THURSDAY 2 nd MARCH 2017 PREVIEW EDITION NEWS TRADE TALK ITB BERLIN CONVENTION SPECIAL DOSSIER: ISLANDS OF TAHITI David Ruetz Head of ITBBerlin “ITBBerlin is this sector’s biggest annual family reunion. We are all motivated by a desire for personal encounters, for authenticity and honesty.” Read page 4 Rajesh Nambiar Executive Vice President, Ottila International “It is possible to meet the senior decision makers at ITBBerlin and that makes the value come through.” Read page 13 Prof. Dr. Roland Conrady Scientific Director of the ITBBerlin Convention, University of Applied Sciences Worms “The role of the convention is to highlight the trends that will shape the future of our industry. ” Read page 15 Nicole Bouteau Minister for Tourism, International Transport and Institutional Relations, French Polynesia “Our wish is to preserve our natural heritage and make sure we provide an exclusive tourist experience.” Read page 42 Knowledge is Power ITBBerlin 2017 addresses burning industry issues Hall 17 Stand 109 Hall 9 Stand 314 Hall 4.1 Stand 105b Berlin looks forward to welcoming you for the 51 st edition of ITBBerlin – now just around the corner! With exhibitors from 184 countries over 160,000 square metres of floor space, and over €7bn in turnover, this event truly stands out as the world’s leading travel trade show. But the impact of the show through its promotion of industry intelligence and thought leadership is immeasurable. The key themes addressed at the ITBBerlin Convention reflect the disquiet and concerns of the industry at large, and in particular the questions of security and the influence of media coverage of certain tragic events upon a destination’s tourism livelihood. A number of other themes are addressed, including the impact of new technologies, but in this, the UN year of sustainable tourism, CSR and sustainability will be very major themes. So what could be more fitting than Slovenia’s partnership with the convention? Why? Because it is the first official “green” destination. Discover how and why in our exclusive interview with Zdravko Počivalšek, Slovenia’s Minister of Economic Development and Technology – page 26. Zdravko Počivalšek Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Republic of Slovenia DESTINATION SPOTLIGHTS EUROPE, OCEANIA, ISLANDS OF TAHITI In this issue, we spotlight several regions: Europe, Oceania and the Islands of Tahiti. Europe has a very special bearing, as it has been announced that Europe – via the ETC and ETOA – will be the key partner of the first edition of ITB China in just a couple of months’ time. You can read all about this, and find the latest news on numerous internal destinations in our special feature – from page 29. Small Chris Hill, Ireland Vanuatu
