The
recently announced Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 issued by
the World Economic Forum has ranked Germany number 6 overall in terms
of economic competitiveness and number 3 for its infrastructure in
terms of quality.
This
comprehensive report assesses the competitive landscape of 144
economies worldwide, providing insight into the drivers behind their
productivity and prosperity.
Infrastructure
-- along with strong business, academic and scientific expertise and
green meetings knowledge -- is part of what makes Germany a leading
global meetings, events and conference destination, having hosted
2.72 million events in 2011, up 4.5 percent from the previous year
(Source: Meetings & Events Barometer Germany 2012). Germany’s
strong variety of world-class, interwoven transportation options and
infrastructure creates convenient and efficient mobility.
These options include 40 airports, 20 of which are
international, with Lufthansa serving 200 destinations in 80
countries; 12,850 kilometers of world- class highways; and a strong
train network of almost 33,500 kilometers serving 5,400 locations.
Once visitors are at a local destination, German public and personal
transportation by train, bus, car sharing and taxis then kicks in to
get them around safely and easily. For those that prefer exercise and
the ultimate green way to get around on two wheels, Germany even
features the “Call a Bike“ program in eight cities and at over
40 train
stations.
“Seamless
mobility is one of the core benefits Germany offers to business
travelers," says Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the
German Convention Bureau. "Further, leading German travel
providers such as Lufthansa and the Deutsche Bahn (German Railways)
provide customized solutions to the meetings industry, making work
travel to and within Germany increasingly easy and value-driven. So
whether you are visiting for a conference or coming in for a small
incentive trip, your infrastructure experience in Germany should
always be top notch.”
In addition to
the benefits of Germany’s travel infrastructure itself, meeting and
event organizers and their guests -- as well as the actual business
programs themselves -- benefit from Germany’s expertise in
logistics and transportation and other key industries such as
automotive, pharmaceutical, and biotech. The country is, for example,
home to such key international players as DHL, Mercedes Benz,
Porsche, BMW, Lufthansa, Schenker, and Deutsche Bahn (German
Railways) and many others, allowing meeting organizers to dip into
this local expertise for event content suggestions, potential
sponsorship relationships, keynote speaker candidates, and a
multitude of other networking opportunities.
Convenient
location has also been recognized as a strength for meetings and
events professionals with Germany being called the most accessible
country in Europe by the European Union’s ESPON (European Spatial
Observation Network) Survey in 2011.