City of the Week - Frankfurt, Germany

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 5/29/2006

Highlights

• Frankfurt will transform its skyline into SkyArena, a light and sound show, every evening June 3–5 to celebrate football (or what Americans call soccer). Forty-six projectors will display images onto skyscrapers' facades to resemble a gigantic photo album, letting onlookers relive some of the greatest moments in the history of the Federation Intl. de Football Assn. World Cup. The 18th World Cup will kick off June 9 when host nation Germany plays its first match in Munich.

Number of separate exhibit facilities

• 1 — Messe Frankfurt

Total exhibit space at venues

• 3.5 million sq. ft.

Upcoming venue renovation plans

• Messe Frankfurt will undergo an extensive €300 million ($384 million) modernization program over the next 10 years. Existing halls will be replaced with new, state-of-the-art buildings.

Number of convention hotel rooms

• 28,667 beds in 194 hotels

Current hotel occupancy

• 43.8% (2005)

Shows this week at Messe Frankfurt

• ITeG; Media-Tech Expo; IMEX (all May 30–June 1)

Average fare from Frankfurt Airport City to Messe Frankfurt

•€4 ($5.15) by subway; €35 ($45) by cab

Sources: 2005 TSW Major Exhibit Hall Directory; Messe Frankfurt; Tourismus + Congress