Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

REPRESENTATIVES from Liverpool City Region are visiting the German City State of Hamburg for high level talks focussed on:- trade, culture, tourism, innovation and life sciences.

The visit follows on from a fact-finding mission led by Mayor Steve Rotheram in 2024 and is aimed at forging closer cultural and economic ties between the Liverpool City Region and Hamburg.

The areas already have existing links, but this visit aims to make further gains and strengthen the area's already strong foothold in the UK's 2nd biggest export market.

The Hamburg delegation looked to build relationships and share experiences around strategic priorities including trade and investment, culture and tourism, innovation and health and life sciences.

As part of the visit, the Liverpool City Region's policy experts have attended presentations and networking events designed to showcase our Region's:- visitor economy, cutting-edge research, scientific innovation, and high-tech businesses, to the representatives of Hamburg's urban population of around 2.5 million people. Further talks took place around promoting shared links to the Beatles; who cut their teeth as a band in Hamburg before going on to achieve worldwide fame. This resulted in the delegation also visiting:- Sci-Tech Daresbury, Universities, and the award-winning Beatles Story Museum in Hamburg.

Katherine Fairclough, Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "We are very pleased to welcome a high-level delegation from Hamburg to the City Region. This follows on from our very successful Mayoral visit to Hamburg in 2023 and is focused on developing closer links between us. This visit will cement our partnership, and promote and deliver joint projects with real and tangible benefits for our 2 Cities, in areas as diverse as tourism, health and life sciences, academic collaborations, and of course, the Beatles! The 2023 Mayoral Mission to Hamburg strengthened trade and investment ties; linking German businesses and trade associations with the Liverpool City Region. Representatives discussed:- public transport and urban mobility, decarbonization, green hydrogen, and Hamburg's approach to climate change, biodiversity, and Net Zero. The Hamburg delegation looked to build on this work with another similarly packed schedule of meetings and networking events. Discussions took place with the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University aimed at maximizing international cooperation. A tour of Sci-Tech Daresbury, the North of England's only national science and innovation campus, explored the potential for collaboration with the Northern Germany life science hotspot, Life Sciences Nord. There was also a presentation by the City Region's pioneering new visitor economy partnership which was set up this year to develop the visitor economy via strategic partnerships and marketing initiatives."

It is worth adding that we are told that talks have also taken place around the City Region potentially joining Hamburg's annual Hafengeburtstag festival, a huge international maritime event which this year celebrated the port's 835th Birthday.

Let us know your thoughts on this by posting your views below...