Positive interim assessment: large increase in trade visitors from Asia and Africa – more decision-makers – ITB Berlin Convention continues to grow
An interim assessment of the world’s leading trade fair for the international travel industry reveals an extremely positive situation. David Ruetz, Senior Manager ITB Berlin: “During the first two days the number of trade visitors was at the same level as in 2009.” The figures for international trade visitors, who account for around 45 per cent of the total attendance at ITB Berlin, are also equivalent to those of last year. “One welcome development is the fact that the proportion of foreign trade visitors from Asia and Africa has more than doubled”, Ruetz reports. They now make up 27 per cent of the total, compared with around 13 per cent last year. “This is largely attributable to the impending FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and to the ITB Asia”, Ruetz concludes, following initial discussions. He also emphasises that “bosses are coming back again.” The proportion of trade visitors occupying senior management positions has risen from 53 to 67 per cent.
The ITB Berlin Convention has also recorded a slight increase. The individual events that are attracting the highest attendances, each with more than 500 participants, are “Social Media: Lessons from the Leaders” and the presentations by the “ITB World Travel Trends Report”. Ruetz: “These outstanding figures provide impressive confirmation that the ITB Berlin Convention is the leading think tank for the global travel industry.”
