ITB Berlin: Innovation at the Heart of Global Tourism
From March 3 to 5, 2026, the ITB Berlin Convention took place in Berlin, a leading event for the international tourism sector. Under the motto “Leading Tourism into Balance,” the convention brought together over 400 experts from businesses, academia, and institutions, offering a platform to discuss the key trends and challenges of global tourism.
The full program, which included 200 sessions spread across 17 thematic tracks, explored topics such as sustainability, technological innovations, and resilient business strategies, providing concrete insights to participants. The event paid particular attention to artificial intelligence and its applications in the tourism sector.
ITB Berlino
ITB Berlino
On the main stage, the eTravel Stage in Hall 6.1, within the Travel Tech, AI Track, and Tours & Activities tracks, speakers such as Martin Stoll (CEO, Sparkloft Media), Alex Chen (CTO, Fliggy), Wendy Olson Killion (CEO, Rome2Rio), and Alex Bainbridge (CEO, Autoura) explored how algorithms and data flows are transforming travel booking and planning.
The Green Stage in Hall 3.1 focused on target markets and special interest segments, including LGBTQ tourism, travel for people with disabilities, youth, adventure, and business travel. Key speakers included Camilo Navarro, COO and co-founder of Wheeltheworld, and Florian Größwang, Innovation Ecosystem Builder at TourCert Austria, who presented marketing strategies, destination positioning, and new forms of travel. The introduction of the new ITB Deep Dives and ITB Tech Time formats provided compact, immediately applicable practical insights.
The Orange Stage in Hall 7.1 hosted discussions on balancing stakeholders and interests in tourism, business sustainability, consumer trends, and marketing. Speakers such as Mitra Sorrells (SVP Content, Phocuswright), Anke Hsu (Chief Growth Officer, Chain4Travel), and Sarah Kopit (Editor-in-Chief, Skift) offered guidance on sustainable and innovative strategies to navigate the ever-evolving tourism landscape.
The Blue Stage in Hall 7.1b focused on tour operators, airlines, cruises, tourism offices, and the hospitality sector. Tracks such as Carrier & Cruise Track, Tour Operator & Travel Sales Track, Destination Track, and Hospitality Track analyzed new market opportunities, industry trends, and strategies for destination management. Among the speakers, Maximilian Hillmeier, Director of Tourism at Bad Hindelang, presented real-life success stories in destination management.
ITB Berlino (7)
ITB Berlino (3)
ITB Berlino (4)
ITB Berlino (8)
The ITB Transition Lab, confirmed after its debut in 2025, offered participants a 90-minute interactive program with data-driven practical recommendations for marketing, destination management, and hospitality. All sessions were available both in-person and via live streaming through ITB Navigator, the event’s central platform, providing access to exhibitor information, the convention program, and events. The content was later made available on ITB Berlin’s YouTube channel, reaching a global audience.
The ITB Berlin Convention 2026 solidified its position as a benchmark event for the international tourism sector, demonstrating how innovation, sustainability, and collaboration are essential tools for steering tourism toward a balanced, resilient, and technologically advanced future. The event provided concrete strategies, knowledge, and connections, helping define the trends and challenges of global tourism in the years to come.
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