It had been six years since I last walked the halls of ITB Berlin — and it’s safe to say, the show has evolved. What was once dominated by hotel chains and major travel brands has shifted into something entirely different.

This year, the space once reserved for large hotel groups has morphed into a dynamic tech hall, buzzing with innovation.

Names like Expedia, Booking.com, Airbnb, Trip.com, Mews, and Oracle now anchor this area, alongside a few hospitality groups such as Accor and A&O. It marks a major pivot — one that reflects how fast the industry is changing.

But as technology takes center stage, it’s worth asking: what happens to the rest of the show? Several country pavilions felt noticeably quieter. The footfall of opportunistic travel buyers — once a mainstay — seems to have shifted to the tech zone, raising questions about balance and purpose.

By my count, nearly 85 technology vendors exhibited at ITB this year. That doesn’t even include the many others walking the floor, networking and demoing without a booth. It begs the question: is ITB now a hospitality tech event in disguise? And if so, should it be marketed as such?

Because here’s the thing — if you’re in hospitality tech, you could easily spend three full days at ITB and still not see it all. For vendors, this evolution presents a unique opportunity. But it also presents a challenge for ITB: how do you embrace this shift without alienating the tourism boards and country pavilions that have long been its foundation?

From my side, the experience was invaluable. I had dozens of meaningful conversations — from reconnecting with current partners to starting discussions with exciting new ones. The takeaway? There’s no shortage of great technology out there. And among the crowd, there are new players with standout products who just need the right stage to be seen beyond Europe.

We’ll be helping some of them take that next step.

On a final note, I had the chance to discuss two upcoming product launches we’re revealing at Arabian Travel Market. These are game-changers — not just for our users, but for hotel chains too. We’ll be exhibiting again in partnership with key vendors, and I can’t wait to share more.

The future of hospitality is here — and it’s a lot more tech-driven than you might think.

Ralph Melis is the COO, ExploreTECH

www.exploretech.io

4Hoteliers.com covers the ITB Berlin news and happenings annually since 2009. Read the news here at 4Hoteliers.com/itb or contact us for marketing and brand awareness opportunities.