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Six decades, one lifetime in tourism COMMENT S ixty years of ITB Berlin mark an impressive anniversary that is far more than just a round number. For
Sören Hartmann , President of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW), reflects on the moments and milestones that have shaped his career and why ITB Berlin remains
Looking back, I see a trade fair that has continuously reinvented itself. What began in 1966 with nine exhibitors from five countries has grown into today’s leading global platform of the tourism industry. ITB Berlin sets impulses that reach far beyond the exhibition grounds. It has anticipated developments and made emerging trends and future topics visible for the industry, politics, and media. Whether digitalisation, sustainability, new business models, or changing travel preferences, many of the major debates of our time began, or were further developed here. ITB Berlin is a space where conversations turn into cooperation and ideas become concrete projects. In 2026, on its 60th anniversary, ITB Berlin once again demonstrates its strength to evolve while staying true to its core. It’s motto, ‘Leading Tourism into Balance’, is symbolic: it precisely describes the challenge we face today. We want to enable growth, but responsibly. Preserve freedom to travel while protecting resources. Achieve economic success, but always with people, regions, and the climate in mind. ITB Berlin provides the framework to discuss this balance – and to develop viable solutions. Looking ahead, the event will continue to hold its significance. The world is becoming more connected, mobile, and digital, yet the desire for personal encounters and reliable partnerships is growing. ITB Berlin unites both like almost no other event. It will continue to be a place where the tourism industry reinvents itself, innovation becomes visible and where we assume responsibility together. For me, it will remain a highlight of every year. Our industry needs a strong and reliable platform like this – today, and in the future.
me personally, having served in various roles, including as CEO of DERTOUR Group and member of the REWE Group Executive Board, and today as President of BTW, ITB Berlin has always been a highlight of the tourism calendar. It is a place that has provided our industry with orientation, inspiration, and momentum for six decades. What ITB Berlin makes possible has been evident throughout my entire professional life. In hotel purchasing, for example, it was an extremely efficient place for me to build reliable partnerships in a very short time. Nowhere else do you meet so many destinations and potential business partners in such close proximity. In just a few days, I was able to hold more conversations and sign more contacts than during weeks of individual business trips. As CEO, ITB Berlin was a strategic meeting point, bringing together the most important players in the global travel industry. It was an ideal setting to strengthen alliances and networks, while gaining fresh insights for the development of my company. Today, as President of the association, ITB Berlin has taken on an additional dimension. It is not only a marketplace, but also a political platform of international importance. Tourism ministers from around the world, national political decision-makers, and associations like ours at BTW come together here to discuss economic, regulatory and societal questions about the future. In this way, ITB Berlin combines a marketplace, a strategic hub, and a political forum for our industry, all in one place.
irreplaceable in a changing world
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