breaking new ground worldwide,’ says Sabine Wendt, Managing Director of visitBerlin. ‘With the “Berlin Paper”, we are creating the necessary framework conditions to ensure that our city can continue to be successful in the long term as a host for outstanding events and congresses. Major events are much more than just an economic factor; above all, they provide social and cultural impetus. Initiatives such as Sustainable Berlin and the “Berlin Paper”, developed in collaboration with the industry, have laid a solid foundation for this.’
With a comprehensive package of measures, the capital aims to become the leading destination for major events by 2035. For example, a central administrative contact point will link politicians, the events industry and the administration in future. In close cooperation with the "Berlin Event Board", which was founded in September and coordinates applications, plans events and manages strategic development, measures are being implemented and long-term partnerships between the administration, business and society are being promoted. The Berlin Event Board includes BEN Berlin Event Network e.V., Berlin Partner for Business and Technology, Clubcommission e.V., DEHOGA Berlin, INTOURA Berlin e.V., Messe Berlin, visitBerlin and visitBerlin Partnerhotels e.V.
Citizen participation also plays an important role. To this end, existing formats are being expanded, for example. A comprehensive inclusion and accessibility plan and binding sustainability standards are set to establish new benchmarks for major events. Another key point is the optimisation of transport infrastructure and the use of innovative technologies.
The industry initiative was launched at the Berlin Tourism & MICE Summit in November 2024, which brought together participants from Berlin's visitor economy and convention industry as well as representatives from politics and urban society.
Key figures demonstrate how important the visitor economy is for the capital. In 2023, for example, tourism contributed 4.6 per cent to Berlin's total economic output (source: DIW Econ). In 2024, there were up to 27,000 jobs in Berlin's MICE industry alone (source: official event and congress statistics). And the measures outlined in the Berlin Paper will further promote this growth in the tourism and MICE industry and sharpen Berlin's international positioning.
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