Hamburg to host the 2021 ITS World Congress: strategic focus on cluster events is once again paying off

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has won the bid to host the 2021 World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). The decision of the international ITS committee was announced last night by the European interest group ERTICO-ITS and Hamburg Senator Frank Horch during the Hamburg evening at the 2017 ITS World Congress in Montréal, Canada. In addition to Hamburg, there were three other international cities competing to host this large-scale event.

The ITS World Congress will take place from 11 to 15 October 2021 and will be hosted in collaboration with Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. Hamburg’s bid for hosting the 2021 World Congress, which was titled “Cos it’s Hamburg – City of Solutions”, was submitted to the ERTICO head office in Brussels last March.

Olaf Scholz, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, commented: “We are very pleased with this decision and would like to thank all those who have put work into this. In the coming years, Hamburg will be Germany’s model city for urban mobility and logistics solutions. The use of state-of-the-art technologies and a wealth of expertise will make traffic more efficient, eco-friendly and convenient for residents.”

Frank Horch, Hamburg’s Senator for Economic Affairs, Transport and Innovation, added: “As the future host to the ITS World Congress, we are putting Hamburg on the world map for the mobility solutions of the future. The fact that we have been chosen to host this congress confirms that we are on the right track with the Hamburg Senate’s ITS strategy that was adopted in April 2016.”

With more than 100 stakeholders from industry, research and associations across Germany and Europe actively supporting the bid, Hamburg’s bid had strong tailwind from the entire industry and from far beyond the city boundaries.

Michael Otremba, managing director of the Hamburg Convention Bureau GmbH, emphasised the importance of collaborations in the area of congress bids. “To us, conventions have more than just monetary value. Events like these bring decision-makers, experts and talent to the city, and these individuals will be exposed to the local industry, business, and science sectors – and of course to the city itself. The ITS congress will generate knowledge in a subject domain that is highly topical and future-oriented. The fact that the industry has been supporting Hamburg’s successful bid from a very early stage highlights the positive effects of fruitful collaboration,” Mr Otremba said.

The ITS World Congress is held every three years in alternating locations in Europe, with interim events hosted in the Americas and Asia. Each year, more than 10,000 international trade visitors join the conference and the accompanying trade fair, attend live demonstrations, and discuss the latest developments in the field of intelligent transport systems and services. The new CCH – Congress Center Hamburg, the halls of the Hamburg Messe exhibition grounds as well as selected streets in Hamburg’s urban area will serve as the venue for the 2021 World Congress in Hamburg.

For Michael Otremba, the decision in favour of Hamburg is yet another quality seal for Hamburg as a MICE location. “Hosting the ITS congress will be a highly visible exclamation mark for Hamburg as a meetings destination. Following the 2013 Lions Club International Convention, the G20 summit and the 2019 Rotary International Convention, the 2021 ITS World Congress will be another top-class event that will bring the international MICE industry to Hamburg. The decision once again demonstrates that we are an attractive and highly professional destination for leading international conventions,” Mr Otremba explained.