Four providers of the meetings and conventions industry enjoy advantages as "GCB Members in Focus" - repeaters confirm GCB concept

Frankfurt/Main, 8 April 2009. In 2009 the GCB German Convention Bureau is again offering companies in the meeting, incentive, congress and event (MICE) business a stage to present themselves and their offerings: This year's GCB Members in Focus include the Berlin Convention Office (BCO), m:con - mannheim:congress GmbH, and once again the MCI Deutschland GmbH group and Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel & Towers, Conference Centre.

An extraordinary variety of locations and venues, one of Europe's most cutting-edge hotel landscapes with 97,230 hotel beds and six convention centres and halls alone - these are just some of the facts and figures that confirm Berlin's top position as an international meeting and congress destination. The Berlin Convention Office (BCO) run by Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH officially represents the city of Berlin in the meetings, conventions, corporate events and incentives sector. Since 2001 the department has promoted the capital destination both nationally and internationally as a destination for conventions, meetings and incentives of all kinds. Event planners will find competent support in the BCO. They can benefit from a wide network of contacts and free arrangement and booking of hotel allotments. The BCO's services include organising site inspections, social and fringe programmes, pre- and post-convention tours and incentives. In addition, BCO staff inform about culinary and cultural highlights in the capital.

m:con Congress Center Rosengarten in the heart of Mannheim is one of Europe's foremost convention centres and - thanks to capacities for more than 500 delegates - one of the five largest in Germany. 22,000 square metres of meeting and exhibition space, natural daylight-filled seminar rooms, state-of-the-art glass architecture and expanded, modular room offerings, plus ideal traffic connections, make this a highly attractive prime location. With its three-pillar principle Mannheim's Rosengarten is a great place for any kind of event. As a space and congress management provider, professional congress organiser (PCO) and professional media technology partner, m:con offers great freedom for the realisation of customer requirements.

Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel & Towers, Conference Center has again decided to be a GCB Member in Focus after its first term in 2007. With cutting-edge technical equipment, an excellent service and direct access to the airport, stations and motorways, this first-class hotel is ideal for all kinds of events - featuring a Congress Center for large functions with up to 1,200 attendees, 52 banquet rooms for small and medium-sized meetings, and a new SkyLoft for events. It boasts 1,008 rooms in four different categories, the Towers Floor, restaurants, bars and gym as well as a crew lounge, business centre and the Link@Sheraton Business-Lounge.

The global MCI group is now a Focus Member for the third time running, after 2007 and 2008. MCI Germany's over 40 multilingual staff members support their customers in congress and event management and contribute their know-how to planning staff meetings with several hundreds of attendees, organising scientific world congresses with thousands of delegates or presentations of brand products. In addition, MCI advises event venues and destinations on green issues. MCI's local know-how in Germany with subsidiaries in Berlin and Stuttgart is supported by the expertise of over 750 further staff members in 31 branch offices world-wide.
Lutz P. Vogt, managing director of the GCB: "Our Members in Focus concept is well-established: This is proven by the fact that several GCB members have already opted for this additional marketing tool several times and see it as a real added value."

The GCB German Convention Bureau e.V. markets Germany as a destination for conventions, meetings, events and incentives both on a national and international level, and is the place to contact for all customers planning an event in Germany.

Its 250 members include leading hotels, convention centres and destinations, car hire firms, event agencies and service providers of the German meetings and conventions industry. Maritim Hotels, Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH, and darmstadtium Science and Congress Centre are Preferred Partners of the GCB. As Strategic Partners, Deutsche Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn and the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) support the work of the GCB.

The GCB is an interface between organisers of meetings and conventions and suppliers of the German meetings market, offers advice and support for planning and organising events, and provides contacts and addresses. Its website www.germany-meetings.com features an online search facility for meeting venues, a newsletter, Germany guide and a lot more.

Further information and press releases about GCB German Convention Bureau e.V. on: www.germany-meetings.com.

GCB German Convention Bureau e.V.
Münchener Str. 48
60329 Frankfurt/Main
Germany
Tel:  +49 (0)69 - 24 29 30 0
Fax: +49 (0)69 - 24 29 30 26
E-Mail: info@gcb.de
Internet: www.germany-meetings.com

Press contact: Ms Ute Stegmann, tel: +49 69 - 24293013, e-mail: stegmann@gcb.de