ITB Berlin News 2021 - Preview Edition

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I TRADE TALK I David Ruetz Head of ITB The ITB Buyers Circle is an established feature of ITB Berlin, having been launched in 2012. An exclusive meeting place for leading buyers from the global travel industry, every year the 1,000 members who make up this hand-picked circle are chosen based on numerous criteria. Thus, the show’s organisers enable members to focus on essential business aspects at the show, benefitting from tailored services that reduce stress, avoid distractions and save time. We asked the head of ITB, David Ruetz, what we can expect this year. An exclusive club for top travel industry buyers This year, in addition to receiving free access to our virtual ITB Berlin NOW platform, leading buyers can meet new contacts, decisively boost their business and benefit from quality content and daily news from the tourism industry. What’s more, our interest-based matchmaking tool ensures exhibitors meet buyers who are interested in their products. The algorithm-based Discovery Graph and the Lead Finder make it possible to search all exhibitors and trade visitors and quickly find the ideal business match. Every member of the circle is selected by an international team at ITB Berlin. The criteria reflect exhibitors’ needs and our requirement for a circle with a balanced and diverse makeup. Our experts are always in contact with the buyers and exhibitors. This ongoing personal communication helps us better understand the needs of all participants and ensure we take the right criteria into account and make the right choice of members. What trends are you noting among members? This year we are witnessing rising demand for luxury travel, adventure travel and medical tourism. We are also seeing a demand increase for trips to European countries, such as Germany, Italy, Austria or Spain. We also see a significant increase in buyer demand from Australia and the Americas. Others countries include Japan, China, UAE, South Africa but also Botswana, Tanzania or Albania, Israel, Korea, Rwanda, Romania and even French Polynesia is benefiting from rising customer demand this year – to name but a few Bundesgartenschau in Erfurt 171 Tage Gartenschau mitten in der historischen Kulisse Erfurts | 23.04. – 10.10.2021 © Zukunftsvision Festungsgraben, Petersberg Erfurt (Heuschneider Landschaftsarchitekten) Gartenkultur entdecken Führungen auf den einzelnen Ausstellungsflächen: „Der egapark im Zeichen der BUGA – Gartenkultur mit allen Sinnen erleben“ und „Die Zitadelle Petersberg im Zeichen der BUGA – den Charme einer barocken Stadtfestung erkunden“ Dauer: jeweils 1,5 h, Treffpunkt: Haupteingang zum Ausstellungsgelände, Preis pro Gruppe: 105 € Kombiführung über beide Ausstellungsflächen: „Von moderner Gartenkultur zum barockem Charme einer alten Festung“ Dauer: 4 h, Treffpunkt: ab egapark oder Petersberg, Preis pro Gruppe: 175 € Geschichte erleben Ausstellung im Kommandantenhaus auf dem Petersberg „Der Petersberg – eine spannende Zeitreise“ 23.4. – 10.10.2021: 9:00 – 20:00 Uhr, ab 11.10.2021: 10:00 – 18:00 Uhr Führung durch die Horchgänge Geheimnisvolle Wege durch die barocke Stadtfestung Dauer: 1 h, Treffpunkt: Kommandantenhaus – Ausstellung und Besucherzentrum, Preis pro Gruppe: 70 € (auch in Kombination mit Führung in der Ausstellung buchbar) Kontakt für Anfragen und Buchungen: Erfurt Tourismus und Marketing GmbH, Tel.: +49 361 6640 160, E-Mail: citytour@erfurt-tourismus.de Weitere Informationen unter www.erfurt-tourismus.de 10 ITB BERLIN NEWS • TUESDAY 2 ND MARCH 2021 www.itb-berlin-news.com
I TRADE TALK I ITB Berlin NOW - a strategic stepping stone Frank Straka Director Idea Spa Travel Frank Straka is an "old hand" at ITB Berlin events; as a sales and marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience in tourism, working in the fields of short trips, online sales, group tourism and health and wellness trips. We asked him what his outlook is for the coming year. We are trying to reach around 40-50% of our turnover before the crisis. In order to reach this goal, we have to communicate more with our B2B-partners and we have to find new products and solutions for clients and partners. On the other hand, we are trying to establish strategic partnerships in order to secure markets and contracts. How are your key choice criteria changing when selecting new “star” destinations or hotel partners now? The most important criterion for new hotel partners is flexibility. Flexibility in rates, cancellation policies and release dates. On the other hand, hotel partners need to show that they are innovative and ready to create new offers, packages with the utmost flexibility for the customers. What would you say is the most important lesson that has been learnt (or should be learnt) from the Covid crisis? The most important lesson that we have learned is how much we depend on each other and that we can only survive if we act as partners. We have spent hours and days on improving partnerships with hotels and distribution partners. We intensified communication and availability in order to strengthen relationships or to rebuild trust that other market partners had destroyed. In a fragile world, we can only survive together without egotism. What are you hoping to achieve in participating in this year’s ITB Berlin NOW? We are trying to show partners that we have come out of the crisis strong – that we are their partner to boost business in the next months. We also try to find hotel partners that are looking for a dependable and trustworthy partner. What are your thoughts about the way ITB has organised the event? A lot of things are still in the blue and I don’t know yet how things will turn out finally. But the people at ITB are doing a great job just like in the 25 years that I have been attending ITB so far. Do you feel communication by exhibiting companies and organisations is more important now? Why? Communication between all partners in the industry will become more and more important – we will all need partnerships and enablers to succeed. Your thoughts on ITB Berlin News - the official show magazine? I am very keen on finding out what ITB Berlin News will be like digitally. In the analogue days, I was always trying to grab my copy in order to read it in the taxi or S-Bahn after the show to see what is or was trending at ITB IN A FRAGILE WORLD, WE CAN ONLY SURVIVE TOGETHER WITHOUT EGOTISM. ITB BERLIN NEWS • TUESDAY 2 ND MARCH 2021 11
Page 1 and 2: PREVIEW TUESDAY 2 ND MARCH 2021 ITB
Page 3 and 4: EDITORIAL Richard Barnes Editor-in-
Page 5 and 6: I NEWS I erlin Now? All participant
Page 7 and 8: I CONFERENCES I 12:25 - 12:40 ITB I
Page 9: I NEWS I Face-to-face with Saxony:
Page 13 and 14: I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I Messe Berli
Page 15 and 16: I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I internation
Page 17 and 18: I REGION I OCEANIA I © Rene Riegal
Page 19 and 20: ADVERTORIAL I SPECIAL FEATURE I YOU
Page 21 and 22: I SPECIAL FEATURE I ADVENTURE TOURI
Page 23 and 24: ADVERTORIAL I SPECIAL FEATURE I ADV
Page 25 and 26: Networking DISCOVERING NEW AND EXIS

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