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This year’s G20 summit of heads of state and government takes place in the north German port city of Hamburg on 7 and 8 July. In addition to venues at the Hamburg Messe exhibition grounds in the heart of the city, Hamburg’s new concert hall, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, which opened in January 2017, will play an important role. In the context of the summit, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has invited the heads of state and government, as well as the representatives of the international organisations and guest countries to attend a concert in the Elbphilharmonie on the first night of the G20 summit.

For the very first time in its corporate history, Norwegian Cruise Line is positioning a cruise ship in Hamburg scheduled for multiple voyages: the Norwegian Jade. Freshly spruced up and completely modernised, the ocean liner presented itself yesterday during its first-time arrival in Hamburg  with a lap of honour in front of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

A musical genius goes maritime: last night, Iveta Apkalna, head organist of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, launched the cruise liner “Mein Schiff 6” on behalf of the spectacular new concert hall. During the ceremony, the fourth new addition to the Hamburg based TUI Cruises’ feel-good fleet was moored just beside the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s new landmark.

During the ELBJAZZ Festival (2 to 3 June), the port will once again provide the backdrop for a one-of-a-kind music event that allows visitors to enjoy two full days of live performances in maritime locations – with renowned artists such as Gregory Porter and the Joshua Redman Trio. Around the same time and starting on 25 May, the international theatre festival “Theater der Welt” will be presenting a broad range of productions from around the world.

Hamburg is the world's number one destination for maritime entertainment and cruise events. Over the past few days, the north German port city once again confirmed its position when seven cruise liners transformed the River Elbe into one big stage for the cruise world – at last weekend’s HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY festival. And only three days earlier, the cruise liner MSC Preziosa had called at the port of Hamburg for the very first time.

In addition to the opening of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg almost two months ago, cruise lining certainly plays a central role for Hamburg’s 2017 tourism year. In September, highlights will include the Hamburg Cruise Days, Europe’s biggest public cruise festival, and Seatrade Europe, which will be held shortly prior to the festival. In the forerun to these events, there will be various other occasions for visiting Hamburg – the cruise hotspot in Northern Germany.

Hamburg to present itself as a real estate location at MIPIM Cannes. About two months ago, the opening of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg – the spectacular concert hall in the heart of the port that also includes a Westin hotel – brought Hamburg to the front pages of the world's leading media. Hamburg, the port city in Northern Germany, thus became one of the world's must-see tourist destinations of the year. Booming tourism, a pent-up demand in the convention and congress market, ongoing economic momentum and major investments in research and development make Hamburg one of the most attractive European locations for hotel investment.

A major boost for Hamburg: in 2016, Hamburg recorded a total of 6.6 million visitors and 13.3 million overnight stays. Compared with the previous year, this result corresponds to an increase of 5.5 percent or 692,000 overnight stays, respectively. For the 15th consecutive time, Hamburg has exceeded its previous year’s results. The average occupancy rate for the year 2016 amounted to 79.6 percent.

Hamburg is packed with cultural highlights: the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg was officially opened on 11 and 12 January 2017 to great celebration and now forms the new heart of Hamburg, the music hub in Northern Germany. And from 10 February 2017, the Deichtorhallen Hamburg will be presenting their exhibition “Elbphilharmonie Revisited”, with renowned international artists engaging in their relationship with architecture in general and the Elbphilharmonie building in particular.

Today, a ceremony and the inaugural concert marked the official opening of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. The concert hall is the new musical heart of the northern German metropolis. The spectacular venue uses its architecture and its programme to combine artistic excellence with the utmost in openness and accessibility. Designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron and perched between the city and the harbour, the Elbphilharmonie unites the former Kaispeicher warehouse with a new glass structure featuring wave-like peaks and valleys on top.