ITB Berlin, which is taking place from 5 to 7 March 2024 on the Berliner Exhibition Grounds, reports excellent bookings for a total of 150,000 square metres, equivalent to over 90 per cent of the display area. At 87 per cent, international participation in the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show is at a record high. The ITB Buyers Circle with 1,300 senior buyers serves as an industry barometer and underlines the global importance of ITB Berlin. Strong growth in the Mobility, Travel Technology and Cruise segments and the presence of the Host Country Oman and other Arab states reflect the diversity of the over 5,500 exhibitors from 170 countries and territories. The ITB Berlin Convention, the industry’s leading think tank, examines global trends and highlights best practices with industry experts including from booking.com, TUI, Phocuswright and Google in order to shape tomorrow’s 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.”
Taking as its slogan ’Beauty Has An Address’, this year’s Official Host Country the Sultanate of Oman is strongly represented in Halls 2.2 and 4.1 and is taking part in a wide range of activities and events, including at the ITB Berlin Convention, as sponsor of the ITB Blogger Base, and as partner of the ITB MICE Night. The Sultanate is presenting 5,000 years of history and its rich cultural heritage at the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show.
Among the highlights featuring Oman is the opening event on the eve of the show. A tour of the beauty and many facets of the country in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula awaits some 3,000 guests invited to the event, who include numerous prominent political and tourism industry figures. Political representatives Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin, and Dieter Janecek, the Federal Government’s Coordinator for Maritime Economy and Tourism, will welcome the host country and those present. The travel industry will be represented by Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), and Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism). Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, will represent ITB Berlin. On 6 March at Philharmonie Berlin, the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hamdan Al Shuaili will perform a concert spanning classical music and works from Oman.
The slogan of the ITB Berlin Convention, the industry’s leading thinktank, is ’Pioneer the Transition in Travel & Tourism. Together’. Taking place with 17 theme tracks and on four live stages, 200 sessions featuring experts will discuss topics including travel technology, marketing & sales, future travel, MICE, sustainability, destination management, hospitality, social responsibility, business travel, future work, AI, web 3.0 and chatbots. Some 400 speakers representing big names such as Booking.com, Phocuswright, TUI, the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), Google, Trip.com and Microsoft will provide fascinating insights on the future of tourism.
