Latest news with #MesseBerlin
Trade Arabia
3 days ago
- Business
- Trade Arabia
ITB China 2025 breaks records with 35% attendee surge
ITB China 2025, the premier B2B trade show dedicated to the Chinese travel market, reported a record-breaking success with the event welcoming more than 20,500 attendees, marking a 35% year-over-year growth in attendance. The event featured a 30% expansion in net exhibition area compared to 2024 and welcomed over 700 exhibitors from 85 countries. The attendees included 1,400 high-quality buyers and around 280 media representatives – reflecting the soaring demand and global interest in China's travel market. It also facilitated over 38,800 high-value business meetings, establishing a new standard for industry engagement. At the ITB China Conference, 150 high-profile speakers delivered insights on 60 diverse topics, fostering innovation and driving global collaboration across the tourism industry. ITB China 2025 set new records in scale and innovation, marking a pivotal moment for international engagement with China's travel industry. The three-day show attracted a record number of exhibitors and participants, delivered high-impact content and facilitated valuable business opportunities, strongly reflecting the market's renewed dynamism. Leading figures from across the travel sector showcased their latest offerings and solutions, demonstrating a clear and collective commitment to unlocking growth in China's dynamic travel market, a statement said. David Axiotis, Managing Director, Messe Berlin China, reflected: 'ITB China 2025 stands as a landmark success – uniting a record-breaking international presence with cutting-edge insights that are shaping the future of travel. From the resurgence of Chinese cross-border tourism to the rise of smart, themed, and personalized travel, this year's show not only reflected the market momentum, but clearly accelerated it. By fostering global collaboration, spotlighting innovation, and amplifying the voice of China's travel industry, we are actively shaping the travel landscape of tomorrow.' Top-Level gathering The impactful C-Talks welcomed more than 30 senior C-level executives from China's leading outbound travel companies and high-ranking officials from national tourism boards and ministries worldwide to discuss how Chinese key industry players can collaborate more effectively with international destinations to foster resilient and sustainable growth in today's complex global landscape. The highly successful gathering is a testament to ITB China's ability to convene key figures from the Chinese market and the global travel industry. This year's show welcomed an all-time high of 1,400 hand-picked buyers from across China and around the world, including representation from all Chinese provincial-level regions – a first in the show's history – as well as inbound buyers from 19 countries, such as Germany, Italy, UK, France, and the US. Over the course of the three-day show, the buyers engaged in more than 38,800 meetings with over 700 exhibitors, fostering valuable partnerships and new collaborations. The positive feedback from attendees further solidifies ITB China's position as the premier travel event in China. Norhayati Zainuddin, Deputy Director / Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, this year's Partner Destination, emphasised: 'Since we brought a larger delegation from Malaysia this year, the feedback from our Malaysia sales staff has been very positive. As they have met many buyers during the business meetings, not only from China but also from other countries, they were able to close more deals. They were happy with this year's participation and hope to participate again at next year's ITB China.' Aileen Chan, Expedia Group's Vice President, Private Label Solutions, APAC, shared: 'We are seeing surging demand from different travel segments in the China travel market. Based on our recent research, 87% of Chinese travelers said they will travel internationally – this percentage is way higher than the global average of about 68%. Around 65% of Chinese travelers say they are likely to increase their travel budget, which is something we are really excited about.' An official from the Hubei Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism stated: 'ITB China is a vital platform for boosting international tourism cooperation. The Hubei delegation, made up of eight cities and over 60 key companies, introduced two premium travel routes and highlighted cultural and tech experiences like intangible heritage displays and tea tasting. They held more than 200 business meetings with buyers from around the world, seeing strong results. Hubei is working to become a world-renowned cultural tourism destination and looks forward to expanding global partnerships.' Li Zhuyuan, Executive President and Secretary-General of MICE Committee of China Association of Travel Services, said: 'China's MICE market is huge and is an industry that can create higher added value. The development of AI technology poses challenges to offline manual operations, but it is also an inevitable trend. We should embrace the arrival of new technologies and let it create higher value for the MICE industry.' Kim Daeyong, Legal representative of China Regional Corporation of Modetour Network, said: 'China's visa-free policy has had a significant impact on Korean tourists traveling to China. For our company, business in the first half of this year increased by more than 20% compared to last year. We met many Chinese partners at ITB China this time, and they were all very enthusiastic, which will be very helpful for us in developing new Chinese tourism products in the future.' Key themes The 'China Outbound Travel' theme highlighted how new products and innovations are reshaping group tours. Overseas destinations are meeting the diverse needs of Chinese travelers by offering local, tailored services, and using new media to efficiently convert interest into bookings. The 'China Inbound Travel' theme offered insights from the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) into China's inbound tourism growth and its economic impact. It further highlighted market differences and content marketing strategies for revitalizing cultural destinations, as well as demonstrating how rural tourism can promote sustainable global growth. The 'MICE & Business Travel' theme highlighted how cultural experiences are energizing MICE tourism and examined China's growth in the global convention market. Additionally, it emphasized the role of business associations in fostering cooperation and shared global insights on travel supply and the promising role of AI in business travel management. With a focus on the strong recovery of China's upscale hotel market, the 'Hotel and Hospitality' theme explored how localized experiences boost competitiveness, analyzed brand diversification strategies in profit models, and highlighted the ways in which AI and big data are driving deep industry transformation. The 'Travel Tech Innovation' theme delved into smart tech and innovation across three key areas: destination management, hotel services, and sustainable tourism. It covered topics ranging from AI and digital travel to extended reality (XR), demonstrating how these technologies, such as smart robots, are shaping the future of hospitality. In response to the growing demand for personalised, internet-based travel products in China's increasingly segmented outbound market, ITB China launched six panels dedicated to themed and customized travel. Senior Tourism, Educational Travel, Cruise Travel, Customized Travel, Luxury Travel, and Adventure Tourism. Networking Events Further valuable opportunities for attendees to connect and collaborate were provided at ITB China. The prestigious Grand Opening Dinner, held in partnership with this year's Partner Destination, Malaysia, featured 700 guests and VIPs from the global and Chinese travel industry. Welcome speeches were given by the Honorable Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia; Xu Peng, Vice Chair, World Tourism Alliance (WTA); and David Ruetz, Senior Vice President of Messe Berlin. Other events included the Hubei Networking Lunch with the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, the Cruise Night with Group, the Beijing Night with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the Guangxi Night with the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Travel Innovators Gathering, sponsored by Tencent Smart Tourism; the Aftershow Sundowner, the MICE Afterparty, and the 'Meet the Media' networking event.
Tourism Breaking News
26-05-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
ITB China opens with Malaysia tourism as its destination partner
Post Views: 122 ITB China officially opened last evening withTravTalk ME as media partner and Malaysia tourism as the destination partner. Speaking at the opening dinner last evening, David Ruetz, Senior Vice President Messe Berlin shared that they anticipate over 700 exhibitors from around 90 countries and regions, while the number of buyers is set to increase by 30%, reflecting the growing global interest in the event. The Honourable Dato Sri Tiong King Sing – Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia shared the importance of ITB China as they become destination partner promoting 2026 as Visit Malaysia year.
TECHx
22-05-2025
- Business
- TECHx
GITEX EUROPE Officially Launched in Berlin
Home » Other Tech Events » GITEX Expands to Europe with Berlin Event in 2025 GITEX GLOBAL has announced the launch of GITEX EUROPE. The event will take place in Berlin, Germany, from May 21–23, 2025. This marks the first European edition of the world's largest tech and startup show. GITEX EUROPE will be organized by KAOUN International, the international affiliate of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), in partnership with Messe Berlin. According to the organizers, Berlin was selected for its central location, diverse tech ecosystem, and thriving startup culture. The city hosts over 500 growth-stage startups and unicorns. The launch was revealed during a press conference at a leading business tech festival in Germany. Leaders from Messe Berlin and KAOUN International shared their vision for this landmark event. Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, attended the announcement. He emphasized the importance of global collaboration in advancing technology. GITEX EUROPE 2025 will feature AI, cybersecurity, mobility, and deep tech. It will welcome industry leaders, governments, and global tech innovators. Organizers reported that the event aligns with GITEX's mission to promote global digital transformation. It will also support European innovation by connecting startups with global investors and partners. Messe Berlin's CEO, Dirk Hoffmann, stated that GITEX EUROPE will strengthen Europe's position as a global tech hub. He added that Berlin is ready to host a future-driven event of this scale. The debut of GITEX EUROPE expands the GITEX brand's global presence following successful editions in Dubai, Morocco, and Africa.
Dubai Eye
21-05-2025
- Business
- Dubai Eye
UAE drives global tech dialogue at inaugural GITEX Europe
The first-ever GITEX Europe, organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, has officially opened in Berlin. Leading the UAE's presence is a high-level delegation of over 65 organisations, headed by Alia Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, making it one of the largest digital investment and innovation delegations at the event. Hosted at Messe Berlin from May 21 to 23, GITEX Europe brings together more than 1,400 tech enterprises, startups and SMEs, alongside 600 investors and 500 speakers from over 100 countries. The programme explores cutting-edge themes including AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, quantum tech and green innovation. The UAE and Dubai are using the platform to strengthen global tech partnerships, drive innovation, and help shape the future of sustainable digital growth. The first-ever GITEX Europe, organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, has officially opened in Europe's largest economy and one of its boldest startup capitals, Berlin. Leading the charge: 65+ UAE organisations—one of the largest entrepreneurship and digital investment… — Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) May 21, 2025
Arabian Business
21-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Digital Dubai chief: ‘Nationwide AI initiatives key to innovation' at GITEX Europe
When asked about the single most important factor for countries aspiring to become AI leaders, 'If I could pick one [key factor], it is to launch AI initiatives on the nation level,' Hamad Al Mansoori, Director-General of Digital Dubai, told a panel at the inaugural GITEX EUROPE technology exhibition in Berlin on Wednesday. 'Everything will be solved after you see this kind of initiative and the government support for it, because the government wants to go to that direction, towards an AI-enabled city or country,' Al Mansoori said during the 'Building AI-First Nations' panel at Messe Berlin, where the Dubai-born tech exhibition is making its European debut after previous expansions into Africa and Asia. The Digital Dubai chief described a fundamental shift in how humans and machines interact that is driving technological change. 'The world is witnessing a fundamental shift in the relationship between machine and human,' he said. 'In the past, we needed to understand machine language and technology language in order to be able to use it. Today, technology can understand humans.' Dubai's recipe for AI success The UAE has emerged as a major investor in AI technologies, with Digital Dubai overseeing more than 130 initiatives, including an AI roadmap and ethics toolkit. Al Mansoori outlined four key elements nations need to establish for AI development: clear AI principles covering fairness, accountability and privacy; engagement with the private sector on regulations; a dedicated regulatory body; and the right environment for talent. 'We always implemented privacy in the design,' he said regarding data protection. 'If you would like to share your data, make sure there's no private data in that sharing or you get permission for private data.' Although Dubai has emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations for tech talent, the Director General still acknowledged that attracting AI talent remains challenging. 'I think this is one of the most complicated subjects,' he said. 'One is to create the right environment and lean regulation in the city and make sure that you have the right setup for AI in order to operate.' 'Launch AI initiatives but accept failure' Additionally, he emphasised that government leaders must be prepared to accept failure in digital transformation efforts. 'We need our leaders to launch the initiatives and also accepting failure if there's any failure in digital transformation. Your government and parliament should support your thoughts and beliefs when it comes to AI,' he said. The UAE regularly collaborates with countries including China, the United States, Estonia and Singapore, Al Mansoori said, sharing best practices and sometimes developing regulations that apply across the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Other panellists offered contrasting approaches to AI development. Robert Somogyi, Chief Operating Officer of the Hungarian Innovation Agency, emphasised the importance of education and cultural acceptance. 'Next to education, I think we have to believe in it,' Somogyi said. 'If you believe in something, you can see it, the mentality.' Stefan Badža, Chief AI Advisor to the Serbian Prime Minister, highlighted his country's focus on education, noting that Serbian schools have taught coding since 2017 and AI since 2021. Serbia chairs the Global Partnership on AI this year, representing 44 countries. 'For us, it is important to allow innovations to develop, and then afterwards to take care of all the details,' Badža said, advocating for more flexible regulation than the European Union offers. 'We want to really have equal playing field for local countries regarding developing the technology.'
