ITB Berlin News - Day 3

FRIDAY 

10 th MARCH 

2017 

DAY 3 

EDITION 

NEWS TRADE TALK ITB BERLIN CONVENTION REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT 

Akbar Al 

Baker 

CEO, Qatar Airways 

“ The idea of the 

new seat design 

was inspired by… 

myself. ” 

Read page 7 

Beatrix Schell 

Managing Director, Genussreisen 

“ I am keen to discover new 

and fascinating destinations 

with magical places that 

combine culinary variety, 

authentic traveling experiences 

with exceptional hotels. ” 

Read page 11 

Florence Kaci 

Director, Sales, EMEA 

and European Market Specialist, 

Phocuswright Inc. 

“ More than 40% of all 

travel is now booked 

online globally for leisure/ 

unmanaged business travel. ” 

Read page 12 

Marcela Bacigalupo 

Tourism Minister of the Republic 

of Paraguay 

“ The tourism sector in 

Paraguay has enormous 

potential and is currently 

one of the main drivers 

of the economy. ” 

Read page 23 

New Paradigm in Luxury Travel 

ITB Berlin 2017 showcases the new faces and 

philosophies of leading players in hospitality 

Hall 17 

Stand 109 

Hall 9 

Stand 314 

Hall 4.1 

Stand 105b 

The past year has seen major changes to the 

global playing field in hospitality, with, amongst 

other moves, Marriott taking over Starwood, and 

AccorHotels taking over FRHI and Rixos hotels. 

These new structures are thus showing their almostcomplete 

new faces for the first time at ITB Berlin. 

According to the Head of ITB Berlin, David Ruetz, 

the main task of his organisation is to “take some of 

the complexity out of the world’s largest travel trade 

fair and to reveal the phenomena that can be seen 

in the tourism firmament”, and here, the paradigm 

change in luxury travel is one of the “brightest stars”. 

As one tours ITB, luxury hotel and resort brands are 

increasingly present, as distribution models evolve. 

With ultra-luxe resort “regulars” to the show like 

The Brando or Le Taha’a in French Polynesia, and 

a bigger push by major luxury brands like Conrad, 

Waldorf Astoria, Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel – the list 

goes on – ITB Berlin is increasingly becoming an 

essential element in the overall marketing plans of 

the groups, due to the harmonising of marketing 

(albeit separate for each brand) and especially 

distribution “across the board”. In this edition, 

Arne Sorenson (pictured left), President & CEO of 

Marriott International, talks about the challenges at 

hand. – page 14. 

Arne Sorenson 

President & CEO, Marriott International 

DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT 

THE AMERICAS 

According to the IPK World Travel 

Trends report released at ITB 

Berlin, North America grew well 

with a 6% rise in international 

trips, driven by the strong US 

market (+7%), but South America, 

where Brazilian outbound travel 

plummeted by 15%, showed only 

a 1% increase. It has been a year 

of ups and downs for international 

travel in the Americas. In North 

America, the US outbound 

market is performing very well 

thanks to the strong dollar. But in 

South America, Brazilians have 

cut back on international travel 

dramatically this year amid the 

country’s economic and political 

crisis, although the picture could 

improve next year. – from page 22. 

Sibinacocha Lake, Peru 

© Gvillemin

NEWS 

3 

EDITORIAL 

Richard Barnes 

Editor-in-Chief, 

ITB Berlin News 

CONTENTS 

DAY 3 

EDITION 

Friday 

10 th March 

2017 

News.............................................. page 4 

Trade Talk.....................................page 11 

ITB Berlin Convention................. page 12 

Exclusive Interview......................page 14 

Travel Technology 4.0: 

Propelling Tourism Into 

the Future 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

Cultural Tourism.......................... page 15 

Family Destinations ................... page 19 

Gay & Lesbian Travel (LGBT)..... page 21 

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT 

The Americas ............................. page 22 

SPOTLIGHT ON GERMAN REGION 

Berlin-Brandenburg.....................page 28 

Where to Go in Berlin................. page 29 

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This year’s ITB Berlin has three 

major axes of interest: security, the 

changing paradigm in luxury travel, 

and travel technology 4.0. The latter 

is more than just a catch-cry or a 

fad. Technology is in many ways 

the primary driver of the industry’s 

growth. 

In his keynote speech at the ITB Future 

Day on 8 March on the subject of 

“Technology vs. Humanity? Artificial 

intelligence and the prospects it offers 

for business, society and humankind”, 

Prof. Dr. Hans Uszkoreit, Scientific 

Director and Head of the Faculty of 

Language Technology at the German 

Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence 

(DFKI), explained the extent to which 

artificial intelligence will change 

business structures, social processes 

and our private lives. Meanwhile, the 

current capabilities of robots were 

demonstrated live on the stage on the 

same day by the robot Pepper, with 

Nicolas Boudot, EMEA Sales Director, 

SoftBank Robotics Europe, reporting 

about the many promising applications 

for service robots at destinations, and 

areas where they can be particularly 

effectively deployed. 

At the eTravel Lab Day, Tymon 

Wiedemair, co-founder and Chief 

Executive of Ulmon GmbH, explained 

how artificial intelligence can be used 

to personalise travel content on mobile 

devices. This has been made possible 

by the introduction on a mass scale of 

mobile technologies in recent years, 

as well as by the creation of powerful 

artificial intelligence systems that make 

use of localised data in order to supply 

travellers with personalised content. 

The development of IoT (Internet of 

Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) 

has an impact on every industry, 

including hotel industry. One of the 

examples cited by Andriew Lim of the 

HotelSchool at The Hague was that 

of the CityHub Amsterdam, an urban 

hotel that provides their guests with a 

wristband and a mobile app so that they 

can customise and make transactions 

during their stay. 

The forward march of booking 

technologies is also making a big 

impact at the show. Jet2holidays, for 

example, is moving forward from using 

only traditional static contracts, to 

bringing on-board new technologies to 

work dynamically with their suppliers. 

Then there’s Virtual Reality, building 

management systems, energy 

management, front of house, back of 

house, PoS, PoI, in-room entertainment 

systems, wayfinding, digital signage, 

digital menus, and integration of much 

of the above; it’s mind boggling. Take 

some time to visit a few of the tech 

exhibitors and if possible attend some 

of the extraordinary tech sessions at 

the ITB Berlin Convention. Indeed, 

while Artificial Intelligence is on the 

rise, extraordinary industry intelligence 

is the order of the day at ITB Berlin! 

ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 10 th March 2017

4 NEWS 

ADVERTORIAL 

Rediscovering 

The Package 

Tour... With 

Anex Tour 

The German package tour operator Anex 

Tour GmbH, domiciled in Düsseldorf, will 

be starting operations with its own airline 

- AZUR Air - as of April. Guests will also be 

able to take off from Munich and Berlin and 

fly non-stop for the best weeks of the year. 

Destinations will include Mallorca, the Canary 

Islands, Croatia, Turkey and the Dominican 

Republic. In the winter season 2017/2018, the 

portfolio will be expanded to include longhaul 

destinations such as Thailand, Cuba and 

Egypt. 

To support the airline launch, three Boeing 

767-300 aircraft will be based at the home 

airport of Düsseldorf. 

In addition, Anex Tour has some powerful 

sales arguments. In the event that travel plans 

might change at short notice - no matter 

what the reason is - Anex Tour guarantees 

rebooking free of charge up to 14 days prior 

to departure for bookings made before April 

30th. 

Hall 25 / Stand 142 

ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 10 th March 2017 

World Legacy 

Awards 2017 

Visionary travel companies and destination leaders 

honoured by National Geographic and ITB Berlin 

Coinciding with the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Tourism 

Development, the five winners of the 2017 National Geographic World Legacy 

Awards were announced this week during an awards ceremony held at the 

ITB Berlin Convention. 

The World Legacy Awards, 

a partnership between 

National Geographic and 

ITB Berlin, showcase the 

leading travel and tourism 

companies, organisations 

and destinations — ranging 

from large resorts to small 

eco-lodges and from wildlife 

conservancies to entire 

countries — that are driving 

the sustainable tourism 

transformation of the global 

travel industry. 

More than 100 entries, 

representing 45 countries 

across six continents, 

were submitted for these 

prestigious travel awards. 

An international panel 

of 26 judges coordinated 

by Costas Christ, an 

internationally recognised 

sustainable tourism expert 

and award-winning National 

Geographic travel writer, 

scored each entry according 

to globally recognised 

sustainable tourism criteria. 

All 15 finalists underwent a 

rigorous on-site inspection. 

Christ said, “Sustainable 

tourism development is 

crucial for the future of 

travel and for the planet. 

The time is now for action 

on a global scale. The 

travel and tourism industry 

is based on promoting and 

selling culture and nature 

holiday experiences and as 

such, needs to take a bigger 

role in protecting the very 

resources that their business 

depends upon. 

THE 2017 

NATIONAL 

GEOGRAPHIC 

WORLD LEGACY 

AWARDS WINNERS 

ARE: 

EARTH CHANGERS 

recognising cuttingedge 

leadership in 

environmentally friendly 

business practices and 

green technology, from 

renewable energy and 

water conservation to 

zero-waste systems and 

carbon-emission reduction. 

WINNER: Cayuga 

Collection, Costa Rica and 

Nicaragua 

SENSE OF PLACE 

recognising excellence in 

enhancing sense of place 

and authenticity, including 

support for the protection 

of historical monuments, 

archaeological sites, cultural 

events, indigenous heritage 

and artistic traditions. 

WINNER: City of Santa Fe, 

New Mexico, USA 

CONSERVING THE 

NATURAL WORLD 

Recognizing outstanding 

support for the preservation 

of nature, restoring natural 

habitat and protecting rare 

and endangered species, 

whether on land or in the 

oceans. WINNER: North 

Island, Seychelles 

ENGAGING 

COMMUNITIES 

recognizing direct and 

tangible economic and 

social benefits that improve 

local livelihoods, including 

training and capacity 

building, fair wages and 

benefits, community 

development, health care 

and education. WINNER: 

The Lodge at Chaa Creek, 

DESTINATION 

LEADERSHIP 

recognising destination 

leadership, including 

cities, provinces, states, 

countries and regions 

that are demonstrating 

environmental best 

practices, protection 

of cultural and natural 

heritage, benefits to local 

communities and educating 

travellers on the principles 

of sustainability. WINNER: 

Slovenian Tourist Board, 

Slovenia. 

www.itb-berlin-news.com

NEWS 

7 

WORLD PREMIERE 

Qatar Airways Unveils Its 

Revolutionary Seat at ITB 

Berlin 2017 

ITB Berlin 2017 played host to Qatar Airways’ 

presentation of its new Business Class Product, 

which will offer ultimate comfort to travellers 

Ulrich Garnadt 

Chairman of the Board of 

Directors, Eurowings 

Eurowings Wants 

to Be The LCC 

Reference in Quality 

Akbar Al Baker 

CEO, Qatar Airways 

Following the lease of 33 airberlin 

aircraft, Eurowings intends to give 

more quality to its customers at 

a time of fast expansion for the 

carrier 

Qatar Airways Press Conference is a 

highlight of ITB Berlin as there is always 

important news to be announced by a 

usually outspoken Qatar Airways CEO 

Akbar Al Baker. ITB 2017 Qatar Airways 

briefing was again a colourful event with 

the airline announcing the launch of its 

highly anticipated and revolutionary 

new Business Class. Rebranded ‘QSuite’ 

the new product is reaching standards 

which have never been seen before in 

the industry. 

“The idea of the new seat design was 

inspired by… myself,” said the Qatar 

Airways CEO enthusiastically. “I had 

precise ideas of what a traveller would 

like on board and I just transmitted 

my thoughts to a team of young and 

talented designers to create the best 

seat in the sky”, he added. 

The QSuite works as a truly customisable 

private suite, providing comfort but 

also total flexibility for passengers. The 

new premium product will feature the 

industry’s first-ever double bed available 

in Business Class, with privacy panels 

that stow away, allowing passengers 

in adjoining seats to create their own 

private room. 

Adjustable panels and movable TV 

monitors in the centre of the cabin will 

also grant passengers a private space of 

four seats which will allow colleagues, 

friends or families travelling together 

to transform their area into a private 

suite, where they can work, dine and 

socialise together. These new features 

provide the ultimate customisable travel 

experience that enables passengers to 

create an environment that suits their 

own unique needs. 

Flexibility is driving the concept of 

the QSuite. A la carte meals with the 

option of choosing the time of service, a 

choice of over 4,000 film and television 

programmes, will give each QSuite 

passenger almost total control of their 

cabin environment. 

According to Akbar Al Baker, passengers 

will be able to enjoy the new product 

from June 2017. “The first aircraft to be 

retrofitted will serve the Doha-London 

route, the second aircraft will be put in 

service to Paris and the third to New 

York. Our entire fleet of Boeing B777 

and Airbus A350-1000 will be equipped 

by the middle of next year”, promised 

the Qatar Arways CEO. 

Until the first retrofitted aircraft takes off, 

ITB Berlin visitors can experience the 

QSuite at Qatar Airways stand in Hall 

2.2. The new business class cabin was 

unveiled on Wednesday in the presence 

of Michael Müller, the Mayor of Berlin 

and HE Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman 

Al-Thani, Ambassador for Qatar in 

Germany 

Faced with increased competition, Eurowings wants 

to be perceived more than ever as the reference low 

cost airline offering not only competitive fares but also 

outstanding quality. “Europe is reaching saturation point 

with LCC flights’ offer largely exceeding demand. The 

only next step to retain our shares and grow business is 

to propose a high quality product”, explained Karl Ulrich 

Garnadt, Chairman of the Board of Directors during ITB 

Berlin 2017. 

Eurowings is also increasing capacities in Europe 

following the leasing of 33 airberlin aircraft. Eight of the 

leased aircraft will go to Eurowings’ base in Cologne, 

seven to Stuttgart and four to Munich, the airline’s new 

base. “We will open Munich at the end of March with a 

network of 30 destinations”, indicated Garnadt. 

After Vienna, Eurowings opens a new European base in 

Palma de Mallorca this summer. “We are also working on 

the integration of Brussels Airlines into our Eurowings 

Group by next year, following Lufthansa’s acquisition of 

100% of the Belgian carrier,” Garnadt said. During the 

summer, new long haul destinations out of Cologne will 

serve Las Vegas, Montego Bay, Seattle and Windhoek 

among others. 

To further increase its quality of service, Eurowings 

is launching the programme “Make My Way” giving 

passengers more choice in their flight. “We aim to provide 

a fully digital customized experience, such as booking a 

holiday with us including flights and accommodation, 

the introduction of Wi-Fi on European flights, and 

proposing a flight pass on short haul destinations with 

guaranteed fixed fares on one-way ticket”, added Oliver 

Wagner, Eurowings CEO 

Hall 2.2 / Stands 207, 208 Hall 25 / Stand 156 


8 NEWS 

Turkey Expands 

Presence, Shows 

Culinary Flair 

Culture and cuisine headline a rich travel 

landscape at Turkey’s mega ITB stand 

Turkey is making a bold 

statement at ITB Berlin 2017 

with the largest stand of the 

fair that covers 3,079 square 

meters and 129 exhibitors. 

Showcasing the cultural 

diversity of Turkey’s diverse 

regions, from Marmara to 

Anatolia and Cappadocia, 

Turkish tourism marketers 

are exhibiting traditional 

handicrafts such as “Cam 

Sanatı” (glass blower art), 

“Hattat” (calligraphy art), 

“Ebru” (water sculpture art), 

or “Kazaz” (silver wire art), 

some created live at ITB by 

local artisans. 

But among the vibrant stalls 

at the expansive Turkish 

stand, culinary themes are 

a highlight among both 

the trade and the public, 

especially the Ganziep: City 

of Gastronomy booth – the 

ancient city is located in 

Turkey’s southeast Anatolia 

region - where chefs work 

overtime to produce local 

delicacies. These include a 

variety of pistachio-infused 

sweets, Maraş ice cream 

that is beaten and served 

in a cone from a traditional 

barrel, or typical Çay tea 

and Turkish mokkas. 

Turkey’s culinary theme 

will be extended to the 

ITB Convention during 

the ITB Marketing and 

Destination Workshops Day 

3, Gourmet Journeys In The 

Tourism Market: Culinary 

Destinations In Turkey (held 

on March 10, 16:15 - 17:15 

in Convention Hall 4.1, 

Room Regensburg). 

The session asks: What are 

the lessons learned from 

gourmet travel packages in 

the past and what potential 

is there to develop culinary 

tourism in Turkey? 

Culinary experiences are 

increasingly a motivator for 

travel decisions - good food 

and drink are important 

components of every 

holiday. Thus, there is no 

better time to promote a 

Turkish cuisine that is one 

of the world ‘s most diverse. 

Top Turkish chef Vedat 

Başaran from the restaurant 

Nar in Istanbul will also 

be on hand to discuss the 

special features of the 

Ottoman palace kitchen 

where traditional Turkish 

recipes were created over 

many centuries; while 

Istanbul celebrity chef 

Mehmet Gürs will also show 

off some pioneering Turkish 

fusion cuisine 

Hall 3.2 / Stand 201 



NEWS 

9 

Bees Get €20,000 from 

Arcotel Hotels Foundation 

@ ITB Berlin 

Your Party 

Invitation 

Trade visitors should have time 

for a final networking blast 

The ARCOTEL Hotels sustainability 

campaign “Give Bees a Chance” collected 

a total of €100,000 in donations in 2016, 

and part of this sum has been presented 

to the German Foundation for People and 

the Environment (Stiftung für Mensch und 

Umwelt) at ITB Berlin. 

It has been two years that ARCOTEL 

Hotels and its guests have been saving 

bees. The sustainability campaign 

is a pioneering success that is being 

celebrated at the ARCOTEL Stand at ITB 

Berlin. The German Foundation for People 

and the Environment (Stiftung für Mensch 

und Umwelt) is the recipient of € 20,000 

for its initiative “Deutschland summt!” 

(“Germany is humming!”). 

The donations are going to support the 

campaign aimed at preserving bees, an 

important element of life. The project is 

asking people to plant bee-friendly plants 

in green spaces across Germany. The best 

projects will then be awarded. During the 

first day of ITB Berlin 2017, Dr Renate 

Wimmer, owner of the ARCOTEL Group, 

and Martin Lachout, CEO, presented the 

sum to the Foundation. 

The EUR 100,000 collected in the year 2016 

will be distributed among bee charities in 

the ARCOTEL countries Austria, Germany 

and Croatia. Cheques have already been 

presented to associations in Croatia and 

Austria. More will follow 


The Grand Finale of the 51 st ITB Berlin will be celebrated 

on Sunday night March 12, onsite at the Palais am 

Funkturm, and trade visitors are welcome to join the fun: 

admission is free for pass and ticket holders. The party 

promises a wild mix of performances, including the 

Caribbean merengue, Andalusian flamenco, German- 

Greek choral music 

from Polyphonia, and a 

45-minute dance show 

presented by partner 

country Botswana, as 

well as the opportunity 

to dance yourselves 

and indulge in some 

last-minute informal 

networking. Your 

host for the evening 

is award-winning 

German TV presenter 

Mary Amiri 

Palais am Funkturm 


TRADE TALK 

11 

Pleasure Travel 

Is Our Name 

Genussreisen recognises the need 

for authenticity, personalisation 

and exclusivity 

Ross 

Hutchinson 

Contracts Manager, 

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays 

Beatrix Schell 

Managing Director, 

Genussreisen 

Jet2holidays 

Grows into New 

Regions with New 

Technologies 

Managing Director of Genussreisen – a German tour 

operator based in Munich - Beatrix Schell spoke to ITB 

Berlin News about what she is seeking at ITB Berlin 2017: 

Genussreisen is truly a specialist 

for authentic, money-can´t-buy 

experiences with regards to highend 

culinary tours mixed with 

the right portion of historical and 

cultural highlights for FIT´s and 

for groups. I am visiting the ITB 

to meet new suppliers like hotels 

and DMC´s in those destinations 

where we already offer tours, but 

also in those countries to which 

we would like to expand with new 

products. 

Which destinations are you 

mainly interested in? 

Since most of our tours take 

place in Europe, I am of course 

looking for new travel ideas in 

these destinations. At the same 

time I am keen to discover new 

and fascinating destinations with 

magical places that combine 

culinary variety, authentic 

traveling experiences with 

exceptional hotels. This year we 

want to expand our portfolio and 

offer new tours towards South 

Africa, Argentina and Chile but 

also a few other destinations on 

the Asian continent. 

What general trends are you 

noting in terms of consumer 

demand? 

Exclusive journeys, specialised 

to travellers’ needs are more 

relevant than ever. The target 

group of travellers seeking 

high-end products does not 

define luxury based on material 

factors. It is all about memories, 

to experience something real, 

authentic and unforgettable 

on a premium quality level. 

Genussreisen already provides an 

assorted variety of authentic tours 

for gourmet food enthusiasts. Our 

company is active in the fastestgrowing 

travel segment according 

to the recent research results as 

per the Society of Consumer 

Research (GfK). 

How important is ITB Berlin 

as a source of business and 

inspiration for you, and why? 

The ITB is very important for our 

strategical development - many 

valuable and profitable business 

contacts will be developed at 

ITB’s networking events and 

meetings 

Ross Hutchinson, 

Contracts Manager for 

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays 

in Leeds in the UK, looks 

after Central and Eastern 

European cities for the 

company’s growing 

Jet2CityBreaks brand. We 

asked him what brings him 

to ITB Berlin. 

The exhibition is a one stop 

shop for meeting all my key 

partners from across a variety 

of geographical destinations 

in preparation for the coming 

Summer season. While 

historically I’ve used the 

conference to meet hoteliers 

and agents, more recently my 

own role has evolved and now 

I’ll be spending more time in and 

around ITB Travel Technology 

halls. As a tour operator, 

Jet2holidays is moving forward 

from using only traditional 

static contracts, to bringing onboard 

the technologies to work 

dynamically with our suppliers. 

I’m now championing this in 

contracting, so ITB provides 

the perfect opportunity to meet 

our channel manager partners 

as well as looking for new 

opportunities in this area 

On a more personal note, one of 

the nicest aspects of ITB is the 

fact I get to see suppliers I may 

no longer directly work with. In 

my fifteen years working in the 

industry, I’ve done contracts in 

many places including Greece, 

Spain and Iceland. It’s always 

nice to get to bump into people, 

have a brief catch up, ask how’s 

business and more importantly 

how their families are. While I 

love to travel – I love the people 

and the different cultures I 

encounter more. 

What’s changing for your 

company this year? 

As a company, we’ve seen 

customer demand increase 

for our product substantially 

over the past few years. Our 

ATOL licence now allows us to 

carry 2.27 million passengers 

until 30th September which is 

a fantastic achievement. The 

most exciting thing about the 

demand for our product is it has 

allowed us to expand our bases 

from seven to nine. Although 

we were once considered only 

a Northern UK company, flying 

from London Stansted and 

Birmingham has changed all of 

that this year 


12 ITB BERLIN CONVENTION 

Florence Kaci 

Director, Sales, EMEA 

and European Market Specialist, 


Norm Rose 

Senior Technology 

and Corporate Market Analyst, 


PHOCUSWRIGHT 

FAST TRACK 

AT ITB BERLIN 

Category: eTravel Stage Day 2 

EXPLORATION OF 

EUROPE’S PAYMENTS 

LANDSCAPE 


Millennials Driving Growth 

in Emerging Markets 

Emerging Tech and Payment 

Trends in Travel 

On 9 March, Florence Kaci, 

European market specialist 

with travel research industry 

authority, Phocuswright, 

presented key findings from 

recent European traveller 

research on ITB Berlin’s eTravel 

Stage. 

At the conference, it was 

revealed that the global travel 

market is now at nearly 

US$1.3 trillion dollars, up 

substantially from $1.1 trillion 

just five years ago. But the story 

doesn’t end there. Innovation, 

demographics, and economic 

promise have caused record 

online travel gains. In less than 

20 years, online travel has 

grown from nothing to more 

than $500bn in 2016. 

More than 40% of all travel is 

now booked online globally for 

leisure/unmanaged business 

travel. 

In terms of online penetration, 

Europe is in the lead with nearly 

half of all travel booked online, 

followed by the US. But if you’re 

looking for growth – the next 

big wave – look no further than 

emerging markets, including 

China, India and Brazil. While 

developed markets make up 

three quarters of online travel 

revenue, they are projected to 

grow just 3% over the 2014- 

2017 period. Emerging markets’ 

projection – 8%. And online 

emerging markets are expected 

to grow nearly four times as fast 

as developed ones. 

What’s driving this growth? 

We’ve all heard about 

millennials playing a key role 

in everything from the sharing 

economy, to hotel technology, 

to redefining loyalty. 

In three emerging markets, 

China, Brazil and Russia, 

millennials make up an 

inordinate percentage of the 

traveller population, compared 

to the US, France or Germany. 

And in India, two in three 

holiday travellers are young 

adults. 

For many of these travellers, 

their first digital interaction 

with brands is happening via a 

smartphone – a major contrast 

with markets like the US and 

Europe. 

Developing markets such as 

China, Brazil and Russia lead in 

smartphone penetration. Asia, 

for example, far surpasses the 

U.S. and Europe in terms of 

mobile online bookings 

The European payment landscape stands at a crossroads. While 

traditional forms of payment still dominate in most markets, 

travel suppliers and intermediaries across the region must 

embrace both traditional forms and emerging, often country - 

or region-specific payment methods, in order to be the engine 

for growth. 

Norm Rose, senior technology 

and corporate market analyst with 

travel research industry authority, 

Phocuswright, presented on 9th 

March at ITB Berlin’s eTravel Stage 

about Europe’s payments landscape, 

outlining in particular the following 

trends: 

1. MOBILE 

Mobile technology continues to 

disrupt the travel experience, but 

has not yet impacted the European 

payment process. 

Only 8% of survey respondents 

currently support mobile payments. 

Another 14% do not currently support 

mobile payments. Some retailers, 

wholesalers and suppliers questioned 

whether mobile payments for travel 

is practical due to the high individual 

cost of travel components and low 

mobile booking penetration. 

Travel suppliers are more likely to 

offer mobile payments than retailers, 

which are typically smaller, with 

online travel agencies (OTAs) being 

the exception. 

Mobile payments will begin to take 

off in Europe when mobile bookings 

become a mainstream activity. Even 

though consumers are increasingly 

using mobile devices for travel 

planning, the majority of digital 

bookings continue to come from 

desktops. 

2. BLOCKCHAIN 

There is little (2%) acceptance of 

Bitcoin or other crypto currencies in 

Europe today, but Blockchain – the 

underlying technology that supports 

crypto currency – may have a more 

significant impact. Blockchain is 

an open, distributed, viewable and 

encrypted shared ledger. The data is 

encrypted in such a way that even 

though everything is being computed 

in plain sight, the underlying 

“meaning” of the information is 

completely obfuscated. 

2016 saw a tidal wave of interest in 

Blockchain with large companies 

launching an open-source Blockchain 

initiative. The embracing of Blockchain 

technology by large technology and 

financial companies will likely have 

an impact on the European payment 

process within the next three to five 

years 



ITB BERLIN CONVENTION 

13 

Jon Barnett 

General Manager 

Goodwood Motor Circuit 

Rob Holmes 

Founder and Chief Strategist, 

GLP Films 

HOW TO CREATE GLOBAL 

MEGA EVENTS FOR 

ENTHUSIASTS 

Category: ITB Destination Day 3 

Date: March 10, 2017 

Time: 10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. 

Location: Hall 7.1a, 

Auditorium New York 1 

ROI OF STORY TELLING: 

KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL 

CONTENT MARKETING 

CAMPAIGNS 


Date: March 10, 2017 

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 

Location: Hall 6.1, eTravel Stage 

Global Mega Events 

Essentials 

Authentic Stories Make 

Successful Content 

Speaking at the ITB Convention on the subject “How 

To Create Global Mega Events For Enthusiasts” Friday 

10 March, Jon Barnett, General Manager of Goodwood 

Motor Circuit is well-placed to advise best practices, 

as he has helped transform the specialist destination 

of Goodwood, UK, into a successful ‘pilgrimage’ site. 

Barnett explained to ITB Berlin News what impact 

his annual events – Goodwood Festival Of Speed and 

Goodwood Revival have had on the region’s economy: 

Goodwood as a whole 

contributes around £245million 

to the economy each year and 

employs 650 full time staff. We 

are very proud of that because 

estates have historically always 

been about supporting their 

community. Rolls Royce has a 

plant on the estate after Lord 

March persuaded them that 

being in England was good 

for them. They associate with 

Goodwood because they need 

to cement in people’s mind 

that they are a perfectly-made 

English motor car and they can 

bring their customers here all 

the time to demonstrate that. 

What is the secret in organising 

a mega-event that positively 

impacts a region? 

At Goodwood we have a great 

events teams that constantly 

strive to over deliver on content 

and experience. One of the most 

important qualities to have as an 

event organiser is attention to 

detail and we are renowned for 

our obsession for perfection at 

Goodwood. We also work very 

hard to ensure the customer 

journey is exquisite and that the 

negative impact on the region 

is minimised. Lastly, we have 

been entertaining people on a 

grand scale for over 300 years. 

Authenticity is key to all we do 

- if we can’t genuinely claim to 

be an authority on a particular 

subject, the chances are we 

won’t do it. 

What are the pitfalls to avoid? 

You need to make sure you 

claim a business area that is 

rightfully yours and that is in 

your DNA as a business. Do that 

beautifully and over-deliver 

on the customer experience, 

making them want to come 

back 

Having hosted its fourth annual Short Film Showcase at 

ITB Berlin Thursday 9 th , which featured their best travel 

storytelling content so far, GLP Films leads a session entitled 

ROI Of Story Telling: Keys To Successful Content Marketing 

Campaigns (Digital Storytelling, Distribution, Case Studies 

& Beyond) Friday 10th. Speaking to ITB Berlin News, Rob 

Holmes, Chief Strategist at GLP Films, expanded on what 

makes for successful content marketing: 

As well as our Short Film Showcase, 

we will also present the latest ROI 

Case Study from our award-winning 

film and share the best strategies 

and lessons for destination 

marketing. A compelling story is 

the most important ingredient -- a 

story that authentically connects 

your audience to your destination. 

Once you have a great story, you 

can use that story to meet key 

campaign goals like raising brand 

awareness or increasing website 

traffic and sales. 

What is one of the greatest 

challenges destinations are 

facing today? 

By 2030, international tourist 

arrivals are set to hit a staggering 

1.8 billion worldwide. Like any 

large global industry, tourism can 

devastate destinations when left 

to grow freely without strategy, 

management, or awareness of 

impact. Destination managers are 

now faced with the balancing act of 

promoting growth while ensuring 

the longevity and health of the very 

places that makes a destination 

attractive. 

What are some of the solutions? 

Strategic marketing campaigns can 

support sustainable destinations in 

a number of ways. Market lesserknown 

products and promote offseason 

travel to better disperse 

travellers and ease overcrowding 

issues. Also, educate travellers on 

the unique and authentic aspects of 

the region that will in turn empower 

local communities. 

What advice would you give 

to destinations looking to 

improve their content marketing 

strategies? 

Start with storytelling. The secret 

is destinations already have great 

stories -- culture, people, food, and 

environment. Authentic storytelling 

will elevate your destination, 

connect with your target audience, 

and help protect the assets that 

make your destination unique 


14 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

“At the Helm” of the World’s 

Biggest Hotel Group 

Exclusive Interview: Arne Sorenson – President & CEO – 

Marriott International 

Arne Sorenson is now at the helm of the largest lodging company in the 

world, having taken over the Starwood group. We asked him what the 

most challenging elements were of “managing the deal of the decade”? 

Arne Sorenson 

President & CEO – Marriott International 

WE ARE GOING 

TO OPEN A HOTEL 

A LITTLE BIT MORE 

OFTEN THAN ONCE 

EVERY 16 HOURS IN 

2017 

Let’s put it in context. It is 

big. We are going to open a 

hotel a little bit more often 

than once every 16 hours in 

2017, which gives you the 

scale of the size of this, and 

of course we need to make 

sure that those hotels each 

open as close to flawlessly 

as possible, and that entails 

an extraordinary amount of 

work. It means motivating 

and empowering people 

who are set up around the 

world not from decisions 

that are made at the centre. 

I think when you look at the 

most important things for 

us to get right, obviously 

we need to get that day-today 

stuff right, in addition 

to the operation of the 

approximately 6,000 hotels 

we have operating today. 

But beyond that we have to 

make sure we pull together 

the loyalty programmes 

– Marriott Rewards and 

SPG - in a way that 

causes that community 

of almost 100-million 

unique members to like the 

programme as it evolves 

going forward and to 

intensify their loyalty to our 

portfolio of hotels. 

Why was it so important to 

acquire Starwood? 

It really starts with this 

loyalty programme. We 

obviously want to be able 

to deliver to our customers 

as broad a range of choices 

as they can, and we want to 

be able to say to them, “You 

really don’t need to look 

anywhere else when you 

are thinking about booking 

a hotel today”. We’ve got 

tremendous distribution in 

the luxury area, tremendous 

distribution in lifestyle, 

strong distribution in select 

service. As a consequence, 

no matter what you want 

to spend, no matter where 

you are going, no matter 

what kind of sensibility 

you want from the hotel, 

we have a place for you 

to stay. And we think we 

can create an ecosystem of 

loyal customers who look 

to us for their place to stay 

and look to us directly for 

booking their experience, 

sharing their experience, 

planning their travel… we 

want to be relevant in all 

those spaces. And we think 

by being bigger, by having 

that many more choices, 

by having that much bigger 

ecosystem of customers, 

we create something that 

is just that much more 

powerful than we could 

have done on our own. 

You were chosen as the first 

“non-family” president & 

CEO in the history of the 

company. What qualities 

were required to fill this 

role, and what attracted 

you to this position? 

I got to know Mr Marriott 

in 1992, and have been 

working with him regularly 

since 1996. He has taught 

me an extraordinary 

amount. In many respects, 

I think he’s forgotten more 

about the hotel business 

than I will ever know. 

But he remains a good 

partner, and I think as he 

got to a point where he 

needed to hand off the 

CEO role to somebody 

else, that relationship we 

had – the fact that I was 

a known quantity – were 

very comforting elements 

to him. I think beyond 

that, the things he has 

taught me and I believe 

to important would be 

an open-mindedness and 

a curiosity about trends 

in our business, threats 

to our business – and it’s 

about keeping your ears 

open and listening – both 

to folks internally and to 

competitors and to other 

forces that are happening 

in the marketplace. That 

open mindedness was 

very much a feature of his 

leadership style and I hope 

it’s one of mine. In addition 

to that, it is a job that 

requires an attentiveness 

to people. We all say this of 

course, but in no industry is 

it more true than in ours… 

we are a people business. 

We cannot deliver the kind 

of experience we want 

our guests to have except 

through our people. 

What are your thoughts 

about ITB Berlin? 

ITB is one of the globe’s 

principal gatherings of 

customers and travel 

companies – and an 

indispensable place to do 

business 



SPECIAL FEATURE 

CULTURAL TOURISM 

15 

Central Souq Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization 

The Emirate of Sharjah has 

long been a magnet for 

culture enthusiasts seeking 

a deeper understanding of 

the civilisation of the Arab 

region, both traditional and 

contemporary – and for good 

reason. From its fairs and 

festivals to its museums and 

universities, Sharjah truly 

holds its own as a cultural 

capital in the region and is 

already attracting travellers 

hungry for culture. No 

wonder that Sharjah was 

named the Islamisc Culture 

Capital in 2014 for its 

unparalleled contributions to 

the preservation of heritage 

and culture. 

SHARJAH LIGHT 

FESTIVAL 

Sharjah’s dedication to preserve its 

culture can be seen clearly through 

the traditional Arabian and Islamic 

architecture that characterises 

many of its landmarks. In an effort 

to shed light, quite literally, on 

that aspect, the emirate organises 

the now world famous Sharjah 

Light Festival, whereby landmarks 

across Sharjah bear threedimensional 

light displays for ten 

days each February. 

Combining local talents and 

internationally renowned artists, 

the festival attracts hundreds 

of thousands of visitors who 

come to be amazed by the 

spectacular illumination of the 

emirate’s inspiring architecture, 

rich civilization, history and 

monuments. The Sharjah Light 

Festival is continuing to grow in 

prestige as a highly anticipated 

cultural event in the region that 

will give holiday-makers more 

reason to travel to the Arabian 

Gulf. 

LITERATURE AND ART 

Away from architecture, Sharjah 

throws considerable weight 

behind art and literature, among 

other cultural activities. Every 

November since 1982, the 

emirate organises the Sharjah 

International Book Fair (SIBF), a 

10-day event that regularly attracts 

upwards of one million attendees 

annually (SIBF 2016 welcomed 

more than 2.31 million visitors, 

1,681 publishing houses from 60 

countries, with approximately 

1.5 million titles on display). One 

of the largest book fairs in the 

world, the SIBF is among the most 

prestigious in the Arab world and 

the most exciting literary event in 

the region. In 2013, the respected 

book industry publication “The 

Bookseller” named SIBF one of the 

top four books fairs globally. 

Also in the literary vein, the 

American University of Sharjah 

boasts an 11,000-square- metre 

library housing a staggering 

collection of 125,000 Englishlanguage 

books, as well as 

literature in other languages – 

chiefly Arabic. 

As for art, the Sharjah Art Museum 

is a three-storey exhibition space 

showing artworks and collections 

covering diverse mediums and 

techniques. The museum not 

only welcomes visitors daily 

from 8:00am to 8:00pm (4:00pm 

to 8:00pm on Fridays), but is free 

of charge. Throughout the year, 

the museum houses several 

temporary exhibitions and art 

events. The Museum’s Art Library, 

meanwhile, is home to over 4,000 

titles in Arabic, English, and other 

languages, along with visual and 

audio materials. 

EMIRATES HERITAGE 

Meanwhile, every April, Sharjah 

Heritage Days celebrates and 

preserves the customs and 

traditions of the UAE with a number 

of cultural activities, workshops, 

displays, and entertainment. 

The annual event coincides 

with UNESCO’S celebrations of 

Heritage International Day during 

the month of April, and is aimed 

at reminding current and future 

generations of the rich traditions 

of the past by throwing light on 

long-established customs, arts 

and professions in the region. 

Sharjah Heritage Days will appeal 

to tourists looking for an authentic 

expression of unique Emirati 

culture. 

The gulf city has also established 

a dedicated Calligraphy Museum, 

and holds the Sharjah Art Biennial 

once every two years (the 13th 

Sharjah: Arabia’s Culture 

Lovers’ Capital 

Travel trade illuminated by Sharjah’s 

cultural wonders at ITB Berlin 

edition is set to take place in 2017), 

as well as the Sharjah Calligraphy 

Biennial. 

In over a decade of operation, 

the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum 

has collected over 300 works that 

adorn canvas, wood, paper and 

ceramics. The assortment includes 

historic paintings in the Kufic font 

and, most notably, the Al Hulia 

Al Sharifa by Iraqi calligrapher 

Ziad Al Muhandis (measuring 

280x300cm and considered the 

largest in the Islamic world) 



16 SPECIAL FEATURE 


Culture in Abu Dhabi 

The prestigious emirate has so much more to offer 

than the glitz and glamour of the city Hall 2.2 / Stand 200 

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture 

Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is 

spearheading a large delegation of 

more than 50 of the emirate’s leading 

hotels, tour operators, attractions 

and destination management 

companies at ITB Berlin, to help 

build on last year’s record number 

of visitors. 

Among TCA Abu Dhabi’s primary 

objectives at ITB Berlin is to 

develop strong partnerships and 

marketing initiatives with leading 

tour operators to further grow the 

emirate’s presence internationally 

and leverage the destination’s 

cruise appeal while building 

awareness around the Authority’s 

global destination campaign. 

One of the key attractions for the 

emirate is that of culture, and 

visitors to ITB Berlin will learn a 

great deal about the destination’s 

cultural attractions. 

Al Ain National Museum 

QASR 

AL HOSN 

EXHIBITION 

OPENS TO 

THE PUBLIC 

TCA Abu Dhabi announced 

the opening of the Qasr Al 

Hosn Exhibition to the public 

on 8th March. The exhibition 

offers visitors a journey 

through the story behind Abu 

Dhabi, as well as the history 

of the region surrounding 

Qasr Al Hosn, and highlights 

the restoration and 

conservation development 

project that includes Qasr 

Al Hosn and its surrounding 

area. The Qasr Al Hosn 

master plan was launched 

on Monday by His Highness 

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed 

Al Nahyan, Crown Prince 

of Abu Dhabi and Deputy 

Supreme Commander of the 

UAE Armed Forces, and it is 

expected to be completed by 

2018. 

Moving through the various 

zones of this lasting cultural 

icon, Qasr Al Hosn Exhibition 

presents a rich collection of 

oral testimonies, historical 

photographs, and other 

materials that highlight the 

history of the region, and 

the vital role of Qasr Al 

Hosn within Abu Dhabi as a 

beacon of heritage, culture, 

and Emirati tradition. The 

exhibition also relates the 

extensive history of Abu 

Dhabi and the story of its 

development through to the 

modern era. 

The newly renovated 

cultural destination 

underpins the everlasting 

vision of late Sheikh Zayed 

bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the 

founding father of the UAE, 

and his invaluable initiatives 

to integrate culture into the 

identity of the emirate of Abu 

Dhabi. His vision inspired 

the concept behind the new 

design of the exhibition as 

an active hub for education, 

culture, and entertainment, 

as well as a window through 

time that presents both a rich 

history and a bright future. 

The exhibition includes 

nine exhibition zones that 

collectively narrate the 450- 

year old story of Abu Dhabi 

from its establishment to the 

present. 

TRAVEL THROUGH EMIRATI 

TRADITIONS WITH TCA ABU DHABI 

AND AL AIN NATIONAL MUSEUM 

TCA Abu Dhabi and Al Ain National 

Museum have organized a unique 

public tour for both residents and 

tourists alike to experience Emirati 

culture first hand. The tour, Travel 

Through Our Traditions, will run 

its first instalments on March 15 

and March 22. Visitors will be able 

to spend time with Emirati women 

and families in their homes and 

farms, giving them an insight into 

the traditions and customs of Emirati 

life. Travel Through Our Emirati 

Traditions aims to offer the larger 

UAE community intimate settings to 

know more about Emirati culture, 

customs and traditions. 

The tour will begin at 10am departing 

from Souq Al Jabra and will pass 

through the old central market, 

concluding at the Women’s market 

in Oasis Hospital. These markets 

and souqs represent the essence 

of traditional life in Al Ain and are 

known for products like Bakhour, 

Henna, and local Emirati clothes. 

Participations will also get a chance 

to visit the homes of Emirati women, 

and experience Emirati hospitality, 

while discussing tales of the past. 

The hosts will also discuss topics 

of daily life and symbols of Emirati 

Heritage including the traditional 

burqa, what it represents in Emirati 

culture, the role of Henna art and 

patterns in Emirati traditions; and an 

in depth look into traditional Emirati 

embroidery and how it is made 

Al Ain National Museum 





17 

ITB’s MUSEUMSWELT 

Showcases European 

Culture - and Football 

For the first time ever, ITB Berlin 2017 welcomes 

MUSEUMSWELT [World of Museums], a stand 

representing 123 museums from Germany, 

Austria, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and 

Switzerland. The internet portal museum.de. 

inspired the idea of uniting a diverse array of 

European museums in one single ITB location. 

Founded in 2008, 

museum.de allows cultural 

institutions from all over 

the world to publish their 

exhibition information, 

pictures, news and audio 

guides for free. “We 

want to give museums 

an opportunity to better 

communicate with visitor,” 

explains Uwe Strauch, who 

runs the project. “A major 

issue for museums is to 

be able to communicate 

internationally or even 

beyond their own region. 

They mostly lack financial 

resources to do so and our 

initiative at ITB Berlin is to 

give them an opportunity to 

reach a global audience.” 

Located in Hall 10-2, 

visitors are welcomed by 

an impressive landscape of 

museums, with postcards 

showing pieces being 

exhibited in the 123 

participating institutions. 

“Response has been very 

good from museums, 

especially as we charged 

a minimal fee for their 

presence,” says Strauch. 

There are also real 

exhibition objects 

being shown at ITB 

MUSEUMSWELT, the 

highlight being the 2014 

Uwe Strauch 

CEO, 

Museum.de 

FIFA World Cup trophy 

that is normally held in the 

German Football Museum 

in Dortmund. 


26 New Books 

Help Germany Discover 

Lithuania’s Culture 

When Lithuania and the other Baltic states 

first received special attention at the 

international Leipzig Book Fair in 1997, 

only 5 Lithuanian authors’ books published 

in German were presented. This month, in 

the 2017 edition, there 26 books are at the 

epicentre of this celebration, which attracts 

book lovers from around the world. They 

will serve as 26 windows onto Lithuania’s 

cultural historical landscape, which will 

soon be celebrating its 100th anniversary, 

and 26 invitations for German readers to 

brighten and enrich their mental map of 

a country they share so much in common 

with. 

A broad cultural program has also been 

planned that emphasises Vilnius’ traditions 

as a multilingual, cosmopolitan city and 

explores Lithuania’s relationships with its 

Polish, Russian and German neighbours. 

The country’s cultural links to Germany 

will also be at the centre of attention 

during Lithuania’s presentation at Leipzig, 

including the figures of Thomas Mann and 

Johannes Bobrowski and the cultural and 

historical legacy of Eastern Prussia. 

There are about 50 events planned for 

the book fair and the Leipzig Reads 

(Leipzig liest) festival, including readings, 

discussions, and debates on relevant 

political issues 


Press Conference at Lithuanian Embassy in Berlin last week. 


FAMILY DESTINATIONS 


19 

Sharjah: A Quintessential 

Family Destination 

Gulf coast destination sets sights on families with a 

broad offering 

SHARJAH LIGHT 

FESTIVAL 

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism 

Development Authority (SCTDA) 

is currently running its “Sharjah, 

My Family Destination” campaign, 

which aimed to introduce new 

tourism offers and packages for 

families visiting Sharjah. A key pillar 

of the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 

that aims to attract more than 10 

million visitors within the next five 

years, the campaign underscores 

the emirate’s core commitment to 

families in its tourism strategy. 

Indeed, all members of the family 

are guaranteed to find something 

to their liking in the emirate, from 

dazzling shows and carnivals to 

enchanting parks and wild desert 

landscapes, more than a dozen 

museums covering art, calligraphy, 

Islamic civilisation, natural history, 

heritage, science and aviation, as 

well as scenic man-made lagoons 

and an array of cultural and 

edutainment locations. 

Families also have a financial 

incentive to visit Sharjah. “For 

instance, families can get up to 

16-20% discount rate on hotel 

accommodations,” said SCTDA 

Chairman Khalid Jasim al-Midfa. 

SUN AND SAND 

Tourists can enjoy Sharjah’s pristine 

family-friendly beaches on the 

Gulf coast. When Europe is in the 

midst of its gloomy winter, Sharjah 

basks in a warm 27 degrees celsius, 

offering the perfect atmosphere 

for exploring the outdoors, where 

families can enjoy plenty of 

activities in charming locations 

such as Al Majaz Waterfront, Al 

Qasba, and Khalid Lagoon. 

The Wasit Nature Reserve is a 

recently-opened wetland that offers 

educational and cultural classes 

and facilities such as observation 

platforms. Meanwhile, the Al 

Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation 

Centre provides unique 

opportunities for children and 

adults to have fun while learning 

about environmental preservation 

and nature. 

Right in the middle of Sharjah City, 

the newly opened Al Noor Island 

combines nature, art and culture 

in fascinating ways, including the 

futuristic Butterfly House, which 

mesmerises both adult and children 

with its showcase of 500 exotic 

butterfly species brought from East 

Asian countries. The island also 

allows children to unleash their 

energies in a dedicated playground. 

Connecting all these attractions 

together is a 3,500 meter long 

walkway dotted with light 

installations, trees, miniature 

gardens as well as art and 

culture; while a boat dock allows 

transportation to and from Al Majaz 

Waterfront, Al Qasba and The Heart 

of Sharjah. 

BROAD APPEAL 

“What makes Sharjah particularly 

attractive is that it offers an 

authentic Arab atmosphere 

complemented by sophisticated 

infrastructure and modern facilities, 

making it one of the most favoured 

family destinations,” said Midfa. 

“Families visiting the emirate find 

it easy to supplement their time on 

the beach with other activities, such 

as cultural and sporting events as 

well as shopping and recreation.” 

With family tourism representing 

12.5% of the global tourism market, 

according to SCTDA, it’s no wonder 

that Sharjah is looking to broaden its 

appeal in this segment. “We are also 

focused on driving up investment 

and further development in tourism 

attractions that not only enhance 

the emirate’s economy but also the 

overall tourist experience,” added 

Midfa. 

Visitors can also relax with their 

families in any of the near 55 parks 

in Sharjah. Al Montazah Park, a 

126,000-square-metre theme park 

features pulsating rides plus Al 

Montazah Adventures, that offers 

a selection of gladiator-inspired 

obstacle courses. 

Also for the outdoorsy and 

adventurous, the emirate offers 

water sports, snorkelling and diving 

activities on its east coast, where 

families have the option to either 

camp on the beach or stay in any of 

the hotels that line the coast. 

A shoppers’ paradise, the emirate 

is home to a host of modern malls, 

many of which include 

massive entertainment centres 

for children: Sahara Centre, for 

example, houses an indoor family 

entertainment park – Adventureland 

– complete with an Aztec- and 

Mayan-inspired interior, as well 

as electronic games and rides, 

including an indoor roller coaster 



20 SPECIAL FEATURE 

FAMILY DESTINATIONS 

Europa Park Flies 

to New Heights 

Record-breaking visitor numbers and new attractions 

promise much for Germany’s best theme park 

German theme park Europa 

Park had a very successful 

2016, as owner Roland Mack 

pointed out “With over 5.5 

million visitors, we once 

again look back on a record 

year for our company.” 

2016 was also marked 

by investments of more 

than €20million “and more 

than 100 new jobs have 

been created as a result at 

Europa Park, along with 150 

apprenticeships for young 

people,” said Mack, adding 

“The occupancy rate of the 

themed hotels remains very 

high: the number of overnight 

guests and duration of stay 

has increased steadily.” 

At the Europa Park stand, 

ITB Berlin 2017, the key 

message for the industry 

concerns new attractions 

at the destination in South 

West Germany. Project V – 

an innovative world-class 

flight simulator ride - has 

seen the biggest single 

Project V Gondel 

Yas Island 

at Your Fingertips 

Already the UAE’s premier entertainment 

destination, with its Ferrari World themepark, 

Formula One circuit and waterpark, 

plus the forthcoming SeaWorld Abu Dhabi 

and Warner Bros World, Yas Island has 

refined its product with a new mobile app. 

The Yas Island App is designed for locationbased 

exploration of the island and helps 

users plan their visit whether prior to arrival 

or while on-site. The app is customisable, 

so users can filter experiences by mood 

and favourites, and it enables experiencesharing 

on social media. 

Gerardo Llanes, Executive Director, Yas 

Island Destination Management, said, 

“Each day we aim to revolutionize the way 

people plan and enjoy their experiences 

investment in the history 

of Europa Park. Potentially 

Europe’s largest Flying 

Theatre, the experience 

promises to be an intense 

adventure as customers fly 

on a simulated fantasy ride 

around Europe’s famous 

landscapes, with their 

senses bombarded by wind, 

water and scent effects. A 

pioneering combination 

of thrill-ride and cinematic 

simulation, Project V is 

scheduled to be operational 

in June 2017. More tangible, 

but a little less immediate, is 

the Water Adventure Resort 

– a 46 hectare extension to 

the park, full of indoor and 

outdoor water experiences, 

due to open in 2019. 

With the continued success 

of Germany’s Mercedes 

Formula One team, the 

Monaco motorsport 

exhibition should become a 

favourite with the majority 

domestic visitors, while 

families can expect the 

usual mixture of rides, 

attractions, shows, hotels 

and restaurants when the 

summer season starts in less 

than a month, on April 1 

Hall 6.2b / Stand 202 

with us. Yas Island’s new identity deserves 

an equally world-class digital platform 

base; we believe this channel will enable 

us to connect with every type of visitor, and 

satisfy each of their unique needs through 

customizable and compelling high-tech 

features.” 

Hall 2.2b / Stand 200 

ADVERTORIAL 

Home page Travel Professionals 

Evolution of 

AccorHotels 

Digital Group 

Booking 

Solution 

for Tourism 

Professionals 

Travel agents, tour operators and coach 

operators are gaining new advantages 

this year with AccorHotels’ dedicated 

group booking platform. Deployed in 

2014, the platform offers online booking 

of one-off groups from 15 to 60 people (8 

to 30 rooms). 

The online group 

rate platform offers 

customers not only 

visibility and instant 

availability and 

group rates, but also 

allows the tourism 

professionals to ask 

their options directly 

online in the hotel 

system and thus obtain 

a guaranteed rate. A 

large number of tourism 

professionals now 

use the system. Since 

its launch, more than 

25,000 applications 

have already been 

processed. 

WHAT’S NEW? 

Customers can now 

place options on any 

one of the 900 hotels 

or apply for quotations 

from up to 900 others, 

in all market segments, 

and in more than 

300 destinations 

worldwide. 

This year, a new 

packaged offer with 

half board, including 

accommodation in 

single, double and 

twin rooms, breakfast 

and dinner, is offered 

at attractive rates, 

indicated 405 days in 

advance. 

With the launch of the 

new Travel Professional 

website late in 2016, 

AccorHotels now offers 

excellent visibility for 

group promotional 

offers. 

According to 

AccorHotels, since 

the launch of this 

booking platform, the 

results have doubled, 

as theirs is the only 

channel to propose this 

solution. With their new 

half board offer, the 

AccorHotels group thus 

delivers what it terms 

a “complete digital 

tool” for professional 

customers 




GAY & LESBIAN TRAVEL 


21 

LGBT Travel 

ITB Berlin remains the most active promoter of 

diversity in tourism 

With improved exposure, more space and more exhibitors, thanks in part 

to ITB Berlin commitment, the LGBT travel segment has gained global 

recognition and is very much a permanent feature of the world’s largest 

travel show. 

LGBT travel has been present 

at ITB Berlin for many years 

and has grown over time 

with the fair. For this 2017 

edition, the LGBT Pavilion 

has been relocated to Hall 

21b, featuring a wide range 

of new exhibitors, including 

global brands such as app 

provider Hornet (well-known 

among gay communities), 

the Belmond Hotel Group 

but also the State of Illinois 

Office of Tourism as well as 

Aspen Snowmass, the cities 

of Benidorm and Valencia 

in Spain as well WorldPride 

Madrid 2017. A new 

Presentation Corner has been 

created where exhibitors can 

showcase their latest LGBT 

products. 

“We receive increasing 

interest from destinations 

and from the travel trade to 

participate. For example, we 

welcome this year for the 

first time the South American 

LGBT Travel Association. We 

already have four strategic 

partners-Argentina, Berlin, 

Florida and Vienna- which 

support our efforts to 

promote LGBT travel. We 

are also trying to encourage 

Taiwan to look at ways to 

work closely together. I 

am proud to say that ITB 

Berlin offers now the largest 

gathering in the world of 

LGBT-related travel services”, 

explains Rika Jean-Francois, 

Commissioner, ITB Corporate 

Social Responsibility. 

The LGBT Pavilion is also 

offering a range of conferences 

and presentations on LGBT 

travel themes. A series of 

lectures in Hall 21b focus on 

various themes such as the 

world’s first travel campaign 

by the city of Fort Lauderdale 

integrating transgender 

models, on successful 

business models exploiting 

this market, and on LGBTfriendly 

destinations. On 

March 8, Clark Massad, 

vice president, IGLTA, Peter 

Jordan, founder of Gen C 

Traveller, and Isabel Garaña, 

regional director for Europe, 

UNWTO, presented a preview 

of the coming study on “New 

Horizons for LGBT Travel: 

a Preview of the UNWTO- 

IGLTA Global Report on LGBT 

Travel”. 

“We are here for the first time 

at ITB Berlin as we want to 

encourage the users of our 

app to move into a more 

sophisticated experience. We 

do include an extensive guide 

looking at events and places 

WE RECEIVE 

INCREASING INTEREST FROM 

DESTINATIONS AND FROM 

THE TRAVEL TRADE TO 

PARTICIPATE 

in 300 locations, while our 

Hornet Stories include travel 

features. ITB Berlin is the 

perfect place to communicate 

with the world”, explains 

Sean Howell, President and 

Founder of Hornet 

Hall 21b / Stand 214c 


22 REGION 

AMERICAS 

© Max Bosio 

MAIN TRAVEL 

DESTINATIONS 

Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic 

Tourism Growth in the 

Americas Remains Solid 

Despite political events which in the short term could affect 

travel trends to and from the Americas, fundamentals 

remain positive for the continent 

Are the Americas’ tourism 

destinations at a turning 

point in 2017? There are both 

positive and negative elements 

likely to influence the evolution 

of visitor arrivals to those 

markets over the months to 

come. 

Last year, preliminary figures 

from the UNWTO pointed to a 

growth in the Americas of 4% 

in total arrivals, increasing by 

eight million to 201 million, 

consolidating results from 

the last two years. From 

that number, North America 

continued to have the largest 

market share within the 

continent with close to 66% 

of all arrivals. However, North 

America recorded the slowest 

growth within the region at 

3.6%. 

According to IPK World Travel 

Trends Report, released at ITB 

Berlin 2017, prospects look 

good for the Americas with 

nuances to be introduced 

linked to specific markets. 

Europe’s outbound arrivals last 

year to the Americas declined 

by 1% and could remain flat 

in 2017. Reasons behind the 

stagnation are the strong 

Dollar compared to the Euro 

or to the Pound. On a year-toyear 

basis, the Euro weakened 

by 11.5% since January 2015 

and by 4% compared to March 

2016. On a year-to-year basis, 

the pound’s slide reached 

10.5%. 

IPK reports South America 

(+7%) and Central America 

(+6%) led results between 

January and September 2016, 

followed by the Caribbean 

(+4%). In North America 

(+4%), Canada and Mexico in 

particular are benefiting from 

more US outbound travel but 

inbound travel to the USA has 

been held back by the strong 

dollar. 

Asian demand to the Americas 

however will probably be 

the least affected by political 

turbulence. Last year, Asian 

demand to the Americas grew 

by 11% according to IPK, 

especially as the continent is 

perceived as generally a safe 

destination for travel. Canada 

is for example considered 

worldwide as one of the safest 

destination to visit. 

If the strong US dollar acts as a 

deterrent factor for Europeans 

to travel, it however stimulates 

intra-Americas travel 

movements. US outbound 

within the Americas was up by 

7% according to IPK research. 

US travellers are likely to 

generate a positive impact on 

the evolution of tourism in the 

Caribbean, Central and South 

America. To be monitored 

however is the future of travel 

movements between the USA 

and Mexico 

AMERICAS 

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA HALL 22A / 107 

ARGENTINA HALL 23B / 206 

ARUBA HALL 22A / 104 

BAHAMAS HALL 22A / 122 

BARBADOS HALL 22A / 115 

BOLIVIA HALL 23A / 108 

BONAIRE HALL 22A / 103 

BRAZIL HALL 23B / 209 

CANADA HALL 3.1 / 491 

CHILE HALL 23B / 204 

COLOMBIA HALL 23A / 101 

COSTA RICA HALL 22B / 211, 211A 

CUBA HALL 22A / 110 

CURAÇAO HALL 22A / 105 

DOMINICA HALL 22A / 123 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 

HALL 22A / 100, 100B 

EL SALVADOR HALL 22B / 213 

GUADELOUPE ISLANDS HALL 22A / 108 

GUATEMALA HALL 22B / 202 

HONDURAS HALL 22B / 204 

JAMAICA HALL 22A / 102 

MARTINIQUE HALL 22A / 125 

MEXICO HALL 22B / 201 

NICARAGUA HALL 22B / 203 

PANAMA HALL 22B / 212 

PARAGUAY HALL 23B / 202 

PERU 

HALL 23A / 110, 110A 

PUERTO RICO HALL 3.1 / 405 

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 

HALL 22A / 120C 

SURINAME HALL 23A / 109 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO HALL 22A / 114 

URUGUAY HALL 23A / 107 

USA HALL 3.1 / 380 



AMERICAS 

REGION 

23 

Marcela 

Bacigalupo 

Tourism Minister, 

Republic of Paraguay 

Paraguay: the Heart 

of South America 

Nature, culture and gastronomy are the 

key attractions of this emerging South 

American destination 

Speaking to ITB Berlin News, 

Marcela Bacigalupo, Tourism 

Minister of the Republic of 

Paraguay, explained how she 

hopes to leverage ITB Berlin 

to make the country a betterknown 

tourist destination: 

At ITB Berlin 2017, Paraguay hopes 

to attract the attention of the 

German public, presenting its new 

differentiating touristic routes, the 

Ruta de la Caña (Sugarcane Route) 

and the Ruta de la Yerba Mate (Mate 

Route), which show the authentic 

traditions of Paraguay, within a 

sustainable community development 

policy. Other routes like the multidestination 

routes of the Jesuitical 

missions, of the Chaco and Pantanal 

regions, birdwatching and adventure 

tourism will be presented as major 

axes of our tourism product. Another 

important focus is the promotion of 

our traditional gastronomy. During 

the five days of the fair, we will be 

offering a variety of typical dishes at 

our stand for you to sample. 

How important is tourism as part 

of your economy and what are the 

projections? 

The tourism sector in Paraguay 

has enormous potential and is 

currently one of the main drivers 

of the economy. Recent tourism 

income has shown a stable growth, 

triggering important investments in 

construction and the improvement 

of hotels, the diversification of 

gastronomy and other products that 

enhance the competitiveness of the 

sector. In 2015, money generated 

from incoming tourism increased 

from $283million to over $480million. 

This jump can be explained by the 

improvement of border controls and 

the positioning of Paraguay in the 

world, having hosted large events 

and promoting tourism at major fairs 

and though international media cooperation. 

How are your source markets 

evolving, and who are you targeting 

for the future? 

Within the European continent the 

major focus markets are Spain and 

Germany, as since the start of direct 

flights with Air Europe, tourism from 

both countries has risen. 

One of the pillars on which Paraguay 

is focusing is the development of 

the meeting industry, on which the 

National Secretariat of Tourism 

is working closely with the private 

sector. 

What are the main USPs of Paraguay 

when it comes to tourism? 

Paraguay offers tourists an authentic 

experience. Around main pillars such 

as nature, culture and gastronomy, 

as well as our shopping facilities, 

we hope that tourists fall for the 

authenticity of the country, making 

the visitors take home a portion of 

the Guaraní spirit, triggering the urge 

to come back. Paraguayans carry the 

pulse of hospitality - it’s for a reason 

that they call us the Heart of South 

America 

Hall 23b / Stand 202 

Alejandro Castro, 

Chief Marketing Director of the Costa Rica Tourism Institute (ICT) and 

Mauricio Ventura, 

Tourism Minister of Costa Rica 

Costa Rica: 

Sustainable and 

Diverse, 365 Days 

of the Year 

Central American destination 

pioneers ecotourism as a route to 

social progress 

In the Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 

Costa Rica is setting new standards for tourism 

founded on environmental and social sustainability. 

Indeed, the Central American nation recently 

won a UNWTO Award for Innovation based on a 

Social Progress Index measuring the well-being of 

individuals living in tourism destinations. 

In this vein, Mauricio Ventura, 

Tourism Minister of Costa 

Rica, and Alejandro Castro, 

Chief Marketing Director of 

the Costa Rica Tourism 

Institute (ICT), delivered a 

press conference at ITB Berlin 

on ‘Costa Rica - sustainable 

and diverse 365 days a year’. 

“This is part of our DNA,” 

Castro told ITB Berlin News, 

adding that Costa Rica was 

arguably the world’s first 

destinations to build a travel 

industry around ecotourism. 

With Costa Rica’s updated 

Sustainability Certification 

Program (CST) 2.0, Castro 

said that “visitors can be 

completely confident that 

they are going to a property 

that benefits the environment, 

society, and the economy.” 

Protecting the environment is 

fundamental in what Castro 

called “a very concentrated 

destination” that includes 

around 5% of the world’s 

biodiversity. “We also have 

a lot of cultures that are 

merged in this country,” he 

added. “Having all sorts of 

environments and cultures 

and different tastes allows 

tourists to experience many 

things within the same 

destination. You can visit an 

active volcano, have a mud 

bath, hot springs and then 

relax at the beach.” 

It’s no wonder that Costa 

Rica boasts one of the 

highest average stays in the 

world at 13.1 days – among 

European source markets it’s 

even higher, with a 17 day 

average 



24 REGION 

AMERICAS 

Petra Cruz 

Director of Dominican Republic’s Tourism 

Ministry for Europe 

Dominican 

Republic Drives 

Sustainability 

Jamaica to 

Host UNWTO 

Conference 

on Sustainable 

Tourism 

Petra Cruz is the director of Dominican Republic’s Tourism Ministry 

for Europe and is at ITB Berlin to promote the Caribbean Island’s 

commitment to this year’s sustainability and eco-tourism theme. 

She started off by telling ITB News Berlin about the Dominican 

Republic’s rich natural heritage. 

Edmund 

Bartlett 

Jamaica’s Minister of 

Tourism 

At ITB Berlin we are presenting the 

diversity of our wonderful Caribbean 

Island. The main focus in the 

International Year of Sustainable 

Tourism for Development will be 

on sustainability and eco-tourism. 

The Dominican Republic offers 

extreme contrasts with tropical 

forests, mountains, waterfalls, varied 

vegetation, intriguing history and rich 

culture. The beauty of our country 

has been protected in the form of 

30 national parks, reserves, marine 

sanctuaries and many other resorts 

that focus on maintaining a healthy 

relationship with the country’s natural 

ecosystems. 

This year we have two special 

presentations on Friday, March 10, 

concerning these sustainability 

topics from Fabian Ritter, a biologist 

and member of Whale and Dolphin 

Conservation, and Elmar Mai, a 

biologist and journalist. Among 

other things, they will showcase the 

northeast Samaná peninsula, where 

the highlight is the whale watching 

season - every year between January 

and March, up to 5,000 humpback 

whales migrate to Samaná bay in 

order to mate and give birth to their 

calves. 

How is the broader Dominican 

Republic travel market performing? 

The Dominican Republic is the 

number one long-haul destination 

in the Caribbean region. Nearly six 

million tourists visited the Caribbean 

island in 2016, which is 6.4 percent 

more than the previous year - the 

revenue generated by tourism in 2016 

amounted to more than six billion 

euros. Moreover, 55 hotel projects 

have been realised in the past three 

years. 

The guest number increase is, among 

other things, due to our expanding 

tourism offer and infrastructure 

expansion. For example, thanks 

to the new Boulevard del Atlántico 

highway on the Samaná peninsula in 

the northeast of the island, the most 

important places are connected: Santa 

Bárbara de Samaná, Las Terrenas, El 

Limón and Las Galeras. 

Meanwhile, the new cruise terminal 

Amber Cove in Puerto Plata, which 

opened at the end of 2015, ensured 

the arrival of 121 cruise ships. And 

due to the strong demand for luxury 

holidays, many new hotels are 

opening and being built. For instance, 

the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Santo 

Domingo will open in late 2017 with 

400 luxurious hotel rooms 

Hall 22b / Stand 209 

In November 2017 Jamaica will be at the centre of public 

debate about change and development in the tourism 

industry. Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund 

Bartlett, is proud to host the UNWTO, Government of 

Jamaica and World Bank Group Global Conference on 

Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable 

Tourism for Development. The conference will be part of 

the UNWTO’s “International Year of Sustainable Tourism 

for Development”. 

Secretary General of the UNWTO, Taleb Rifai shared that 

the conference will kick-start discussions to create on-the 

ground activities to develop tourism across the globe from 

such partnerships. “We keep talking about the need for 

public-private partnerships, but we fail to translate that 

on the ground in any effective manner. Minister Bartlett 

together with Ibrahim Osta,‎ Chief of Party for Building 

Economic Sustainability through Tourism at Chemonics 

International, will together cooperate in making and 

designing this very important meeting in Jamaica towards 

the end of this year,” said Secretary General Rifai. 

Hon. Edmund Bartlett added, “We look forward to 

showcasing our destination but more so within the 

context of sustainability and the building of public-private 

partnerships. The event is of great historical importance 

because it signals the first time that the UNWTO will stage 

a world conference on tourism in the Caribbean or the 

Americas overall.” 

The event will be staged from November 27 to 29 at the 

Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James 

Hall 22a / Stand 102 



AMERICAS 

REGION 

25 

Joëlle Desir 

Director General, 

Martinique Tourism Committee 

Austin’s New 

Hotels Feed 

Convention Zone 

Martinique’s New 

Direct Flights From 

Munich 

From surfing to rum, the French Caribbean 

island now more tempting than ever 

Speaking to ITB Berlin News, Joëlle Desir, Director 

General, Martinique Tourism Committee, explained 

how her team and representatives of the Chamber 

Of Commerce are using their presence at ITB Berlin 

2017 to spread the word about Martinique: 

“We are an island full 

of different qualities – 

authenticity, nature, beaches, 

culture, people, gastronomy 

– and we are at ITB Berlin 

to contact TO & TAs, and 

mainly to tell the industry 

that we have a new direct 

Condor flight from Munich to 

Fort-de France. This means 

Germans will no longer 

have to connect via France. 

It is important to stress the 

increasing accessibility of 

our island – especially as we 

know Martinique’s varied 

appeal is full of exactly what 

the average German likes in 

a holiday - two weeks, with 

adventure and nature and 

sunshine. 

How would you describe 

Martinique’s USP? 

What differentiates us from 

the other Caribbean islands 

is our authenticity – we have 

kept our real identity, our 

culture and flavour. It is a 

French island, so you have 

this mix of cultures, and the 

French Touch extends to 

our gastronomy: we have 

the local root vegetable, 

the yam, but cooked with 

French gourmet flair. Across 

the other islands, the food 

is usually the same, but on 

Martinique it is different. The 

French influence also means 

our security is very strong. It 

is an island full of beautiful 

nature, but also appealing for 

sport and adventure tourism. 

We host a major international 

surfing competition – the 

Martinique Surf Pro, in April. 

What kind of accommodation 

is on offer? 

We have a range of 

accommodation options; we 

have small boutique hotels, 

Club Med, and larger luxury 

hotels, but we don’t have the 

really big all-inclusive hotels 

like the Dominican Republic 

– we want our guests to go 

out of the hotel and meet real 

authentic people, to sample 

the island in person, to eat 

fish with the locals, and visit 

our distillery making the best 

rum in the world! 

Hall 22a / Stand 125 

While Austin, Texas is a city known 

for its music and nightlife, city 

officials are doing everything they 

can to make the city a great place 

for meetings and conventions. 

According to Julie Chase, VP & 

CMO of the Austin Convention and 

Visitors Bureau, a large number 

of new upscale hotel properties 

are feeding a buzzing central 

convention and business zone. 

“The entire area around the hotels 

is being transformed into what we 

are calling the innovation zone 

downtown”, she says. For instance, 

IHG opened a joint project in Austin 

in 2016 with the new Indigo hotel 

on Red River Street on one side, 

and the Holiday Inn Express on the 

other. 

In this vein, the Archer Hotel is 

a “Texas chic” property located 

in northwest Austin at Domain 

Northside, the exciting final phase 

of this fashion, dining, and nightlife 

destination. It joins several other 

high-end hotels in the area. Archer 

Hotel. In addition, the Fairmont, 

opening in September 2017, will be 

the biggest hotel in Austin, with a 

bridge connecting the property to 

the convention center. The Hilton 

will also have a direct connection 

via bridge, while Marriott will be 

opening a new hotel in the same 

zone. The Four Seasons Hotel for 

its part is going through a full refit. 

Meanwhile, Condor has announced 

it will renew direct summer flights 

from Frankfurt to Austin in 2017, 

extending its offer by two months 

– this time beginning in May, 

as opposed to June, and ending 

October rather than September. A 

new terminal is also due to open 

at Austin Bergstrom airport. “The 

airport itself is very different from 

others in the US, as live music has 

been a distinguishing feature there 

ever since the ‘Music in the Air’ 

programme was launched in 1999, 

just after the airport opened,” says 

Chase, adding that what started as 

two performances per week has 

grown to 23 shows weekly in six 

different venues throughout the 

airport 


HOTEL ROOMS IN AUSTIN (estimated projections) 

2016 2017 2018 2019 

Downtown 8,568 10,359 10,763 11,725 

Citywide 37,041 37,041 37,445 38,407 

Real Texas barbecue 

served at the legendary Ironworks 

adds to the Austin experience. 

© Cleverdis 


26 REGION 

AMERICAS 

Miami Goes the 

Whole Nine Yards 

New hotels, new air routes, new 

cruise terminal… the U.S. tourism 

Mecca is booming 

The big story is more hotel product. We 

continue to evolve as a global luxury 

destination. We now have a thing 

called, “Miami First”. So, whether it’s 

the new East Hotel in downtown Miami 

– the first East Hotel outside of Asia, or 

the Faena on Miami Beach – the first 

Faena product outside of Argentina, 

or the first Atton hotel outside of South 

America – in the Brickell (downtown) 

district, there are new properties at all 

price points all over Miami. 

Almost every other month we are 

opening new direct air services. 

Miami’s is the only airport in the United 

States now served by more than 100 

airlines - up to 109 at the moment. 

In the past year, MIA welcomed six 

new international nonstop routes: 

Bimini, Bahamas; Cologne, Germany; 

Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway; 

Paramaribo, Suriname; and Varadero, 

Bill Talbert 

CEO, Greater Miami Convention 

and Visitors Bureau 

With the Super Bowl due to be played in Miami in 2020, tourism 

infrastructure is set to go the whole nine yards as well! We asked 

Bill Talbert, CEO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors 

Bureau what’s new in this respect… 

Cuba. Future flights include Wow air 

– April 5th (from Reykjavik) and Aer 

Lingus – (from Dublin -launching 

September 1, 2017). 

Meanwhile, at the end of 2017, the 

Brightline high speed rail connector 

will open its first link – Miami via Fort 

Lauderdale to Palm Beach. The service 

will ultimately connect Miami and 

Orlando. 

What’s happening in the cruise sector? 

We’re still, and always will be the 

“Cruise Capital of the World”. News here 

is that Royal Caribbean cruise lines is 

just embarking upon construction of a 

new US$250m terminal in Port Miami, 

that will be home to their newer and 

larger ships 


Downtown Miami... on the sea too! 

Savannah, Georgia 

Goes Multilingual 

A new tourism app has made this 

Southern city even more welcoming 

Savannah, Georgia already 

has a reputation as one 

of the “world’s top ten 

friendliest cities” (according 

to ‘Conde Nast Traveler’) but 

now the city is extending its 

Southern charm to visitors’ 

pockets, with the arrival of 

the ‘Savannah Experiences’ 

mobile app. Produced by 

local developer Tour Buddy 

Apps and built on the 

Tour Buddy platform, the 

application includes points 

of interest, maps and audio 

tours presented in Spanish, 

German, French, Italian, 

Portuguese, Chinese and 

Japanese. Approximately 

10% of Savannah’s 13.7 

million visitors each year 

are from outside the U.S. 

and Joseph Marinelli, 

President, Visit Savannah 

says it was important 

to make the destination 

accessible to this audience. 

“With Savannah’s rising 

popularity domestically and 

internationally, plus the 

growth at SCAD (Savannah 

College of Art And Design) 

and the Georgia Ports, we 

see more foreign travellers 

to our city than ever before. 

Providing tools like these 

only helps to make their 

experience the very best 

that it can be.” 

Savannah’s attractions 

range from beautiful historic 

parks and picturesque 

beaches to delicious local 

food and kid friendly 

museums; the GPS-enabled 

app guides visitors to their 

nearest chosen experience, 

and gives relevant 

information in seven foreign 

languages. There are also 

specialized sections on Civil 

War and the city’s design 

history. Visit Savannah also 

has dedicated webpages 

in the same languages 

on their website; visitors 

to these pages can read 

about Savannah’s lodging, 

restaurants and tours in 

their language, as well 

as see a list of some of 

the area’s most popular 

attractions 




AMERICAS 

REGION 

27 

Georgia on my Mind 

U.S. state makes list of National 

Geographic Traveler’s “Best of the World” 

Destinations for 2017 

© Jeff Clark 

© Georgia Tourism Travel 

Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism 

division announced today that Georgia has been selected 

as one of National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s 21 “Best 

of the World” Destinations for 2017. The highly-coveted 

annual list was featured in the January 2017 issue of the 

magazine, which put the spotlight on Georgia’s rich music 

and live music heritage. 

It was perhaps no coincidence 

that Georgia Tourism proclaimed 

2016 the “Year of Georgia Music” 

and focused its marketing on 

the state’s rich music heritage, 

world-class venues and unique 

festivals. National Geographic 

Traveler took notice and called 

Georgia a site for great American 

music. A few of Georgia’s iconic 

music destinations noted by 

the magazine include Macon, 

Dahlonega, Athens and Atlanta. 

THE YEAR 

OF GEORGIA 

MUSIC WAS 

A CATALYST 

TO BRING 

GREATER 

AWARENESS 

TO GEORGIA 

AS A MUSIC 

DESTINATION 

“We are thrilled that National 

Geographic Traveler editors 

picked Georgia to be featured 

on this highly-coveted list,” 

said Kevin Langston, deputy 

commissioner of tourism at the 

Georgia Department of Economic 

Development. “The Year of 

Georgia Music was a catalyst 

to bring greater awareness to 

Georgia as a music destination, 

and our inclusion in “Best in 

the World” as a site for great 

American music will surely attract 

even more visitors from around 

the globe.” 

According to National Geographic 

Traveler, the selection process 

for the sixth annual list was 

competitive and involved 

nominations from National 

Geographic Traveler’s worldwide 

network of editors, writers, and 

explorers. The destinations 

were all chosen by the Traveler 

editors and fall into one of three 

categories – Cities, Nature, or 

Culture. The list includes other 

notable travel destinations 

including Finland, Cloud Forests 

in Ecuador, Moscow and Madrid. 

For trade show visitors looking to 

connect with the Georgia Tourism, 

look out for its booth in hall 15.1, 

stand 103 


A Year To Remember 

For North Carolina 

Muscle cars, celestial events, 

anniversaries and PGA Golf – the Old 

North State has a busy 2017 planned 

As a destination, North Carolina already successfully 

leverages its culture, mountains, beaches, forests and 

cities to make tourism one of its largest industries. In 2015, 

domestic travellers spent a record $21.9billion across the 

state, a 3% increase over 2014. 54.6 million people visited 

North Carolina in 2015, which sees it ranked sixth, nationally, 

in visitation. The Southern state – known affectionately as 

The Old North State – can expect an upsurge this year as it 

has a range of events and special occasions in 2017. 

The world’s first museum solely 

dedicated to the classic Ford 

Mustang car is due to open in 

Concord this Autumn, a fitting 

attraction for the state that 

is nicknamed the Home Of 

NASCAR thanks to Charlotte 

Motor Speedway. Before that, a 

solar eclipse will reach totality 

over the Great Smoky Mountains 

on August 21. Both events 

could provide a significant pull 

for tourists new to the state, 

likewise the return of the PGA 

Championship to North Carolina 

in the summer for the third time 

in its 101 year history. 

An eclectic mix of anniversaries 

also align in 2017, including: 

40 years of the legendary 

hiking route, the Mountains- 

To-Sea Trail; 200 years of 

Bald Head Island Lighthouse 

– ‘Old Baldy’ the state’s oldest 

standing lighthouse; 50 years 

of the Baldwin-Reynolds House 

Museum Of American Art, 

which houses one of the finest 

collections of art in the country; 

and 30 years since the cult film 

‘Dirty Dancing’ made Lake Lure 

an iconic movie location. Events 

commemorating each of these 

will also boost inbound tourism 

from a range of sectors. Another 

major attraction celebrating 

North Carolina’s rich heritage 

is due to open Memorial Day 

weekend – the H2OBX Waterpark 

near Kitty Hawk will be the 

largest commercial attraction on 

the Outer Banks and is themed to 

recognise the impact of aviation 

pioneers the Wright Brothers, on 

the site where they successfully 

flew the first aeroplane in 1903. 

This perfect storm of eyecatching 

attractions and events 

will, tourism agency Visit North 

Carolina hopes, deliver another 

record-breaking year for 

tourism. 


People on the Trail 


28 SPOTLIGHT ON GERMAN REGION: BERLIN-BRANDENBURG 


©Tourismusverband Elbe-Elster-Land e.V. (Huschga) 

BRANDENBURG 

FACTS AND 

FIGURES 

Northeast Germany’s Brandenburg 

region recorded a record result in 2016 

with nearly 12.9 million overnight 

stays, an increase of 2.9% compared 

to the previous year. “This is a 

great result,” said Albrecht Gerber, 

Brandenburg’s Minister of Economic 

Affairs. “It proves that Brandenburg is 

becoming increasingly attractive as a 

tourist destination thanks to modern 

infrastructure, sustainable offers and 

the hard work of all stakeholders.” This 

is despite some uncertainty regarding 

security in this and other German 

regions in 2016. 

According to a 2016 Brandenburg 

tourism survey by market and 

consumer research organization, GfK, 

69 percent of the guests questioned 

rated their Brandenburg stay “very 

good”, an increase of 3%. Half of the 

guests said they would “definitely come 

back” (+2 percent). And 72 percent will 

definitely recommend their holiday in 

the Brandenburg region (+3%). 

Within Brandenburg, the fertile 

waterways of the Elbe-Elsterland 

(+9.5%), the Spreewald (+9.2%) and the 

Dahme-Seenland (+7.9%) recorded the 

strongest growth in visitor numbers, 

while Spreewald (+8.7%) also recorded 

one of the highest rises in overnight 

stays 

Spotlight on Brandenburg 

Potsdam: high culture and history less than an 

hour from Berlin 

The multi-faceted tourism potential of the lush, 

lake-dotted plains of the Brandenburg region 

surrounding Berlin is taking centre stage 

within the extensive Germany destinations 

stand at ITB. The jewel of the region is the 

city of Potsdam, home of Frederick the 

Great’s Sanssouci Palace and the surrounding 

manicured parks that contain several royal 

palaces and monuments. 

Within Potsdam, an exhibition at Babelsberg 

Palace from late April to mid-October 

2017 will celebrate the landscape architect 

and garden designer Prince Pückler, who 

designed the stunning parks of Babelsberg in 

accordance with classical English landscaped 

gardens. Babelsberg Palace will open its 

still unrenovated interiors, affording visitors 

fascinating views through the large windows 

onto the restored terraces, Babelsberg Park 

and Potsdam’s park landscape. 

Regina Zibell, head of International Media 

Relations for Brandenburg Tourism Marketing, 

told ITB Berlin News that Potsdam’s proximity 

to Berlin make it highly accessible. “The best 

thing is it can be reached within 40 minutes 

THE SCIENCE 

CENTRE BERLIN 

PRESENT AGAIN 

AT ITB 

The Ottobock Science 

Center Berlin has been 

present for several years at 

ITB Berlin generating huge 

interest from trade visitors. 

The center is consequently 

present again at the Berlin 

/ Brandenburg Exhibition 

stand- organised jointly 

with the visitBerlin 

tourism web portal. 

This year, the message 

is about accessibility in 

life with an exhibition 

“Discover what moves us” 

in the centre located in 

the vicinity of Potsdamer 

Platz. “Accessibility is a 

subject which demands 

more attention and public 

awareness”, explains 

Elisabeth Quack, Director 

of the Science Center 

NEW 270° SPATIAL 

EXPERIENCE FOR 

BRANDENBURG 

GATE MUSEUM 

Success has been huge 

for the Brandenburg Gate 

Museum, a multimedia 

show which is like a 

time-trip over 300 years 

in Berlin. Next to the 

360° multimedia movie 

plunging visitors into 

the eventful history of 

the German capital, the 

museum has launched its 

“immersive Showroom 

Berlin”, a 500-sqm space 

with the largest freely 

programmable fixed 

installation of media 

technology in Germany. 

The unique presentation 

system with cuttingedge 

technology converts 

individual presentations 

and image films into an 

impressive 270° spatial 

experience 

from Berlin, or 20 minutes by regional train,” 

she said. “It’s ideal for a day-trip from Berlin, 

but of course we would love you to stay longer.” 

Potsdam is also home to another Brandenburg 

Gate which is three years older than its Berlin 

counterpart; while the city known as Berlin’s 

‘posher sister’ provides a panorama of culture 

and history where vistors can take a break 

from the high energy of Berlin 

A PARK TAKES 

SHAPE IN BERLIN 

WITH IGA 2017 

From 13 th April to 15th 

October 2017, Berlin 

will play host to the 

International Garden 

Exhibition (IGA) - the 

largest garden festival in 

Germany. It will be the first 

IGA hosted in Berlin as 

the capital city of a unified 

Germany. The massive 

park east of town - in 

the district of Marzahn- 

Hellersdorf - expects to 

welcome over two million 

guests both from Germany 

and Europe. Visitors will 

stroll through landscapes 

representing the world’s 

biodiversity and art of 

gardens 

© SINAI Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten mbH 



© Thomas Keller 

HOSPITALITY / RESTAURANTS / BARS 

WHERE 

TO GO 

IN 

Berlin 

CLUBS / EVENTS / SHOPPING / CULTURE 

Barberini Museum – Rococo Casket 

for Modern Art Treasures 

Last January, Potsdam enjoyed a kind of architectural miracle with the return of the 1771-1772 

rococo Palace Barberini, destroyed during World War II. Carefully reconstructed, the elegant 

castle is now home to the Barberini Museum, which programs exhibitions of modern art, as 

highlighted by Ortrud Wetheider, the Museum director. We asked her to tell us a little more 

about the museum. 

Ortrud Wetheider 

Director, Barberini Museum 

A new cultural institution is born in Potsdam with 

the opening of Museum Barberini, hosted in the 

reconstructed Palais Barberini, built in 1771/1772 in 

Potsdam historic centre. Visitors will find three temporary 

exhibitions from Old Masters to contemporary art with a 

focus on impressionism, coming mostly from the collection 

of Hasso Plattner, the museum’s founder and patron. The 

temporary exhibitions are enriched by major loans from 

international museums and private collections. 

People visiting ITB Berlin rarely think of including a tour 

to Potsdam. Why should they change their mind? 

Because, even if they may already know Potsdam with 

its castles and gardens there is now a brand new cultural 

attraction where world class art is expecting visitors. 

What about your current exhibitions? 

The Impressionism exhibition: The Art of Landscape 

running from January 23 to May 28, 2017 shows for 

the first time works of artists such as Claude Monet, 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Gustave Caillebotte mostly 

coming from private collections. 

The Museum displays some very interesting art pieces 

from the former East Germany. 

We are proud at Museum Barberini to own paintings from 

the former East Germany. With our museum opening, 

two galleries are dedicated to works from many artists 

from the former GDR such as Bernhard Heisig, Stefan 

Plenkers or Wolfgang Mattheuer. Its bronze sculpture 

Century Step found a permanent home in the garden of 

the Museum Barberini. The Museum Barberini will in fact 

showing Behind the Mask: Artists in the GDR in the fall 

of 2017 which will present highlights of that collection. 

Who should come to visit your museum? 

The spectacular reconstruction of the historic building 

in its original dimensions and by using traditional 

techniques for the sandstone facade is an amazing effort 

of Potsdam city to recreate its lost city centre. Combined 

with the outstanding artworks of the opening exhibition, 

this makes a perfect short trip to Potsdam after a busy 

ITB show! 


30 

Hospitality 

WHERE 

TO GO 

IN 

Berlin 

HOLLYWOOD MEDIA HOTEL 

Sleep like the Stars 

Live like a film star is how the 4* Hollywood Hotel 

introduces itself. The hotel’s main connection to 

the silver screen is its owner, Artur Brauner – 

the renowned Polish film producer. The hotel 

is located on Kurfürstendamm, Berlin’s answer 

to the Champs-Élysées, and is the first hotel in 

Berlin to describe itself as a movie hotel. 

Hollywood Media Hotel 

Kurfürstendamm 202, 10719 Berlin 

Tel: +49 30 889 10-0 

Fax: +49 30 889 10-280 

info@fi lmhotel.de 

Metro: S Savignyplatz S5 S7 S75 S9 

Restaurants 

ROCK’N’ROLL! FABRICS 

RESTAURANT 

In the ‘fabrics’ restaurant at the nhow hotel, 

star designer Karim Rashid’s digipop design 

meets a contemporary international cuisine. 

This culmination of creativity is a feast for the 

eyes and a culinary delight for the senses. The 

restaurant offers a spectacular view of the Spree 

River and the Oberbaum bridge. 

Chef Christian Drewitsch has been at the nhow 

Berlin since 2010, and concocts a blend of 

French and German cuisine, insisting on the 

freshest produce. Food also becomers a veritable 

experience with molecular cuisine – producing 

“hot & cold” effects! A special highlight is the 

monthly “rock and roll” menu. For €45 including 

wines the guest receives an unusual combination 

of German and French haute cuisine in the spirit 

of the nhow Berlin. 

Fabrics restaurant 

Stralauer Allee 3, Berlin 

Tel: +49 (0)30 290 299 0 

www.nhow-berlin.com/en/ 

Metro: S+U Warschauer Str. S5, S7, S75, U1 

Tram: M10 

Clubs 

E4 CLUB 

In the centre of Berlin’s nightlife, with an unique 

Berlin Club scene atmosphere, the E4 Club 

Berlin offers an unforgettable club experience 

for every party guest! Every weekend, thousands 

of party people meet at E4 Club and dance until 

the sun rises with a beautiful view over Berlin. 

Characterized with the typical Berlin Club Sound, 

every party guest will enjoy the night! 

Every Friday & Saturday, doors open 11 pm. 

E4 Berlin Nightclub 

Eichhornstrasse 4, 10785 Berlin 

Directly at Potsdamer Platz 

Information & Reservation 

Tel: +49 (0)176 6172 2602 

jw@e4-berlin.de 

Museums & Exhibitions 

FRIEDRICH KIESLER: 

ARCHITECT, ARTIST, 

VISIONARY 

Friedrich Kiesler (1890 – 1965), later Frederick 

Kiesler, was an architect, artist, designer, set 

designer and theoretician. The idea of the total 

art work was characteristic for his work and 

to this day inspires artists in all genres. Kiesler 

questioned common categories and gave them 

new content. 

Thus, he created a cinema where the ceiling 

was also part of the projection surface, an office 

with a floating desk and ergonomic seating. His 

electro-mechanical set that he designed for 

Karel Čapek’s play W.U.R. delighted the Berlin 

avant-garde – including Hans Richter, Theo 

van Doesburg, László Moholy-Nagy and El 

Lissitzky. 

The focus of the exhibition is on Kiesler’s 

transdisciplinary creative work in painting 

and sculpture, architecture and design, theatre 

and film and in the theoretical discussion. 

His vision of an interaction between work of 

art, room and viewer become visible in his 

revolutionary exhibition concepts, including 

one that he designed for Peggy Guggenheim’s 

Surrealist Gallery. 

Friedrich Kiesler with his model for an “Endless 

House”, New York 1959 

11 March 2017 – 11 June 2017 

Wed-Mon: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm 

Online-Tickets: www.gropiusbau.de/tickets 

Martin-Gropius-Bau 

Niederkirchnerstraße7 

10963 Berlin 

Tel : +49 30 254 86-0 

www.gropiusbau.de 

Metro: U & S Potsdamer Platz U2 S1 S2 S25 

© The Irving Penn Foundation, Condé Nast Publications, Inc.

ITB Berlin News - Day 3

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