The physical trade show part of ITB China, which was scheduled to be held from November 24 to 26 in Shanghai, has been canceled and the show now will be only digital.
The in-person event cannot take place due to dynamically developing restrictions related to the pandemic situation in China, organizers said.
ITB China Virtual platform will run from November 8 to December 31 offering 50 days of digital trade show experience.
David Axiotis, General Manager of Messe Berlin (Shanghai), the organiser of ITB China, said: “With only less than a month away, the current situation has become too unpredictable to hold ITB China as a hybrid event as originally planned. The decision to go fully digital was taken after closely following the most recent developments of the Covid-19 pandemic in China and having broad discussions with partners and local government authorities.
“Fortunately, we have already developed a digital concept that enables us to offer our partners a custom-made platform for successful business opportunities and quality content in these dynamic as well as challenging times, especially as the industry craves business exchange in one place more than ever before,” he said.
For the coming ITB China Virtual event, participants can expect the following highlights at a glance:
• Search for global travel suppliers using multimedia presentations of their products, connecting participants over a longer period of 50 days
• Prescheduled and spontaneous appointment opportunities for one-on-one chats with potential partners from around the world
• Exchange and one-click downloads of e-business cards
• Specially designed online session with video interviews from industry experts
ITB China Virtual will go live on November 8 with a kick-off period featuring forward-looking one-on-one interview sessions with leading travel and tourism experts. Well-known faces from the industry, such as Prof Dr Roland Conrady, Executive Convention Director / ITB Berlin Convention; Joseph Wang, Chief Commercial Officer TravelDaily; Lenny Jia, Founder China BT MICE; and more will be asking thought provoking questions, making the sessions both insightful and entertaining for the audience. The interviews bring together top executives and industry experts from travel organizations, destinations, travel services, hospitality and MICE, among others.
Sixteen interviews will be released from November 8 on the virtual platform, marking the official kick-off of this year’s ITB China 2021.
