As a destination for meetings and conventions, Germany is number one in Europe for the sixth time running and number two in the world-wide rankings, which have now been published by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA).

"Germany has successfully reinforced its leading position over the last six years. This is very important not only in the face of ever fiercer competition in the meetings and events sector but also goes to show that our value for money is absolutely competitive - even in times of tight event planner budgets," says Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the GCB German Convention Bureau, about this excellent result. The GCB markets Germany as a destination for meetings and conventions, incentives and events both on a national and international level, and is the place to contact for anybody planning events in Germany.

Number one in Europe - number two world-wide

With 458 international association meetings Germany is the clear number one in Europe, far outpacing Spain (360 conventions), Italy (350 conventions), the UK (345 conventions) and France (341 conventions). On a world-wide scale only the USA (595 conventions) can top this high figure.

In the world-wide city rankings Germany is also in the top league. Berlin has moved up and now occupies a very good fourth place with 129 international association meetings - just a hair's breadth behind Paris (131 conventions) as number three, Barcelona (135 conventions) in second place, and Vienna (160 conventions) at the top. Other German cities among the Top 100 include Munich, Hamburg, Dresden, Cologne and Frankfurt.

The annual ICCA "International Association Meetings Market" statistics present an in-depth evaluation of trends in the international meetings industry. The association conventions reviewed by the ICCA must have at least 50 attendees, be regular events and take place alternately in at least three different countries. Founded in 1963, the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) is based in Amsterdam and has been collecting data on association events world-wide since 1972.

"The results of the ICCA are all the more interesting, if viewed together with the core statements of our current Meeting & EventBarometer 2010 - a survey of the meetings and event market in Germany. We will present the results of this market-leading survey together with our partners during a press conference at IMEX trade fair on 25 May 2010 at 12 noon", Schultze adds.

The comprehensive survey conducted by the European Institute for the Convention Industry (EITW) on behalf of the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC), the German National Tourist Board, and the GCB German Convention Bureau, analyses this important market, delivers the latest figures and casts a glance on directional trends.

The GCB German Convention Bureau e.V. with headquarters in Frankfurt/Main 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 who are planning events 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 convention centre are Preferred Partners of the GCB. As Strategic Partners, Deutsche Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn and the German National Tourist Board (DZT) 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.