Global tourism is facing extensive tasks and challenges. Whether it’s a shortage of skilled workers, climate justice or the impact of artificial intelligence – at the ITB Berlin Convention 2024, 400 top speakers from international companies such as Booking, Google, Microsoft and Airbnb will discuss new strategies for a travel industry in transition in more than 200 sessions.
Countdown to the world’s leading industry think tank: In the first week of March, the Berlin exhibition grounds will once again become the most important meeting place for the travel industry. From March 5 to 7, the ITB Berlin Convention 2024 will bring together numerous international experts under the motto “Pioneer the Transition in Travel & Tourism Together” on four live stages as part of 17 themed tracks during ITB Berlin, providing an exciting exchange of ideas. The challenges of advancing digitalization and the increasing application possibilities of artificial intelligence are just two of the many topics that can be expected to generate intensive debates at the convention. Convention participation is included in the trade visitor, exhibitor and press ticket for ITB Berlin.
Representatives of leading international companies promise top news at first hand: Current challenges facing the airline and cruise industry are the topic of the Carrier & Cruise Track, during which leading industry experts will take a look at global market trends as well as technological and legal challenges on March 5. Top speakers such as Nadia Azale (NDC Change Management Director, AirFrance-KLM Group), Michele Francioni (Chief Energy Transition Officer, MSC Cruises S.A.) and Chris Ramm (Vice President Global Enterprise Airline Partners, Travelport) will discuss industry-relevant developments and present best cases.
Glenn Fogel (CEO, Booking Holdings) will speak about future prospects and technology in tourism under the title “Leadership, Innovation and the Future of Travel” as part of the Future Track. Another highlight will be “Engineering the Future: How GenAI and Microsoft Copilot bring a new Intelligence to Travel” with Karim Bagga (Engineering Group Manager, Travel & AI Microsoft), who will discuss the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. Stefan Ebener (Head of Customer Engineering, Google) will also take a look at the mega topic of artificial intelligence in his presentation “How GenAI is changing the Digital World – From Future Tech to Daily Business”. Under the title “How Airbnb is unlocking new Opportunities for Growth”, Dave Stephenson (Chief Business Officer, Airbnb) will explain the booking platform’s current plans.
The responsibility of tourism for biodiversity and climate justice will be the focus of the Responsible Tourism Track on March 7, which will use current practical examples to demonstrate sustainable solutions. The top speakers include Bruno Oberle (President World Resources Forum Association and Former Director General International Union for Conservation of Nature), Külli Kraner (Head of Tourism, Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications) and Ingo Burmester (CEO, DER Touristik), who will present “Pioneering the Transition towards Net Zero: Climate Footprints Unveiled” initiatives for more climate justice.
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