Industry members and leading organizations such as UNWTO to discuss the future of travel – pioneers of solar-powered travel invited as guests – latest edition of the ITB Media Summit – admission included in the price of a ticket to ITB Berlin
Berlin, 4 February 2011 – Controversial travel industry topics, forward-looking strategies and high-ranking speakers from science and practical fields: from 9 to 11 March 2011 the ITB Berlin Convention will present a wide-ranging programme. Mongolia is the Culture & Convention Partner at this year’s event and Syria is the co-host. Exhibitors and trade visitors to ITB Berlin will be able to benefit, as a regular ticket to the trade fair is valid for the convention.
ITB Eco-Mobility Day
By hosting the ITB Eco-Mobility Day ITB Berlin is the world’s first tourism trade fair to explore the topic of climate-friendly transport, a potentially innovative trend. In his keynote which he will deliver in front of an audience of invited guests on 11 March 2011, André Borschberg, CEO of Solar Impulse, will give a talk on the future of transportation. Afterwards, together with Louis Palmer, he will discuss spectacular, pioneering solar projects. Both are eminently qualified. Along with Bertrand Piccard, André Borschberg is planning the first circumnavigation of the world in a solar-powered aircraft. Louis Palmer is currently travelling around the world in 80 days in a renewable energy powered vehicle. Other topics will include international tourism projects reporting on their initial eco-mobility experiences, as well as Gfk Mobility’s latest customer needs survey which focuses on electric vehicles.
ITB Marketing and Distribution Day
The keynote at the ITB Marketing and Distribution Day on 11 March 2011will also focus on a vision of the future. Prof. Dr. Ian Yeoman, Visiting Professor of the European Tourism Futures Institute and Victoria University of Wellington, will take a look at tomorrow and talk about the impact on tour operators’ marketing strategies and on destinations. This is the second year that the ITB Media Summit is taking place at the ITB Marketing and Distribution Day. It will discuss “mobile apps and social networks, or glossy titles and quality journalism”. Stefan Keuchel, Spokesman for Google Germany and Claus Strunz, the editor-in-chief of Hamburger Abendblatt, will be among those debating “the advice the customer listens to“, the general public’s use of the media, and how it influences their buying decisions. In this context the exclusive survey by M1nd-Set entitled “Social media and mobile devices – a close look at the types of users“ will also be worth noting. David Perroud, partner and CEO of M1nd-Set, will have the latest and full information on source markets, income structures and travel destinations. “Young travel – the future of tourism“ is the title of another exclusive survey which provides an insight into a forward-looking, but still underrated segment of the market. Dirk Föste, a manager of RUF Jugendreisen and Axel Dammler, the managing director of iconkids & youth, will present the findings.
ITB CSR Day – Ministerial Summit on Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific Region
On 10 March 2011 the ITB CSR Day will discuss whether sustainable tourism represents a long-term trend in this sector or whether it is simply a fad. Among those taking part in a panel discussion entitled ”A paradigm shift or simply hype?” will be Erika Harms, Executive Director of the Tourism Sustainability Council (TSC) and Senior Advisor on Tourism at the United Nations Foundation, and Peter Liney, CEO of STA Travel. Jose Dominic, Managing Director of CGH Earth Hotels, Enrice Ducrot, Managing Director of Ecoluxury, and Farsin Walizadeh, Head of Operations & Development, Costa Navarino, TEMES S.A will discuss the following topic: “Luxury and ecological sustainability – friends or foes?“ . The panel discussion will be moderated by Shannon Stowell, President of the ATTA Adventure Travel Trade Association.
At the Ministerial Summit on Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific Region, H.E. Deepak Bohara, the Nepalese Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Honourable Luimed Gansukh, the Mongolian Minister of the Environment and Tourism, will discuss the approach taken by politics to biospheres in this part of the world. At the last panel discussion of the day Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will give an insight into the CSR practices of the world’s tourism industry.
ITB Destination Days – Poland Forum on 10 March
National stereotypes and ways to confront them is the issue speakers will be addressing at the Poland Forum on 10 March 2011. This year’s partner country of ITB Berlin is Poland, which in 2011 assumes the presidency of the EU Council and in 2012 will host the EURO 2012 European Football Championship. Together, these events will make it a focus of attention from the tourism industry. Among other topics due to be discussed at the ITB Destination Days are river tours. Delegates representing the countries on the Danube will debate the prospects this market offers, the infrastructure problems that need solving, and how this market will be affected by demographic change. Futurist Andreas Reiter of ZTB Zukunftsbüro will talk about “how a sustainable quality of life helps to successfully market cities“, and will explain how sustainable innovations can make urban living space more appealing to enterprises, visitors and local residents.
ITB Asia Panel
The ITB Asia Panel on 9 March 2011 takes a look at one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. At a panel discussion entitled “Focus on China: how China’s outbound travel market is changing“, representatives of leading research institutes and outbound travel agencies will debate the challenges and opportunities for those travel destinations most popular with the Chinese. Visitors attending the Social Media in Asia panel discussion will be taken on a virtual tour of the region’s social media landscape and will be able to find out about current trends in Asia.
ITB Hospitality Day
At the ITB Hospitality Day on 10 March 2011 futurist Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future Research, will talk about the future of the hotel market in 2020. Among the high-ranking speakers discussing the prospects of the hotel industry in Eastern Europe will be Thomas Willms, Vice President & Regional Director, Eastern & Central Europe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, as well as Kristian Sustar, Executive Director of HUP Zagreb and President of the Croatian Hotel Association. Mark Lankester, CEO of Tune Hotels, and Andrea Mahenna, Managing Director of hotelsclub.com, will examine the potential of low-budget hotels.
