Sales-to-date up 15% on 2009 -

Early indications are that ITB Asia will grow strongly this year making it the largest ITB Asia since the event launched in Singapore in 2008.

Around 15% more floor space has been sold so far this year, compared to same period last year. Hundreds of exhibitors have booked early to secure preferred floor positions.

Demand from Asia is leading the global travel industry recovery. "That confidence and growth is manifesting itself in floor space requirements that are above our expectations," said Nino Gruettke, the Executive Director of ITB Asia, which takes place at the Suntec Singapore Exhibition and Convention Centre 20-22 October.

Exhibitors that have greatly increased, or doubled, their space this year include: the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Nepal Tourism Board, the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Asian Connections Alliance, Booking.com, Frasers Hospitality (Singapore), La Flora Resort and Spa (Thailand), and Luxury Travel (Vietnam).

Around 70% of exhibitors who have booked so far are return sellers. Nearly 30% are first-time exhibitors. New sellers include the Moscow Exhibition & Convention Agency, Galextur – Galapagos Expedition Tours (Ecuador), TripAdvisor (USA), the J Team (Japan), the Beijing Overseas Tourism Corporation, and NaturCert (Greece).

Show organiser, Messe Berlin (Singapore), positions ITB Asia as "The Trade Show for the Asian Travel Market." Some 700 buyers are expected to attend.

"With resurgent demand from exhibitors and a high quality buyer policy, we are confident that ITB Asia 2010 will create a lot of new business for the travel industry," said Gruettke.

Pointers for a strong growth in 2010 were apparent in an independent survey conducted at the end of ITB Asia last year.

In the survey of 190 exhibitors, 262 trade visitors and 309 buyers, 74% of exhibitors reported a favourable impression of the show. Nearly 85% said they would recommend participation to other colleagues. Over 88% of exhibiting companies said they intended to participate at ITB Asia 2010.

Over 6,100 attendees including 553 invited buyers attended ITB Asia 2009. Exactly 84% told the survey company that they had a good overall impression of ITB Asia. Over 90% said they would recommend it to industry colleagues. Slightly more than 85% said they would visit ITB Asia 2010.

ITB Asia 2010 is supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau.