We Love Travel: Welcoming Speech and Official Opening by ITB Berlin and VIR e.V.

After months of limited, almost exclusively virtual contact opportunities, it is finally time to get together again to discuss urgent industry issues. It is precisely because the travel industry is in crisis that this event is particularly valuable and an important first step towards a new normality. Together we will discuss how the coming period can be shaped and how the industry can grow based on the experiences of the past months. It is about nothing less than the future of travel.

Guests
Michael Buller
Executive (Verband Internet Reisevertrieb e.V.)
David Ruetz
Head of ITB Berlin, Exhibition Director (Messe Berlin GmbH

Crunching numbers: Market research experts about the current situation

A view into the crystal ball? No – the latest facts and figures speak for themselves! Renowned market research companies have analyzed the current situation of the travel business and present initial findings and forecasts. In doing so, they look at the development of changed decision-making processes, overnight stays and sales figures. Above all, the question is when the industry will reach the economic level of the time before Corona. Who could currently asses this better than leading market researchers?

Panelists
Roland Gassner
Director Business Development (Travel Data + Analytics)
Peter Kautz
VP Research & Analysis and Member of Executive Committee (Statista)
Ulf Sonntag
Project Manager Reiseanalyse (NIT / FUR)

Moderated by
Bianca Wilkens
Journalist (fvw)

How Will Package Tourism Work in the Future?

Destinations, hotels, airlines, travel agencies and tour operators before the collapse. Popular travel areas down to zero. Holiday-makers unsettled. The force of the Corona crisis has the package tourism firmly in the grasp. How can we survive this situation? With representatives from destinations, Travel Tech and classic tour operators, the question of how package travel should function in the future is being addressed from various perspectives. How can the industry react to changes, how can it prepare for the future and what will be necessary to do so?

Panelists
Uta Martens
Sales Director Retail Global Accounts (Amadeus Germany)
Eva Samperi
Spanish Tourist Office Berlin (TURESPAÑA)
Michael Schober
Senior Manager Direct Sales (SunExpress)
Detlef Schroer
Sales Manager (schauinslandreisen gmbh)

Moderated by
Bianca Wilkens
Journalist (fvw)

The Role of Travel Sales & Marketing

Will the booking behaviour change? More than ever, sales models that not only meet customer needs, but anticipate them, are in demand.

What do the representatives of the different sales channels have in the pipeline to prepare for the future?

Panelists
Ömer Karaca
Member of the Board (Schmetterling International GmbH & Co. KG)
Sascha Nitsche
Managing Director & Owner (solamento Reisen GmbH)
Boris Raoul
CEO (Invia Group)

Moderated by
Bianca Wilkens
Journalist (fvw)

Disrupt now! Fresh ideas from the floor: Hands on – for the audience!

At We Love Travel!-Barcamp organized by ITB Berlin and VIR, 20 tourism professionals work on burning issues of the industry at eye level and present insights and results in 15 minutes.

CSR Panel 1: Sustainability & Recovery

A panel on sustainability & recovery will start off with a discussion on opportunities in the crisis, in which ITB-CSR commissioner Rika Jean-Francois will discuss with Petra Thomas, GF of Forum Anders Reisen and Prof. Dr. Harald Pechlaner of the Catholic University of Eichstätt- Ingolstadt under the premise of a sustainable approach. Inge Hujibrechts, the Radisson Hotel Group, which is being joined from Amsterdam, and Mr. Dirk Inger from the German Travel Agency Association DRV. The community approach will be represented by Mr. Quentin Walesch, partner at Waald strategy & consulting. The panel will focus on the need to think innovatively about tourism and to make the new beginning intelligent by placing greater emphasis on environmental protection and sustainability. Which obstacles have to be overcome and which concepts should better be left by the wayside?

Panelists
Inge Huijbrechts
Global Senior Vice President Responsible Business and Safety & Security (Radisson Hotel Group)
Dirk Inger
Managing Director (DRV)
Harald Pechlaner
Professor at the chair of Tourism (Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt)
Petra Thomas
CEO (forum anders reisen e.V.)
Quentin Walesch
Partner (WAALD strategy & advisory)

Moderated by
Rika Jean-François
Corporate Social Responsibility (ITB Berlin)

CSR Panel 2: Human Rights & Recovery

The second CSR panel is particularly concerned with social responsibility in tourism, recovery and human rights. Especially in times of a pandemic, social criteria come to the forefront (sympathy…), but also take a back seat (survival…). What is the current situation, what problems do we as tourism professionals have to deal with globally? Is there now a chance to anchor more diversity in the tourism industry, to overcome old patterns? Which transformative processes are useful to benefit society as a whole and to anchor resilience in destinations? What relevance do current social developments and topics such as blacklivesmatter, leavenoonebehind have for tourism? Can we as tourism professionals ignore these topics or what can be done?

Panelists
Thomas Bömkes
Managing Director (Diversity Tourism GmbH)
Reginald Charlot
Managing Director – Tourism Market Development (NYC & Company)
Philip Ibrahim
Hotel Director (The Student Hotel Berlin)
Antje Monshausen
Head of Tourism Watch (Bread for the World)

Moderated by
Rika Jean-François
Corporate Social Responsibility (ITB Berlin)

The Creative Force of the Crisis: Digital Turnaround in Tourism?

Covid-19 is the big accelerator of digitalization. Or isn’t it? What impact is the crisis having on the degree of digitization and IT resilience? ITB eTravel World looks back on practical experience gained in recent months with representatives from various tourism segments. In an exchange of views, the panel participants explain in exemplary fashion what creative force they attribute to the crisis and what structural challenges they see for the tourism value chain.

Panelists
Steffen Faradi
Midoco
Uwe Frers
CEO (PiNCAMP I ADAC Camping)
Barbara Heinbockel
Head of Digital Management (Tourismusagentur Schleswig-Holstein)
Lukas C.C. Hempel
Founder & Managing Director (bookingkit)

Moderated by
Bernd Nawrath
Consultant (BNC)

Building Trust – The Key Element for the “New Normal”?

The factors for a travel decision have changed strongly. The demand for travel must be rebuilt in the “New Normal” in a safe and sustainable way. The discussion round on the subject of trust therefore looks in a practice-oriented way at exemplary measures and initiatives in destination management, the field of activities and other players. Where are technologies used that were not used before? Has the role of feedback platforms changed? How do I regain the trust of my guests?

Panelists
Arturo Ortiz
Tourism Counsellor (Embassy of Spain)
Cynthia Paynther
Vice President & Revenue Manager (AccorHotels Deutschland GmbH)
Christian Tänzler
Spokesman (Berlin Tourismus&Kongress GmbH)

Moderated by
Torsten Sabel
Co-founder & COO (Customer Alliance)

Travel Tech Round Table – Experienced Pioneers Meet Start-Ups

Start-ups are an important growth engine for our economy. However, the crisis has hit many start-ups in tourism with full force. Others, on the other hand, are back on solid ground. Some profit from change, others less. The question is the same for all of them: how do you manage to come out of the crisis in a stable way? At the Round Table, young heads of the Travel Tech scene will meet with experienced Travel Techies to answer this question.

Panelists
Sascha Hausmann
Partner (Howzat Partners)
Olga Heuser
Co-Founder & CEO (DialogShift)
Michael Riegel
CEO & Founder (Comtravo GmbH)

Moderated by
Lea Jordan
Co-Founder & Head of Marketing (techtalk.travel)

COVID-19 Is Not The End Of The Tourism Industry, But Nothing Will Ever Be The Same Again

Nothing is as we know it anymore: COVID-19 makes previous knowledge of tourism demand obsolete. Changing tourist flows, travel decisions and spending, customer preferences, growth segments - only slowly is it becoming more clear what the new global travel world looks like.
Statista, the renowned global market research company and statistics portal, is presenting the latest demand data and provides valuable insights into the future of tourism demand.
How is global tourism demand developing and what effect does the Corona pandemic have? To what extent does Corona change the travel habits and preferences of global consumers? Which segments are particularly affected, which might even experience a Corona boom in the future? And what conclusions can tourism providers draw from these developments?
Statista's data and forecasts are an indispensable basis for decision makers of global travel providers.

Speaker
Claudia Cramer
Director Market Research, Statista GmbH

Moderated by
Prof. Dr. Roland Conrady
Scientific Director ITB Berlin Convention, Worms University of Applied Sciences

Presentation slides and additional information

Business Travel Collapse: Will There Be A Successful Recovery?

It looks like business travel will remain benched on the sideline: home office, video conferencing, MICE shutdown, companies under cost pressure, bankruptcies ... the perfect storm.
Has the business travel segment suffered irreparable damage or can we hope for a successful recovery? What are the plans of global companies and what do their travel budgets look like for the future? How can the business travel segment recover and what can travel providers do now? What developments does the VDR Barometer show?
The president of the German Business Travel Association presents first findings from the VDR Business Travel Analysis 2020 and reveals the status quo in top German companies. He also takes a look at the global business travel segment.

Speaker & Interview Guest
Christoph Carnier
President, German Business Travel Association VDR

Moderated by
Charlotte Lamp Davies
Founder, A Bright Approach

Presentation Slides (PDF, 3.1 MB)

Destination Demand And Choice For Global Travelers – Tectonic Destination Shift In Times Of COVID-19

In times of COVID-19, travel restrictions determine the choice of destination - not customer wishes or tourism providers! How do tourists deal with these travel restrictions? Do they return to their usual destinations after the restrictions are relaxed or do they stick to the new travel patterns? Will former top tourism destinations be out in the future and will new potential for "second-tier" destinations emerge? What should destinations do now to reverse the economic downturn?

Speaker & Interview Guest
Dr. David Ermen
Managing Director, Destination Capacity

Moderated by
Prof. Dr. Roland Conrady
Scientific Director ITB Berlin Convention, Worms University of Applied Sciences

Presentation Slides (PDF, 338.6 kB)

Smart Hotel - Future Scenarios and Current Practice in the Crisis

• Insights into technological scenarios and cognitive environments
• How digitalization helps the hotel industry in the crisis
• Examples of smart and resilient hotels
• Recommendations for the integration of smart solutions, evaluation of some technologies and dealing with current hurdles

Speaker:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Vanessa Borkmann
Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation IAO

Moderation:
Prof. Dr. Roland Conrady,
Scientific Director ITB Berlin Convention, Worms University of Applied Sciences

Ready, Set, Listen: Staying Fit in a Hotelier’s Race to Recovery

In this exclusive interview with TrustYou’s CEO, we will discuss how hoteliers can better monitor the strength of the industry with the Travel Health Index. Additionally, hotels can learn how listening to both guests and staff feedback will be the key to success during and after the pandemic.

Interview Guest:
Ben Jost
CEO, TrustYou

Interviewer:
Iris Steinmetz
Senior Director of Operations EMEA, HRS International

How to Create a Comeback – Practical Learnings from the Crisis Period

No matter what kind of hotel it is: The "Road To Recovery" is bumpy all over the world and offers no master plan for dealing with the pandemic. Which path do hotel brands take? How do young, small brands position themselves, and how do the large, established hotel companies find their way? In a hands-on panel discussion moderated by Iris Steinmetz, Senior Director of Operations EMEA at HRS International, this session is about sharing practical advice and experiences with representatives of different hotel brands.

Panelists:
Andreas Westerburg
Head of Development, BWH Hotel Group
Cynthia Paynter
Vice President Pricing and Revenue Management, Accor
Julie White
VP Commercial EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Stefan Matthiessen
Chief Brand Officer, Koncept Hotels

Moderation:
Iris Steinmetz
Senior Director of Operations EMEA, HRS International

Keynote: Top 8 Trends for Tourism & Travel

Speaker:
Nils Müller, TrendOne

Keynote: Overtourism – How Local Tour Operators can Tackle Destination Challenges

Speaker:
Eric La Bonnardiere, Co-Founder Evaneos

Data Talks: Highly Recommended – Best Practice On Personalization

Speaker:
Bernd Nawrath, Managing Director/Consultant, BNC Bernd Nawrath Consult
Oliver Nökel, Founder / CEO, NumBirds GmbH

*only in German

Global Luxury Customers and Sustainability - Exclusive empirical study by Travelzoo and ITB

Speaker:
Sharry Sun, Global Head of Brand, Travelzoo

Fragen zu Corona & Reiserecht

Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Hans-Josef Vogel, Rechtsanwalt BEITEN BURKHARDT
Michael Buller, Vorstand VIR

Moderation: Michael Faber, Tourismuszukunft

*only in German

New Work: Technisch und menschlich

Speaker:
Catharina Fischer und Kristine Honig, Tourismuszukunft

*only in German

More Direct Bookings Through Affiliate Partners

Speaker:
Malte Hannig, Supervising Senior Affiliate Manager xpose360 GmbH

Coronavirus Outbreak: Effects on Global Tourism and Successful Recovery and Resilience Measures

Speaker:
Eran Ketter (PhD)

Tours, Tickets, Attraction: What Drives The Industry in 2020?",

Speaker Prolog:
Charlotte L Davies, Founder: A Bright Approach

Panel/Round Table: "Tours, Tickets, Attractions.
What Drives The Industry in 2020?",
Presentation and Moderation: Lukas C.C. Hempel, CEO bookingkit
Speaker: Marcus Guhlan/Head of eCommerce and System Development, Visit Berlin // Klaudija Janzelj, Commercial Director Urban Adventures // Charlotte Lamp Davies , Founder A Bright Approach// Andrew Aley, Managing Director, Sightseeing Alliance

Erste Ergebnisse der Reiseanalyse 2020

Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Martin Lohmann, director NIT, FUR e.V.

Influencers, Instagram and co.: the underestimated challenges for destination

Moderation:
Stephen Dutton, Senior Research Analyst, Euromonitor
Speaker:
Lauren Teague, Digital Native, Strategist, Speaker
Natalie Lefevre, Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant, Travel Influencer

ITB Market Research: Future of Travel 2040?

Speaker:
Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel Research, Euromonitor

The Future of the Tourism Industry: Digital disruption, climate change and Thomas Cook & Co

Speaker:
Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel Research, Euromonitor

Ohren auf! Podcasts im Marketing Mix

Moderator: Daniel Sprügel, Founder Maniac Studios
Speaker:
Teresa Baumgarten, Marketing Manager, ITB Berlin
Jens Behler, Ressortleiter Digitale Kommunikation, Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund
Adrian Klie, Podcaster, Welttournee - der Reisepodcast

*only in German

Influencer events: from creating instagrammable moments to delivering ROI

Speaker:

Irina Graf, Founder, The MICE Blog and Event Planners Talk, International Relations Officers, VDVO 

Han Talbot, Project Manager, Traverse

Voice Commerce: Selling Travel And Hotel Rooms Via Amazon Alexa And Google Assistant

Speaker:
Steffen Hohl, Managing Director, Yeahmazing
Dr. Aljoscha Burchardt, Deputy Site Director, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence

Blogging & Open Data im Tourismus

Speaker:
Catharina Fischer, Netzwerkpartnerin / Beraterin, Tourismuszukunft
Christoph Hampe, Digital Marketing Manager, Thüringen Tourismus

*only in German

Das Zeitalter der Künstlichen intelligenz: Chancen und Herausforderungen für den Tourismus

Speaker:
Florian Bauhuber, Tourismuszukunft.

*only in German

Product Launch: Unveiling Fair Trade Travel

Speaker: Maksim Izmaylov, Winding Tree

REVENUE MANAGEMENT: KEYNOTE, BEST CASES And PANEL

Moderator:
Daniel Zelling, Hospitality Industry Club, opensmjle & techtalk.travel, Zsuzsanna Albrecht, ZA Hospitality Consulting

Speaker:
Osvaldo Mauro, Profiter
Neville Isaac, BEONPRICE
Siim Karu, A&O Hostels
Jason Pinto, PACE
Simone Puorto, Travel Singularity

SUSTAINABILITY TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY

Moderator: Daniel Zelling, Hospitality Industry Club, opensmjle & techtalk.travel

Speaker:
Lea Jordan, techtalk.travel
Suzann Heinemann, GreenSign
Moritz Hintze, bookitgreen
Uta Janbeck, Janbecks FAIRhaus
Moritz von Petersdorff-Campen, Suitepad

*only in German

THE FUTURE OF HOTEL ONLINE DISTRIBUTION

Moderator:
Daniel Zelling, Hospitality Industry Club, opensmjle & techtalk.travel,

Speaker:
Daniel Zelling, Hospitality Industry Club, opensmjle & techtalk.travel
Thomas Danielczak, SHIJII GROUP
Felizitas Denz, EAST HAMBURG
Ben Jost, TrustYou
Juanjo Rodriguez, The Hotels Network

*only in German

RE-BUILDING AND SHAPING HOTEL BRANDS

Moderator:
Daniel Zelling, Hospitality Industry Club, opensmjle & techtalk.travel,

Speaker:
Sebastien Leitner, Cloudbeds
Dr. Michael Toedt, dailypoint
Alexander Schuster, 25hours Hotel Company
David Turnbull, techtalk.travel

*only in German

A Behaviour-Smart Look At Technology And Travel

Speaker:
Milena Nikolova, ATTA - Adventure Travel Trade Association

Crisis Management And Resiliency In The Shadow Of COVID-19

Moderated by:
Lee Hayhurst, Executive Editor, Travel Weekly

Panelists:
Robin Ingle, CEO, MSH Americas and Travel Navigator
Carlos Cendra, Chief Marketing Officer, Mabrian Technologies

Luxury And Sustainability: Contradiction Or Prerequisite?

Interviewer:
Marc Aeberhard, Owner, Luxury Hotel & Spa Management Ltd.

Interview Guest:
Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand, Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management, IUBH International University

Voice Commerce: Selling Travel And Hotel Rooms Via Amazon Alexa And Google Assistant

Interviewer:
Steffen Hohl, Managing Director, Yeahmazing
Interviewee:
Tim Kahle, CEO & Co-Founder, 169 Labs

IPK`s World Travel Monitor: Prognose der globalen und europäischen Tourismusentwicklung – in Kooperation mit IPK International

Speaker:
Rolf Freitag, CEO IPK International

Tiktok – A New Craze In The Tourism Tool Box

Speaker:
Ulrike Katz, justZARGEScommunicate!

Der Heiße Stuhl: Tourismus zwischen Fridays for Future und Flugscham

Interviewer:
Eike Otto, Consultant for Tourism and Regional Development, sustainable-tourism.com, Traumdestinationen.de

Interviewee:
Clara Mayer, Fridays for Future

*only in German

Der Heiße Stuhl: Tourismus zwischen Fridays for Future und Flugscham

Interviewer:
Eike Otto, Consultant for Tourism and Regional Development, sustainable-tourism.com, Traumdestinationen.de

Interviewee:
Lucienne Damm, Senior Environmental Manager, TUI Cruises

*only in German

The Hot Seat: Tourism Between Fridays for Future And Flight Shaming

Interviewer:
Eike Otto, Consultant for Tourism and Regional Development, sustainable-tourism.com, Traumdestinationen.de

Interviewee:
Julia Massey, Vice President Global Sustainability, Kempinski