Congress initiative ‘do-it-at-leipzig.de’ and its suppliers in joint promotion to address congress and conference organizers
From 20 to 22 May 2014, IMEX – the world’s biggest trade show for meetings, incentive travel and events – will be held in Hall 8 at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition center. More than 3,500 exhibitors from 157 countries are expected to be there. The initiative project ‘Feel the spirit … do-it-at-leipzig.de’ will be presented by Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing (LTM) GmbH at the Germany booth of the German Convention Bureau e. V. (GCB). Together with the CCL Congress Center Leipzig, the Porsche Leipzig GmbH and the Leipzig Zoo GmbH, the city’s great variety of conference and congress options will be introduced to the international trade visitors.
Over the past few years, Leipzig has become one of the top congress destinations in Germany and Europe. This is also reflected in the annual report of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the world’s leading association of the meeting business, which was published in mid-May 2014. Among the German cities Leipzig occupies an outstanding fourth place, after Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. In the international ranking, the Saxon metropolis is number 106, and in Europe number 59.
The ICCA report ‘International Association Meetings Market Report (country and city rankings)’ presents the trends of the international congress business and lists countries and cities according to the number of international association meetings. The list only includes events that meet specified criteria: The meeting must at least have 50 participants; it has to be a regular event and must rotate between at least three countries. In 2013 Leipzig hosted 22 congresses that met these standards. Germany once again asserted its number one position as Europe’s most important congress destination.
The excellent position in the world-wide ranking is also a result of the successful cooperation of 47 suppliers in the marketing initiative ‘do-it-at-leipzig.de’, which since 2000 has been promoting Leipzig as a meeting destination. The project partners share the marketing costs and join their marketing activities for Leipzig as a destination for conferences and congresses, and they support event planners with their knowhow. The brochure ‘Meetings & Events in Leipzig’, the service portal www.do-it-at-leipzig.de and the project ‘Hidden Leipzig’ are important results of this cooperation.
Leipzig’s core competences are one important aspect more when bidding for conferences, especially in the fields of health management and biotechnology, energy and environmental technology as well as automobile industry.
With a growth of 8.7 percent Leipzig again set a guest record in 2013, counting almost 2.7 million overnight stays. Approximately 70 percent of the overnight stays come from business travellers. Participants of congresses, conferences and events have an essential part in this. This trend is likely to continue in the next few years, since with the opening of the Zoo congress hall, the 600th anniversary of the University of Leipzig’s medical faculty as well as the anniversary ‘1000 Years of Leipzig’ in 2015 further mega events are coming up.
CCL Congress Center Leipzig
Thanks to the close cooperation of the CCL with the University of Leipzig and the academies, institutes, clinics and research institutions of the city, numerous international top-class meetings could be attracted to Leipzig. In 2013 among these were the Congress of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) with about 2,000 participants and the Congress of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) with approximately 3,000 participants from 50 countries. Conferences at this quality level contribute to enhance Leipzig’s profile as a centre of science and research and help increase the awareness of the city world-wide.
The next international congresses have already been scheduled. In May 2015, the CCL will host the annual meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID), which will be attended by 3,500 international delegates. ESPID is after FEMS 2013 the second conference in the CCL organized by Kenes International, one of the world’s leading PCOs for medical and scientific meetings. The Leipzig University’s clinic centre has recently won the bid for two major medical meetings: In 2016 the ‘EuroEcho Imaging’ congress will bring 4,000 cardiology experts from all over Europe to Leipzig and the CCL – a remarkable recognition of Leipzig as a centre of excellence in cardiology.
Made in Leipzig: Twelve years of Porsche fascination in all its facets
Since 2002, Saxony, the ‘land of automobiles’, has been Porsche’s second home.
Early in 2014 another chapter of the sports car producer’s success story began in Leipzig: In February, the production of the Macan was officially started. For this completely new compact SUV series the Saxon assembly facility was expanded by adding an own body construction and paint shop for 500 million Euros, making Porsche Leipzig a full-fledged factory. In the spring of 2014 the 700,000th Porsche car ‘Made in Leipzig’ rolled off the line. But apart from technical top performances there is a lot more Porsche can offer in Leipzig: ‘We turn the fascination of a sports car a multi-sensory experience. Let’s switch on the ignition together – goose bumps are sure to follow.’
The customer centre on the Leipzig factory premises with its on-road and off-road tracks provides plenty of opportunities to experience Porsche up-close and highly emotionally. More than 40,000 guests visit the Porsche World in Leipzig every year. When customers collect their new car from the plant, they do not only get a tour of the production facilities and an exclusive dinner in the panorama restaurant but also a dynamic kind of vehicle introduction.
In addition, Porsche Leipzig has got a multitude of attractive rooms for meetings and events. With its breath-taking view of the 3.7 kilometres long and 12 metres wide FIA circuit the customer centre constitutes a unique event location – fast lane feeling guaranteed.
Zoo Leipzig: event locations with a special ambience
By the year 2020, Zoo Leipzig will have completed its innovative Zoo of the Future concept. In a fascinating symbiosis, this project is bringing together animals living in conditions modelled on their natural habitat, extraordinary encounters between animals and visitors and a global commitment to species conservation. A visit of the theme worlds Africa, Asia, South America, Pongoland, Founder’s Garden and Gondwanaland isn’t just worthwhile in terms of fascinating animals: With its generously sized enclosures modelled on natural surroundings Zoo Leipzig is a great alternative place for conferences, receptions and workshops.
Zoo Leipzig offers five locations for birthday parties, weddings, company events or jubilees and creates an unforgettable atmosphere. In the event facilities of the Gondwanaland Tropical World, at the Hacienda Las Casas, the African design Kiwara Lodge or in the Aquarium companies, associations, clubs or families can spend an exotic and amazing time in the middle of a fascinating flora and fauna. Guides take visitors on an explorer tour through the zoo. Regional and international artists contribute exciting and multifaceted programmes. Exquisite catering is provided by the zoo partners Marché Restaurants Deutschland GmbH and Sodexo Services GmbH.
Furthermore the refurbishment of the Zoo’s historical ‘Kongresshalle’ (Congress Hall) is scheduled to be completed by 2015. 14 events rooms will then be available here for more than 1,000 conference participants.
Partners at the Leipzig-Booth F 100 / 45-46 at the IMEX 2014:
· Congress Initiative ‘do-it-at-leipzig.de’: www.do-it-at-leipzig.com
· Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH: www.leipzig.travel
· CCL Congress Center Leipzig: www.ccl-leipzig.de
· Porsche Leipzig GmbH: www.porsche-leipzig.com
· Zoo Leipzig GmbH: www.zoo-leipzig.de
