For the fourth time running the GCB German Convention Bureau awards its Wild Card to companies from Germany that are new on the market or offer a new innovative product for the meeting and event industry but have never taken part in a trade fair for meetings, business travel, events and incentives. 

GCB director Lutz P. Vogt: "This year we proudly present two winners: holstein eventmarketing and Marketingkooperation Städte in Schleswig-Holstein e.V. (Marketing Co-operation of Cities and Towns in Schleswig-Holstein). Both organisations stand out for their innovative clout and emotionality. They will enrich this year's Germany stand with new products and quirky marketing ideas."

From 22 to 24 April 2008 the newly elected winners will be able to exhibit at the GCB's Germany stand at IMEX - incorporating Meetings made in Germany - The Worldwide Exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events in Frankfurt free of charge.

In addition, the GCB will provide the Wild Card winners with a complete stand system including furniture, electricity, signposting and catering, free use of its presentation room and website.

holstein eventmarketing from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, one of the first full-service partners for all kinds of events in the Alpine region, has offered companies advice and support for planning, organising and realising MICE events since 1989.

"The GCB Wild Card gives us the ideal opportunity to use IMEX as a presentation platform for our new unrivalled eventsharing product (www.eventsharing.com), which offers two alternative solutions for meetings and incentives for small groups and limited budgets.

At IMEX we can have our ear to the market and get representative immediate feedback from all interest groups and optimum possibilities for a direct dialogue," says Wolfgang Holstein, owner of holstein eventmarketing (www.wh-events.de).

Marketingkooperation Städte in Schleswig-Holstein e.V. (Marketing Cooperation of Cities and Towns in Schleswig-Holstein), which was founded in October 1999, is the official tourism marketing organisation of 14 cities in Schleswig-Holstein, well-known for attention-grabbing marketing campaigns, innovative products and quirky ideas. In 2005 it received the German Tourism Award for innovative tourism products for its "Nightlife for Children" family campaign.

In the same year it also won the tourism Oscar for its holiday campaign for immigrants "Im Norden ist die Welt zu Hause" (The World is at Home in the North). "So far we haven't paid much attention to the MICE / business travel market. We want to change that and show nationwide and internationally that Schleswig-Holstein is an attractive destination for meetings and events. And what could be a better place for this than IMEX?" says happy Wild Card winner Andrea Gastager, director of Marketingkooperation Städte in Schlesw ig-Holstein (www.sh-tourismus.de/staedte).