ITB Berlin 2008 to Take In-Depth Look at the Future of World Travel Industry

As a think tank of the travel industry the ITB Berlin Convention Market Trends & Innovations has become an important part of the ITB Berlin. At the last ITB Berlin the leading convention of the travel industry in Europe registered a record attendance. A total of 9,000 trade visitors from around the world took part, an increase of 25 percent over last year.

From March 5 to 8, the ITB Berlin Convention Market Trends & Innovations will take place for the fifth time, with leading figures discussing the latest topics. Representatives of the worldwide travel industry will meet on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds to debate issues concerning the future of travel at this four-day convention.

On Wednesday, March 5, 2008 the ITB Future Day begins, with distinguished guests discussing the latest topics. There will be leading figures taking part from the beginning, among them keynote speakers Dr. Asfa-Wossen Asserate, Prince of Ethiopia, author and management consultant for Africa and the Middle East, and Philip C. Wolf from PhoCusWright.

This is the first time that the ITB Berlin Convention Market Trends & Innovations will
include the topic of cruises in its program. It represents a genuine boom market, as according to a DRV survey, in 2006 the German cruise market alone grew by 11.2 percent.

The same organization forecasts a further sales increase in 2007. The presentation by IPK International and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) of the latest data forecasting worldwide travel trends is a long-established event at the ITB Berlin, and
an indispensable source of information for tourism industry decision-makers.

Hospitality Day on Thursday, March 6, 2008 is a firm fixture on the convention calendar at the ITB Berlin. How “brands as destinations” are affecting the hotel business is one of the issues hotly debated by trade experts, as are the environmental concepts of this sector.

The ITB Aviation Day is recognized as the leading event for the global air transport industry. On Friday, March 7, 2008 corporate executives will discuss key air transport topics. The question of “Is air transport a climate killer?” is a highly controversial issue, as there is currently an intense debate on the role of air transport and its effects on
climate.

The ITB Berlin will take place from Wednesday, March 5 to Sunday, March 9, 2008, and the ITB Berlin Convention Market Trends & Innovations will be held from Wednesday, March 5 to Saturday, March 8, 2008.

The period from the Wednesday to the Friday is reserved for trade visitors. Next year
Messe Berlin will be celebrating a premiere by holding the ITB Asia, which debuts in Singapore from October 22 to 24, 2008.