Congress Hub Bern

Bern Welcome, BERNEXPO and Kursaal Bern as the alliance Congress Hub Bern have a joint marketing and acquisition strategy for the convention destination Bern that allows for optimal harnessing of synergies. Potential event organizers do not have to deal with three different organizations from the same city, but rather have one coordinated contact representing the brand Bern.

Thanks to the Congress Hub Bern, Bern is established as a leading convention destination in terms of appeal and quality of service for national and medium-sized international conventions, trade fairs, and other events by 2025. This is a one-stop shop solution for convention organizers, providing everything from taking care of the hotel quotas to bringing organizers together with service providers to recommending attractive complementary activities.

The Congress Hub Bern fuels innovation and actively seeks out new event formats that create additional added value. Individual players in the destination Bern oftentimes do not have the strength to institute an event on their own. Now, they are actively approached and supported free of charge in everything from finalizing the idea to compiling the candidature dossier to organizing the convention. Thanks to the Congress Hub Bern, ideas are brought to life and the combined know-how of nationally and internationally networked experts in clusters such as life sciences, education and sustainability is utilized in the most efficient and effective way.

Every year, the live marketing company BERNEXPO GROUPE stages more than 30 exhibitions and guest exhibitions, over 300 conventions and trade shows as well as other events of all sizes. Live communication enables the BERNEXPO GROUPE to deliver memorable moments, create spaces where people can come together, and offer a wide variety of platforms. The BERNEXPO site is one of Switzerland’s largest exhibition premises. Eight exhibition halls across two building complexes offer around 40,000 m2 of event floor space and 100,000 m2 of outdoor space. The BERNEXPO GROUPE employs a team of around 100 people. Generating a gross added value of around CHF 260 million, it is an important economic driving force for the city and region of Bern – with a nationwide impact.

The Kursaal Bern Group is a Swiss company with a long-standing tradition that comprises the three business units convention centre, hotel & gastronomy, and casino. The versatile all-in-one package consists of professional convention services with state-of-the-art digital technology including a streaming studio and 28 flexibly usable function rooms for on-site events with up to 1,500 people as well as online events. Also part of the group is the newly designed Swissôtel Kursaal Bern (4-star superior), which is part of the international Accor Group, with 171 rooms and suites and attractive culinary options, as well as the casinos in Neuchâtel and Bern. Centrally located in the heart of Bern, between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland, the Kursaal Bern Group is well positioned to continuously expand its market position as a major Swiss convention, hotel & gastronomy, and casino group.

Bern Welcome is the destination management organization (DMO) of the destination Bern, bringing together the various players within and along the tourism service chain. It positions and develops the destination and strengthens its competitiveness in the market in an innovative and resource-saving way, always with a focus on networking. The construct Bern Welcome consists of the holding company Bern Welcome AG and the two subsidiaries Bern Tourismus AG and Bern Meetings & Events AG. The boards of directors all share the same members.