All signs point to success in 2024: the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show put a clear focus on shaping the future and once again underlined its role as the leading international platform for business, innovation and networking.
Despite widespread strikes, this year’s ITB Berlin recorded a slight increase with nearly 100,000 attendees – a result that exceeded expectations in the face of challenging strike circumstances. Diverse and globally represented, more than 5,500 exhibitors from 170 countries illuminated the three business days, occupying all 27 exhibition halls at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.
“ITB Berlin once again mirrored industry developments. The mood among exhibitors, visitors and speakers was very positive throughout. They generally agreed that people’s desire to travel is not just satisfying pent-up demand after the pandemic, but that it will remain basically stable. Neither inflation nor high energy prices appear to be curbing demand“, commented Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin.
Focus on Data, Sustainability and Collaboration as UN Tourism Returns to ITB Berlin
UN Tourism returned to ITB Berlin, bringing its new name and look to the leading travel trade fair and uniting the sector around its focus on sustainability, investments and collaboration.
Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili joined the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wenger, and other public and private sector leaders in officially opening the 2024 event. He said: “Tourism’s return means so much to so many people. Tourism is a great uniting force. Together, we are growing new areas of our sector, to build greater resilience and spread the benefits of tourism even wider.”
At the opening, the event’s host, Messe Berlin was recognized for its 40 years as a UN Tourism Affiliate Member and for its key role in advancing international meetings and events tourism and fostering partnerships in the German capital. Under its new look and name, UN Tourism once again made ITB Berlin a top platform for high-level collaboration and for advancing several of its key priorities for the sector:
Better data for deeper transformation
UN Tourism and the World Tourism Cities Federation (WCTF) launched a joint report highlighting the need to measure the social and environmental impacts of tourism in urban destinations in a more effective and harmonized way. The report stresses the importance of embracing big data and other forms of technology and looks ahead to the creation of a first global urban tourism database. The launch of the publication comes in the same week that all 193 UN members adopted the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST).
Accelerating Climate Action
Continuing its leading role in the One Planet Tourism Network and the Glasgow Declaration, UN Tourism launched Policy Guidance to Support Climate Action by National Tourism Administrations (NTAs). The guide will assist NTAs everywhere to develop policies and create initiatives designed to accelerate the shift towards a low-carbon sector. The guide, which also contains examples of best practice, was developed after consultations with Ministries of Tourism of Member States.
The guidance is complemented by a Glasgow Declaration Engagement Pack, with practical recommendations on how to get started on climate action in tourism. Also at ITB Berlin, UN Tourism officials participated in a roundtable event on Reconciling Safety and Sustainability. Additionally, bringing together its focus on rural development, gender equality and sustainability, UN Tourism also participated in a special side event, Sustainable Rural Tourism: A Foundation for Biodiversity Preservation and Gender Equality – Potentials and Interactions, providing insights and best practice recommendations.
NSW Central Coast wins top global green award for growing ecotourism experiences
Australia and New Zealand continue to be popular international tourism destinations. The two distant global travel destinations enjoyed high interest from trade show visitors during ITB 24 in Berlin. And the New South Wales region of Central Coast is now officially world-leading in the field of ecotourism.
Bush-Therapy in Strickland State Forest in New South Wales – Image: Destination Central Coast (Isaac Tseng)
The Central Coast was the only Australian certified ECO Destination recognized on the international stage at ITB Berlin 2024. By winning this respected competition, the Central Coast has now been confirmed as one of the regions leading the way for sustainable tourism on a global scale. Only two other Australian destinations have ever reached this level in the Green Destinations Story Awards ceremony since the competition started in 2014 – making this a huge feat for not only New South Wales, but Australia as a whole, according to Central Coast NSW.
The Green Destinations Story Awards official ceremony showcased a diverse range of good practice stories from tourism destinations around the world, with the Destination Management category Second Place awarded to Cavinzas Islands and Palomino Islets in Peru, and Third Place awarded to Baie de Somme in France.
Central Coast Council’s Chief Executive Officer, David Farmer, said “this incredible recognition on the international stage represents the undeniable progress we have made growing our ecotourism destination since 2021”.
Tourism recovery in New Zealand
New figures confirm the NZ tourism industry is recovering strongly, and making a major contribution to the New Zealand economy, according to Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA).
“It’s fantastic to see data released showing how important tourism’s contribution is to New Zealanders and the country. Tourism is now the second largest export, directly and indirectly employing 317,514 New Zealanders with international visitors contributing $10.8b to our economy, ” said Tourism New Zealand-boss Rene de Monchy in a press release. Read the latest here.
(NN – 08-03-24)
