It was a happy evening Monday night at Hall 7 Messe Berlin. A spectacular cultural show from Georgia showcasing dances and an opera singer, followed by some fantastic Georgian food and lots of wine made it a fun and successful opening for the first ITB Berlin after COVID.
5500 exhibitors from 169 countries will showcase their tourism products and destinations for the next 3 days.
The CEO of Messe Berlin, the Mayor of Berlin, the CEO of WTTC, the Vice Chancellor, and a German Federal Minister were united in condemning Russia for its illegal invasion of Ukraine and voicing condolences to Turkey and Syria for the victim of the recent earthquake.
The Berlin Mayor said 8000 kids are attending Berlin’s schools, including from the 60,000 refugees from Ukraine that settled in the German capital.
Speakers were also united in recognizing the importance of tourism for the world economies and the indication this sector is back and strong.
The real message for the first ITB after 3 years of silence due to COVID-19, however, came from the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
It showed tourism is big politics, also for Europe. The Vice Chancellor for Germany and Georgia’s Prime Minister were united in agreeing that Georgia is a European country and a co-creator of modern Europe.
It was an expensive evening for the Republic of Georgia, being the official host country for ITB Berlin 2023. Its money was well invested with a clear political move for this former Soviet Republic to be accepted as a new member of the European Union.
As the UNWTO Secretary-General has demonstrated throughout his time in office, wining and dining is a thriving part of diplomacy – Georgian style.
The Georgian Prime Minister was on a clear campaign to make his country’s dream a reality – becoming a full member of the European Union. In his lengthy speech, he kept emphasizing Georgia’s role in Europe and Georgia’s European history, and of course, went on about the beauty and diversity of his country and what hospitality means for the Georgian people. He pointed out that Georgia is a safe country to visit.
If this was also a first attempt for the UNWTO Secretary-General wanting to change UN statutes so he can run for a third term waits to be seen. He proudly pointed out how UNWTO kicked Russia from this UN tourism organization.
