ITB Berlin News 2020 #2

I ITB GLOBAL I
ITB is going global
The global brand aims to cement ITB's position as "the world's leading travel hub"
ITB is increasingly going global, with travel trade shows in
Berlin, China, Singapore and, soon, in India. We asked Dr
Martin Buck, Senior Vice President Travel and Logistics of
ITB's organiser, Messe Berlin, about the importance of the
"ITB Global" brand.
In the past 12 years we have given
the ITB brand an increasingly
international dimension. The
potential of the travel industry has to
be regarded from a global perspective
which in turn means that ITB as the
“The World’s Leading Travel Hub” has
to act on a global dimension as well.
ITB has long established itself as an
international brand. With its leading
trade shows in Berlin, Shanghai,
Singapore and soon also Mumbai,
the brand participates in the fastestgrowing
markets and is a trendsetter
in the tourism world. Our customers,
exhibitors, visitors and the media are
expecting a global leader for travel
trade business and insights and that’s
what we care most about 365 days a
year. Obviously the market changes,
we see new developments and trends
within the travel industry and thus,
in order to not simply rely on our
successful trade shows we want to
fully stand behind what we promise
when we say ITB is the “World’s
Leading Travel Hub”. If you want to
achieve a global standing and stay
ahead of the game, you’ll have to think
ahead accordingly. That’s what we did
we our newest project itb.com.
How and why does this differ from
having separate trade shows, and
how does the global brand fit in with
the shows?
With our four ITB brand events in
Berlin, China, India and Singapore, we
strive to lead in four core performance
areas - content, contacts,
responsibility and service. These are
essential parts of the "mother" event
in Berlin and the most promising
overseas markets.
How do people benefit from this?
Everyone who is part of the travel
industry should be part of ITB’s
network. Since 1966, ITB has been
inspiring with content whilst linking
the global travel industry by providing
unrivalled customer experience. In
times of rapid change, ITB’s brands
Dr Martin
Buck,
Senior Vice President
Travel & Logistics,
Messe Berlin
are a trusted and efficient partner for
business and networking on a global
scale, no matter whether you are an
industry newcomer or an old hand.
Our new network, itb.com, connects
everyone with the relevant people and
insights of the industry everywhere
and every day
A FIRST FOR 2021:
ITB INDIA
Messe Berlin appoints Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
as event organiser of inaugural ITB India - (L-R):
Bernhard Steinrücke, Director General of IGCC;
and Dirk Hoffmann, Chief Financial Officer, Messe Berlin
The inaugural ITB India is scheduled to take place at the Bombay
Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, India, from 7 to 9 April 2021.
The show will bring together key travel
industry leaders and buyers from
cities across India, and international
exhibitors from the MICE, leisure and
corporate sectors.
ITB India will also have a Hosted Buyers’
Programme that will cater to buyers
from first, second, and third tier cities
in India. One of the fastest-growing
major economies and with the secondlargest
population in the world, India
has vast potential for both inbound
and outbound travel. The Indian travel
industry is expected to be valued at
€49bn by 2020 with UNTWO, the
World Tourism Organisation, predicting
that there will 50 million outbound
travellers by then. ITB India represents
a major opportunity for National
Tourism Organisations (NTOs), travel,
and hospitality companies to be part
of this dramatically expanding market
opportunity.
“In recent years, we have given the ITB
brand an increasingly international
dimension,” said Dr Christian Göke,
Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin.
“From a global and regional perspective,
India is a vast source market for the
travel industry with a huge growth
potential. We are delighted that ITB
India will in future complement the trio
of ITB Berlin, ITB Asia and ITB China,
making it a quartet and strengthening
the global ITB brand.” India’s economic
growth means that its citizens are
earning more disposable income to
spend on travel. India’s outbound travel
expenditure increased 7% on average
year-on-year between 2006 and 2016
and saw an even higher growth rate of
8.5% in travel expenditure from 2015 to
2016. This rate was considerably higher
than growth rates seen by other major
countries including China, Indonesia,
and Brazil for the same period
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 12 TH MARCH 2020 • 11