Tuesday, March 5, 2024
The ITB Berlin event, hosted at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from March 5 to 7, 2024, has seen impressive bookings with over 150,000 square meters, filling more than 90% of the exhibition space. A historic peak in international involvement, 87%, highlights ITB Berlin as the preeminent global travel trade show. With 1,300 top buyers, the ITB Buyers Circle reflects the event’s significant worldwide influence. Expansions in Mobility, Travel Technology, and Cruise sectors, alongside the participation of the Host Country Oman and various Arab nations, showcase the vast diversity among the 5,500+ exhibitors from 170 countries and regions. The ITB Berlin Convention, a leading forum for the industry, explores global trends and showcases best practices from experts at companies like booking.com, TUI, Phocuswright, and Google, aiming to shape the future of tourism.
Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin: “ITB Berlin is the meeting place for the tourism industry’s entire value chain, once again underlining its global importance as a leading international trade show. The outstanding quality of our senior buyers and excellent bookings reflect upbeat travel demand. Once again, ITB Berlin is cementing its position as a global expert forum and hub for innovations and trends. Despite rising travel demand, our industry also faces many challenges such as climate change, an energy crisis, the march of AI and skills shortages. They can only be overcome together. That is why it is so important for us to gather all the actors in Berlin so we can benefit from mutual inspiration, learn from each other and work on solutions together.”
Under the theme ‘Beauty Has An Address,’ Oman, this year’s Official Host Country, showcases its rich heritage and 5,000 years of history through prominent representation in Halls 2.2 and 4.1. It engages in numerous activities, including sponsorship of the ITB Blogger Base and partnership in ITB MICE Night, contributing extensively to the convention. The opening event presents Oman’s diverse allure to 3,000 guests, including notable figures from politics and the tourism industry, setting the stage for a performance by the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and further engagements highlighting Oman’s cultural depth.
The ITB Berlin Convention, themed ‘Pioneer the Transition in Travel & Tourism. Together,’ offers 200 sessions across 17 themes, featuring 400 speakers from industry giants like Google, TUI, and Microsoft. They’ll delve into future trends in travel technology, marketing, sustainability, and more, providing valuable insights for the future of tourism.
In a collaboration with Dr. Fried & Partner, the ITB Buyers Circle has revealed insights from the Global Travel Buyer Index, indicating a positive economic outlook and a diverse range of interests among buyers, from hotels to event services.
The second edition of the ITB Innovation Radar introduces 16 pioneering solutions, spanning AI in hotel bookings, sustainable travel initiatives, and innovations in hospitality and travel technology, signaling a bright future for industry advancements.
Lastly, IPK International’s World Travel Monitor® indicates a robust recovery in global outbound travel in 2023, nearing pre-pandemic levels with a marked increase from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Popular destinations and a surge in travel spending reflect a strong, ongoing interest in travel, suggesting a full industry recovery by late 2024.
In 2024, ITB Berlin is again setting the pace for networking and event options in order to encourage face-to-face meetings between everyone at the show. “The wide range of events taking place on exhibitor stands, in meeting rooms, at evening events and the ITB Berlin Convention make ITB Berlin an authentic meeting place for business. This is where synergies are focused purely on the core activities of business, networking and content“, said Deborah Rothe, director of ITB Berlin.
This year’s ITB Speed Networking event, a hit among participants, is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, from 9 to 10 a.m., offering a platform for buyers and exhibitors to connect within an eight-minute pre-scheduled meeting, aiming to foster new leads and solidify business relationships. This complimentary service requires exhibitors to secure their participation through the Matchmaking Tool. Following this, ITB Berlin extends an invitation to all exhibitors, along with members and friends of the ITB Buyers Circle, for an hour of open networking at CityCube Berlin.”There isn’t a Zoom conference in the world that can replace face-to-face dialogue. ITB Berlin is the industry’s most important platform for meeting in person”, Rothe added. Along with the popular ITB Speed Networking event, the ITB Chinese Night and ITB MICE Night are also taking place again.
For those who can’t be there in person, ITB Berlin introduces a comprehensive digital pass providing access to the virtual platform, ITBxplore, enabling global participation. ITBxplore enhances user experience with new features aimed at facilitating show preparation, including event scheduling, an interactive venue map, and a favorites bookmarking system for efficient networking. The platform allows users to make their profiles public, seek out exhibitors, and engage through online chat. Enhanced scheduling capabilities and better visibility for Buyers Circle members through tagging further improve user navigation.
Additionally, the ITB app pairs seamlessly with ITBxplore to ensure a smooth event experience, featuring an exhibitor search, interactive maps, and a comprehensive view of the ITB Berlin program. The app allows for easy ticket management and profile synchronization for hassle-free networking, including a QR code reader and generator for efficient contact exchange.
New to this year, the CityCube Berlin hosts the Meeting Cubes, available for booking private discussions, while the Hybrid Stage in Hall 5.3 offers livestreaming capabilities through ITBxplore. Business Satellites are available for reservation across the venue for additional meeting and workspace needs, now with catering options.
ITB Berlin 2024 expands with five additional halls, facilitating a complete circular tour. A special focus on German-speaking countries in hub27 showcases Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Liechtenstein together. Hall 1.1 sees a surge in participation from Greece, while Hall 1.2 hosts Italy, Malta, Croatia, Kosovo, and Bosnia. Turkey expands its presence in Hall 3.2, with Oman leading a strong representation from the Arab world. Asia and Oceania fill three halls, with China marking a significant return in Hall 26. Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean also showcase extensively, including new participants like Zambia.
The Mobility and Cruise sectors are prominently featured, with first-time participant Walt Disney Company focusing on Disney Cruise Lines. The Travel Technology segment advances under ‘Take Travel Technology to the next Level. Together’, with significant contributions in several halls. The CULTURE LOUNGE moves to Hall 8.2, introducing the new ITB MICE HUB. Youth and Adventure Tourism, along with the ITB Sustainability Lounge and Medical & Health Tourism Pavilion, spotlight responsible tourism and health offerings. The LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion and the HOME of LUXURY in the Marshall Haus elevate the diversity of experiences at ITB Berlin, alongside the new ITB Buyers Circle Lounge and the ITB Career Center for career opportunities.
Press representatives and bloggers can secure online accreditation through a simple registration process, receiving a QR code for event access upon approval, emphasizing the importance of this global industry gathering.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
