Singapore, Singapore, October 24, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / ITB Asia, Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show, successfully concluded today rounding off the first virtual event in its 13-year history.
The highly-anticipated trade show was hosted virtually on the newly established online platform, ITB Community in Asia (ITB Community). Over three days, the virtual event welcomed over 35,000 travel professionals from around the world who participated in the show’s vibrant agenda of conference and networking sessions, supported by world leaders and leading destinations. With the virtual platform providing the perfect space for networking, attendees also took part in online business appointments, fuelling confidence in the industry’s future.
Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), organiser of ITB Asia, shared: “We are proud to be the leading travel trade show in Asia, playing our part in creating a close-knit community who support one another through the good times and the more difficult ones. The past three days have been a testament to the resilience of our peers with industry leaders coming together, united by a common purpose of paving the way forward in the face of the new normal.”
New exhibitors signal confidence in the industry
This year, exhibitors were present at ITB Asia 2020 Virtual’s exhibition through digital exhibition booths. The virtual exhibition featured major players in the hotel, tourism and travel sectors, including Advantage Austria, Inspired by Iceland, Korea Tourism Organisation, Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation, Malta Tourism Authority, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, Moscow Project Office for Tourism and Hospitality Development, Saudi Tourism Authority, Singapore Tourism Board, State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Visit Finland, Visit Rovaniemi and more. The show floor also featured Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Govt, Park Hotel Group, Promotion Bureau of the Principality of Monaco, Sapporo Convention Bureau, Shizouka Prefectural Govt and Switzerland Tourism joining ITB Asia’s exhibition grounds for the first time.
Conferences on reinventing travel and navigating through challenges
Themed “Reinventing Travel in the New Normal”, ITB Asia 2020 Virtual’s conference saw more than 160 top speakers from major global brands lead more than 100 conference sessions. This year’s conferences specially focused on helping travel industry professionals reinvent traditional business models to adapt to current times and prepare for the industry’s recovery.
At the conferences, a specially curated line-up of industry heavyweights shared innovative perspectives on ways to build a more resilient travel industry, as well as solutions to move the industry forward.
Keynote sessions and topics focused on major themes ranging from MICE, corporate travel, travel technology, tours and activities, destination marketing, air travel, and hotel revenue and distribution.
With the new virtual format of the show, recordings have been made available on-demand for all registered delegates to view and watch again.
Paving the way for a new show model for ITB Asia
Next year’s edition of ITB Asia will be a hybrid show featuring a live and an online model to facilitate continuous engagement with industry stakeholders. Scheduled to take place in Singapore from 27-29 October 2021, the live segment of the event hopes to bring back human connections through face-to face business meetings and networking sessions. Complemented by a proven virtual segment, key functions of the show such as online business matching, on-demand content (insights articles and videos) for all-year-round business, networking and learning will further strengthen ITB Asia’s offering as the leading travel trade show.
Interest is already being expressed for ITB Asia’s 2021 edition, with more than 40% of the exhibition being booked. Confirmed exhibitors will include Advantage Austria, Best Western International, Inspired by Iceland, Korea Tourism Organization, ITB Asia’s official hotel partner, Marina Bay Sands, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and many more.
ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia 2021
The ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia live event will be rescheduled to next year, 27 – 29 October 2021, at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore.
About ITB Asia
ITB Asia is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The annual three-day B2B trade show and convention will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also MICE and corporate travel. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities and travel technology companies are all expected to attend.
ITB Asia is the premier meeting place for the travel trade industry for forging new partnerships and strengthening existing business relationships with the most important players in the region. ITB Asia’s 2019 edition saw huge success with over 1,300 exhibitors, over 1,250 quality buyers, more than 7,000 minutes of conference and more than 13,000 attendees.
About MICE Show Asia
MICE Show Asia is where the incentive travel, meetings and events industries come together to connect and build the future of MICE. The annual three-day business-to-business trade show and convention featured industry suppliers, meetings & events professionals to up-and-coming MICE innovators from a wide range of disciplines, sectors, and all levels of seniority. The show is co-located with ITB Asia.
About Travel Tech Asia
Organized by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, the inaugural three-day conference will feature leading travel brands and innovative start-ups to attendees from all levels of seniority across a wide range of disciplines and sectors in the travel industry. The conference will be co-located with ITB Asia and MICE Show Asia.
