I TRADE TALK I Thursday, 9 March 2023 5:45 - 5:56 pm Norbert Fiebig President German Travel Association Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV) Many actors, one common goal: The sector dialogue on tourism for sustainable development Hall 7.1a Orange Stage German Travel Association DRV reveals top destinations and trends The umbrella association for Germany's travel industry tells ITBBerlin News about recent changes to the tourism sector in an exclusive interview "Travel is back! The 2022 summer season is proof of that," says Norbert Fiebig, President German Travel Association - Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV). The expert travel professional said big favourites have remained popular when it comes to tourism destinations, while the pandemic has shone a light on areas such as safety and flexibility. In an exclusive interview with ITBBerlin2023, we get the latest from Mr Fiebig on Germany's outbound travel industry. Tell us about Germany's travel industry today... Travel enriches our lives and will continue to do so in the future, so this is good news. More importantly, these developments are vital for the many destinations and their inhabitants that are economically very dependent on tourism. Germans' desire to travel after the long period of restrictions imposed by Coronavirus has rebounded - one could almost say it's unbroken. We have noticed that the big favourites among holiday destinations have remained popular: Countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea such as Spain, Greece and Turkey are particularly in demand when viewing the summer season. What changes have you seen post Covid-19? The pandemic has highlighted aspects such as safety and flexibility. These have gained great relevance. This will certainly be an advantage to tour operators providing package tours and travel agencies offering professional consultation. Organised travel guarantees the safest form of travel. This is a highly relevant fact, since professionally organised travel is increasingly competing with self-organised travel. Another trend that appears to be here to stay is The Flexible Option, enabling the traveller to rebook or cancel a booking. This is an option that many customers appreciate and don’t want to miss. Thirdly, what we are noticing from high inflation rates and economic uncertainty is that price sensitivity among customers with low and medium incomes has increased recognisably. All-inclusive packages offer financial predictability and are therefore increasingly in demand. How is the travel industry fighting back in 2023? Despite the difficult political situation our world is facing and the many economic uncertainties, the travel industry has seen a promising 2023. Bookings are consistently above pre-corona level week after week. Customers are confident - bookings are being made at an earlier stage again. What comes next? All in all, we are optimistic when analysing the data for the current year. However, one major challenge remains. We have to focus our attention and commitment to solve the challenges linked to climate change and search for sustainable solutions. We must reduce the carbon footprint across the entire travel chain and supply our customers with information with reference to the ecological impact of specific travel offers. Through concerted action of all parties involved, we will be able to overcome the challenges we are facing. There can be no question: the world benefits from travel in a great way. Our industry and the products we have on offer enrich all our lives. We will do our utmost to keep it that way VOICE OF THE GERMAN TRAVEL INDUSTRY As a top-level association, the DRV represents the travel industry in Germany. As a leading lobby, it safeguards the interests of tour operators and travel agents in particular. DRV is supported by a significant economic strength: its members represent the largest part of the turnover on the tour operator and travel agent market. Several thousand member companies, including many tourism service providers, turn DRV into a strong community which pools many different interests – driven by the idea "The voice of the travel industry." What are the benefits? The DRV is responsible for lobbying vis a vis politicians, the business community and the public. It also offers crisis and security management for the tourism industry, both for Germany and its partners abroad. The group supports the digital transformation, and is committed to developing industry standards for business processes. It also benefits from the advice and support of its members and has a commitment to securing specialists when necessary. Hall 25 / Stand 318 26 ITB BERLIN NEWS • TUESDAY 7 TH MARCH 2023 www.itb-berlin-news.com
I TRADE TALK I Tony Lübeck Product and Marketing Manager, Lime Travel Marketing expert Tony Lübeck identifies biggest opportunities for Sweden's tourism industry The ITB Buyers' Circle Member and Product and marketing manager at Lime Travel tells ITBBerlin News what he is looking for from exhibitors on the trade show floor this year. Well to be honest, after three years of 'no ITB', I mostly look forward to re-connecting with everyone. As always, we are looking for the best available products on the market. What segments of the travel and tourism industry will experience the highest growth and why? That's a tricky question. I guess we are in a segment which focuses on travellers with high demands and the budget to go with it – so I would say the luxury sector combining extraordinary quality with ethical and responsible travel. How are travellers expectations and demands changing? For sure, our clients today are far more educated in all aspects of their travel plans and we need to make sure we know what we are talking about. What are the key trends to look out for in 2023? When it comes to trends, we are seeing a growth in villa rental. Multi generation families travelling together and have their base in a beautiful villa, and make plans each day depending on interests. Also with in-house chef as popular. Not only to make sure someone else is cooking – also a curiosity about learning more from locals. Scandinavians are foodies for sure. Large villas and in-house chefs are just some of the key features Swedish travellers are requesting from the travel agency, which is on the look out for new products and services. How important a role will digital technology play in shaping the future of travel? Quite sure its of importance, even though for our agency not a deal breaker. But I guess loosing your smart phone during the trip will cause quite a drama….. ... OUR CLIENTS TODAY ARE FAR MORE EDUCATED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR TRAVEL PLANS ... Why is it so important for the industry to meet face to face at global events like ITBBerlin? By obvious reasons. You need to be able to connect between sellers and buyers. The social aspect is super important. You cover a lot of grounds in a short period of time WANT TO PARTNER WITH LIME TRAVEL? For 25 years, Lime Travel has been creating unique experiences for clientele in Sweden. With every booking, the travel agent offers customers personal service, handpicked hotels and security when it comes to flights and accommodation. Lime Travel is looking for new products and opportunities at ITBBerlin2023. Find out more about what the Swedish travel agency offers to see how you can work together. The company offers three main advantages to its clients including: PERSONAL SERVICE Lime Travel always makes sure that its customers get a more personal service when it comes to communicating with the team. They choose how they want to be contacted and when it suits them. HANDPICKED HOTELS AT THE DESTINATIONS "Quality is a word of honour", Lime Travel says. The company always strives to only sell hotels that they have visited themselves. In exceptional cases, they also recommend other hotels, but only if they can ensure quality together with their partners around the world. SECURITY Lime Travel believes its service offers customers peace of mind. The company believes a tailor-made package trip with flights and accommodation with a serious and established tour operator like itself provides travellers with a comprehensive, legal protection net ITB BERLIN NEWS • TUESDAY 7 TH MARCH 2023 27
