TB Berlin 2006 Set to Open with Record Numbers Already on the Board

For the 40th time, ITB is opening its doors to the world travel trade, with bumper numbers of people gracing its floors in Berlin, Wednesday March 8th.

A record number of participants have registered for the event with 10,856 companies are exhibiting from 183 countries.

India, Arab states and South America have a larger display area than in previous years, there is also a new travel supply and trends- innovation event. With the growth of the event reflecting the strength of the travel trade this year.

East Timor, Myanmar and North Korea are also exhibiting this year at ITB, all three countries were not represented at World Travel Market in London back in November.

"By the end of the year we shall have returned to the high levels (of travel) we last saw in 2001, and the indications are very promising," concluded Klaus Laepple, president of the BTW tourism authority at a press conference.

Mr. Kaepple focused on the impetus in the low-cost aviation market, recovery of tsunami hit countries and the FIFA World Cup. He explained that Germans will still be traveling despite the attraction of the games.

The BTW president also reiterated the words of the UN WTO that "bird flu does not present a risk to travelers; there is no reason to panic."