ITB Berlin 2014 Receives High Demand for Exhibitor Space
This year’s edition of ITB Berlin will maintain its focus on Responsible and Sustainable Tourism practices while increasing exhibitor space for segments like Travel Technology. With a host of first-time exhibitors, ITB Berlin 2014 will offer a wider range of products for the global travel trade and general visitors.
The 48th edition of ITB Berlin, set to be held from March 5-9, 2014, has received record demand from exhibitors. The organiser of the event, Messe Berlin expects around 10,000 exhibiting companies and organisations from more than 180 countries to be present in the 26 halls on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds in Germany. While Mexico has been named as Partner Country of ITB Berlin 2014, Malaysia is the Convention and Culture Partner.
This year there has been a particularly high demand for exhibitor space from countries in Asia and the Arab world. Like previous years, all of Germany’s federal states will be represented at the show. The Travel Technology segment has also expanded significantly. Due to the high number of bookings (about 30 new exhibitors will be represented at ITB Berlin 2014), this segment with its focus on up-to-the-minute topics, will now occupy Hall 5.1.
India, Asia and Gulf countries will be represented in large numbers, with the latter occupying Hall 22. Hall 5.2b, occupied by India, is booked. For the first time the three Indian states namely Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal will be represented with their own stands.
The exhibitors in the Asia Hall will be more diverse than in previous years, as many hotels and holiday resorts will be hosting their own displays. Muriya Tourism Development from Oman is a newcomer to the event and the stand of Dubai has increased by 56 sq mts.
In Hall 26 (Far East and South East Asia) more than a dozen new exhibitors will be presenting their products. The stands have grown by 100 sq mts, an increase of 50 per cent, as has the stand of the Philippines in Hall 26a.
Bookings have remained high from exhibitors from Europe. Newcomers include the city of Bilbao as well as Alltours. Returning to ITB Berlin is Spain’s railway network operator RENFE, as is Gibraltar, after an absence of 22 years. Hall 7.2b is a completely new, smaller venue for European exhibitors, where the Slovak Republic, Czech-Tourism and Romania will be on display. Hall 3.1, which hosts the Americas and the Caribbean, will include first-time exhibitors such as Latin America Travel, as well as Haiti.
The Training & Employment in Tourism segment, which, following a re-organisation, has moved to Hall 11.1, is fully booked.
In Hall 4.1 the focus is on Youth Travel, Adventure Travel, Youth Travel and Responsible Tourism. It will feature more than 130 exhibitors from 35 countries. Seventy exhibitors will be represented in the segments Responsible Tourism and Adventure Travel alone. This year, new exhibitors include Armenia, Georgia, Greenland, New Zealand, Colombia and Jordan.
The Indian luxury hotel chain CGH Earth will emphasise the importance of socially Responsible Tourism. The topics will include human rights in tourism, Sustainable Tourism initiatives following the Arab Spring in Tunisia, and wildlife poaching. The To DO! Awards for Socially Responsible Tourism, organised by Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V. and supported by International Institute for Peace through Tourism, will also be presented.
On the days reserved for trade visitors, the ninth Pow-wow for tourism professionals will be organised, covering details about the latest new projects and examples of best practices concerning Sustainable Tourism and Adventure Travel. TV host, Mary Amiri will moderate the three-day event, whose slogan is 'Exploring Mountains, Canyons and Caves'.
Responsible Tourism Clinics organised by the The Blue Yonder, ITB’s Responsible Tourism Partner, will be taking place on all three days of the Pow-wow. Hall 4.1 will also feature the Youth Travel segment. Sixty-three exhibitors will be showing how important this market segment has become for international tourism.
2014 will be the third year that Danube@ITB will take place. Its events include the Danube Forum on March 7, which will be taking place at the ITB Berlin Convention, as well as guided tours on the days for trade visitors, and a quiz about the Danube on the Open Days for the Public. Further, in collaboration with UNWTO the focus will again be on the countries on the Silk Road, with the Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting taking place on March 5.
Source: Travel Biz Monitor
