The world’s leading travel trade show, ITB Berlin, this year recorded nearly 100 000 attendees, and more than 5 500 exhibitors from 170 countries occupying all 27 exhibition halls at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds earlier this month.
“ITB Berlin once again mirrored industry developments. The mood among exhibitors, visitors and speakers was very positive throughout. They generally agreed that people’s desire to travel is not just satisfying pent-up demand after the pandemic, but that it will remain basically stable. Neither inflation nor high energy prices appear to be curbing demand,” commented Dr Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin.
The ITB Berlin Convention also took place in parallel with the three-day show and featured high-profile attendees and 400 leading international speakers at 200 sessions and 17 theme tracks discussing trends and innovations.
All in all, around 24 000 attendees came to the panels, discussions, keynote speeches and lectures.
Tourism community remains on course for success
The ITB Buyers Circle with its 1 300 senior buyers, served as an industry barometer and underlined the importance of the trade show as a leading business platform.
Together with the management consultancy Dr. Fried & Partner, ITB Berlin compiled the new Global Travel Buyer Index. The survey asked several hundred Buyers Circle members about the economic mood and their business goals.
The findings reflected a positive mood throughout regarding the market situation and provided an optimistic outlook for business over the next six months.
The Team South Africa delegation at ITB Berlin – led by South African Tourism CEO, Nombulelo Guliwe and joined by 63 exhibitors including 14 SMMEs – has also returned to SA optimistic, having largely achieved their goals of good meetings with buyers and new business prospects.
