ITB Berlin 2018 @ITB. One of the best travel industry shows in the World is all over for another year.
So what did we learn from ITB Berlin this year? Which travel tech companies are the ones to watch and where is the travel industry heading?
Berlin hosted another spectacular ITB event this year. All the big names you’d expect were on show , Amadeus, Easyjet, Marriott Hotels as well as quite a few newbies.
So, what did we learn at this year’s international travel event?
Well, it looks like the travel industry is well on course for a record year. The conclusion at this year’s ITB Berlin was that the global travel industry is in good health and very optimistic. They haven’t said that in a few years. The show played host to hosted over 110,000 trade exhibitors from across the globe and more than 60,000 people attended the event over the three days.
Dr. Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin GmbH: summed it all up nicely when he said “The consistent forecasts of sustained global economic growth for the next two years contributed to the positive mood among exhibitors and visitors at ITB Berlin these past few days.”
It looks like things are shaping up nicely as consumers starting to spend money again. But this needs to continue, as companies like Airbnb become a massive influence on the social discourse and future of tourism.
There were two new formats at this year’s show reflecting strong growth in the Luxury Travel market. The new Loop Lounge created a new platform for networking in an exclusive atmosphere with a select group of exhibitors. Then there was the first ITB Luxury Late Night which provided an opportunity for visitors to cultivate contacts.
Newcomers from Germany this year included VisitBerlin and Berlin Health Excellence, as well as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Big discussion points this year included Blockchain technology, How exactly does blockchain work, and what effects will it have on global travel industry structures? It’s one to watch this year as are the advances in personalised services for the hotel industry and the evolution of voice search. The big talking point? How to be relevant on these platforms. Of course there was representation from the mainstream companies like Sabre and Travelport, as were airlines and hotels but the companies to watch out for this year included Blacklane, the executive car service, Cendyn the hospitality platform and Wetu the travel itinery platform.
This video gives a nice flavour of the atmosphere at ITB Berlin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggklb-adwgc
To sum up, it was another spectacular ITB event in Berlin. The guys there really do know how to put on a show. The future is looking very good and with all these emerging services and technology breaking through this is going to be a special year for travel.