Focus on “Albanity“ at ITB Berlin

Starting Tuesday, more than 5,800 exhibitors from 170 countries will be gathering at ITB Berlin 2025, the World's Leading Travel Trade Show. Attendance is expected to reach 100,000. At the opening of the trade show, Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin GmbH, said that ITB Berlin presented the "entire spectrum of global tourism". President of the German Travel Association (DRV) Norbert Fiebig expressed his satisfaction with the six per cent growth in turnover of the German travel market in 2024, while in her keynote speech Mitra Sorrells, Senior Vice President Content at the US market research institute Phocuswright, forecast steady growth. His Excellency Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the host country Albania, presented his country as the world's fastest growing travel destination.

Under the heading ’The Power of Transition Lives Here’, the trade show is accompanied by the ITB Berlin Convention, which Dr. Tobias described as the largest travel industry thinktank in the world. 400 leading speakers from business, science and politics will discuss the challenges facing the industry both now and in the future at 200 sessions on four stages and at a total of 17 themed tracks.

Match & Meet and a Talent Hub

Dr. Tobias said that this year's ITB Berlin offered numerous new event formats, wide-ranging tools for better networking and additional opportunities for targeted information – including the Match & Meet matchmaking tool. At the ITB Talent Hub, young professionals have an opportunity to meet with business leaders. He praised Albania's hospitality as the host country, which had already led to a new term: "Albanity", a combination of the country's name and "hospitality".

Rama: New airports in Albania

Rama pointed out that Albania ranked alongside Saudi Arabia and Qatar as one of the fastest growing travel destinations in the world – even without a FIFA World Cup or Mecca. That was why several more airports were planned in addition to the one in the capital Tirana.

Germans are not saving on travelling

Fiebig said that the Germans were not cutting back on travel. Bucking the general consumer trend, turnover in the industry rose by six per cent in 2024, a figure he also expected for this year. Early bookings had increased significantly, he said. Cruises were an important growth driver. Fiebig also saw this year's ITB host country Albania topping the list of travel destinations for German holidaymakers with a 36 per cent increase.

AI gaining traction in the market

Despite a gloomy consumer outlook the global travel market continues to grow, although not at the same rates as before. That was Sorrells’ message in her keynote speech. By contrast, there was a greater willingness to invest in travel startups, but to a lesser extent than in 2022, she said. With digitalisation increasing in all areas of life, AI was proving to be an important tool for the travel industry and consumers. However, it still needed to adapt.