Forum StadtRaumZukunft 2026

The place marketing conference on the future of our cities – on 06.03.2026 at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce

How can urban development succeed in times of transformation, conflicts of use and rising expectations? How do place marketing, politics and co. cooperate in a sustainable way?

The Forum StadtRaumZukunft is the place marketing conference for all those who not only manage cities, but actively shape them: On March 6, 2026, we will bring together decision-makers and practitioners from the fields of place marketing, urban development, tourism, culture, business and politics. With keynotes, talks, workshops and best practices from the DACH region, StadtRaumZukunft will provide concrete impetus for liveable, resilient cities.

An event organized by:

In cooperation with:

When?

Friday, March 06, 2026
09:00 to 17:00
(costs: 115 euros incl. lunch)

Where?

Hamburg Chamber of Commerce
Adolphsplatz 1
20457 Hamburg

Who?

Decision-makers from place marketing, urban development, culture, tourism, business and politics

The program at a glance

StadtRaumZukunft combines inspiration, discussion and practical transfer. Centerpiece of the conference: 2 keynotes, 6 workshops and 20+ speakers

Morning

Perspectives & attitude

Welcome and kick-off: Why StadtRaumZukunft? Context, goals and expectations
Keynotes – Images of the future and perspectives: Impulses for the future of the city, urban futures and the role of place marketing as a driver of transformation
Panel discussion: Pulling together with politics and business – how cities shape change through cooperation

Workshop sessions I

In three parallel workshops, we will delve into the central questions of modern urban design:

New financing and partner models between public and private
Stakeholder management, control and trust as success factors
Participation of underrepresented groups – for more diverse and fairer urban development

Lunch & City Walk

Guided walk through the BIDs in Hamburg’s city center: urban space as a space for learning, experience and discussion

Afternoon

Workshop Session II

In the afternoon, the focus will also be on working together on specific issues. Each workshop starts with three impulses from speakers from practice and research. We then discuss and work on challenges, experiences and solutions to these topics:

Thinking place marketing and destination management together
Qualification and management of public events as an instrument of urban development
Post-economy in the 24-hour city – new opportunities for urban diversity, culture and resilience

Conclusion & outlook

Closing keynote: Impulses for the future of urban cooperation
Joint reflection: key learnings, open questions, perspectives for UrbanSpaceFuture 2026

Get-together

Space for networking, in-depth discussions and informal talks in the Börsensaal of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce

Before the conference

Pre-opening at St. Pauli

Already in Hamburg the evening before? Meet us on March 5, 2026 for a guided walk through St. Pauli (followed by a get-together). The motto: “Transformation, culture, resistance”.

You can register for the pre-opening here.

After the conference

Results & documentation

After the conference, you will receive all the key findings, discussion points and impulses for action from us by e-mail so that you can benefit from them in the long term.

Any questions about the conference? Write to us: laura.ebeling@stadtmanufaktur.com

To the speakers

“The StadtRaumZukunft forum is the kind of conference we want: An exchange at eye level, lots of practical experience and concrete answers to the challenges facing city makers.”

Thorsten Kausch, Managing Director of Stadtmanufaktur

Thorsten Kausch and Isabell Köster from Stadtmanufaktur talk in the foyer

Our speakers

Experts from practice and research. Doers from politics, culture and business

Gerald Babel-Sutter

Co-Founder and CEO of Urban Future (UFGC)

©️ Urban Future pic by Dagmara Hendzlik

Boie Baumann

Neighborhood manager of the Elbmeile Hamburg and freelance communication designer

©️ Verena Knemeyer

Anna Bierig

Managing Director of Stadtmarketing und Tourismus Reutlingen GmbH

©️ Dimitri Drofitsch

Franziska Dedekind

Authorized signatory of OTTO WULFF Placemaking GmbH; Head of BID and Neighborhood Management

Laura Ebeling

Project manager at Stadtmanufaktur GmbH, consultant for place branding, city brands and organizational development

Heiko Fuchs

Founder and Managing Director of Scoutello GmbH – The AI Guide Platform

©️ (c) Stephan Bestmann (www.ste-be.com)

Claus Hoffmann

Managing Director of Koblenz-Touristik GmbH and Koblenz-Stadtmarketing GmbH

Alexander Illenseer

Managing Director of Osnabrück Marketing GmbH

Verena Kiedaisch

Head of Economic Development and Place Marketing; Managing Director of Pro Ellwangen e. V.

Martin Knabenreich

Managing Director of Bielefeld Marketing GmbH; Deputy Chairman of the Bundesverband City- und Stadtmarketing (bcsd)

Isabell Köster

Project manager at Stadtmanufaktur GmbH, consultant for culture and tourism, urban funding, organizational development and cooperation

Carolin Ringat

City center manager of the state capital Hanover

Julia Staron

Project manager at Stadtmanufaktur GmbH, consultant for neighbourhood development, BID strategies, 24-hour city and
mediation

carmen-strahonja-congressforum-frankenthal-forum-city-space-future-2026

Karmen Strahonja

Managing Director of Congressforum Frankenthal GmbH and 1st Deputy Chairwoman of the Federal Association of City and Place Marketing (bcsd)

Isabell Sollmann

Strategy and management at Marketing Osnabrück GmbH; responsible for the Osnabrück brand

Forum StadtRaumZukunft: Register now