ITB Berlin 2025 welcomed 100,000 attendees over three trade visitor days, with 87 percent of participants coming from international markets—reinforcing its status as the world’s leading travel trade show. The event continues to attract a growing global audience, further solidified by the announcement of ITB Americas, a dedicated B2B travel trade show for the American continent set to debut in Guadalajara, Mexico, from November 10–12, 2026.
This year, ITB Berlin introduced the Meet & Match platform, a key innovation that facilitated global networking and led to over 80,000 valuable business connections. The event hosted 5,800 companies from 170 countries, filling the exhibition halls with diverse showcases. The Cruise and Travel Technology sectors saw strong representation, while exhibitors from Southern Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Arab world impressed with dynamic displays.
Despite huge economic and geopolitical challenges, exhibitors and trade visitors at this year’s ITB Berlin showcased the industry’s resilience, adaptability and innovative drive. The ITB Buyers Circle with 1,300 senior buyers reflected economic relevance and high quality, while numerous trade visitors also used the trade fair specifically to make purchasing decisions. The overall positive assessment is mirrored in the results and high expectations for follow-up business.
The new ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2025/26 acknowledges an extremely positive business climate within the industry and equally favourable prospects for its companies, albeit with numerous recommendations for action. The main topics at ITB Berlin were megatrends such as sustainability and the digital transformation – with a particular focus on the huge opportunities that AI offers for payment solutions and seamless travel for example. On the subject of sustainability, the industry agreed that future growth and resource use must be harmonized, and that tourism must increasingly undergo a full transformation. With ITB Innovators 2025, ITB Berlin presented 35 visionary solutions that are redefining global tourism. Whether the topic was AI-powered assistants, sustainable mobility services or smart booking systems – the focus was on the industry’s most innovative concepts.
“ITB Berlin 2025 once again showcased the industry’s resilience and innovative drive. The shift towards sustainable concepts, the integration of AI and the digital transformation opens up enormous opportunities. ITB Berlin has made it clear that we as an industry can set the pace for sustainable and inclusive tourism only if we work together,” said Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, commenting on the mood at ITB Berlin.
ITB Americas to launch in Mexico in 2026
ITB Expands to the Americas with New B2B Trade Show in Mexico
ITB Americas, a dedicated B2B travel trade show for the entire American continent, is set to debut in Guadalajara, Mexico, from November 10–12, 2026. A formal agreement was signed at ITB Berlin with the Mexican ambassador and representatives of the State of Jalisco, solidifying this strategic expansion.
As the only travel trade show covering North, Central, and South America as well as the Caribbean, ITB Americas will feature 80 percent exhibitors from the region and 20% from global markets. Recent insights from IPK International indicate a positive trajectory in outbound travel across the Americas, reinforcing the timing of this launch. Â
Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, emphasized ITB’s commitment to fostering international connections, stating: “ITB Americas will serve as a comprehensive platform for the entire continent’s travel industry, with Mexico as the ideal host.”
ITB Berlin Convention: forward-looking ideas and practical solutions
The ITB Berlin Convention once again showed why it is a trendsetting thinktank, with over 200 prominent speakers, who at 17 tracks and 400 sessions on four stages dealt with topics such as the digital transformation, the role of AI in planning trips and sustainable business models. The travel market is growing steadily, but also undergoing serious change – according to the latest surveys of Phocuswright and Euromonitor. Social media content is becoming increasingly important for planning trips. Another trend is the desire for authentic experiences at destinations, which are now sometimes more important during planning than the choice of destination itself. At the AI track discussion focused on the use of AI solutions that maximise the customer experience in tourism and make it more personal.
The MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) sector is expecting turnover and business to increase over the coming months. The discussion on the skills shortage in the tourism industry also attracted a great deal of attention. Industry experts called for intensifying training programmes and taking an innovative approach to retaining employees in order to ensure companies have stable and adequately staffed workforces.
Gen Z has an important role to play. How the challenges of diversity, a work-life balance and new work affect the corporate climate was one of the main topics of the new Corporate Culture Clash track, which was extremely well received by attendees and clearly illustrated the importance of these topics within the industry. The new ITB Transition Labs presented practical examples of sustainability and digitization that are worth following. For the first time, all sessions were live-streamed and could also be watched afterwards on the YouTube channel of ITB Berlin.
High international participation and attendance by political figures
As well as trade visitors from around the world, ITB Berlin 2025 attracted high-ranking political figures from further afield. In addition to Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, 39 ministers from 34 countries and 37 ambassadors visited the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show to exchange views on the latest developments and discuss political decision-making for the future of tourism. The ITB Ministers’ Summit by UN Tourism gathered more than 35 tourism ministers from all over the world. They discussed investment, sustainable development and peace in the tourism sector. The high-level event served as a platform for exchanging information on strategies for economic resilience and promoting cross-border partnerships.
The close ties between business and politics were particularly evident in the dialogue that took place between representatives from Europe, Asia and Africa. One of the key topics was the role of tourism as an economic force for the entire value chain in emerging countries. The focus was on funding programmes and initiatives that promote sustainable and socially responsible tourism concepts.
Albania sets the stage as ITB Berlin 2025 host country
As the official host country of ITB Berlin 2025, Albania took center stage with the theme “Albania All Senses,” showcasing its rich culture, stunning landscapes, and commitment to sustainable tourism. The Western Balkans destination captivated attendees with an immersive display, while Prime Minister Edi Rama outlined ambitious plans for the sustainable development of Albania’s coastal regions. With rising interest in individual and cultural tourism, the country’s dynamic presentation was widely praised as a show highlight.
On the eve of ITB Berlin, Albania welcomed 2,500 guests from business, politics, and society to a grand opening gala, offering a sensory experience of “Albanity” through music, visuals, and cultural performances.
Looking ahead, ITB Berlin 2026 will mark its 60th anniversary from March 3 to 5, celebrating its legacy as the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. With regional editions in Asia, China, India, and the upcoming ITB Americas, the milestone event will reflect on the past, present, and future of global travel, with special events to be announced in the coming weeks.
