ITB Berlin 2023: meeting place for the international LGBTQ+ travel industry

The most international tourism offer in the world in the LGBTQ+ Tourism segment at any trade fair: numerous exhibitors from this market have announced their participation in ITB Berlin from March 7 to 9, 2023. Participating for the first time in the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion in Hall 4.1 is home to Visit Malta, where this year's Europride will be presented, Comunitat Valenciana, which presents Benidorm and the Gay Games 2026 in Valencia, Visit Buenos Aires, Visit Tampa Bay, the Munich Tourist Board and Proudly Portugal. Other exhibitors include IGLTA, TOMONTOUR, GNETwork Madrid, Florida Keys and Key West. Industry meetings, press events, presentations, conferences, expert interviews, panel discussions,

During the three-day event, LGBTQ+ tourism professionals and trade visitors will meet with representatives of destinations and product providers in exciting networking events and various parties in the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion in Hall 4.1. An extensive program also awaits LGBTQ+ tourism professionals on the stage of the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion and at the ITB Convention in Berlin.

Networking events, parties and knowledge sharing on the stage of the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion in Hall 4.1

On Tuesday 7th March at 10am, Visit Malta together with Europride Valetta 2023 and other exhibitors will meet reputable media members and bloggers for networking at the well-known LGBTQ+ Media Brunch in the LGBTQ+ Pavilion. The official opening of the pavilion will take place at 14:15 with Gavin Gulia, Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, and Carlo Micallef, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, official representatives from Valencia, Buenos Aires, the Bay of Tampa and Felipe Cardenas. Chairman of the Board, IGLTA, who will announce IGLTA Convention City 2024 at the event. The first day of the show will be completed with an LGBTQ+ networking reception, organized by Tomontour, at 5:00 p.m. in the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion.

On Wednesday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m., under the motto '10 Years – Pink Pillow Berlin Collection', an event will take place on the stage of the segment pavilion where Philip Ibrahim, CEO of The Social Hub Berlin, and Ralf Ostendorf , Chief Division Director of Market Management at Visit Berlin, will welcome the guests. At 1.30pm, in a session entitled 'LGBTQI+ Tourism: European Perspectives and Differences', Philippe De Wulf, CEO of VO Citizen, will present the results of a survey conducted by the European LGBTQ Media Association & VO Colorus (ELMA). At 2pm, in a panel discussion titled 'PINKWASHING: HOW TO AVOID IT IN 2023!', Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz, blogger @onairplanemode and Rachel Ferguson, director of innovation and global diversity for Visit Philadelphia, will explain how companies can avoid facelift. In the session entitled 'Level up your Social Media: The Future is vertical video' at 3:30 p.m., participants will be able to learn all about the latest trends, what to do and what not to do, and useful tips to increase the visibility of users on social networks. social media like TikTok, Shorts from Instagram and YouTube, from award-winning creator, TV host and influencer Ravi Roth.

On Thursday 9 March, the Global LGBTQ+ Business Summit, held in the pavilion this year, will kick off at 9:30am with an LGBTQ+ networking breakfast sponsored by Visit Brussels. The official opening of the summit is scheduled for 10:30 am In addition to panel discussions and presentations, 1-2 p.m. to shape the world towards a more LGBTQ+ Inclusive place'. The event will be attended by Clayton Bartolo, Minister of Tourism of Malta, Jane Castor, Mayor of Tampa, Florida, Benedikt Brandmeier, Director of Tourism, Events and Hospitality of the Department of Labor and Economic Affairs of the Bavarian capital Munich, and Fatima Zibouh of Brussels 2030. The full program can be found at the LGBTQ* Program.

On Wednesday 8 March at the TWO Hotel Berlin by Axel, long-time ITB partner IGLTA hosts a party that has already achieved cult status. Concluding ITB Berlin on Thursday, March 9 at 7 pm at the Ritz Carlton Berlin and for the first time the ITB Diversity Gala will take place, in which there will be a silent auction in support of the IGLTA Foundation and the presentation of the ITB LGBTQ+ Pioneer Award of this year. be taking place.

The Diversity & Inclusion track at the ITB Berlin Convention on March 7 looks at trends and discusses challenges

On Tuesday, March 7, on the Green Stage in Hall 3.1, the ITB Berlin Convention's Diversity & Inclusion track will feature panel discussions and presentations that will also address queer issues. In addition to a panel on LGBTQ+ tourism, the focus will be on gender, equality, diversity and inclusion (GEDI) and geopolitical aspects in tourism. Keynote speakers will report on example-setting activities from around the world and in all tourism markets and critically analyze tourism.

On the Diversity & Inclusion track at 12:10 p.m. on the Green Stage in Hall 3.1, in the round table entitled 'LQBTQ+ Tourism and Resilience', the participants will talk about the need for LGBTQ+ tourism actors to face current challenges, such as the resurgence of conservatism and the climate emergency. Participants will include Barbara Poma, founder of the onePULSE foundation, Benedikt Brandmeier, Director of Tourism, Events and Hospitality at the Department of Labor and Economic Affairs in the Bavarian capital of Munich, Rachel Ferguson, Director of Innovation and Global Diversity at Visit Philadelphia and Peter Jordan, LGBTQ+ destination development advisor at Gen C Traveler. This will be directly followed by the announcement of the 2023 ITB LGBTQ+ Pioneer Award for special achievement in LGBTQ+ tourism. The official award ceremony will take place at the ITB Diversity Gala.

At 1:05 p.m. there will be a discussion on peace and tourism and how geopolitical aspects influence travel behaviour, also with a view to gay travellers. Participants will be Russell Lord , Senior Travel Consultant at Kenes Tours Global Services, Theresa Quiachon , Senior Consultant at Löning Human Rights & Responsible Business, Petra Thomas , Managing Director of Forum Anders Reisen, and Natalia Turcanu , Tourism Industry and Marketing Manager, Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity (RCRA) Moldova, as well as Elon Cushi from Albanian Trip.

Full details of the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion program can be downloaded from ITBxplore. An overview of the Diversity and Inclusion track can be found here.