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Exactly 90,127 visitors came to Berlin for ITB 2023 from 7 to 9 March – for the first time trade visitors only. Over 5,500 exhibitors and thousands of tourism buyers once again made the world’s largest tourism trade show the hub of the travel industry. Around 400 top speakers at the accompanying ITB Convention ensured excellent knowledge transfer. Many travel experts expect record numbers in 2023, especially in European and American source markets.
Taking the ITB motto “Open for Change” further
“Open for Change” encompasses the development of sustainable, climate-friendly tourism as well as new, digital ways of attracting customers. Being able to react flexible to crises is playing an increasingly important role for successful tourism entrepreneurs and destinations.
Future trends and strong destinations
In addition to the booming cruise segment, partner country Georgia and countries in the Middle East, we noticed larger presences of online and software providers. The area of “Travel Tech”, including the use of Artificial Intelligence in marketing and service, continues to gain importance. Through intelligent AI use, companies can address the skills shortage that remains rampant. Service, marketing and reception staff can be relieved of routine tasks by AI and thus take more care of guests.
The classic camping countries were strongly represented again at ITB
Some German destinations cancelled their participation in ITB or reduced the size of their stalls. But many German federal states and also European camping destinations performed strongly as usual – with fascinating stalls and top-class discussion partners, for example Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Holland, Croatia, numerous Italian regions, Andalusia or Catalonia.