The global tourism landscape is about to experience an exhilarating transformation as ITB Berlin 2024, the renowned World’s Leading B2B Travel Trade Show, launches an innovative content paradigm: ITB 360°. This revolutionary concept promises to provide the global travel community with an unceasing flow of premium thematic content spanning newsroom articles, captivating podcast episodes, and other pioneering formats. Monthly, ITB 360° will immerse itself in a diverse array of vital headline topics, aimed at captivating industry attention and stimulating thought-provoking discussions. Noteworthy themes in the lineup include blended travel, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, the burgeoning skills gap, travel technology trends, and China’s ever-evolving travel market.
Mark your calendars for March 5th to 7th, 2024, as ITB Berlin triumphantly returns to the dynamic stage of the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. An unrivaled platform beckons, one that encompasses the entire travel industry’s value chain. ITB 360° seamlessly integrates with this triumphant event, introducing a groundbreaking content ecosystem that offers a year-round stage for addressing the multifaceted tapestry of global travel and tourism topics. Through ITB 360°, the world’s travel aficionados are granted access to a trove of invaluable industry insights. This treasure trove includes in-depth expert interviews, enlightening surveys, cutting-edge trends, and a spectrum of other illuminating revelations. Each passing month will illuminate a fresh paramount topic, all converging to enrich the collective knowledge. The grand tapestry of expertise encapsulates not only ITB Berlin but also extends its embrace to the entire ITB brand family: ITB Asia in Singapore, ITB China in Shanghai, ITB India in Mumbai, and a constellation of international industry experts.
Deborah Rothe, the ingenious Exhibition Director of ITB Berlin, underscores the monumental stride this represents: “As an internationally established brand with wide-ranging expertise in every tourism segment, ITB sets standards. With ITB 360°, we are pursuing an integrated content concept by offering the travel community outstanding events, expert knowledge, the latest trends, and fascinating insights from around the world.” Rothe envisions this visionary endeavor as an instrument to consolidate ITB’s global brand status and to foster inspiration, education, and enlightenment throughout the travel community, all year round. The profound network of partners and experts amplifies ITB’s stature as the ultimate platform for the global tourism industry, opening an entirely new chapter that encapsulates a comprehensive spectrum of topics.
June: Pioneering Blended Travel Discourse
June marked the spirited inauguration of ITB 360°, kicking off with an invigorating exploration of blended travel, a topic that has stirred much dialogue. The critical question addressed was whether bleisure is a nascent facet of business travel or a trend poised to complement traditional vacations. A podcast episode, led by Euromonitor International, delved into the statistical intricacies of this trend. The insightful discourse brought together Charlotte Lamp Davies, founder of A Bright Approach, and Stephen Dutton from Euromonitor. Their dialogue dissected the current manifestations of bleisure and workationing, contemplating their influence on the industry. In an engaging interview, Raoul Dery, founder and CEO of Newworkation, provided invaluable insights into workations—a burgeoning mode of travel. The discourse extended to the considerations companies should bear in mind when orchestrating workations and the enduring relevance of remote work. The podcast episode titled “Deep Dive: Blended Travel with Euromonitor International” and the ITB Newsroom article “Newworkation: Remote Work Insights” encapsulate these captivating discussions.
July: Celebrating Diversity in LGBTQ+ Tourism
July, a month heralding International Pride celebrations, witnessed ITB Berlin’s thoughtful exploration of LGBTQ+ tourism. In an insightful podcast episode dubbed ’Low Hanging Fruit for Entrepreneurship: Tourism’, Pavel Subrt, Co-founder of East meets West, and the esteemed presenter Charlotte Lamp Davies, founder of A Bright Approach, delved into tapping successfully into the LGBTQ+ market in Eastern Europe.
Brief Yet Profound: ’300 Seconds With’ Industry Stalwarts
A series of succinct podcasts, christened ’300 Seconds With’, orchestrated compelling dialogues with industry luminaries. Dirk Rogl, a distinguished member of the ITB Berlin Board of Experts, took the stage to dissect the present state of the travel industry. Lydia Li, the adept Exhibition Director of ITB China, offered insights into China’s travel industry, comparing its revival to other global regions. Travel volumes, growth trajectories for 2023, favored destinations for Chinese travelers, and the significance of domestic and foreign markets took center stage. Charuta Fadnis, SVP Research Phocuswright, unravelled the highest booking rates of 2022 and forecasts for the upcoming years. Andreas Wulfes, CEO of Neusta Data Intelligence, navigated the ebbs and flows of the German travel market for 2023, drawing parallels to the pre-pandemic era.
August: Confronting the Skills Shortage
August spotlighted a topic of pressing concern: the skills shortage. Building on this important theme, ITB Berlin delved into making the tourism industry more appealing to Generation Z. The discourse included notable success stories showcasing how companies and institutions can entice young talents. Echoing the podcast’s overarching themes, ITB Berlin contemplated new work models in the backdrop of the skills deficit. The Travel Hero Podcast staged an intriguing encounter between Gen Z members and seasoned professionals, facilitating an exchange of viewpoints on blended travel, encapsulating divergent perspectives and experiences.
September: Unveiling Tech Trends and Beyond
As September unfolds, ITB Berlin will cast its spotlight on the scintillating tech trends unveiled at this year’s ITB Berlin Convention. Interviews, podcast gems, and visits to pioneering startups will punctuate this enlightening month. In tandem, the narrative will encompass ITB China, staging its first in-person event post-pandemic in Shanghai. A meticulous analysis, conducted in collaboration with IPK International, will discern if China has reclaimed its status in inbound and outbound travel. Notably, an illuminating deep dive podcast will feature an exclusive interview with a prominent speaker from the ITB China Conference 2023.
The Journey Forward
The forthcoming autumn and winter months promise a trove of captivating topics from ITB Berlin. This relentless commitment to engagement and enlightenment for the global travel community affirms ITB Berlin’s trailblazing role as an unparalleled platform for the travel industry. To glean a deeper understanding and immerse yourself in the enriching world of ITB 360°, visit the ITB Travel Hero Podcast and the ITB Newsroom.
About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
Mark your calendars for the resplendent spectacle of ITB Berlin 2024, set to unfold from March 5th to March 7th. The legacy of ITB Berlin, the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show since 1966, continues to flourish. In the vibrant tapestry of ITB Berlin 2023, 5,500 exhibitors from 161 countries congregated, captivating over 90,000 visitors. The live ITB Berlin Convention, held in conjunction, summoned a remarkable 24,000 attendees participating in 200 sessions graced by 400 luminaries. For more information, explore www.itb.com, and delve into the profound wellspring of insights through the ITB Newsroom & Social Media.
