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ITB to address the new challenges of worldwide tourism industry
The worldwide travel industry is facing new challenges: in the medium and long term climate change will cause people to alter their travel behaviour. Meanwhile new worlds are opening up for travellers high above the clouds. Space tourism, something that only existed in the realms of science fiction until just recently, is now feasible. Climate change and space travel are just two of the many topics that will be discussed by experts at ITB`s convention.

Taking place in Berlin over five days, from 7 to 12 March 2007, the ITB Convention Market Trends & Innovations is expected to attract over 7,000 visitors to the halls on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. According to Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the ITB Berlin: “The MTI Convention has evolved into the think tank for the international travel industry. Each year the increased attendance figures offer impressive proof of the high regard which visitors have for the subject matter of the programme. With this convention the ITB Berlin emphasises its role as a competence centre for this sector and as a platform for the world’s travel industry”.

ITB Future Day on the subject of climate change

The subject of “Climate change – a fundamental challenge for the global tourism sector” will be one of the highlights ofthe ITB Future Day on 7 March 2007. Prof. Dr. Martin Claussen, Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Dr. Manfred Stock from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research, and Dr. David Viner of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, will discuss the medium and long term implications of climate change for tourism.

Time is running out: while ski regions in Europe are suffering from a lack of snow, in other parts of the world entire islands are at risk of disappearing altogether. A number of trend researchers have been invited to address the subject of “The future of travel”, and David Bosshart from the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute and Martin Raymond of “The Future Laboratory” in London are just two of the leading forecasters who will be contributing to this event. There will be another forum taking a look into the future: “What sort of travel are young people looking for, what do they expect from their holidays, and how does one reach the target groups of the future?” The basis for the discussion is provided by the current Shell young report “Jugend und Reisen” (Young People and Travel).

ITB Berlin and IPK International with details about the latest travel trends

Another group of topics deals with the travel flows of the future. The ITB Berlin Message in cooperation with IPK International is supplying information about travel behaviour around the world and in the ten leading European countries, as well as details about the German market. The good news for Europe, and for Germany as a destination in particular, is that vacationers from the USA and Japan, as well as from Russia, India and China and other Asian countries will be travelling to Europe in greater numbers.

ITB Hospitality Day: “Mediterranean versus the Alps”

On 8 March 2007, the second day of the convention, the focus will shift to trends and innovations for the hotel sector. “Mediterranean versus the Alps” is the title of the first theme of the ITB Hospitality Day. Discussions will centre on the future of “Mass tourism developments versus designer and luxury hotels” around the Mediterranean and in the Alpine region. On the subject of “The Feasible and the Futuristic” architects and designers will be presenting genetic and experimental architecture and various aspects of feng shui. Along with issues such as the financial standing of hotel and tourism companies the subject of “Hotel Ratings” will play a central role in the discussions.

Aviation Day on the subject of “Changes in Aviation”

The Aviation Day on Friday, 9 March 2007, will be dominated by the changes taking place in air travel. The introduction of new types of aircraft such as the Airbus A380, Boeing 787 and Boeing 747-400ER will have a significant impact on the development of airline networks. The guest on the platform for the session entitled “Airbus versus Boeing” will be Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airlines, the carrier which has placed the largest order yet for the Airbus A380. Also on the platform will be Tjhoen Onn Thoeng, Senior Vice President Europe for Singapore Airlines, which will be the first to begin operating the A380, probably in October.

Low-cost carriers will continue to exert an influence on commercial aviation at the other end of the scale too. Joachim Hunold, CEO of Air Berlin, will examine whether it is now time for consolidation of the low cost and charter markets. Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Cargo AG will speak on hub management, while other discussions will deal with subjects such as airport privatisation and the passenger aircraft of the future.

Sunday at the fair will de dominated by the subject of space tourism

On Sunday during the ITB attention will turn to the future, when the ITB Berlin will reach for the stars in the search for destinations offering travellers a completely new set of experiences. Why should the sensation of weightlessness and the views of earth from high above it be reserved only for astronauts? Why should one have to rely on winning millions on the lottery before being able to board a Soyuz rocket and head for the ISS? It does not have to be that way, and there is proof that cheaper, easier and faster solutions already exist. A number of astronauts have been invited, along with leading German and international companies which can already arrange flights into space.

Focus on business travel costs during the Business Travel Days

The ITB Berlin is already one of the leading trade shows for worldwide business travel, and continues to consolidate this position. Over 2,000 travel managers, business travel experts and office managers are expected to attend this year’s ITB Business Travel Days. The importance of the business sector for the travel industry is evident from the latest figures released by the VDR (Verband deutsches Reisemanagement e.V. – German Travel Management Association): in Germany alone an average of 17,200 business trips begin every hour and in 2005 expenditure on the 150 million business trips totalled more than 46 billion euros.

As the number of business trips in Germany increases companies have justifiable concerns about quality assurance and there are some convincing reasons for subjecting all the costs associated with business travel to closer scrutiny. Thus is precisely what will be covered by the “ITB Business Travel Days” from 7 to 10 March 2007. Holders of trade visitors‘ passes for the ITB Berlin will also be able to attend all the seminars of the “ITB Business Travel Days” free of charge.

VDR offers workshops dealing with practical aspects of everyday work

Over a two day period the VDR-Akademie – Institut fur Geschaftsreise-management – (Institute for Business Travel Management) will be presenting a number of workshops dealing with the practical aspects of everyday work. These will prove extremely useful for staff employed in secretariats and for team assistants involved in the operational aspects of business travel.

The workshops for travel management in small and medium-sized businesses will deal with methods of purchasing travel services, the different reservation paths and up-to-the-minute issues such as online planning and reservation of events and optimising airline refunds. There will also be a panel discussion on the subject of “Successful event management”.

PhoCusWright@ITB for the second time

PhoCusWright@ITB is the world’s only specialist convention that presents, analyses and discusses local and international travel technology solutions. Under the guidance of the American team from PhoCusWright@ITB, participants are given insights into the current situation and can learn how innovative technologies will revolutionise the travel industry of the future. Presentations will include new technologies to enable tour operators to enhance their competitiveness against online travel agencies, and to achieve optimisation by means of practical personalisation strategies and solutions.

Young, innovative sections of this trade show are expanding

A total of just under 11,000 exhibiting companies from some 180 countries and territories are expected at the ITB Berlin 2007. They will make use of the 26 halls on the Exhibition Grounds at the Berlin Funkturm (Radio Tower) to present their tourism products and services on an area of some 160,000 square metres. The growth of the ITB Berlin is most apparent in new and innovative sectors such as ITB Supply, ITB Holiday Real Estate and the Culture Palace, the section devoted to the Book World and cultural tourism. Michael Verikios - Wednesday, February 21, 2007