ITB Berlin 2023 - A Year of Tourism Excellence
Monday the 6th marked the beginning of four exciting and intense days for the travel and tourism industry. ITB Berlin 2023 (Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin) represents one of the most important and accredited international events concerning international tourism. Exhibitors such as air and cruise lines, resorts, hotels and tour operators will be meeting and joining efforts in sculpting the tourism industry and all its related fields for the coming year. The main keyword at ITB Berlin 2023 is "change", expressed in all its infinite facets.
The Opening Ceremony - Georgia takes the Stage
The Opening Ceremony of the ITB Berlin 2023 was held at the CityCube on the 6th of March and it set the flow for this polarizing convention. Georgia was this year's hosting country and it truly delivered, with some very high profile representatives and all the beauty of its rich history, culture and nature. Georgia's Vice Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili personally cut the ribbon, promising an impressive journey throughout Georgia under the theme of "Infinite Georgian culture - from the beginnings of viniculture to modern avant-garde art".
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is another prominent Georgian personality who encouraged attendance and is working to promote the country's emerging tourism industry. The opening speeches were followed by an ensemble of Georgian music, traditional ballet and polyphonic singing, for a taste of the country's artistic and cultural heritage.
A Spotlight on Georgia
Through its role as hosting country for IBT 2023, Georgia aims to showcase to the world the infinite variety of experiences it can provide. Recently confirmed once again as one of the birthplaces of wine, this country holds a long and resilient cultural tradition that can fascinate any traveller.
Georgia is approaching the end date of a visionary 10-years National Tourism Strategy plan signed back in 2015. The project looked to accomplish strategic unprecedented results in the country's tourism industry. Among the plan's tenets, the first one set to "protect and improve Georgia's natural and cultural heritage", laying down a path to a sustainable tourism development, mindful of the communities and natural environments dotting this land between continents.
Early data had already confirmed the first positive results of this plan, and though affected by the recent Covid-19 pandemic, like most other countries, the future looks bright for Georgian tourism.
A World of Exhibits
The beauty behind ITB Berlin lies in the myriad of exhibits, themes and scenarios explored and presented during the annual conference. Over 10.000 exhibitors worked jointly to draw out the fine lines of tourism industry for the coming year. A few of the themes presented include:
Gender Equality: Tourism as a door for female empowerment.
A panel dedicated to exploring the relationship between the tourism industry and gender equality. The importance of tourism as a tool to remove societal and economical barriers around women all over the world. The speaking commission included talented and succesful women ready to share their opinions and experiences.
Augmented Reality: Potential, Upsell and Opportunities
In a world where reality is constantly augmented by the virtual world, experiences could be enriched and empowered by the additional resources of the digital. A future of tourism where you are the center of the action as history and nature unfold around you.
The Label Jungle - Sustainable Tourism
With both travellers and service providers expressing growing interest in a sustainable approach to tourism, the industry seems to promote the idea of a low-impact development, mindful of local nature and communities. Navigating among the different labels however can be complicated. This panel helped visitors to understand credited certificates for climate neutrality and compensation programmes.
