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Event Preview: ITB Berlin 2026 with Deborah Rothe

• Dan Christian

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Big rooms. Bigger ideas. And a roadmap for what’s next in global tourism. In this event preview episode, we’re joined once again by Deborah Rothe, Director of ITB Berlin, to unpack what’s coming when more than 100,000 travel professionals from 170 countries converge in Berlin this March. From Angola’s host-country spotlight to Thailand’s major presence, we highlight the regions gaining momentum and the early signals that often shape the year ahead.

At the heart of ITB Berlin 2026 is a powerful guiding theme: leading tourism into balance. Deborah breaks down what that really means in practice, sustainable growth that still drives revenue, AI that builds trust and boosts conversion, and innovation that respects human values. On the eTravel Stage, expect hands-on demos showing how AI is transforming distribution, personalization, and service. Across marketing and strategy tracks, we explore how partnerships and value chains are evolving in real time, while destination sessions reframe accessibility and data-driven stewardship as true commercial advantages that increase yield and smooth seasonality.

For attendees, this episode doubles as a practical playbook. We share how to set clear goals, pre-book meetings using the ITB app and Navigator, plan efficient routes across 40 halls, and uncover high-impact sessions beyond the main stages. You’ll also hear field-tested tips, from why printed briefings still sharpen focus, to how pairing business cards with AI-powered follow-ups turns conversations into real pipeline.

We zoom out as well, spotlighting ITB’s expanding global footprint and the launch of ITB Americas in Guadalajara, where regional depth and early signals come together to form lasting partnerships.

If you’re heading to Berlin, or tracking the trends shaping 2026, this episode sets the stage. 

For more information, visit itb.com/en. 

The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds.

https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

SPEAKER_00:

I mean the tourism industry is an obvious fact, right? I mean, who's not happy to be in that industry? I mean, it's the best one. You can travel around, you can see the whole world, you can um get in touch with other cultures, which is just great. And I think it's it's one of the most um resilient industries, but also dynamic industries. So I just love to work with that industry.

SPEAKER_01:

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Travel Trends in a special event preview episode. That's right, preview rather than a spotlight. A spotlight will happen after the event. I am delighted to have been invited back to ITB Berlin for 2026. I had the most incredible time last year, as most of our listeners know, in my very first year, 2025, it is truly one of the world's most extraordinary. It's definitely the world's largest travel industry event. I had the pleasure to interview Deborah Roth, the director of ITB last year. And she has kindly agreed to join me again here today so that we can give all of our listeners a preview of what to expect. But I also want us to highlight to all of our listeners that I'm thrilled to be speaking on the Wednesday afternoon on the tours and activities stage. And I'll actually be in Berlin on Monday as well, speaking at Get Your Guides Head Office. They're doing a pre-ITB event because clearly everyone's coming to town for this big global conference. And so I'll be there on the Monday. I'll be at ITB on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. And so definitely reach out to me, Dan at Travel Trendspodcast.com if you want to connect or be featured in an event spotlight. I may be able to do a few recordings there. So can't wait to see you guys. But most importantly, I want to introduce you to an extraordinary individual that I got to know last year and someone that is clearly a uh a strong global executive in the travel space. I definitely encourage you guys listening to that podcast again because she kindly gave an overview of her whole background, which is incredibly impressive. So today we'll keep that a little more uh we'll keep you more focused on the event. But Deborah Roth, director of ITB, great to have you back on Travel Trends.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you, Dan. It's wonderful to be back.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, fantastic. I know you do a lot of podcasts. You guys have your own podcast, which I had the privilege to be on. Um, but would you mind just giving for anyone that is just meeting you for the first time or just coming to know ITB, a little bit of an overview of your role and this event.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, sure. So ITB Berlin, as you just mentioned in the beginning, thank you for the credits, uh, is the world's leading travel trade show and the most global marketplace for the tourism industry. So every March we bring together the entire value chain, which is actually the most important asset, from destinations and hotels to airlines, tool operators, technology providers, DMC, startups. So almost everyone is coming to Berlin, which is great because we're always happy to have that family gathering of the industry here in Berlin. As director of ITB Berlin, my role is uh mainly um to shape the strategic direction of the show. I mean, we're a trade show, but also a convention. And uh for me, it's important to anticipate where the industry is heading and to make sure ITB remains the most relevant business and knowledge platform for the global travel industry.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and uh tell everyone this is the part that just was staggering for me, how many people come together for this event every year and the types of people in the industry that attracts, because it is very much for the B2B community.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, true. So it is a B2B um event only, uh, which we've changed uh three years ago now, and we're very happy with that because it gives everyone the possibility to um address specific uh the specific community and uh yeah, be surrounded by travel professionals, but also newcomers, I have to say. So uh we basically bring together everyone from the travel industry, so the whole world, which is very important for us, but also the whole value chain. And um, yeah, at the end, I think that um ITB Berlin um, I mean, we're going to be 60 years uh this year, so we're celebrating a Jubilee edition. And uh yeah, I think that's great.

SPEAKER_01:

For sure. No, it's impressive. I mean, it I didn't know exactly what to expect, even though quite a few people, including our common friend Charlotte, had briefed me like, get ready, are you ready for ITB? Think about WTM, but times it by three plus, like take that event, the size of it, and put it on three different levels. That's one thing I didn't, I wasn't quite prepared for, even though pope people had told me about that. And the very first day, uh, because I wasn't speaking to the second day, I had a few meetings the first morning. I then went and wandered the halls and I did the thing that I had been warned about, and I got totally lost. I was so turned around, even with my phone and the map, and I kept circling back. I it was like I kept I kept uh going past the same booth like three times. I'm like, oh my god, I'm literally circling. I'm like lost in the woods. Like it is such and such a massive scale. The the all the tourism boards from around the world. Um now, clearly, so much goes into planning this event. So I got a glimpse of it last year. I'm you know, I'm better prepared to navigate it this year, but clearly every year there's different themes and various priorities that you have to shape the content. Um, tell us a little bit about what the overall plans are this year for March 3rd to 5th over those three days of some of the big you can't obviously that you got so many main stages and so many side stages. Like it's like, how do you pick all the speakers? But tell us some of the overarching themes that people should look forward to with this year's event.

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. So uh coming back to the to the first question, sorry I missed that. Uh so we had around 100,000 people here in Berlin from all over the world. So that brings me also to the topic because it's quite hard to find a topic that fits for everyone, because uh clearly everyone, every company, every destination has its own challenges, but there are a lot that we have in common. And so what we uh put a focus on this year, our guiding idea is leading tourism into balance because we see that the industry is facing a fundamental shift. So growth must be aligned with responsibility, technology, with trust, innovation, with human values. So you need to find a balance in almost every kind of part of the industry, right? So the key conversations for 2026 are, for example, sustainable growth, AI and digital transformation. We're still in that field, the data responsibility and trust, um, but also resilient business models and leadership and talent for a changing industry.

SPEAKER_01:

That's really interesting. And yes, there's never enough digital transformation. Like that's like we're that's the beauty of being in that space, is that it's always evolving, especially now with AI. And that's something I'm definitely keen to ask you about. One of the things that stood out to me too from last year's conference is that um, and again, this was also new for me, which is why it's exciting to connect with you again to you know, have had that first year of experience. And one of the things that for anyone who's been to the event will know this, but anyone that's considering joining, and I strongly encourage you to uh to come and be a part of ITB Berlin because it was it had a profound impact on me over the course of the year because it's early enough in the year that the trends that they are highlighting, you then see it play out over the course of the year. And I just want to give all of our listeners two examples. Uh, each day you get a effectively like a daily newspaper handed to you and you walk in that you guys have like for the day. This is like the freshest content with uh things to expect that day. Like it's really cool because again, this this the scale is so significant, you need that guidance. One of the articles had featured that uh group touring had overtaken uh independent touring as like it was like 55 or 60 percent. And this to me, uh given my background in in group tours with brands like Kantiki or with Wii Road and uh G Adventures, it was exciting to see because I I definitely know that has been building to the point where people love group travel. So seeing that that, and many people think of that as coach travel, that that's something that it was like 20 or 30 years ago, but it's more relevant now than ever. So that was really interesting. I was like, look, ITB has said it has to be true, and um, and it played out that way. The other one was the destination of Albania. Um, like there was like some of the destinations you had that I'm like you you you get a sense at your event which destinations are really which tourism boards are really investing in bringing people to their destination, and you can start to see where the travel trends are going to be based on who's presenting there and exhibiting there and the different destinations you're focusing on because they are making a major effort to be at ITB and promote their destinations. And true enough, that plays out in the marketplace that all of a sudden people are choosing Albania, and all of a sudden I'm hearing Americans saying, Oh, Albania. I did a travel zoo series uh just recently, and Albania is one of the topics. It's like, oh, they one of the top destinations. Like, I could have told you that last year. I was at ITB, I saw that coming. So tell us tell us, tell us, Deborah, Deborah, what are some what might be some of those things for this year? What are some of those things that you're paying attention to that you know are some of the topics that you're focusing on that people like me are going to be uh excited to see and learn more about?

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. So, first of all, starting with the destination, I'd like to drop that Angola is our host country this year. So you will probably hear a lot of Angola already or throughout the year, because it's a very exciting destination. And we're looking forward to actually put a spotlight on them during ITB, but also afterwards, uh, because there's a lot to explore. It's still a hidden gem destination, let's say, and it's also very um very famous or maybe evolving, it's an emerging market in terms of group travel as well. So that could be a very interesting market for you as well. And of course, during the convention, as you've just mentioned, there's a lot of sessions throughout these three days. Uh, we expect again a lot around 200 sessions, 17 theme tracks, so there's a lot to talk about. Um, and we definitely see a strong demand for practical business ready content. So uh that's what we're focusing on. Um, first, of course, of course, AI and Travel Tech on the eTravel stage, for example, speakers uh such as Wendy Olsen from Roan To Rio, Alex Chen from Fliggi, and Martin Stahl from Sparkloft Media show how AI is already reshaping distribution, personalization, and customer journeys. Um, secondly, the marketing, distribution, and strategy. So on the orange stage, uh, experts like Mitra Sorels from Focus Ride and Sarah Copit from Skift, um, and Anka Su from Chain for Travel discuss how business models, uh partnerships, and value chains are evolving. And let me give you a third one about destinations, sustainability, and special interest markets. So on the blue and green stages, uh we have Camille Navarro from Fear the World and Maximilian Hillmeyer from Tourism from Bad Hindelang. Um, they show how accessibility, data-driven destination management, and sustainability are becoming true commercial drivers. So, what connects all these sessions is that people are no longer looking for inspiration alone. They really want solutions they can implement immediately. And we definitely put a focus on that during ITB Burling Convention because it's of course everyone wants to see the big names and the big people and personalities and tourism, but we also want to provide hands-on and um yeah, business ready content.

SPEAKER_01:

That's fantastic. And obviously, I know a number of those names, many great speakers there. Martin Stahl, of course, I know, uh Florence from Focus Right, Sarah Coppett from uh from Skift. And so it's great you have effectively some of these really strong mainstage speakers. But one of the things I I delighted in last year was the fact that there are so many stages happening at the same time. For me, if I liken it to uh tech industry events like South by Southwest, I love going to South by Southwest in Austin. And the difficulty is trying to figure out where to go when and how to get there. That was one of the things that's an exciting buzz about ITB. People like cautioned me, it may take you 30 minutes to get from one meeting to another, just so you know. And sure enough, they were right. I'm scrambling back and forth, trying to find my way. But you see, you have to you have to plan ahead given all the sessions you want to see to figure out how you get from one theater to the next. Um, and the one thing I just thought I'd share too, Deborah, from my uh experience was the fact that you have different themes on these stages. So the tours and activities is where you know Charlotte's actively involved and where I spoke last year and we'll be again this year. But the AI session was on the same stage in the afternoon and it was lined up like 100 people deep to get in. People could not get into the AI sessions. I eventually managed to find my way in, but that's something else to plan ahead. And some of the people that I saw in the sessions, they were not even people that I expected to um it would they they themselves were not necessarily the draw, but you find these, you know, you use the word hidden gems. I find that's the same with some of the speakers. You find some really interesting people that you guys have curated that I don't even know, but you guys have made the effort to bring them because you know they've got something to say and valuable to offer. And then you sit there and like, wait a second, wait, who is this? From what company? And it's just like, whoa, I was like, this is really valuable. And then the other thing I would say is that you guys also put it out on your YouTube channel, which uh for those of you who want to actually get prepared, this is something I uh probably should have done last year, but I I've actually watched a lot of the sessions that I wasn't able to attend in person on your YouTube channel because you record all these sessions as well. So I'm I'm saying that for those people that are panicked that they're not gonna be able to get to everything they want, just make sure you make note of it and eventually you can watch it. Like you still will be able to see it.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so we we we actually, of course, we want everyone on site because it's it's always good or great to have a great crawl um crowd um uh in in the rooms and at the stages because then we have you know an engaging um conversation as well because we don't want to just put the the content on stage, we also want the community to engage with it and get into the discussion. So that's uh why we have we want to have everyone on site. But yes, we do have the videos afterwards on YouTube. And we also have you just mentioned in the beginning, we will do morning briefings again. So every day in the morning, you'll get a morning briefing uh at our podcast in order to get the you know relevant information in a compact way uh to know where to go and when to go and whom to meet. So um yeah, I hope uh that everyone is um joining us on that podcast to actually get that information.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, the best thing about that is as people were handing them out and other people are like, wait, are this online? And um, because you mentioned about sustainability and it's like so people like yes, of course, it's actually on the app as well. But I actually loved getting handed or printed. Like I'm I'm old school that way. Like I still love checking into a nice hotel and getting a copy of the newspaper. It's just like there's a thrill in print. I and I think there's a renaissance happening there. So the fact that I actually it captures my attention even more so because if I go to my phone, five other things are gonna grab my attention. But if I have that uh the daily press briefing, I will sit in my first session and read it cover to cover. And so I actually yeah, and that's why so I'm encouraging everyone else to do the same thing. Don't just pass over it because you're like, oh, it's on it's on my phone. It's like, sure, there's a lot of stuff on your phone, but are you gonna read it properly and understand it? Um tell us, Deborah, the people that are listening to this are all over the world. They're uh travel advisors, they're tour operators. Um, many of them will hopefully have the opportunity to attend. And some of them, that's why I wanted to highlight the opportunity to at least be able to access the content online so that you know wherever you are in the world, you can still tap into uh the knowledge uh that's getting shared at the event. You don't obviously have the networking opportunity, which is one of the big reasons for going to ITB. But tell us a little bit about who ITB appeals to. And so um, and I I want to ask you that question because I have an idea of why you know I want to be there and some of the other my other colleagues. And whenever I get asked, like, should I go to ITB, the answer is like uh hell yes, like you should be there. Like it's just like you, yeah, if you can go, you should go. Um, but tell us who should be uh who it should appeal to, what what types of roles in the industry where you decide, yeah, if you're if you do this role, of course you should be there. So yeah, who should be at ITB?

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, I don't want to be too general, but I have to say that everyone who's part of the tourism industry globally, who's interested in the tourism industry, who wants to get inspired by the industry or by the topics and trends, who is making maybe um trying to build a new startup in that field, or um looking for partners, looking for for business. Like everyone is kind of you know the right um community uh for us. So we are happily welcome you at ITB Berlin because this is where tourism industry happens. This is where ideas are gonna be made, this is where inspiration is going to be on stage. So just enjoy the show and be part of that family gathering.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, no, it's absolutely the trade the case. And that's the um the other thing you mentioned there about the global nature of the conference. And you certainly see this on the floor because you have every corner of the world represented. And and you know, you've got Africa, you've got uh Oceania with Australia, you've got uh, of course, you've got Asia. You have like there's the South America section, and then within the South America section, you have specific countries, and within those countries, I'll use Columbia as an example. Pro Columbia, the tourism board, then gets a space, and then you have all these small operators, small organizations like Impulse Travel. And I mentioned them because I happen to sit on the board of this company, Impulse Travel, and I just found out they're gonna be at ITB again this year because they've been approved by ProColumbia, and they were so excited to be going back to ITB. So it touches so many different organizations around the world of various sizes that then want to find a small DMC to work with. Um but the one thing I'd love to know, because you have this uh you have this unique vantage point of knowing who's coming to the event, who's taken the biggest booth space. Um, oftentimes it has been, like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and their booths are spectacular. I think I had like a top five last year, and I had a difficulty of choosing which was my favorite, but obviously Saudi is particularly uh spectacular, um, given their F1 cars and like you know, they're serving tea, and it's just like the whole experience is like um uh it's incredible and so welcoming, and really gives you a much better appreciation of the destination, unlike what you might otherwise hear in the media. So, like it gives you all the reasons why you should visit Saudi and be able to understand the different cities within the country and regions. But tell us from a global point of view, what uh regions or markets are gaining the most momentum going into 2026? You mentioned Angola, so I'm assuming Africa is also kind of like in motion for 2026. Yeah, tell us from inbound, outbound, where are you seeing the the investment and what should people be paying attention to as far as regions on the rise?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so um as I wanted to mention as well, so we are actually having 170 countries and regions on site. So you can go from uh Germany to Saudi Arabia, from uh Italy to Colombia, like you just said, or the US, Canada. So everyone is actually presented, but also in terms of the companies. Um, we do actually see strong dynamics coming from Africa, so the African region is like um growing a lot at ITB Berlin. We do have two halls already, which are almost around 8,000, 9,000 square meters, so it's quite big already. In comparison, the travel tech companies, for example, are growing for many, many years already. We have six halls already, it's growing and growing. We have waiting lists. We can't right now we can't serve, but we're trying in the future, so we have to grow our fairground definitely. Um, what we also do see is that Latin America is especially focusing on experiential travel. So there's a lot, um uh there are a lot of companies coming from that kind of area. I mean the destinations are there, but also the OTAs, the DMCs, um, they are focusing on experiential travel. The Middle East um is uh kind of the new aviation and investment hub. So this is going to be interesting as well. And Asia Pacific, especially China, India, and Southeast Asia are growing uh tremendously. So Thailand, for example, is going to be our biggest um exhibitor when it comes to square meters this year. So it's going to be interesting as well.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh wow, I'm looking forward to that. Thailand I've been to several times, and it is one of my favorite travel destinations. It's gone through a dramatic uh rise over the last 15 or 20 years. And so the tourism there, they have um um, you know, such such a large uh tourism market there. So it's interesting to hear that they're now uh up in the ante again and ready for um uh growth. But the um the other thing I wanted to ask you for anyone that is either planning to come to ITB for the first time, like I was, or uh is coming back to ITB if they've been away for a couple of years, one of the things I'd love for you to be able to share with our listeners is how best to plan for the event. I've logged into the system already because I had to make sure I have put my details up on the platform and I've been looking around to kind of get a sense of what's happening. I realize that I do need to dedicate time to make sure I set up meetings in advance and I have an idea of how, because once you arrive, it's just go. And um, so tell everyone, if you wouldn't mind, how best to prepare for the event, like with the app, with the website. Uh, what would be your recommendations from people that you see that do it properly every year and know how to organize themselves, their meetings, um, and take full advantage of being at the event.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, sure. So, yeah, as you just mentioned, it's a it's a huge event. So you you kind of have every kind of possibility to use your attendance during ITB Berlin. So I think the first thing you have to do is clear your goals. So, why are you attending? What is your main aim? And have that in mind the whole time because otherwise you get distracted by everyone and everything. So, I mean, distraction is good as an event because you know there's a lot you can see, and so sometimes it's um maybe not expected, but a great opportunity that comes up immediately. But clear your goals and then pre-schedule your meetings. So go on online at itb.com, itbnavigator, or use the app. I think that's the most convenient thing. You can just download our app. It's gonna be online probably next week. At the end, I would say it's uh it's completely um safe. So go download the app and use that to pre-schedule your appointments, um, see who's there and who might be of interest for you. So find the right people. Um, and then yeah, have an open mindset. Try to get inspired by the sessions and I at ITB Berlin Convention and use the time in between in order to move around and have a look at all the all the halls. We have 40 halls, so bring your trainers. You have definitely to walk a lot. So it's about 20 kilometers per day you can definitely have on your watch at the end of the day. And I think the most important thing is it's not just about your presence because you have to get the best out of it. You have to get a best ROI, right? Today, everything is about the return on investment, but you have to define what is your return that you want to reach. So um, yeah, use that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, one of the things to just to uh underscore your point about ROI, all the contacts you can make, given that every booth has uh everyone has their business cards. So clearly everyone is handing out business cards, it's still very much that business model. And I I uh realized I needed to make sure I have all my business cards because that is that still is and yes, you can bump your phones together, and yes, you can scan QR codes, and yes, there's lots of other ways to connect. But sometimes at the end of the day, when you get back to your hotel room, it makes a difference if you pull out a stack of cards and you start to go through them because you may or may not have um prioritized finding that contact within your phone. That's one of the things I find that like someone's like, Oh, just connect with me, contact. And I'm like, it goes into my phone and then I'm just it's gone. And it's like, wait a second, yeah, I did meet you, and I do have your and I I look, I uh how many times have we done that when you're like you try to find someone, you go to someone to add someone, and you go, wait a second, you're already in there. We met last year.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's like Yeah, true, true. I I'm always I also do uh always use my business cards, and I love that. I also love the kind of uh moment where you hand them over, you know, it's more personal than just you know putting your phones together. So at the end, the other one is more, let's say, sustainable. It's not paper, of course. But that's I think business cards are a better way to do that, yeah, for me as well.

SPEAKER_01:

For sure. And I'd love to hear for people listening to this episode, feel free to add in the comments any AI hacks that you might have for making the most out of being at ITB. I've heard a number of my colleagues that have gotten ready for events, you know, they'll download the itinerary or download all the meetings and use ChatGPT or any of the um LLMs to try and help them optimize their meeting schedule and um and figure out who they should meet. And then the other cool thing that a colleague of mine uh had shared is that she takes all the business cards afterwards and then uses um uh Chat GPT to write custom emails to everyone that that they've met with something more specific as opposed to like it was great to meet you, we should connect sometime. She actually it takes out more information about who they are and what they do and helps provide suggestions of why they should have a meeting and uh and suggest times for the meeting because if you don't make that connection right away, and that's something I've learned too, because I'm not a business development person, it's not my background, but the immediacy of following up with people after the event using those tools, because otherwise you find that business card. I think I think Deborah, I think I have a few from last year that I just like they're still on my desk, right? I'm like, I didn't I didn't action any of them. So for those people out there, I'm so sorry. I don't I didn't, I'm not trying to ghost you. I just like life got busy. Um, but there's where I think some of these tools I need to use them. So I'm actually asking our listeners too to share some of the techniques because I think everyone's finding their way with AI to make their workflow more efficient, and I'm sure there's got to be ways to do that for uh for this event. All right, so I got two more questions for you, Deborah, and then otherwise um I'm excited to see you there in person. But one of the things I wanted to highlight for all of our listeners is that post-ITB Berlin, one of the exciting developments that you had highlighted to me last year was the fact that you guys are going to the Americas later this year in November, and it's in Mexico. Um, so let's remind everyone beyond ITB Berlin, the scale of this organization, all the other conferences you have over the course of the year, and specifically tell us about your plans for the very first ITB of the Americas.

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. Yeah, so this is a very special year for us because first we're celebrating the 60 years of the whole brand, which shows that ITB is clearly a brand that is sustainable, that is uh the family gathering of the year, but not only in Berlin. We are um continuing after ITB Berlin, we're in China for ITB China and India for ITB India. Um then we're going uh ahead with ITB Asia, and then in November, so the last show of this year, but the first ever edition, is going to be ITB America's in Guadalajara. So in Mexico, it's from the 10th to the 12th November. And as I just sat, it's the first edition ever.

SPEAKER_01:

That's exciting. And I was telling Deborah before we kicked off, and actually it even stood out to me last year that they picked Mexico, which I think is a great destination. I'm saying that as a Canadian and uh part of the North American um uh free trade uh setup that we have. So, you know, Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans, we've got lots that connects us and keeps us together. And one of the things I was thrilled about was the fact it's going to be in Mexico because I think Mexico is so well geographically positioned for a conference like this, especially given how many people would be traveling up from South America to be there in a Spanish-speaking country for an event like this. So I'm I'm really excited to be a part of that event, hopefully later this year. But more importantly, right now, I'm excited for ITB Berlin. And so I want to finish on that note because uh you obviously get excited about this event every year. You put so much uh time and effort into bringing this event to life. I'm sure once it's over, you take a week off to collect in yourself and just um have a chance to decom decompress and then start planning it again for next year. But given that we're on the cusp of ITB Berlin 2026, tell us personally what's something that you're really excited about as we count down to ITB Berlin 2026.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, there's so much that I'm excited about. I mean, speaking about our country Angola, the opening ceremony, which will be definitely a great show, um, the key zomba, which is the traditional dance from Angola. I'm trying to learn that beforehand because obviously I'm always deep diving into the culture. I'm always so interested and curious about that. Uh, but also Airbnb, which is our premium partner this year, and talking about nature travel. Um, so I'm excited to see to see um all the sessions about that and the stand in hall nine. Um and yeah, I think the the general thing I'm excited about is the energy, the trade show energy, because this is what keeps me going and keeps me staying in that industry. I mean, the tourism industry is an obvious fact, right? I mean, who's not happy to be in that industry? I mean, it's the vast one. You can travel around, you can see the whole world, you can um get in touch with other cultures, which is just great. And I think it's it's one of the most um resilient industries, but also dynamic industries. So I just love to work with that industry and also the trade shows because this is where a big event happens. Everyone comes together, everyone is hugging, laughing, and doing business in the meantime, which is great. So um I think every year seeing how the industry reinvents itself um just shows me that ITB Berlin is not just a show, it's a movement for the future of travel. And that excites me most.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I could agree with you more. I mean, I love seeing people on holiday. I find that when people are on uh on holiday, that's their best version of themselves because they've waited all year to go on that holiday. And I find the same for people who work in the travel industry that genuinely love travel and uh connecting with other people, it's exactly that experience that you know, you're so overjoyed to see people again, everyone's giving hugs, and it's just like it's it almost feels like a travel experience because you are so engrossed with the idea of seeing all these new destinations. Like it is a travel experience unto itself. That was my takeaway last year because I felt like I had experienced a lot of cultures and learned a lot more about the world just by walking around a trade show in the halls. And for those people out there, there's like, oh, another trade show is just like you're not in the right industry. If you're not super excited about ITB Berlin, um, because people like, oh, there's so many people, it's just, yeah, that's amazing. That's like these are all the wonderful things about it. So um let's leave everyone to make sure that they know how they can register, get more information to partner with you or the team. I know you've mentioned the website, but let's just make sure that we have given all of our listeners the best ways to reach out to your team to collaborate with you if there's still partnership opportunities, and obviously most importantly, for anyone else to make sure that they're registered and planning to attend, especially things like hotels. I didn't know Airbnb was going to be presenting, they don't do a lot of conferences, so that's a big deal this year.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I'm really happy about that partnership because I I had the chance to meet um to meet Ellen during another um uh meeting uh conference uh last year. Uh so Ellen Madeka, and we just uh got in conversation and I was like, well, Airbnb, we we want to do something together with you because short-term rentals are so interesting for us. So um yeah, we just got together and tried that out, and I'm happy that we're now in a in a big partnership. So that's gonna be interesting. Um, I think for for preparation, the most important go to is really our website, itb.com. If you want to get in touch with us directly or with the team, it's itb at messe-berlin.de. This is our major contact um point, and you will definitely get one of our team members directly in touch. So yeah, I think that's the best thing. And then download the app and get all the information that you need to prepare.

SPEAKER_01:

Fantastic. Thank you, Deborah. It's great to speak to you again. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks' time. Really appreciate you joining us for this. Good luck in the next few weeks of getting all set, and I'll see you in Berlin very soon.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you, Dan. Looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_01:

And thanks so much to all of our listeners for joining us on this special event preview episode of Travel Trends. I hope you plan to join us in Berlin March 3rd to 5th, 2026. If you're listening it to after this, make sure you check out the YouTube channel to see all the sessions. As I mentioned at the beginning, I'm speaking on the Wednesday. I believe it's around noon on the tours and activities. So definitely look out for that and plan to join if you want to say hello. I will also be spending time with my friends at the Adventure Travel and Trade Association. They have a uh a booth set up at the event, and my good friend Shannon and the and the team will be there, as well as the team from Focus, right? So you'll definitely be able to find me over the course of the few days at the event. But feel free to send me an email, Dan at Travel Trendspodcast.com if you want to record part of an uh event spotlight or just connect while we're there. Uh, but thanks again for joining us, and I can't wait to see you in Berlin. Until next time, safe travels.

Contributor

Dan Christian

Host