Section header 60 years in travel
Expedia launch shakes up industry with OTA concept unleashed in 1996
The euro launches as a digital currency in 1999
1989 Borders fall, and the Web is born The Berlin Wall falls, and East Germans gain long-awaited travel freedom, with many making their first plans at ITB Berlin. At CERN, Tim Berners-Lee proposes the World Wide Web, paving the way for a game-changing digital travel revolution.
1996 OTAs digitalise and disrupt
1999 New currency, new horizons
The first Online Travel Agency (OTA), Expedia.com, launches to market, giving consumers direct control over their bookings. The age of digital travel begins, disrupting traditional agency models and raising new discussion points at ITB Berlin, which continue today.
The euro launches as an invisible digital currency, with coins and banknotes introduced three years later, streamlining travel across 12 European countries. ITB Berlin debuts its Youth Travel Centre, tapping
into one of tourism’s most energetic growth markets.
1992 ITB Berlin champions sustainable tourism
1997 Europe decides to clear the smoky air The EU bans smoking on flights within its airspace, a move soon adopted by airlines worldwide. ITB Berlin has since provided a platform for airlines to showcase innovations in passenger comfort, safety, and in-flight experiences.
2000 Speed and tech at a crossroads
ITB Berlin elevates environmental and human rights issues as travellers grow more conscious of their impact. This year marks a pivotal turn toward responsible tourism.
Travel technology and mobile internet debut at ITB Berlin, just as the supersonic dream falters. A fatal Concorde crash marks the end of ultra-fast air travel, but in 2026, new supersonic aircraft remain under development.
Sustainable travel spotlighted in 1992
Airlines ban smoking in 1997
2000 signals the end of supersonic air travel
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