ITB Berlin 2022 Cancelled as In-Person Event

Due to the latest developments and accompanying directives as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the in-person edition of ITB Berlin 2022 will not take place as originally planned, the travel trade show’s organizer Messe Berlin announced on Thursday.

ITB Berlin 2022 was originally to take place as a live travel trade show with virtual elements during March 9-13.

“Messe Berlin is unable to afford its exhibitors and partners the necessary planning certainty with the holding of an in-person ITB Berlin in early March,” the organizer said.

Instead, ITB Berlin will focus on a livestreamed convention and Digital Business Day in March 2022.

“We are strengthening the digital elements of ITB Berlin at the ITB Berlin Convention and Digital Business Day. We are doing everything to support a travel industry hard-hit by the pandemic and in 2022 are planning a series of additional services and events in virtual and in-person formats,” Messe Berlin CEO Martin Ecknig said.

The ITB Berlin Convention will provide important and up-to-date industry content. The international travel industry’s largest thinktank will be livestreamed in the period originally scheduled for ITB in March 2022 via itb.com from the on-site studio in Hall 5.3.

The dynamic situation and change the industry and ITB are both facing is reflected in the key themes at this year’s event. Along with the pressing global challenges of digitisation and sustainability, ITB Berlin is also placing the spotlight on resilience, an important topic.

With its Digital Business Day on Thursday, 17 March, ITB Berlin will give tourism service providers around the world the opportunity to exchange views virtually, even without a physical stand, on itb.com and to come together for business, enabling them to generate maximum trade from any place in the world.

As a virtual industry marketplace, the event will bring providers and buyers together at Speed Networking sessions from all over the world.

According to Messe Berlin, the show is also planning to go on the road during the year with in-person satellite events at individual European destinations.

Taking place as a roadshow, these will be one-day B2B events at various locations in Europe, where providers and buyers can get together.

“We deeply regret this situation,” said David Ruetz, head of ITB Berlin.

“As the organisers, we made every effort to make it possible to hold ITB Berlin as an in-person event again in the German capital… However, after taking the situation surrounding the pandemic and the tightening of rules into account, it leaves us with no option but to further adjust the concept for 2022 and offer our exhibitors and visitors a clear picture and the necessary planning certainty before the Christmas break,” he said.

Ruetz added that with the livestreamed convention and Digital Business Day as well as the new regional travel events during the year, Messe Berlin is offering the industry a wide range of fascinating content and new business opportunities in 2022.

Messe Berlin said that ITB Berlin will return to an in-person format in March 2023.

“ITB Berlin 2023 will open on 8 March and in accordance with the wishes of all market players will take place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds,” the organizer said.