NEWS 7 © TMV/Danny
NEWS 7 © TMV/Danny Gohlke (l.t.r.) Wolfgang Waldmüller, Chairman of the Tourism Association of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern David Ruetz, Head of ITB Berlin Dr. Martin Buck, Senior Vice President Travel & Logistics of Messe Berlin GmbH Harry Glawe, State Minister of Economics, Employment and Health What trends are you noting, prior to the show, when it comes to attendance figures? The countdown to the 52 nd ITB Berlin from 7 to 11 March 2018 has begun. We will see a high attendance again with more than 10,000 exhibitors from a total of 180 countries and expect approximately 110,000 trade visitors from all over the world. It is in particular the countries from Asia, Latin America and the Arabic region that will show growth – among them Brazil, Vietnam, Laos, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. The Travel Technology segment is booming and the waiting list is long. Unfortunately, for capacity reasons we have been unable to meet every request for floor space. What are the key trends with exhibitors/halls? The outstanding number of bookings this year once again underlines ITB Berlin’s role as a driving force and the event mirroring the global tourism industry. Travel tech exhibitors including eNett, Traso, Triptease and Paymentwall, which have increased their display areas, returning exhibitors, among them Travelport, as well as the Hospitality Industry Club, a newcomer, will be highlighting the excellent prospects of this fast-growing segment. Chinese exhibitor numbers are growing especially fast. The online portal Ctrip will be exhibiting its products at ITB Berlin for the first time. Other newcomers from China will include Flightroutes, Ucloudlink, Letsfly, Qyer and Qup. Demand for places is also particularly high from Arab countries, Asia and South America. European destinations will be attracting more attention with larger stands at ITB Berlin. Adventure tourism and sustainable travel are important for the younger generation. This trend is reflected by the fact that Hall 4.1 is now fully booked. Last but not least the demand for two-tier stands has never been so high. LUXURY TRAVEL IS BOOMING, WHILE GENERAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS THIS MARKET ARE CHANGING What new “zones” or segments can we find at this year’s show? Luxury travel is booming, while general attitudes towards this market are changing. These challenges, as well as the opportunities, concern the industry and will be key topics at ITB Berlin who will be collaborating with Loop, a unique trade show for luxury products. Loop will be the place to head for buyers of luxury products at the entrance to Hall 9. On the Thursday of the show the first ITB Luxury Late Night will represent an opportunity for visitors to cultivate contacts in this industry segment. This exclusive networking event will enable providers to discuss topics at length with leading buyers from the luxury travel market in a unique atmosphere. The huge prospects that medical tourism has to offer the global tourism industry will be highlighted at ITB Berlin. Due to high demand this segment, which was introduced only last year at ITB Berlin, is moving to a larger hall (21b). A growing number of international exhibitors will be represented here. The Health Tourism Industry Conference, the number one event in Europe, is also the official partner of the Medical Tourism segment. Taking place on Gendarmenmarkt on Friday, 9 March, the ITB Medical Night sponsored by Tuscany will provide an exclusive networking opportunity. Booming travel tech segment: eTravel Startup Day will be taking place for the first time, providing newly formed companies with a platform, as well as the Special Hospitality Tech Forum as a new feature at the eTravel Lab. What are you most looking forward to? The first highlight will be the opening show on Tuesday in the City Cube which will be hosted in collaboration with this year’s partner region, the German region Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Together with the official tourist board, we will organise a carbonneutral gala event for the first time in our history. Another important highlight will be the opening of the eTravel World where I will discuss the future of travel technology with the humanoid robot Pepper. Last but not least, we will see a number of high-class speakers and stage guests at ITB Berlin Convention, such as Airbnb’s co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk and the new CEO of Expedia, Mark Okerstrom. ITB is the most important show of its kind in the world. What are the main reasons behind this success? ITB Berlin remains strongly in touch with the latest trends. Whether at the ITB Berlin Convention or our leading trade fairs in Shanghai, Singapore and Berlin, globalisation and digitalisation dominate our daily work and that of our customers. It is therefore all the more important that we set up ’genuine’ encounters and bring people together. ITB Berlin is the yearly must-attend event for travel professionals ITB Berlin 2017 - South Entrance © Messe Berlin GmbH ITB BERLIN NEWS • Thursday 1 st March 2018
