ITB Berlin News 2019 - Review
FRIDAY 15 TH MARCH 2019 REVIEW EDITION NEWS TRADE TALK EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS A TOUR OF PLANET EARTH Dr Martin Buck Senior Vice President Travel & Logistics, Messe Berlin “One of the highlights that impressed me most was the introduction of the new segment, Technology, Tours and Activities” Read page 8 Stephan Reichelt Product sourcing team lead, mydays GmbH “Individualisation is increasingly coming to the fore, mini-holidays are experiencing an upswing and the relevance of wellness is increasing” Read page 21 YB Datuk Christina Liew Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Sabah “To attract more tourists to Sabah, we have to put new products in place – not just the same old thing” Read page 29 Derek Hanekom Tourism Minister, South Africa “Growing numbers of tourists must benefit everyone involved, especially the micro and medium-sized enterprises” Read page 45 Plotting the future course Giving direction to momentum – ITB Berlin leads the way The 2019 edition of ITB Berlin drew to a close with all involved agreeing that, more than ever before, the show has been a platform for planning a true course for the years to come – for the industry and indeed for the world. The numerous conferences and roundtables at ITB Berlin this year addressing the burning issues of our time, such as sustainability, overtourism, the move towards luxury tourism, future mobility, and travel technologies in all their shapes and forms. It is vitally important for all players in the industry to “sing in harmony” when it comes to the above topics, enabling the creation of a clear roadmap. In the following pages, we bring you a round-up of highlights from the show, as well as one or two items you may have overlooked. We also take you on a tour of some of the top stands – either as a memento, or if you couldn’t make it to Berlin, to give you an idea of what ITB Berlin was like this year. A highlight is our exclusive interview with Ahmed Bin Nasser Bin Hamed Al Mahrizi, Minister of Tourism for the Sultanate of Oman, ITB Berlin 2020 Official Partner Country (read page 27). Ahmed Bin Nasser Bin Hamed Al Mahrizi Minister of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman A TOUR OF PLANET EARTH © Messe Berlin GmbH In this edition, rather than concentrate on one single region, we take you on a global tour to look at some of the best that was on offer at ITB Berlin 2019. From Oceania, Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East or Africa, there is news from each continent. Read from page 34.
