BERLIN – ITB Berlin Sets New Standards Ahead of the Trade Fair: With a 95% occupancy rate, a record number of international exhibitors from 165 countries, and strong growth in key travel segments, the world’s leading tourism trade fair reflects the industry’s revival.

High Demand in the Cruise and Travel Technology Sectors

The cruise sector, as well as exhibitors from Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa, are in particularly high demand. The Travel Technology sector is also booming, with additional exhibition space in Hall 4.1. Returning exhibitors such as Trenitalia, Panama, and Hamburg, along with new participants like Djibouti and Visa, add further dynamism.

This year’s official partner country, Albania, impresses with its “All Senses” theme in Halls 3.1 and 4.1. The ITB Berlin Convention, under the motto “The Power of Transition Lives Here,” will address major global tourism challenges and opportunities. Attendees can look forward to a diverse range of exhibitors and new event formats, such as the ITB Transition Labs, guided tours for trade visitors, and the ITB Travel & Tourism Report.

ITB Berlin 2025: A Major Global Industry Event

ITB Berlin will take place from March 4 to 6, 2025, at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, shaping up to be the international travel industry event of the year. As a purely B2B platform, it runs under the motto “The World of Travel Lives Here,” showcasing the entire tourism value chain.

The modern hub27 hall traditionally hosts exhibitors from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH region). Hamburg returns with its own stand and, for the first time, offers a familiarization trip for the LGBTQ+ community after ITB Berlin. Other German regions, including Berlin, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia, will have their own stands, while others, such as Saxony and Thuringia, will be represented at the German National Tourist Board’s (DZT) joint stand. Austria and Switzerland have expanded their presence, and Sonnenklar.TV has secured its own stand in hub27 following the insolvency of FTI.

Diverse Global Representation Across Exhibition Halls

Exhibitors from all over the world will be present again this year. The Asia Hall (Hall 26) is already fully booked, with Vietnam, China, and Mongolia expanding their stands. Thailand has a massive presence, occupying three-quarters of Hall 26b and becoming the second-largest exhibitor at ITB Berlin 2025.

The Arab states are making a strong impact with large-scale exhibits and innovative trade fair concepts, emphasizing their growing importance in global tourism. Saudi Arabia is the largest exhibitor in Hall 4.2, occupying a significant portion of the space. Tunisia has relocated from Hall 6.2, and Qatar is also back with a stand.

Spotlight on Albania and Central Asia

The partner country Albania is featured under the theme “Albania – All Senses” on nearly 800 square meters in Hall 3.1. For the first time, Central Asian countries will be present in this hall, with Uzbekistan standing out thanks to its large stand and a dedicated presence from its airline, CentrumAir. Condor, previously a staple in Hall 3.1, will move to the South America Hall this year. Meanwhile, the USA, Canada, Kosovo, and North Macedonia have expanded their presence in Hall 3.1.

Growing Exhibitor Numbers and Expanded Spaces

• Hall 2.1: Spain’s Balearic Islands, Costa del Sol, and Valencia have expanded their booths.
• Hall 1.1: Greece is the focal point, with Rhodes growing in size and Kos making its debut as a standalone exhibitor. Cyprus has also expanded its space.
• Hall 3.2: Fully booked with a strong presence of Turkish exhibitors. Bulgaria has also expanded its stand.
• Hall 1.2: Italy (ENIT) is back with a major presence. Trenitalia is returning, while Montenegro has expanded its space.
• Hall 11.2: Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Georgia, and Armenia, are well represented.

New Participants and Expanding Regions

• Hall 18: The Netherlands and Luxembourg have increased their space. Wallonia (Belgium) returns with its own stand.
• Hall 22b: Central America sees increased presence, with Panama making a strong comeback and Guadalajara debuting.
• Hall 23: South America is expanding, with Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina enlarging their stands. Colombia, Brazil, and Bolivia are also present.
• Hall 5.2: The Maldives showcases its diverse offerings, while Nepal, Australia, and New Zealand expand their presence.
• Hall 20: South Africa and Mauritius are the largest exhibitors. Namibia, Madagascar, Ethiopia, and Mozambique highlight their unique travel experiences.
• Hall 21a: Djibouti makes its debut, while Uganda, Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Tanzania expand their exhibition space.

Travel Industry Segments at ITB Berlin 2025

• Hall 25 (Tour Operators, Airlines, and Cruise Providers): Fully booked, featuring AIDA, Carnival Corporation, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean, MSC, Norwegian, Hurtigruten, and Disney. Newcomers include Arosa Cruises, Falk Travel, and Swiss Group International.
• Travel Technology (Halls 5.1, 6.1, 7.1c, 8.1, 9, 10.1, and 4.1): Showcasing AI-driven solutions, automation, and home bots, with new exhibitors such as Aphy, aicallio, and Casablanca AI.
• Hall 4.1 (Adventure Travel & Responsible Tourism): Hosting 50 exhibitors from 20 countries, including Comoros, Palau, and Tonga, alongside a second stand for Albania. Sustainability remains a key theme, with around 80 exhibitors.
• Medical & Health Tourism (Hall 4.1): A growing sector, featuring Turkish clinics, EHTTA, HTI, and ESPA.
• LGBTQ+ Tourism (Hall 4.1): Expanding with new participants such as Il Capri Hotel (Italy), REDD (Spain), ACE Hotel Kyoto (Japan), and Visit Florida Keys.

New Formats and Innovations

• ITB Guided Tours: Covering Travel Technology, MICE, Innovators, Luxury, and Hospitality for trade visitors.
• Street Food Market: Moving to Hall 8.2.
• ITB Navigator: A digital platform for exhibitor lists, event schedules, and live streams.
• ITB Match & Meet: Smart networking tool.
• Presentation Hub (Hall 5.3): Available for booking by non-exhibitors.

ITB Berlin Convention: “The Power of Transition Lives Here”

The ITB Berlin Convention remains the leading think tank in the travel industry, featuring 400 top speakers from companies such as Expedia, Google, Uber, Booking.com, Microsoft, TUI, and Ryanair.

New highlights:

• Corporate Culture Clash Track: Addressing diversity, work-life balance, and Gen Z expectations.
• ITB Masterclass: A hands-on morning workshop covering Business Travel and MICE.
• Live Streaming: All four convention stages will be streamed live for the first time.

ITB Berlin 2025 runs from March 4–6 as a trade-only event, maintaining its status as the world’s leading travel trade fair since 1966.

Photo: AT/hz