ITB Berlin 2021 concluded in a virtual format , exhibitors from 120 countries presented products
Travel Biz News —–
ITB Berlin concluded in a virtual format in the year of the coronavirus pandemic 2021.
The world’s leading travel trade show gathered the industry on its new and entirely virtual platform at ITB Berlin from 8 to 12 March 2021.
A total of 3,513 exhibitors representing destinations, hotel chains and tech companies from 120 countries made use of the new format to present their products and services.
During the five-day event, around 65,700 users visited the online platform, of whom around two-thirds (64.5 per cent) were from different countries.
Taking as its slogan ’The digital Meet-up for the Travel Industry. Anytime. Anywhere.’, the trade show gave participants a unique virtual meeting place in one of the most challenging times in recent decades.
“Over 1,000 media representatives and travel bloggers from 54 countries covered the event live. 80 per cent of the participants made use of the networking features, which included business meetings via individual and group calls, chats and searching for business partners,” ITB Berlin said in a statement.
“How the tourism industry could successfully recover from the crisis was the main topic these past few days. After all the bad news of recent months we are delighted to note that people want to travel again“, said Martin Ecknig, CEO of Messe Berlin.
“The experience gained at ITB Berlin NOW will influence our planning for March 2022. We will take the lessons learned and combine them with our decades-long experience of organising in-person events “, said David Ruetz, head of ITB Berlin.
According to a latest joint survey of ITB Berlin NOW and Statista institute, 70 per cent of respondents plan to travel in 2021 or intend to plan a trip soon. 37 per cent of those polled in Germany are making actual plans.
The findings of a global survey by IPK International are also a reason to be optimistic about travel in 2021. 62 per cent of travellers worldwide intend to travel abroad this year.
For the majority of those currently not aiming to travel abroad, the risk of Covid infection outweighs financial reasons.
A combination of vaccines now being available and a high willingness among outbound travellers (90 per cent) to be vaccinated has nullified the main reason for not wanting to travel, meaning that nothing stands in the way of a rapid and widespread recovery of the industry.
Next year, ITB Berlin is scheduled to take place as an in-person event in Berlin on 9 – 13 March 2022.
March 13 ,2021
File Photo : ITB Berlin
