MEET GERMANY SUMMIT NRW – a personal follow-up report

On 27 & 28 October 2021, event planners and event service providers came together in Düsseldorf and Cologne at the MEET GERMANY SUMMIT NRW on the topics of „People, Technology & Planet“. The hybrid SUMMIT offered plenty of networking opportunities, expert lectures and discussion panels, introduced experienced as well as new event service providers and presented versatile destinations as well as locations.

MEET GERMANY activated over 300 event professionals in NRW, 15 % of which were digital. 25 % were exhibitors & 75 % trade visitors. 30 % of the trade visitors attended the event on both days. 25 % of the visitors came from NRW.

The MEET GERMANY SUMMITS have a modular design: The FORUM in the Classic Remise Düsseldorf provided information on current industry trends and introduced exhibitors and partners from all over the world – e.g. Turespaña, Tourismus NRW e.V., Zürich Tourismus, Dresden Marketing, Salzburg Tourismus, Kassel Marketing or Accor Hotels Deutschland. The main topic was sustainability in the event industry. In addition to pioneers such as 2bdifferent, IMEX GROUP and Sustainable Event Solutions, BIBER SERVICE – sustainable event cleaning – a start-up from the industry presented itself and inspired visitors and exhibitors alike. The topic of sustainability was also high on the agenda of the presenting destinations; in a conversation with Kassel Marketing GmbH, MEET GERMANY learned more about the sustainable organisation of Documenta 15 in 2022, for example.

Interactive formats such as Speed Geeking were partly unknown to the planners and exhibitors and ensured new contacts in a short time. „After initial familiarisation, the format was very well received, as one was also networked with partners who were not always on one’s „planned contact list“ and often offered a surprising conversation,“ said Tanja Schramm, CEO MEET GERMANY. „Our SUMMIT in NRW presented us with many challenges. Whether it was last-minute rescheduling of the agreed locations, the traffic situation on site due to a bomb disposal and the prevailing requirements for planners have demanded a lot from us and our event guests. We are all the more pleased that we were able to put together a varied programme and provide many networking opportunities. The atmosphere at every point of the programme was simply great. A big thank you goes out to all the exhibitors, tour and event partners who worked with us to put on this intense as well as joyful SUMMIT. To all the planners who were there. And to my imaginative, motivated and great team.“

The TOUR showed regional event locations including the new LES HALLES | La Piscine in the cool industrial look of the 1920s, the Areal Böhler, The Frame, the Crowne Plaza Düsseldorf-Neuss, the SEEPAVILLON at Lake Fühlingen, the Carlswerk Victoria, the RHEIN SIEG FORUM as the largest event venue between Cologne and Bonn, the brand new Moxy at Cologne-Bonn Airport and the new event spaces in the euronova CAMPUS (opening in 2022).

At NIGHT in Boston Bar and CLOSING in QUATER 1 at the end of the Summit day, there was intensive networking. The event planners were also challenged physically once again: Team Drumming with Percussion Art and Samba-Reggae-Drumming – together with Anne Damm at the NIGHT. And at the „Schunkeln und Mitsingen“ with the Cologne dialect band „KÖLSCHRAUM“. The songs are penned by the band, the repertoire is as colourful and varied as Cologne itself.

In addition to networking and „filling up“ on knowledge, the physical well-being was also well catered for: by BROICH Catering and Location as well as KAISERSCHOTE Feinkost Catering, among others.

Team MEET GERMANY on its own behalf

„We network purposefully and with passion. Our network appreciates us for this and benefits from it. Our partners and service providers organise summits and events with a lot of commitment and heart and soul and provide their services, their teams and also materials. Especially in times of change, cohesion, commitment and appreciation are important. We notice an unusually high no-show rate at events, also at our events. Dear colleagues in the industry: We are aware that times cannot always be planned, that short-term business appointments, quarantine cases, short-time work and much more can always arrive. Also that times are not easy and budgets are limited. We understand this and invite planners, for example, to the events free of charge for the most part this year. However, we ask you to cancel in good time if you are unable to attend. In the spirit of sustainability, resource planning and respect. And especially in times of re-activation of our industry.“

MEET GERMANY on tour:

9. – 11. November MEET EUROPE AMERICA
17. & 18. November MEET GERMANY SUMMIT RHEIN-MAIN
8. & 9 December MEET GERMANY SUMMIT MUNICH

Information for exhibitors and visitors at: https://meet-germany.network/events

Partners & Friends of the NRW SUMMIT 2021 

2bdifferent, allseated, btl next, BROICH Catering und Locations, click it Bildsysteme, Dekokonzept Franz, doo, Düsseldorf Convention, easyCube, Event Rent, FastLane, Hanse Mondial, KAISERSCHOTE Feinkost Catering, KölnTourismus, KONSTANZE AGATZ I SHOW CALLING, Moderator Karin Ruppert, MTS Medientechnik, Tourismus NRW e.V., Silent Event, Sustainable Event Solutions, Time Change, TRUST Promotion, vidivent and many more.

Kategorie: Editorial, Summits
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