ITB Berlin: The world's leading tourism fair

Abstract

MICE is a significant segment of tourism industry. It is of great interest for exhibitors and visitors, as well as for host cities and organizers. ITB Berlin represents the world's leading travel trade show. This paper analyses the key trends of this event in the last five year period (from 2004 until 2008). Analyzed data was annually gathered by Gelzus Messe-Marktforschung GmbH. This research focused on exhibitors', trade visitors and private visitors' origin, age distribution of private visitors, exhibiting companies, exhibiting branches, interest for travel according to type and overall impression and outlook that was gathered through surveys at ITB Berlin. Data was collected in the period 2004-2008 and placed together to make a five year overview. The goal is to present a development of above mentioned values and to discover potential patterns and predict future trends for this tourism fair.