Booked up and on course for success - two ITB events will be held in one year for the first time.

ITB Berlin 2008

For the first time Messe Berlin is organising two trade shows for the international travel industry in two separate locations in the space of one year. In addition to holding the ITB Berlin in March, which for four decades has remained unchallenged as the industry's leading travel trade show, Messe Berlin will be celebrating a premiere with a trade fair for the emerging markets in Asia.

With the ITB Asia, which takes place from 22 to 24 October 2008 in Singapore, the ITB Berlin continues to build on its standing as the leading travel trade show of the global travel industry.

The concept of the ITB Asia is threefold, integrating the MICE, business travel and leisure sectors, and is the first tourism trade fair on the Asian market to give equal importance to all three. Dr. Christian Göke, COO Messe Berlin: "Registrations for the ITB Asia have considerably exceeded our expectations and every square metre at the ITB Berlin 2008 is booked up."

ITB Berlin 2008 – demand outstrips supply

To date 11,000 companies and organisations from over 180 countries have registered to take part in the ITB Berlin 2008, whose 26 halls cover a display area of around 150,000 square metres. Among the countries which visitors will encounter for the first time are Palau and YAP from Micronesia, and the island of Zanzibar.

 Tourism in Germany is expanding at the ITB too. For the first time the State of Hesse will be exhibiting in its own display hall (7.1c). Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Thailand, Vietnam and Macau will all be occupying significantly larger stands.

Rising demand due to favourable exchange rates means that exhibitors from the USA will also be represented in larger numbers. The stands of New York and Las Vegas have also increased in size.

Exhibitors representing travel destinations in Eastern Europe have also booked larger stands, showing how important the ITB Berlin is for the development of their tourism industry. The display areas of countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Montenegro, the Czech Republic and Russia have increased by up to 40 per cent. "Unfortunately we were unable to satisfy all the requests for additional display space", added Dr. Christian Göke.

At the ITB Berlin Convention Market Trends & Innovations the ITB Berlin will be setting new international travel trends. With over 9,000 participants, Europe's largest and most important event of its kind has acquired the role of an industry think tank.

According to Christian Göke, Messe Berlin is well equipped to compete with other trade fair venues. "In Berlin our exhibitors benefit from good transport links and the location of the exhibition grounds in the heart of the city.

In particular the additional costs of attending a fair, which one should not underestimate, such as travel expenses and staff accommodation, are much lower in Berlin than in similar major cities of the world.

Whereas many exhibitors are significantly scaling down their involvement in other trade fairs, the ITB Berlin continues to grow in popularity", said Messe Berlin's COO.