ITB Berlin News - Day
FRIDAY 7 th MARCH 2014 DAY 3 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: AFRICA & ME SPECIAL FEATURE: ITB BERLIN CONVENTION TRADE TALK H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri Director General of Dubai’s DTCM “Dubai is committed to being the regional hub for events and tourism” Read page 15 Marthinus van Schalkwyk Minister of Tourism, South Africa “ITB offers us an outstanding and valuable platform to do business with world” Read page 17 Percy Von Lipinski CNN iReporter Press Fam Trips “Today, all press fams should be active in social media” Read page 6 Martina Horter TUI’s Senior Product Manager “ITB Berlin is where I have the chance to meet my partners and have the start shot for the new planning and purchasing period” Read page 7 Hall 22B Stand 210 Hall 18 Stand 125 Hall 9 Stand 123 Visit the UNWTO stand Hall 20/127 Follow @UNWTO Contact comm@unwto.org at UNWTO is once again undertaking a number of events and activities at ITB Berlin 2014. Don’t miss! World Tourism Network on Child Protection Fr 7 March, 10.30-13.00 ICC, Hall 7 Right Moment Right Buyers, Right Vendors ITB Berlin 2014 - an increasingly essential platform for innovation, information, interaction… and business The world’s top travel and tourism buyers confirm that ITB Berlin is the essential international event when looking to buy inventory from all over the world. Underlining the truly global vocation of what’s already the world’s biggest travel and tourism trade show, the numbers of international buyers continues its forward march. The “crème de la crème” of the world’s tour operators, travel agents and associated aggregators are attracted not only by the swathe of products on offer and the chance to meet their regular and potential suppliers. They’re also here for the “three I’s”: innovation, information and interaction, wherein they have the chance to engage in a veritable exchange of ideas such as can be found nowhere else. A perfect example is that of the CEO and team of Hotelplanner.com, number one in global group travel distribution, who says ITB Berlin is an essential element in his company’s growth. See interview page 8 Tim Hentschel Hotelplanner.com CEO THE MEETING PLACE FOR TOP BUYERS, MARSHALL HAUS ITB Buyers Circle stands for focusing on the essentials. For a selected group of international top buyers. For customized service. And thereby for less stress, less distraction, less time lost. Because successful buyers know the score: Less is usually more. itbbuyerscircle.com REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST Today’s spotlight takes us to the highly dynamic Middle East as well as the fast evolving African continent. The UNWTO’s latest preliminary figures indicate that after a marked decline in travel to Middle Eastern destinations due to the “Arab Spring,” 2013 saw a modest recovery. While Africa, as a continent, still holds the smallest share of the global tourism market, the number of incoming travellers figures continues to climb, and last year were up by 5.6%. See report page 11 Kenya © Kenya Tourism Board
