Leipzig: From progressive underdog to major player The boom town of Leipzig in Saxony has emerged as a hidden favourite of many international conference and event planners. With sustainability in action and a recent accolade from the New York Times, Leipzig’s transformation into a top-tier player is in full swing. The congress initiative do-it-at-leipzig.de wants to show audiences at this year’s IMEX how. The demands placed on the perfect conference destination are high: excellent infrastructure, comfortable hotels and an open-minded culture are a must. At the same time, the place should be as unfamiliar and hip as possible. Organisers and guests alike want to see new things and be surprised. Leipzig meets these criteria with ease. Only recently, the trade fair city made it into the prestigious 52 Places to Go ranking published by the New York Times for the second time. Coupled with the extraordinary rise of local football team RB Leipzig to Champions League level, the Saxon city is attracting unprecedented international attention. Leipzig is also at the forefront of the debate on issues involving the future and modern living. It was voted one of the most cyclist-friendly places in Germany, is conveniently compact, and ticks all the gastronomic boxes from vegan eateries to Michelin-starred cuisine. Affordable rents have been attracting artists for years, and students are founding successful start-ups. Parallel to this, numerous new venues and hotels are springing up. Leipzig’s unique position – somewhere between insider tip and top tier – will be the focus at this year’s IMEX: during a daily Coffee Happy Hour, visitors to the fair will not only be able to recharge their batteries, but will also see for themselves Leipzig’s pioneering role as a sustainable city. To symbolise this and in line with the upcycling trend, all of the stand elements will be made from recycled materials. Support will also come from several partners from the congress initiative, who will present their own approaches and contributions to the stand’s green theme: besides Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH, the stand will be run by the Congress Center Leipzig, Leipzig Zoo, the Red Bull Arena Leipzig, Porsche Leipzig as well as the hotels the Westin Leipzig, the Leipzig Marriott Hotel and the Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof Leipzig. Contact: Hiskia Wiesner | Head of Conventions Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH Phone: +49 341 7104240 | [email protected] | www.do-it-at-leipzig.com .