LGBT+ Tourism: a full programme for 2021
Despite a very “limited” edition this year in comparison to a regular event, ITB Berlin NOW has prepared a full programme in terms of LGBT+ tourism. We asked ITB’s CSR Commissioner, Rika Jean-François to tell us more.
Not to be missed this year is the ITB LGBT+ Café, including different meetings corners of our exhibitors and partners. The café and meeting corners are open to all ITB visitors interested in LGBT+ Tourism. We also have a special ITB LGBT+ Media Café, which is hosted by the Spanish Tourist Board Turespańa this year.
The Italian Tourist Board — ENIT — is also a key sponsor this year. ENIT will have their own LGBT Brand card on top of their “general” presence at ITB NOW. Other LGBT+ brand card owners are IGLTA and TomOnTour.
We will have an official opening of the pavilion ITB LGBT+ Café on Tuesday 12:00pm together with our partners. Our LGBT+ programme leaflet will also be available for download, so that nobody misses any event.
What LGBT highlights are you most looking forward to at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention?
Our partner Community Marketing & Insights will present their brand-new Covid and LGBTQ Travel Research key findings and our LGBT+ Roundtable will discuss concepts of restarting LGBT+ tourism with experts from Spain, Italy and the USA. The panel includes Fred Dixon, CEO NYC & Company, Elena Rossi, Marketing Director ENIT, Arturo Ortiz, Turespana, President John Tanzella IGLTA and Philip Ibrahim, Pink Pillow Berlin.
Ed Salvato from NYC University will examine why a post-covid strategy should include LGBT+ travellers and the “Open for Business initiative” will share research-based insights into LGBT+ attitudes to Caribbean Travel. A presentation on how to access EU Fundraising in LGBT+ Tourism will also raise interest.
We will also present, for the third time, our ITB LGBT+ Leadership Summit, which will discuss the current situation of the LGBT+ community globally. There are many differences between east and west, differences in social behaviour, in law and economic interests. How can the community itself develop solutions? There will be discussions with different partners from Eastern Europe, Germany and the USA.
Will there be any special LGBT+ events this year?
We will have our annual LGBT+ Happy Hour by TomOnTour as a virtual event with the ITB LGBT+ Pioneer Award, the silent auction for the IGLTA Foundation and some fun Drag Queen entertainment.
Photo: Rika Jean-François – CSR Commissioner, ITB Berlin
Taking the pulse of medical tourism
Medical tourism takes on a new light in current circumstances, and this year’s ITB Berlin NOW has a lot to offer. Thomas Bömkes, Managing Director of Diversity Tourism GmbH, is one of the primary organisers for the sector again this year. We asked him how it’s being presented.
The ITB Medical Tourism Café will include different meeting corners of exhibitors, partners and medical buyers. We will have an official opening of the pavilion café on Tuesday 12:30 pm together with our partners which will include a “Medical Media Get Together”. Following this, the cafe and its meeting corners will be open to all ITB visitors interested in Medical Tourism. Our partner, HTI Conference, will organise a special Medical Buyers’ Lounge (in a corner of the ITB Medical Cafe), where visitors can meet directly and network with the buyers. We will also have our Medical programme leaflet available for download, so that nobody will miss any event.
What Medical Tourism highlights are you most looking forward to at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention?
The roundtable of the future of Medical Tourism organised by our partner HTI Conference will discuss current topics from different markets. ESPA – the European Spas Association will talk about Corona Recovery Concepts in medical spas and climate health spas in their roundtable. There will also be a presentation about EU Fundraising in Medical Tourism.
