The opening ceremony and the first ITB Summit, two events featuring high-ranking speakers, will signal the start of the 48th edition of ITB Berlin.
On the eve of ITB Berlin, Mexico, this year's partner country, will fascinate the guests at the opening event with sophisticated culinary delights, live music and dance performances. Celebrities representing politics and the tourism industry will address the audience at the opening ceremony, which will take place on 4 March 2014 at 6 p.m. in Hall 1 of the International Congress Center Berlin (ICC Berlin). On the eve of ITB Berlin the 600 delegates invited to the first ITB Summit will be able to find out about new trends and developments in online marketing.
The opening ceremony will be as unique, unexplainable and impressive as Mexico itself. At four individual stops inside the lobby of the ICC Berlin guests will be able to watch Mexican artists welcoming them with their performances. Opening the ceremony, Vice Chancellor and Federal Economics and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Berlin's Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit and Messe Berlin CEO Dr. Christian Göke and will address the 4,500 guests. In their role as leading representatives of the travel industry Dr. Michael Frenzel, President of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW) and Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will hold speeches. Representing this year's partner country, H.E. Claudia Ruiz Massieu Salinas, Secretary of Tourism of Mexico will also address those present.
Mexico will fascinate its guests with a dazzling programme of entertainment and a fascinating multimedia show featuring modern as well as traditional elements. This kaleidoscope of colours, photography and images will conjure a visual tour, bringing Mexico to life. At the subsequent reception and networking event a selection of culinary delights from the partner country and a welcome cocktail by master chef Enrique Olvera will await the guests.
On 4 March from 2 to 6 p.m., a new format at ITB Berlin will provide information on developments in online marketing. The first ITB Summit on the topical subject of omni-channel marketing will have valuable practical tips on how to combine online and offline sales channels. Leading speakers, including Lee McCabe, head of Travel Facebook, Claas van Delden, managing director of Seven Ventures, and Harald Kratel, managing director of Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft BVDW, will have useful information on mobile marketing and the prospects for social media securing new customers for the 600 delegates invited to this event. Rounding off the programme will be a thought-provoking discussion round in which members from various parts of the media will discuss the future of marketing communications. Jürgen Scharrer, editor-in-chief of Horizont, will moderate the ITB Summit.
About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention ITB Berlin 2014 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, 5 to 9 March. From the Wednesday to the Friday ITB Berlin is open to trade visitors only. The ITB Berlin Convention is held parallel with the trade fair, from Wednesday to Saturday, 5 to 8 March 2014. It is the world's largest specialist convention for the industry. More details are available at www.itb-convention.com. ITB Berlin is the leading trade fair for the worldwide travel industry. In 2013 a total of 10,086 companies and organisations from 188 countries exhibited their products and services to 170,000 visitors, who included 110,000 trade visitors. 
