The world's leading travel trade show presents lectures and workshops at South America's largest travel trade show in Rio de Janeiro – the programme includes up-to-the-minute topics: CSR, Business Travel, MICE and Gay & Lesbian Travel – admission is free for visitors to ABAV.

In a move underlining German-Brazilian cooperation, ITB Berlin is this year's knowledge partner at Brazil's travel trade show ABAV, A Feira de Turismo das Américas, and at numerous seminars will be providing delegates with the latest information on CSR, Business Travel, MICE, hotel management and Gay & Lesbian Travel. Leading speakers will be lecturing on sustainable tourism in Brazil and be discussing how destinations hosting mega-events can achieve long-term success.

From 24 to 26 October 2012 ITB Berlin will be represented at the travel trade show in Rio de Janeiro with its own stand (H 01) in Hall 4, and with a wide-ranging convention programme. The ITB Academy will be providing delegates with valuable knowledge from a variety of tourism fields. Admission to these events is free for visitors to ABAV. This move strengthens the long-standing collaboration between the world´s leading travel trade show and ABAV, which is organised by Brazil's travel agency association Associação Brasileira de Agências de Viagens.

According to Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Competence Center Travel & Logistics, Messe Berlin, the seminars not only promote the exchange and advancement of knowledge: "The topics at the event mirror society both at national and international level. As such, these lectures and discussions provide an important further boost for promoting tourism and exchanges between Germany and Brazil."

On Wednesday, 24 October 2012, the topics are Business Travel and MICE. At a workshop, Gustavo Elbaum, Global Sales Director, Brazil and Latin America, CWT, will examine the best ways to book hotels and how companies can make efficient use of business travel management. Margaret Anne Grantham, Centro de Turismo Alemão, Brazil, will provide information on the MICE infrastructure in Germany and on how travel managers and event organisers can benefit.

On Thursday, 25 October 2012, the seminar programme at ABAV will focus on sustainable tourism and Gay & Lesbian Travel, currently a growth market. With regard to Brazil, discussion will centre on how in an age of large-scale global events it is possible to organise socially responsible tourism. Afterwards, Rika Jean-François, product manager, ITB Berlin, will lecture on the importance of Gay & Lesbian Travel. Thomas Bömkes, Diversity Tourism UG, will illustrate the global market with the help of strategic analyses. Tom Roth, Community Marketing Inc., San Francisco, will provide valuable facts and figures on the international Gay & Lesbian travel market, while Marco Lomanto, Embratur, will present Brazil as an up-and-coming destination in this growth market. The examples of best practices given by Steven Eidelberg, Accor Hotels, New York, will highlight what tourism executives need to do in order to be successful in this market.

On Friday, 26 October 2012, the programme of the ITB Academy will be devoted to Hospitality Management. Gérard R. Jean Bourgeaiseau, Public Affairs Director of Windsor Hotels, will talk about the challenges that face the hotel industry at large-scale events. A seminar on sustainable tourism featuring leading speakers will round off this outstanding series of events.

The media partner collaborating with the ITB Academy seminars at ABAV is the trade magazine Mercado e Eventos.

ITB Berlin 2013 Marketing Programs

In our 5th consecutive year, 4Hoteliers.com will follow all the action at ITB Berlin 2013 closely with our own journalists and video crews on-site during the show.

The dedicated ITB Berlin Micro site generates high traffic and highly effective targeted marketing opportunities with daily ITB enewsletters send globally. Contact us (see top left corner) for further details information about our exclusive ITB Berlin Marketing Programs.

View the 2012 site here: www.4Hoteliers.com/itb