The first day of Internationale Tourismus-Börse in Berlin, the world’s largest B2B travel event, was attended by more than 35,000 trave; professionals
Speakers emphasised the industry’s role in global peace, the impact of AI on the future of travel, and the importance of sustainability and inclusivity in shaping the industry post-pandemic
The German travel market has already surpassed 2019 levels in bookings, with Turkey overtaking Spain as the top destination and Greece also becoming more popular.
Trade events on the ITB social scene included the lively Tourism ireland event. Tourism Ireland is hosting 21 tourism companies on its stand conducting 600 commercial meetings and taking the opportunity to meet with 100 media during ITB, to pitch story ideas for the island of Ireland. In 2023, Tourism Ireland’s publicity programme in Germany generated 260m opportunities through broadcast, print and digital media. Participating groups included
- Abbey Group
- AC Tours Ireland Ltd
- Aer Lingus
- Aloft Dublin City
- Castle Collection
- Experience Gaelic Games
- Hinch Distillery
- Historic Royal Palaces / Hillsborough Castle and Gardens
- Joe O’Reilly Ireland DMC
- Kleemann Tours
- Loughview Leisure Group
- McKeever Hotels
- MHL Hotel Collection
- Moloney & Kelly
- O’Donoghue Ring Collection
- Pearse Lyons Distillery
- Railtours Ireland First Class
- TIFCO Hotel Group
- Tour Partner Group
- Trigon Hotels
- White Hotel Group
Overall in 2023, the travel market had not only fully recovered from the Covid pandemic but had surpassed 2019 levels, with a total turnover exceeding two trillion dollars in 2024 and 2025.
Different regions were recovering at different speeds, with North America leading the way in bookings. Fadnis expected booking percentages in 2025 to mirror those prior to the pandemic.
Challenges remained, with Fadnis highlighting inflation, global flashpoints, and climate change as key issues that the industry needed to address.
Fiebig called for policymakers to support the industry’s eco-friendly transformation, particularly in sustainable aviation fuels.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive Designate of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted to attend ITB Berlin this week with tourism businesses from the island of Ireland. Germany is one of the largest outbound travel markets in the world and it is the third-largest overseas market for tourism to the island of Ireland. We think we have plenty to offer German visitors and we’re excited to win more business at ITB Berlin, helping rebuild momentum in the post-Covid era. We know Germans are active when they holiday with us, with 92% visiting historical sites and 58% participating in outdoor activities. Together with our partners from Ireland, we will be showcasing ease of access and places to stay, as well as culture, history and sports. Relationships forged and deals set in motion at ITB Berlin can help to attract German visitors to the island of Ireland for the years ahead.”
Tourism Ireland is also partnering with Culture Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs to leverage this year’s Zeitgeist Irland 24, a yearlong programme of Irish arts taking place in Germany in 2024.
