ITB Asia 2024 Sets New Records with Over 45,000 Business Appointments

ITB Asia 2024 concluded with remarkable success, hosting more than 45,000 business appointments and attracting over 18,500 attendees from 85 countries, solidifying its position as a premier travel trade show in Asia-Pacific. The event featured 1,950 exhibitors and over 1,400 high-quality buyers, creating a dynamic networking and business environment. The ITB Asia Conference included 160 speakers who shared insights on the future of travel.

The conference featured over 4,000 minutes of content delivered across 100 sessions, highlighting key trends in MICE, corporate travel, leisure travel, and travel technology. Esteemed speakers, including Liz Ortiguera from the World Travel & Tourism Council and Kevin Goh of CapitaLand Investment, shared perspectives on sustainability and innovation shaping the future of travel.

Exhibitors lauded ITB Asia for facilitating valuable connections across the travel industry. Ingunn Sakshaug from Visit Norway and Thorleifur Thor Jonsson from Visit Iceland emphasised the efficiency of ITB’s meeting systems in connecting with diverse markets. Xiaolong Wu from the Malta Tourism Authority highlighted the importance of the event for engaging with Asia-Pacific travel partners.

“ITB Asia remains the leading platform for the travel industry in the Asia-Pacific region. The remarkable growth and innovation displayed this year highlight the resilience and forward-thinking nature of our global travel community.” Shared Joyce Wang, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, from the ITB organising team.

Conference Highlights and Thought Leadership

The conference delivered insights through three dedicated theaters: Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show Asia, and Travel Tech Asia.

• Knowledge Theatre: Sessions explored travel trends such as customer loyalty and sustainability. Industry leaders, including Scott Wegener from Tripadvisor, Todd Handcock from Collinson International, and Ananth Ramchandran from CBRE, discussed evolving travel behaviors, sustainability in hotels, and extended stay experiences.

• MICE Show Asia: Focused on digital transformation, with key discussions on AI and event management led by experts like Errol Lim of Jublia and Rita Kuan of GSTC, who shared strategies for sustainable event practices.

• Travel Tech Asia: Showcased innovations for tech-savvy travelers, with sessions on digital solutions, hyper-localized experiences, and technologies like Generative AI. Notable speakers included Andrew Smith from Agoda and Apo Ozkececi from Accelya Group.

An investment panel featuring leaders from Lumitics and Velocity Ventures discussed growth opportunities through data-driven innovations and sustainability, positioning the industry for future expansion.

ITB Asia 2025

With ITB Asia 2024 setting records for engagement and industry participation, anticipation is already building for ITB Asia 2025, scheduled for October 15–17 in Singapore. The Travel Tech Asia cluster will expand to showcase advancements in hotel technology and sustainability initiatives, further defining the future of travel.

Exhibitors interested in ITB Asia 2025 can register by October 31, 2024, to secure Super Early Bird rates.