Messe Berlin, the organizer of the largest travel industry exhibition in the world was looking forward to relaunching ITB 2022 after 2020 was canceled just two weeks before the planned event due to the new COVID-19 outbreak in Europe, specifically in Italy at that time.
2021 was canceled ag\ain due to COVID-19 lockdowns and big hope was put into the event planned for March 2022. This hope was now eliminated with a short announcement on the ITB home page.
The cancellation of 2022 is a rude wake-up call for those that had seen tourism relaunching next year in a big way. It sets the wrong message for millions employed in that sector.
Starting 8 March 2023, ITB Berlin will once again bring together tourism professionals and key players from the global travel industry in Berlin.
In a short statement, ITB said:
In March 2023 ITB Berlin will be back again with an in-person event. ITB Berlin 2023 will open on 8 March and in accordance with the wishes of all market players will take place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.
This is a depressing situation, and a grim picture for the immediate future of the global travel and tourism industry, Juergen Steinmetz, the chairman of the World Tourism Network said.
World Tourism Network was started in 2020 as the first COVID discussion known as rebuilding.travel on the sideline of the canceled ITB.