Messe Berlin with record sales: new plans for Tempelhof and international expansion!

Messe Berlin with record sales: new plans for Tempelhof and international expansion!

Berlin, Deutschland - The Messe Berlin achieved a record result of almost 500 million euros in sales in 2024, as RBB24. This represents a surplus of around 55 million euros, of which 25 million euros come from the business with the refugee center on the former Tegel airport. Despite these positive figures, there are also critical voices that indicate that the fair has economically benefited from the conditions in Tegel.

As part of its growth strategy, the Messe Berlin is planning an international expansion. In particular, markets in the Middle East and Asia are to be developed. An important step was the Gitex, a relevant technology fair that took place in Berlin at the end of May 2025 and was brought to Berlin by Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey. This fair is said to serve as a bridge to the Arab world and is part of the technology -based growth strategy of the United Arab Emirates. The trade fair chief Mario Tobias describes the Gitex as the biggest coup of his term.

Future vision and alternatives

Reinhard Müller, a critic of current trade fair policy, suggests moving the fair to Tempelhof and building modern exhibition halls and a large conference center there. Based on an estimate, the cost of this new building could be around 800 million euros, whereby he also sees potential for a new city district. However, the Berlin Mass is skeptical about Müller's suggestions, since a new trade fair building is considered a billion dollar project. Giffey does not support these plans, but focuses more on the strategic orientation of the fair.

Dirk Hoffmann, Managing Director of Messe Berlin, emphasizes that the funds generated are invested in strengthening the location in order to remain competitive in international competition. The Berlin Mass is therefore planning to introduce new formats and an increased global presence. Future events include the Smart Health Asia, which will take place in Singapore on July 1 and 2, 2026, and the ITB Americas, which is to take place in Guadalajara, Mexico from November 10th to 12th, 2026.

sustainability and economic influence

Another essential aspect of the trade fair strategy is sustainable transformation. Sustainability is considered an integral part of the corporate strategy, with the aim of achieving a more comprehensive sustainable economy by 2040. The first milestones are already up to 2025, including commissioning the largest photovoltaic roof system in Berlin and the renewal of the energy-efficient heating and cooling technology on the exhibition center.

The economic importance of the Berlin Mass for the city is considerable. As [ibb.de] (https://www.ibb.de/de/ueber-uns/presse/messen-und-kongressen-sichter-wesicher- and-beschaftungsmotor-fuer-berlin.html), the trade fair and event turnover in Berlin generates additional purchasing power per euro and will provide or secure 6,300 jobs. Visitors to trade fairs in Berlin contributed around 1.35 billion euros to the question of consumer goods in 2019, which was about 20 percent of tourist consumption spending. It is expected that the pre -crisis level of trade fair activities in 2024 could be achieved again, which further underlines the role of Messe Berlin as an important economic factor.