Strong Numbers for ITB Berlin 2010

A slight rise in exhibitor attendance and stable trade visitor numbers from both Germany and abroad ensured the ITB Berlin 2010 was a success.

11,127 companies from 187 countries (2009: 11,098) exhibited the international travel industry’s entire range of products and services. 110,953 trade visitors from 180 countries attended the show, equalling last year’s figures. As in 2009, 45% of the trade visitors came from abroad. This year there was a considerably higher number from Asia.

 68,398 members of the general public (2009: 68,114) took the opportunity to obtain wide-ranging information from tour organisers and find out about niche market providers offering individual travel. A total of 179,351 visitors (178,971) attended the show.

Approximately 7,200 accredited journalists from 89 countries covered the fair. Politicians and members of the diplomatic services from around the world gathered at ITB Berlin. 95 foreign national delegations and four royal highnesses were in attendance, as well as the President of the Republic of Maldives, the Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia and the Vice-President of the Seychelles. 111 ambassadors, three general consuls, 17 foreign presidents and prime ministers, 76 ministers and deputy ministers and a number of foreign state secretaries visited ITB Berlin.

 Politicians from Germany also came to find out what the travel industry had to offer. Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Rainer Brüderle and Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development Peter Ramsauer spoke to exhibitors during their tour of the fair. State secretaries representing the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and the Ministry of Defence, Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, 17 ministers from German Federal States as well as senators found out about travel products and trends.

Taleb Rifai, General Secretary of UNWTO, said, “As the world is experiencing a period of profound change - ranging from the economy to the environment – tourism as a truly global activity can make a meaningful contribution in these times of transformation. Against this backdrop, ITB 2010 has again proven to be the ideal setting to showcase the resilience and innovation capacity of the tourism industry. UNWTO is happy to partner with ITB and together contribute to a stronger and more responsible tourism sector.”

The next ITB Berlin will take place from Wednesday, 9 to Sunday, 13 March 2011. The partner country will be Poland.

ITB Asia will take place in Singapore 20 - 22 October 2010.

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