Tail wind from Asia

ITB Berlin with positive outlook for 2010 - ITB Asia fully booked

Berlin/Singapore (October 16, 2009). The Berlin Trade Fair (Messe Berlin) begins preparations for the ITB Berlin, which will take place between 10 and 14 March 2010, with positive trend announcements. This year, the event in Berlin will receive an additional push from the ITB Asia. The second trade fair of the Asian travel industry will take place in Singapore between 21 and 23 October.

"This year, the ITB Asia will play an especially important role as impulse provider," Astrid Ehring says, Public Relations Officer for ITB Berlin. The considerable increase in the number of exhibitors for Singapore is a sign that the industry in Asia again expects positive performance from the global travel industry in future, she continued. Markets in Africa, Europe and North America will doubtlessly benefit from such positive mood. For the ITB Asia in Singapore, more exhibitors have reserved stands than was the case last year. The event is already fully booked.

A whole six months before its begin in Germany, the ITB Berlin feels the positive signals from the Asian travel industry. With Exhibition Hall 7.2 for themselves and Exhibition Hall 26 also largely dominated by oriental exhibitors, the Asian presence in Berlin is strong. "With all due caution, today already we can assume that bookings for 2010 will again be stable. We already expect to have to implement a waiting list for some halls," Dr Martin Buck explains, Director of the competence centre Travel & Logistics for Messe Berlin.

"The ITB Berlin is traditionally the most important economic indicator of the global travel industry. In the coming year, the trade fair will show just how effective the national economic rescue packages have been and how serious the consequences of the economic crisis and any increase in unemployment will be on consumption and private travel," Buck explained.

Partner country for next year''s ITB will be Turkey. Turkey will be responsible for the opening celebrations on 9 March 2010 in the International Congress Centre (ICC) and be represented throughout the trade fair with cultural events and culinary treats. Turkey will also stand in the spotlight at the official opening tour of the ITB Berlin and will present the special nature of its metropolises and cultural landscape.

The ITB Berlin 2010 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday from 10 to 14 March. From Wednesday to Friday, the ITB Berlin will be open to trade visitors.

Parallel to the trade fair, the ITB Berlin Congress will take place from Wednesday to Saturday, 10 to 13 March 2010. The congress is the biggest of its kind in the industry. Full programme and information can be accessed under www.itb-kongress.de. The ITB Berlin is the leading trade fair of the global travel industry. In 2009, 11,098 companies from 187 countries exhibited their products and services. This attracted 178,971 visitors, among them 110,857 trade visitors.

hospitalityInside.com is media partner for the ITB Asia and the Hotel Conference "ITB Hospitality Day" at the ITB Berlin. / red

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