ITB Berlin News 2019 - Preview Edition

“The show is
the ideal place
for productive
networking”
Read page 7
“The plastic problem is
the result of a manner of
production not suitable for
the earth.” Read page 15
“I always keep my eyes
peeled for new ideas and
trends as our business is a
fast one.”
Read page 20
Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development
Goals. Read our exclusive interview – page 22
“…we would like to engage
our target audiences in a more
emotional and experiential
manner.”
Read page 23
NEWS
5
NEWS
David Ruetz
Head of ITB Berlin
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM TRADE TALK EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Dr Monika Griefahn
Former German Federal
Minister, Senior Advisor
Sustainability, Costa Group
Christina Verhaelen
Contracting Manager,
Clevertours
WEDNESDAY
27 TH FEBRUARY 2019
PREVIEW
EDITION
Rebeka Kumer Bizjak
Head of Representative Office,
Germany, Slovenian Tourist Board
EDITORIAL
Hall 5.2b / Stands 205, 205a
Hall 17
Stand 109
Content, contacts
& commerce
ITB Berlin 2019 mirrors the entire tourism
industry value chain
The 53 rd edition of ITB Berlin is just around the
corner, and it will be bigger, more digital and
even more international than ever before.
“Once again, the outstanding number of bookings
received by ITB Berlin shows that in these times
especially, when talk is about geopolitical crises,
climate change and overtourism, the international
travel industry is focusing on strong participation
and personal exchanges at the World’s Leading
Travel Trade Show”, said David Ruetz, head of
ITB Berlin. “As well as regular exhibitors, we have
secured the participation of many new companies
this year. We have created more floor space in
order to satisfy demand.”
With sustainability being a major underlying
theme, luxury and “authentic experiences”
are also joining the fore, with the notable
participation this year of Eliza Reid - First Lady
of Iceland, United Nations Special Ambassador
for Tourism and the Sustainable Development
Goals, addressing the topic of luxury travel at ITB
Convention.
Richard Barnes
Editor-in-Chief,
ITB Berlin News
Eliza Reid, First Lady of Iceland, United Nations Special
PREVIEW
EDITION
Wednesday
27 th February
2019
DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT
EUROPE & OCEANIA
In this edition, we spotlight the
old continent and its antipodes
with spotlights covering the
latest developments in travel
and tourism, along with news
from key exhibitors at ITB
Berlin. International arrivals
in Europe (+6%) continued to
show robust growth in 2018,
after an already remarkable
9% growth in 2017. Arrivals
surpassed the 700 million
mark, accounting for more
than half of worldwide arrivals
(51%). Meanwhile, 2018 saw
3% growth in tourist arrivals
to Oceania, according to the
UNWTO annual barometer,
following on from 6% growth
the previous year. Europe
feature – from p35, Oceania
feature – from p40.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Today’s battle:
righting the wrongs
CONTENTS
News...............................................page 7
Responsible Tourism....................page 15
ITB Berlin Convention..................page 17
Trade Talk.....................................page 20
Exclusive interviews....................page 22
SPECIAL FEATURES
Adventure Tourism......................page 25
Honeymoons................................page 28
Youth Travel.................................page 30
Education & Training...................page 31
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHTS
Europe...........................................page 35
Oceania.........................................page 40
SPOTLIGHT ON GERMAN REGION
Baden-Württemberg....................page 44
WHERE TO GO IN BERLIN......page 45
Probably the biggest underlying theme
of this year’s ITB Berlin is that of
sustainability. It’s a simple fact that
if a destination is overflowing with
endless lines of tourists and its seas are
covered with plastic refuse, the place
suddenly becomes a liability rather
than an asset. If a region’s forests are
destroyed and all the wildlife gone, no
one will want to come and visit. Today,
tourism is often at direct loggerheads
with manufacturing and agricultural
industries due to a conflict of interests.
It is indeed evident that it is in the
interest of all players in the tourism
industry that local communities, and
the environment of each destination
be preserved for the future. This year at
ITB, we can observe an extraordinary
gathering of leading figures in the fields
of environmental protection and CSR,
who are not only sounding the alarm
– that change needs to take place
in order to preserve destinations as
“tourism assets” rather than “liabilities”
– but that much more is at stake. We
are proud to present, in today’s preview
edition, interviews with the likes of Dr
Monika Griefahn, one of the founders
of Greenpeace and a former Federal
Minister, as well as Eliza Jean Reid,
First Lady of Iceland, United Nations
Special Ambassador for Tourism and
the Sustainable Development Goals.
They underline, in no uncertain terms,
that tourism is not only a force for
peace and understanding in the world;
it will also be key when it comes to
saving the planet.
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ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 27 th February 2019