The high number of new events was unprecedented in company history. Most of them were developed as spin-offs from existing fairs or as entirely new formats by the New Business Development team formed as recently as 2024. Events such as the Global Security and Innovation Summit (GSIS), the RECHARGE Wind Power Summit 2025 powered by WindEnergy Hamburg, and the MS&D Conference as a stand-alone event premiered successfully. Other formats, including the FOOD FREEZING FORUM, LogiNext Germany, the Autonomous Mobility & Law Summit, the All about Ports and the RECHARGE Wind Power Summit Asia-Pacific powered by WindEnergy Hamburg in Singapore, will follow in 2026. What is more, the debut of the three-day WindEnergy Asia-Pacific powered by RECHARGE trade fair, also in Singapore, is scheduled for 2027.
Giving new events room to evolve
“For the past two years we have been putting a very clear focus on developing new events. We do not plan every last detail in advance; rather, we are putting the emphasis on speedy implementation while giving the new formats room to evolve,” explains Heiko M. Stutzinger, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress. “We base this approach on the well-established strategy of start-up companies which we believe is well suited for adaptation to our events. Besides, this is the only way we can realise such a high number of new events. At the same time, this implies that we are willing to accept potential failure. Not every one of these trade fairs and congresses may grow to become a major, long-standing event. But taking this approach makes us more responsive and agile.”
Uwe Fischer, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress, adds: “Being able once again to celebrate the strongest odd year in company history, with nearly EUR 92m in revenue, is a confirmation that we are pursuing the right growth strategy. We even exceeded the expected annual result by five million euros. Thanks in part to highly attractive guest events, we are closing the gap between odd and high-selling even years, the latter featuring our biennial flagship fairs, SMM and WindEnergy Hamburg. For the first time, we even achieved a positive aggregated two-year result for 2024/2025.”
Strong impact of HMC-organised events
As usual, the events organised directly by Hamburg Messe und Congress delivered strong impetus to their respective industry sectors. Apart from INTERNORGA, which celebrates its 105th birthday in 2026, the fourth edition of the POLARIS Convention excelled once again, with long queues forming outside the entrances hours before opening time on each day of the event.
Subject matter-specific industry fairs were likewise met with visitor enthusiasm. For example, Seatrade Europe welcomed participants from 100 nations to Hamburg. And in Mumbai, India, INMEX SMM India 2025, which is co-hosted by Hamburg Messe und Congress, further strengthened its position as South Asia’s biggest maritime trade exhibition and conference.
Guest events set new record
A total of 665,676 participants were welcomed to seven HMC-organised and 45 guest events in 2025, nearly all held on Hamburg’s exhibition campus, with two exceptions. In the Guest Events segment, Hamburg Messe und Congress was delighted to be the venue of seven new events, including LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION, the UITP Summit, and the Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Europe. Flagship fairs such as the Aircraft Interiors Expo or the Hydrogen Technology World Expo, along with several returning events completed the picture, resulting in a record 45 guest events in a single year. As another highlight, a new ten-year agreement was signed with the OMR Festival.
Significantly higher attendance at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg
The CCH – Congress Center Hamburg counted 207,706 event participants in 2025, a 46 per cent increase from the 142,260 congress attendees, concert visitors and other guests welcomed the previous year. The number of events itself grew by as much as 58 per cent year-on-year, from 76 to as many as 120 in 2025, including 25 medical and scientific congresses, 16 annual general and personnel assembly meetings, and 47 concerts and balls.
Furthermore, several key decisions were made with respect to international competition. Apart from the comprehensive re-design of the rooftop garden and the commissioning of a solar power system, a permanent approval was granted to extend the capacity of the CCH: As many as 16,500 persons are now allowed to be present simultaneously inside the CCH. The previous permit was limited to 12,000 visitors.
Profits and losses for the year
In relation to the budget for 2025, the year’s sales revenues in the amount of EUR 91.7m exceeded expectations by six million euros, with the EUR -14.9m bottom line five million euros better than originally planned. This translates to a positive outcome of around six million euros for the aggregated years 2024 and 2025.
2026: A packed programme and high expectations
With five HMC-organised events premiering, the CCH and guest event numbers approximating those of the previous year, and eight long-standing HMC-organised events such as INTERNORGA, SMM, WindEnergy Hamburg and GET NORD on the agenda, Hamburg Messe und Congress is planning for yet another record year in 2026, anticipating sales revenues totalling EUR 158.5m.
At the end of May 2026, the public vote on the city’s Olympic application will be an additional milestone. Hamburg Messe und Congress is actively supporting the application for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The event campus comprising the exhibition complex and the CCH would represent one of the city’s largest sport venues, providing space for competitions in disciplines such as Badminton, table tennis, wrestling, fencing and wheelchair fencing.
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