March 17, 2021

ITB Berlin News – Review edition

Nothing will be the same again… ever… and thank goodness

If anything has been learnt from ITB Berlin NOW this year, it is that while on the one hand, a virtual event can be a rip-roaring success, on the other, people’s longing for face-to-face meetings is not waning.

Of course, we have probably all learned that digitalisation has experienced a huge surge. The pandemic has indeed been the much talked-about catalyst.

At the same time, as trade show organisers, Messe Berlin have taken a huge leap forward. And while many people were initially enthusiastic about Zoom and co., most now realise that one cannot simply replace face-to-face meetings online.

Thus, according to Dr Martin Buck – SVP, Travel & Logistics, Messe Berlin, “the post-ITB Berlin NOW 2021 buzzword is ‘hybrid’ and that is where we believe the future lies – by cleverly combining virtual and in-person formats.”

Dr Buck says this applies to the workplace too, combining home-working with the office, as it does to business trips, with online and actual meetings.

So, no, there will be no going back to the “old normal” next year, or at any other time in the future. The future will be hybrid and the future will be different. And hopefully it will bring with it the better part of the changes many of us constantly wish for in the world of travel and tourism, when it comes to setting a new course for planet earth, to truly make it a better place for all those who sail on her. Looking forward to seeing you there!