The 2014 edition of ITB Berlin reported a four per cent rise in trade visitors and an increase in business volume, which Messe Berlin estimates reached 6.5 billion euros. The focus of the ITB Berlin this year was on travel bookings via smartphones and tablets and on sustainable practices in the travel industry.
Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin: “Never before was there such an emphasis on innovation as at this year’s ITB Berlin. The mood among exhibitors and visitors at this year’s show was one of euphoria, which over the last five days could be felt everywhere on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. The world’s leading travel trade show had an even more positive impact on trade buyers and holidaymakers than in previous years.”
From 5 to 9 March 2014, 10,147 exhibitors from 189 countries – more than two-thirds of whom came from abroad – were represented in 26 halls which were booked to capacity. Overall, some 114,000 trade visitors (2013: 109,616) travelled to Berlin. This year there was a slight increase again in buyers from the USA and the Middle East.
The ITB Berlin Convention has also become a firm fixture for trend scouts operating within the international travel industry. The Convention registered record levels of attendance. A total of 22,000 took part in around 200 lectures, discussions and workshops, over 5 percent more than in 2013. Social Media and Mobile Travel Services proved to be major visitor attractions. Once again, the matchmaking event for bloggers and exhibitors met with an extremely positive response. Over a period of two days 2,000 events took place attended by 120 exhibitors and bloggers from 25 countries.
Taleb Rifai, General Secretary of UNWTO: “I must congratulate ITB on another great success. ITB 2014 reflected the vitality of the tourism sector extremely well and I must particularly commend ITB for its Corporate Social Responsibility Programme which, year after year, reminds us all that with the continuous growth of tourism comes a great responsibility.”
