News & Updates

What makes Berlin an attractive destination to North American meeting planners?

When you arrived in Berlin, what was your initial impression?

After stepping out of Berlin’s airport, I got an immediate sense of the gritty energy that I love so much in places like New York. Berlin is well spread out, and the whole city feels like one giant museum with the freedom to explore anything you want. Every step within the city and every building reveals another part of Berlin’s story.

What differentiates Berlin from other cities you have visited?

After a city tour in Berlin, it was obvious that the sightseeing opportunities would unfold with minimal effort. But what stood out for me was the greenery. The entire city is rich with its green spaces everywhere you look, whether it is parks such as Grosser Tiergarten and Volkspark Friedrichshain, or extraordinarily beautiful rooftop gardens. Berliners are champions in sustainable tourism initiatives, which are superbly executed in the city and across the hospitality industry. All accommodations we visited during the immersion trip were participating in sustainable efforts and demonstrating the unity of the city environment.

What were its important characteristics?

During this immersion trip, Pamela and I visited hotels and unique venues that effortlessly fit into American business travelers’ needs. All these properties covered the needs of American business travelers including quality, accessibility, flexibility to needs, proximity to airports and the city center, inviting design. A hard question, but I personally think Messe Berlin, Estrel Berlin and AXICA distinguished themselves as unique properties.