Offering everything from 1,200 years of Hanseatic tradition to the technologies of the future, the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven, which together make up the smallest of Germany's federal states, cover a broad spectrum.

Bremen, the dynamic heart of northwest Germany, has preserved its centuries-old heritage, for example the 600 year old town hall (a UNESCO world heritage site since 2004) or the famous fairy tale of the Bremen Town Musicians by the Brothers Grimm.

It is also a center for high-tech research and development, including the aerospace industry.

Bremerhaven has a maritime atmosphere that is second to none in Germany, with everything from container ships to medieval cogs and from fishing fleets to bathing beaches.

Since the new exhibition center was built in 1997, Bremen has become the most important venue for trade fairs and conferences in northern Germany, a fact that has not escaped international notice.

In 2003 more than 3,500 scientists attended the International Astronautical Congress in the city, the following year 14,000 singers took part in the international Choir Olympics and 2006 saw 2,500 computer experts, engineers and scientists from around the world competing for the robotics world championship in the RoboCup.

With its excellent infrastructure and its unusual venues Bremen provides the perfect setting for conventions, conferences and other events of up to 7,500 people.

Its international airport has good transport links with direct connections to all European hubs, and the exhibition and congress center (CCB) in the heart of the city offers 2,000 parking spaces and is located directly opposite the main railroad station and within walking distance of numerous hotels.

Europe's largest interactive emigration museum

More than 7 million people emigrated from Bremerhaven between 1830 and 1974, making it the largest emigration port in Europe. The German Emigration Center, Europe's largest and most modern interactive emigration museum, is situated near the old and new harbors.

Since August 2005 the exhibition at the German Emigration Center provides visitors with a close-up experience of the realities of emigration. The many stages of the emigration process are painstakingly recreated and can be interactively explored.

The exhibition follows the stories of selected emigrants and illustrates the motives, conditions and effects of emigration. The Migration Forum demonstrates current aspects of global migration and invites visitors to trace their own emigrant ancestors or to discover the origin of their surname.

The German Emigration Center combines education, entertainment and recreation. Part of the extensive range of services offered is "Kids' World", which provides younger children with their own emigration adventure. The café/restaurant "Speisesaal" offers choice delicacies from the old and the new world.

For events of up to 200 people the German Emigration Center offers a fascinating and moving experience at the heart of maritime Bremerhaven, directly adjacent to the Weser dike.

New Bremen conference guide makes convention organizing easier

The new conference guide from Bremen Tourist Information (BTZ) provides useful information for organizers of conferences, incentive travel and trade fairs.

Its 24 pages contain all the details required for organizing an event, from Bremen's international transport links and how easy it is to get around the city center to detailed room and site layouts for the Bremen exhibition center.

Whether it's sports or team building, or if you prefer something more cultural or culinary - Bremen offers plenty of ways to enjoy any leisure time between lectures and meetings. More than 70 Bremen city guides offer over 15 tours, taking in everything from Bremen's maritime history to "crime and punishment".

The new conference guide lists the themes available. It also contains more than 20 hotels with descriptions of their conference facilities as well as over 30 other venues, from the historical town hall to the training ship "Deutschland".

Ideal infrastructure for conferences and conventions

Reliable planning, perfect organization and smooth execution are essential to the complete success of conventions, conferences, seminars or other large-scale events.

The conference office of Bremen Tourist Information (BTZ) is a competent, inhouse PCO offering a complete one-stop service that will assist you in the successful planning and organization of conferences, conventions or other large-scale events.

The BTZ will be happy to advise on the selection of suitable venues and social events and help to implement ideas for incentive travel to Bremen.

Close cooperation with its partners, Bremen Exhibition Center, Congress Centrum Bremen (CCB), local hotels and restaurants and tourism service providers as well as the personal efforts of the BTZ staff ensure exceptional results.

Powerful modern conference software for the entire registration process, including online booking facilities for all participants, provides a quick and easy service for participants and organizers.

More information or a printed copy of the conference guide are available from Bremen Tourist Information (BTZ), Conference and Events Service/Incentives, contact: Andrea Hess, tel.: +49 (0)421 308 0016, fax: +49 (0)421 308 0089, email: btz-kongress@bremen-tourism.de, website.