ITB Berlin Convention 2014: Focus on Use of New Technologies in Travel Industry

The ITB Berlin Convention, the event that examines forward-looking global tourism issues, will again offer visitors a strategic input and the latest information on significant topics. One of the major topics for discussion at the international travel industry’s leading think tank will be the luxury tourism sector, with a number of sessions examining this subject. At the ITB Global Future and Trends Summit Day, the opening event of the ITB Berlin Convention, Lee McCabe, Head of Travel Facebook, will deliver a keynote speech on the prospects for social media securing new customers. The ITB Berlin Convention will start next year, from March 5 to 8, 2014.

The use of new technologies in the travel industry is another topic that will be extensively discussed at the ITB Berlin Convention. Following the eTravel World’s successful debut of the show, the programme will once again extend into the weekend, to 8 March 2014. Admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for visitors to ITB Berlin.

Nils Müller, CEO of TrendONE, will follow with a second keynote speech on “The world in 2025 – a journey into the future” and will exhibit multimedia innovations. At the ITB Future Days Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International, will present the ITB World Travel Trends Report with the latest data on global and European tourism. The Airline CEO panel will feature senior CEOs from international airlines discussing how low-cost carriers are affecting the tour operator industry.

Both the ITB Asia Panel and the Latin America Forum will be examining the existing challenges facing tourism. Delegates attending the Africa Forum will be looking at the prospects for the luxury tourism sector. At the ITB Berlin Convention, the travel book author Doug Lansky will deliver a paper on how innovative technology can provide solutions for managing swarming destinations, of which there will be more and more in the future. In 2014, gay and lesbian tourism will again be an important topic, with papers and discussions due to be held at the ITB Berlin Convention.

Visitors to the ITB Marketing and Distribution Day will be able to receive realistic tips and find out the latest marketing and sales survey information. TV journalist Percy von Lipinski will bring a keynote speech explaining how to organise a successful press trip. Next year’s ITB Media Summit will focus on new business models and niches in the media market. The Open Innovations session will be examining innovations in the tourism industry.

Once again, the programme of the ITB Berlin Convention is scheduled to include workshops, on South America for example, or on the right procedure for applying for EU funding for tourism projects. In 2014, the slogan of the DGT Speed Dating event is “Science meets the Tourism Industry. At the ITB Young Professional Day, the DGT will be reporting on the current situation regarding tourism studies. At a podium discussion, the DGT and Verband Internet Reisevertrieb (VIR) will be exploring the technological expertise that tourism students need to obtain. In cooperation with the trade publication FVW the DGT will be presenting the results of its latest survey.

Together with ITB Berlin, the DGT will be honouring students for exceptional achievements and presenting them with the ITB Science Award. Next year at the ITB Business Travel Days, the focus will be on the latest developments in the business travel sector.