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Business event buyers across Asia-Pacific are prioritising destinations that deliver stronger value, sustainability, seamless operations and memorable delegate experiences. ITB Asia and Simon-Kucher’s upcoming webinar will explain how destinations, convention bureaus and hospitality providers can adapt to these changing expectations and secure future business opportunities in the rapidly evolving travel and tourism landscape.

Business Event Priorities Are Rapidly Reshaping the Future of Travel and Tourism

Business events are entering a new era as organisations increasingly evaluate destinations beyond venue capacity and accommodation availability, placing greater emphasis on measurable value, sustainability credentials, operational efficiency and delegate satisfaction. These evolving priorities are redefining how destinations compete for conferences, exhibitions, incentives and corporate meetings while creating fresh opportunities for the wider travel and tourism industry across Asia-Pacific.

Recognising these changes, ITB Asia and global strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher will host the third edition of their Market Insights and Commercial Strategy Series, providing tourism organisations, convention bureaux, hospitality leaders and event professionals with valuable intelligence on emerging buyer expectations. The complimentary virtual webinar aims to help industry stakeholders better understand shifting demand while preparing strategies that strengthen destination competitiveness.

Why Destination Selection Has Become More Competitive Than Ever

Corporate organisers and association planners are now making destination decisions based on a much broader range of criteria than ever before as budgets tighten while expectations continue to rise. Buyers increasingly seek destinations capable of delivering sustainable operations, convenient accessibility, exceptional visitor experiences and efficient logistics without compromising overall event value.

These evolving requirements have encouraged destinations to invest in smarter infrastructure, stronger partnerships and more integrated visitor services that enhance the complete delegate journey. Such developments benefit not only business event organisers but also local economies by generating increased visitor spending, stronger hotel occupancy and wider travel and tourism growth throughout host regions.

ITB Asia and Simon-Kucher Bring Industry Intelligence to APAC

The upcoming webinar forms part of a broader knowledge-sharing partnership between ITB Asia, organised by Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, and Simon-Kucher, one of the world’s leading strategy and marketing consultancies. The webinar series explores emerging commercial trends influencing global travel and tourism while helping businesses prepare for changing market dynamics ahead of ITB Asia 2026.

Scheduled for Wednesday, 19 August 2026, the 45-minute virtual session will run from 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM Singapore Time (SGT). Attendance is free, allowing industry professionals throughout Asia-Pacific and beyond to gain practical insights into evolving business event demand without geographical limitations.

Buyers Will Reveal What Truly Influences Destination Decisions

The webinar opens with a 15-minute presentation examining emerging trends shaping business event demand and destination competitiveness throughout APAC. This strategic overview will analyse how changing corporate priorities, sustainability commitments and delegate expectations continue influencing destination selection across today’s highly competitive marketplace.

A 30-minute expert panel discussion will then bring together buyers and industry leaders who will share first-hand perspectives on how destinations are evaluated and what suppliers must do to remain competitive. Participants will gain practical recommendations on adapting products, services and destination strategies to capture future opportunities within the expanding travel and tourism economy.

Expert Speakers Will Share Strategic Commercial Insights

The webinar will feature Lovrenc Kessler, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher, alongside Dr Alex Ma, Director at Simon-Kucher. Drawing upon extensive commercial strategy expertise, both speakers will explore how destinations can better align their offerings with evolving buyer expectations while identifying long-term growth opportunities within business events.

Their combined experience across strategy, pricing, customer behaviour and commercial transformation is expected to provide actionable insights for destination marketing organisations, convention bureaux, hotels, venues and broader travel and tourism stakeholders seeking sustainable competitive advantages.

Why This Matters for the Global Travel and Tourism Industry

Business events remain one of the highest-value segments within international travel and tourism, generating significant economic benefits for airlines, hotels, restaurants, attractions and local service providers. As competition for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions intensifies, destinations that understand buyer priorities are more likely to attract larger events and achieve stronger long-term returns.

Knowledge-sharing initiatives such as this webinar allow industry professionals to remain informed about emerging market shifts before they become mainstream trends. By understanding evolving demand patterns today, destinations can strengthen investment decisions, improve visitor experiences and build more resilient tourism economies capable of sustaining future growth.

Positive Industry Outlook

As the global meetings industry continues recovering and evolving, collaboration between research experts and leading industry platforms offers valuable opportunities for destinations seeking competitive advantages. The ITB Asia and Simon-Kucher webinar represents another important step towards helping the international travel and tourism sector better understand market expectations while preparing for the next generation of business events.

Comment from Vedika Keshan, Associate Editor, Travel And Tour World

“Business events have become one of the strongest catalysts for sustainable travel and tourism growth because they combine economic development, international collaboration and destination branding into a single powerful opportunity. The upcoming ITB Asia and Simon-Kucher webinar reflects exactly where the industry is heading—towards smarter strategies, stronger partnerships and experience-led destination planning. As buyer expectations evolve, destinations that embrace innovation, sustainability and seamless visitor experiences will emerge as clear leaders. Knowledge-sharing platforms like this empower tourism professionals with practical insights that translate into real-world competitiveness, making this session highly valuable for anyone committed to shaping the future of global travel and tourism.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the webinar about?

The webinar explores how business event buyer expectations are changing across APAC and how destinations can strengthen their competitiveness.

Who is organising the webinar?

The webinar is jointly presented by ITB Asia and Simon-Kucher as part of their Market Insights and Commercial Strategy Series.

When will the webinar take place?

It will be held virtually on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, from 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM SGT.

Is there any registration fee?

No. The webinar is completely free to attend.

Who should attend?

Senior leaders from tourism organisations, convention bureaux, destination management organisations, hotels, venues, event organisers and hospitality businesses.

Who are the featured speakers?

Lovrenc Kessler, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher, and Dr Alex Ma, Director at Simon-Kucher.