ITB Berlin Convention to Discuss Tourism Trends, Issues
From March 9 to 11, the ITB Berlin Convention will provide a current and in-depth overview of the trends and key issues affecting the world’s tourism industry. This is the eighth time the convention will be addressing key topics such as hospitality, destination marketing, CSR and futurology. On Friday, March 11, the convention will also discuss the issue of eco-mobility.
The ITB Future Day will open the convention on March 9, presenting the latest findings of futurologists on demographics, climate change, natural resources, technology and customer behavior. Experts will put forward future scenarios and analyze their effects on the world’s tourism. The ITB World Travel Trends Report, an analysis of 500,000 interviews, will give a forecast global travel behavior.
On March 11 at the ITB Hospitality Day, the convention will discuss the hotel industry, which is currently facing massive change. The topics at the ITB CSR Day also reflect the trend towards ecological sustainability in the hotel industry. Examples of best practices will be given to demonstrate the conditions under which sustainability and luxury can co-exist.
Other topics on the same day include how CSR impacts on companies and climate protection in various countries in Asia. A discussion round entitled “The CSR-conscious tourist” will explore customers’ awareness of sustainability awards and CSR seals of approval and to what degree they influence booking behavior.
On March 11, the focus will be on eco-mobility, a new theme at the convention. Experts will discuss the future of mobility and forward-looking mobility projects such as solar-powered and electric vehicles. Practical examples will be presented highlighting initial experience with pilot projects at international tourism destinations.
At the ITB Destination Day, which takes place on every day of the convention, the focus will be on the Convention & Culture Partner Mongolia, with a discussion on the prospects for cultural tourism in a country which to date remains relatively unexplored. The experts on the ITB Asia discussion panel, moderated by the show’s partner event ITB Asia, will take a broader look at the Asian continent. Leading experts will debate the opportunities and potential which Asian tourism regions have to offer.
The ITB Marketing and Distribution Day on March 11 will see marketing and tourism experts discuss marketing trends and prospects for tourism around the world, while also taking an in-depth look at who uses social media and mobile devices as well as the travel behavior of young people. A specially conducted survey for ITB Berlin will provide insights into young people’s reasons for travelling and their expectations. Mathias Hüske, head of Deutsche Bahn online and agency sales, will present innovations in rail travel.
