Seamlessly blending a rich history with a vibrant cultural scene and modern tech-embracing outlook, Berlin has established itself as a premier destination for corporate events and international conferences.

The German capital sits in the heart of Europe, making it highly accessible from many global destinations and its state-of-the-art infrastructure, as well as ample choice of venues and accommodation cements its appeal.

The city's infrastructure is well-equipped to support large-scale events. Venues such as the Messe Berlin ExpoCenter City offer extensive facilities, covering more than 160,000 square meters.

Whilst there are many cities that draw large numbers of visitors and are logistically capable of hosting large events, Berlin’s fascinating cultural heritage and dynamic arts scene, not to mention its energetic nightlife, provide an engaging backdrop for international delegates.

In this guide to planning a corporate event in Berlin, we offer our insights and experiences and even share some ideas we’ve incorporated into our clients’ conferences. All of which should help you decide whether to host your next corporate event in Berlin and how to go about it if you do.

Logistics of hosting an international conference in Berlin

Berlin is accessible from many global locations but especially from Europe where it’s often possible to travel by train rather than plane. Furthermore, the city has a highly efficient public transportation system making it possible to move groups between venues reliably. However, due to the choice of venues and accommodations, as well as the vast array of activities the city has to offer, much of the time we were able to walk delegates between locations. Aside from being a more sustainable way to travel, we believe this to be the best way to see most cities and our guests usually agree. Of course, this can be weather-dependent and we were fortunate as our most recent Berlin event took place in November when it was brisk but dry - ideal for a city stroll.

Although Berlin is a beautiful and bustling destination all year round, there is something extra special about a winter trip to the city. In December, Berlin is a massive tourist draw and, though there is much to entertain visitors, it can be very busy. Hosting our event in November was ideal as the markets had just started to open, warm drinks were being served outdoors and the holiday spirit was emerging so delegates were able to soak in the seasonal magic just before the Christmas market tourists descended.

Activities in Berlin for corporate events

A forward-thinking, modern city, steeped in history and culture, the German capital offers an abundance of activities and attractions for visitors. Our aim was for delegates to benefit from both the traditional and the agent-guard aspects of the city.

One of the most memorable highlights of our Berlin programme was dividing the group into two for parallel activities that captured the city’s creative spirit. Half of the group visited the East Side Gallery, soaking in the vibrant street art and murals, while the other half participated in an engaging, expert-led graffiti workshop. The workshop centred around an AI theme and incorporated some friendly competition between delegates to further encourage those creative juices to flow. It was a uniquely ‘Berlin’ activity and provided a reenergising respite from the corporate programme.

Meanwhile, the East Side Gallery was a special experience for delegates. Once the Berlin Wall, this is now the world’s longest open-air gallery and was the ideal sister activity to the graffiti workshop. To ensure everyone could fully experience both activities, the groups swapped after each session, giving all delegates a chance to enjoy these inspiring and distinctly Berlin moments.

In the evening we regrouped outside of the workshop venue where we created a Christmas market vibe with street fires and mulled wine (and alcohol-free alternatives) and enjoyed quintessentially German-style dining - sharing food platters on Bierkeller Tables with mismatched chairs and benches.

On another evening, we hosted a gala dinner at Orangery where drinks were served in one wing, dinner in the other, and then guests were directed back to the first wing in the evening where the room had been transformed for the after-party. A live DJ and glow sticks amped up the underground city nightlife vibe Berlin is famous for.

Towards the end of the conference, we took city tours where guides showed us both the historical sites as well as some less common hidden gems, including secluded courtyards, secret graffiti locations and some of the cafes and venues favoured by locals.

Planning a sustainable corporate event in Berlin

Berlin is not a difficult place in which to plan an eco-friendly event. As a contemporary European city, sustainability is of high priority which made tracking our event carbon footprint (something we do using Isla’s platform TRACE) easier than in some other locations. We also found many venues with admirable sustainability practices.

Particularly impressive was our gala dinner caterer, Berlin Cuisine. Located in an industrial estate shared by many of their suppliers, including their butcher and greengrocers, Berlin Cuisine has successfully cut way down on the travel emissions most caterers incur through various deliveries. When transportation is necessary, they use only electric-powered vehicles. They also provide an uncommonly good selection of vegan options.

Most suppliers in Berlin use recyclable or sustainable materials and follow eco-friendly practices. Initially, we were surprised to find our warehouse venue was charging us for heating and electricity but understood when we learnt that these utilities were turned off when the venue was not in use, in order to save energy (even though it's all derived from renewables).

The graffiti workshop organisers also prioritised sustainability, using water-based paints and fully recyclable materials. Additionally, they operate a scheme where used canvases are donated to local schools for reuse, promoting both environmental responsibility and community support. Many of our delegates embraced this initiative, choosing to donate their artwork to be repurposed for educational and creative purposes within the local community, further aligning with our ESG goals.

When working with suppliers that prioritise sustainability, it’s important to be flexible too and ensure clients are on board. With many caterers sourcing locally, for instance, there may be times when it’s necessary for the provider to adapt pre-selected dishes if certain ingredients are no longer available. By making sustainability a theme or key part of your event story though, clients are far more likely to accommodate this as proof of commitment to their values.

The cost of a corporate event in Berlin

As a popular destination, Berlin is one of the more expensive European cities to host an event. Furthermore, negotiation can be challenging in Germany since bartering is not a typical part of the culture. Therefore, it is important to be realistic when setting the event budget.

Dynamic Events have, however, established some strong supplier relationships in Berlin and this has made it possible to achieve some more competitive rates. Nurturing business relationships in the region takes time but is worth it. Not only can building business relationships in Berlin help with maximising value, but it can also lead to more flexibility in terms of tailoring services to our needs and incorporating more of our ideas and preferences. So, we recommend reaching out to potential suppliers early on in the planning stages, leaving plenty of time to deepen connections.

Essentially, Berlin is a very popular destination and high demand enables venues and suppliers to stick to rate card costs, so mostly they will.

Do I need an events agency to plan my international conference in Berlin?

One of the key advantages of staging a global conference is the ability to incorporate local culture to enhance the delegate experience and make a corporate event more memorable. We embrace this opportunity wherever we go and Berlin is certainly a city where it’s not challenging to plan experiences that soak in the German, and the unique ‘Berlin’, culture. Having said this, it does take some expertise and creativity to come at it from a less standardised angle and an events agency - like Dynamic Events, who are experienced in hosting conferences in Germany - can offer this deeper knowledge.

It’s also difficult to achieve reduced rates or supplier flexibility here, but an agency may have a better chance of achieving this.

In terms of the city’s suitability for corporate events, the blend of historical landmarks and contemporary attractions offers ample opportunities for networking and leisure activities, making Berlin an appealing place to host a global conference. Furthermore, the combination of advanced infrastructure, strategic location, and cultural vibrancy makes it dynamic and accessible.

As previously highlighted though, the German capital is one of the more costly European locations so we highly recommend utilising the expertise of an events agency with experience in this region to maximise the value of your international event in Berlin.