ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2026/2027 now available: Key indicators in transition

Global tourism is back – dynamic, innovation-driven and with stable demand. However, the ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2026/2027, recently published to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the World's Leading Travel trade Show, also shows that the comeback is taking place in an environment of growing tension. Climate risks, geopolitical uncertainties, rising costs, social acceptance and increasing market fragmentation are changing the rules of the game.

Based on several international industry surveys, the report analyses how companies worldwide assess their current business situation and how they are responding to the new challenges. The main finding is that the mood is predominantly optimistic. However, strategic preparation often lags behind requirements.

Many market players see their greatest opportunities in new target audiences, innovative products and technological development. At the same time, profit margins are under pressure, costs are rising and bureaucratic requirements are growing. The industry is in the midst of a polycrisis, with economic, political and ecological factors increasingly overlapping.

Despite the complex situation, a significant proportion of companies continue to operate reactively. Short-term decision-making often overshadows long-term planning. Many organisations cite a lack of human resources, time constraints or insufficient data as reasons for this. The report makes it clear that this is precisely where structural risks arise.

Information overload leads to further challenges
Added to this is an information overload. Digital channels and social media are increasingly shaping decision-making – but not all information is reliable. In between real-time data, trend impulses and AI-generated content, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish relevant information from background noise. The report therefore asks how companies can find orientation in a market that is in flux.

The answer is through consistent, more extensive use of key performance indicators (KPIs). However, the analysis also reveals areas that are lacking. When KPIs are used, they often focus on traditional sales and capacity metrics. Qualitative factors – such as social acceptance, environmental impact, resilience or employee prospects – are much less likely to be systematically recorded.

Destinations face a significant challenge
This imbalance is particularly noticeable where destinations are concerned. Rising visitor numbers, conflicts of use, housing shortages and pressure on infrastructure and the environment require a more nuanced view than mere arrival and overnight statistics. The report argues for redefining success in tourism as a combination of economic performance, social compatibility and environmental responsibility.

The report shows the role that strategic use of key performance indicators can play along the entire tourism value chain in the future – in marketing, the hotel industry, for tour operators, airlines and the business travel market. As well as quantification, it is also about control: KPIs should be able to help identify trends at an early stage, set priorities and make informed decisions.

The report also emphasises that key performance indicators are neither an end in themselves nor a panacea. Their benefits can only be reaped if they are clearly defined, communicated transparently and integrated in concrete decision-making processes. For many companies, this means a cultural shift – away from intuition and towards evidence-based management.

In an industry facing rapid technological change and where platform economies, AI applications and new business models are challenging existing structures, this ability is becoming a decisive factor in the struggle to be competitive.

Report issues concrete recommendations for action:
The ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2026/2027 not only provides a sound assessment of the current situation, but also shows concrete starting points for how organisations can strategically realign themselves. The full report provides in-depth answers to questions such as which KPIs will be decisive in the future, how economic goals can be combined with sustainability, and what role data plays in resilience and future viability.

The complete report is available now at the special anniversary price of 60 euros.

The fact sheet for the ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2026/2027 provides an overview of the most important information contained in the report.