Business is our strength, consulting is our passion

The Hamburg Convention Bureau is Hamburg’s official, non-partisan agency for marketing Hamburg as a destination. Our Conventions unit comprises experienced experts who will navigate you through all planning stages. We are well acquainted with the local industry, and we will support you in achieving your objectives as swiftly as possible.

Our team of dedicated marketing professionals can provide you with free and independent advice with regard to securing suitable venues and hotel accommodation and in compiling a social programme. We maintain an extensive network with local service providers, public authorities and economic clusters. We organise inspection visits whenever required and use our industry expertise to support you in preparing your conference bid.

In the area of conventions, we focus on acquiring international business events related to those industries that are part of Hamburg’s economic clusters. In particular, we concentrate our efforts on Hamburg’s local cluster initiatives and scientific landscape. In addition, we also focus on the strategic development and expansion of our target markets.

In our role as ambassadors for Hamburg as a MICE destination, we promote the Hamburg Metropolitan Region at trade fairs and industry events as well as in reputable media.

Our services for you

As a marketing manager, Florian Gerdes is responsible for clients from Great Britain, the United States and China. Florian deals with queries emerging from these markets, while also managing target group-specific events and PR measures for clients. At trade fairs, forums and sales calls, Florian serves as the contact person for event planners from agencies and private enterprises in particular.

Florian studied hotel management in Switzerland with a focus on marketing. He holds a BA in business administration and a diploma from the Swiss Hotel Association. His career path has also led him to the United States, Italy and Tanzania.

As part of her role in the HCB’s conventions division, Saskia Müller is responsible for Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Scandinavia and France. Saskia advises and supports event organisers from agencies and private enterprises in implementing their events in Hamburg. In addition to her consultancy tasks she also coordinates HCB’s marketing measures in these markets, e.g. by initiating highly visible events and media cooperation projects.

Born and bred in Bielefeld, Saskia trained as an event manager and later attended Stenden University (Netherlands), where she studied business administration and marketing with a focus on tourism and event management.

Karin Samland advises and supports clients from Germany, Austria and Switzerland who are interested in Hamburg as a venue and who are seeking to hold a conference or meeting in Hamburg. Karin has many years of experience in the meetings and convention industry and previously worked for various renowned hotels in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. She has strong local knowledge and an excellent local network. On behalf of the HCB, Karin also develops and coordinates promotional, communication and marketing activities specifically tailored to the German, Austrian and Swiss markets.

Born in Austria, Karin trained in tourism management and has a long track record in organising large-scale conventions, conferences and events. As a convention sales and events manager at the Grand Elysée Hamburg she was in charge of organising events of up to 1,000 guests. Prior to joining the HCB in early 2015, Karin worked as director of sales and marketing at the Privathotel Lindtner Hamburg.

The HCB on tour – our schedule at a glance

The HCB regularly presents itself together with hotels and MICE partners from the Hamburg Metropolitan Region at major trade fairs and industry events. Please get in touch with us if you wish to make an advance appointment. We look forward to meeting you at the Hamburg Metropolitan Region’s exhibition booth or at one of the industry forums.