ITB Berlin 2025: Opportunity to network, innovate and get to know the global tourism event

The last two days have been a busy day of networking and today the industry meets for the last time at the world's leading travel trade fair to make valuable contacts in fully packed exhibition halls and shape the future of the industry. Under the motto "The power of transition lives here", high-profile speakers will once again take to the stage at the ITB Berlin Convention. On Thursday at the ITB there will be exciting press conferences by exhibitors and a variety of events.

ITB Berlin morning briefing with David Ruetz

David Ruetz, Senior Vice President of Messe Berlin, looks back on the highlights of ITB Berlin and analyses the final day of the fair. He discusses the unique presence of Albania and the great interest in the opening of ITB Americas. Looking ahead, David reveals the highlights planned for the 60th anniversary of ITB Berlin in 2026. 

NEWS AND PERSPECTIVES

ITB Americas: The new B2B travel trade fair for the entire American continent will be launched in Mexico in 2026
ITB continues to grow: From 10 to 12 November 2026, ITB Americas will celebrate its debut as a B2B travel trade fair in Guadalajara, Mexico. This was announced by Messe Berlin at a press conference at ITB Berlin.

UN Tourism Summit: Ministers from around the world discuss the future of tourism
At the UN Tourism Ministers' Summit at the ITB in Berlin, tourism ministers from many countries around the world discussed the interconnectedness between tourism and peace – a relationship that is mutually dependent and inconceivable without each other. Participants from countries in Europe, Asia and Africa highlighted the value of travel for people-to-people understanding.

From chatbot booking to process optimisation: AI is on the rise
Sixty percent of Lufthansa customers prefer to book traditionally via the website's search engine, but the process is changing. "The entire travel ecosystem is undergoing a real transformation," explains Dr. Olaf Backofen from Lufthansa. According to Backofen, his group of companies is already successfully using AI to generate newsletters and content.

TUI aims for further growth and sees itself well positioned for the future
TUI is planning further expansion, with the aim of increasing both its hotel portfolio and its range of tours and experiences. In addition to hotels, flights, cruises and holiday packages, the company is increasingly focusing on its curated product marketplace, currently known as Tuimusment. This platform already offers a variety of activities to book and, in the future, could also enable customers to buy tickets for events or reserve a table at a restaurant in their home town.

Fuente: ITB Berlin.