THURSDAY 26 th FEBRUARY 2015 PREVIEW EDITION NEWS ITB CONVENTION EDUCATION & TRAINING Dr Christian Göke CEO Messe Berlin GmbH “We are proud to be able to welcome around 10,000 exhibitors from 190 countries again this year.” Read page 5 Dr Martin Buck ITBBerlin Vice-President “This year 26 of the 31 member states of the UNWTO Silk Road Initiative will be taking part in ITBBerlin”. Read page 6 Prof. Dr. Conrady Scientific Director, ITBBerlin Convention “This year, the focus is on the sharing economy. This innovative approach has shaken up the holiday and business travel market like no other recent trend.” Read page 20 Michel Rochat CEO of EHL SA “Young people in new markets need a social and professional lift for their careers, and that’s what we intend to provide.” Read page 27 Hall 22A Stand 104 Travel & Tourism- a Force for Good ITBBerlin shines light on positive change through industry evolution Hall 17 Stand 108 ITBBerlin is definitively the driver in raising the awareness that travel and tourism can be a force for good in the world. While billions of Euros in deals are decided at ITBBerlin, the groundswell trends that will guide the future of the industry are also discussed and indeed forged at the world’s greatest travel and tourism trade event. One of the key factors emerging is the “shared economy” – which will be largely debated at the 2015 ITBBerlin Convention. Sustainability is another major driver – and this year the concept is even further reinforced. On the other hand, alarm bells are ringing – as the World Travel and Tourism Council, while underlining that tourism is a “force for good”, casts a line to the future … a future which will only be bright if we address key issues of education and training today. See interview p. 24 and feature p. 26 David Scowsill President & CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT: OCEANIA Cook Islands Ideas for regional destinations such as Western Australia, Samoa, New Zealand or Papua New Guinea are being refreshed at ITBBerlin as their destination marketing organisations find new ways to excite and interest travellers. Read more in our daily feature – page 37.
