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75 Years of BUGA and IGA: Transforming Cities and Regions
For 75 years, the Federal German Horticultural Shows have been transforming cities and regions into blossoming destinations – attracting millions of visitors each time. Whether it’s the Federal German Horticultural Show, Bundesgartenschau (BUGA), or the International Garden Exhibition (IGA), for around six months the host city or region is transformed into a unique landscape of garden culture, events and nature experiences – making it one of the year’s most attractive tourist highlights.
On average, two to three million visitors attend each garden show – proof of the event’s enormous appeal to tourists. Lush outdoor plantings, spectacular indoor displays and innovative architecture invite visitors to explore. Horticultural businesses and landscape architects showcase their skills here, presenting contemporary concepts for gardens, parks and landscaped spaces. A diverse cultural and educational programme featuring concerts, guided tours and hands-on activities also makes the shows a destination for the whole family – and a boon for local tour operators, the hotel industry and the catering sector.
Permanent parkland
BUGA and IGA are far more than just venues for enjoyable experiences: newly created parks, developed urban neighbourhoods and revitalised areas remain a permanent feature of towns and regions after the shows have ended. These spaces can provide local recreational areas for residents and visitors for years to come. Features such as shade-providing trees and plantings selected to cope with changing climatic conditions form part of many of these newly designed spaces and contribute to their recreational and tourism appeal. BUGA and IGA can therefore also contribute to the long-term development of tourism infrastructure in their host destinations.
Organised with expertise
The German Federal Horticultural Show Association, Deutsche Bundesgartenschau-Gesellschaft (DBG), supports cities and municipal associations from the initial discussions about the application right through to the execution of the show. The DBG is supported by the Central Association of Horticulture, Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V. (ZVG), the Federal Association of Garden, Landscape and Sports Ground Construction, Bundesverband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau e.V. (BGL), and the Federation of German Tree Nurseries, Bund Deutscher Baumschulen e.V. (BdB).
Since 1993, it has organised this national cultural event under the patronage of the respective Federal President. There is considerable interest in the Federal Horticultural Show format: as the DBG is already holding discussions with local authorities well into the 2040s, it is already worth the tourism industry taking a look at future host locations as promising destinations of tomorrow.
