ITB Berlin 2024 Opens with Excellent Bookings Under the Heading #ITBTOGETHER
ITB Berlin, which is taking place during March 5-7 on the Berliner Exhibition Grounds, reports excellent bookings for a total of 150,000 square metres, equivalent to over 90 percent of the display area.
“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,” said Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, the event’s organizer.
At 87 percent, international participation in the the leading travel trade show is at a record high, according to Messe Berlin.
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 outstanding quality of our senior buyers and excellent bookings reflect upbeat travel demand,” Tobias said.
ITB Berlin opens under the heading #ITBTOGETHER
Messe Berlin’s CEO highlights that despite rising travel demand, the 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,” Tobias said.
Official Host Country: Oman
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. The Sultanate is presenting 5,000 years of history and its rich cultural heritage at the 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.
ITB Berlin Convention
Once again, ITB Berlin is cementing its position as a global expert forum and hub for innovations and trends.
The ITB Berlin Convention, the industry’s leading thinktank, examines global trends and highlights best practices with a number of industry experts in order to shape tomorrow’s tourism.
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.
Networking and events in perfection
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, said ITB Berlin Director Deborah Rothe.
This year, the ever-popular ITB Speed Networking event is taking place on Thursday, March 7, from 9 to 10 a.m. It gives buyers and exhibitors an opportunity to meet for a pre-arranged eight-minute time slot in order to build leads and strengthen business. This optional service is free of charge – only exhibitors with a confirmed time slot using the Matchmaking Tool may take part in the ITB Speed Networking event. Afterwards, in addition to the members and friends of the ITB Buyers Circle, ITB Berlin is inviting all exhibitors to a one-hour open networking event in the 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.
ITB Berlin once again the industry’s global meeting place
This year five additional halls (Halls 8.2, 10.1, 10.2, 11.2 and 18) are re-opening, which makes a full circular tour possible again.
One standout feature is the focus on German-speaking countries in hub27, the multi-purpose hall of Messe Berlin, where Germany, Austria and Switzerland are appearing together with Slovenia and Liechtenstein.
In Hall 1.1 ITB Berlin has registered high demand, with over 170 exhibitors from Greece, including numerous individual exhibitors taking part. Italy, Malta, Croatia, Kosovo and Bosnia are represented in Hall 1.2, while Turkey has significantly increased its numbers in Hall 3.2.
The Arab world boasts a prominent representative with Oman, the host country, (Halls 2.2 and 4.1). Other Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also making a strong showing this year at ITB Berlin.
Asia and Oceania are represented in three halls, whereby Hall 5.2a featuring India, New Zealand and Australia is fully booked.
In Hall 26, devoted to Asia, China is making an impressive comeback after the pandemic. Halls 20 and 21 are home to African countries including the island nations of Mauritius and the Seychelles as well as the French overseas department of Réunion.
South Africa, which is strongly represented, is featured here too, along with Namibia and Zambia, which for the first time is occupying a larger stand.
Countries including the USA, Canada, Mexico and Dominica from the Americas and the Caribbean are also participating in large numbers in Halls 3.1, 22a, 22b, 23a and 23b.
Exhibitors representing the booming Mobility and Cruise segments are strongly represented at this year’s ITB Berlin. Exhibitors include SIXT, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, AIDA with AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America and Seabourn. This is the first time the Walt Disney Company is taking part. Its focus is on the cruise market with Disney Cruise Lines.
Under the heading “Take Travel Technology to the next Level. Together”, forward-looking products and ideas in the Travel Technology segment are being exhibited in Halls 5.1, 6.1, 7.1c, 8.1 and 10.1. In addition to industry heavyweights such as Amadeus and Sabre, numerous Chinese companies are also taking part.
The popular CULTURE LOUNGE has relocated to Hall 8.2, which is now open again.
This is also where to find the new ITB MICE HUB, which gives MICE providers a platform regardless of the destinations they represent.
Hall 4.1 is devoted to Youth and Adventure Tourism and responsible tourism, and also features the ITB Sustainability Lounge by Mascontour for the first time at the show.
In the Medical and Health Tourism segment a wide range of providers, including for the first time the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and Slovenia as the supporting partner can be found in the Medical & Health Pavilion in Hall 3.1.
The LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion in Hall 4.1 showcases the largest range of LGBTQ+ tourism products at any trade show, while the Luxury Travel segment in the HOME of LUXURY at the Marshall Haus features an extra lounge.
This is the first time the ITB Buyers Circle Lounge, sponsored by the OMRAN Group, can be found at the north entrance in the Palais am Funkturm, while the ITB Career Center powered by the Federal Employment Agency in Hall 4.1 is presenting a wide range of international courses and job opportunities again.
For those unable to attend in person, a full digital ticket offers access to the virtual supporting platform ITBxplore and an opportunity to take part in ITB Berlin from the remotest parts of the world.
The ITB app complements ITBxplore and provides optimum orientation with an exhibitor search function, interactive hall maps and all the ITB Berlin programme items at a glance.
Since 1966, ITB Berlin has been a leading travel trade show.