ITB Berlin Convention 2026 is being positioned as more than a panel-driven side event to the world’s largest travel trade show. As ITB Berlin marks its 60th anniversary, the convention has been designed as a central forum for policy discussions, strategic planning, and operational decision-making across the global tourism industry.
Scheduled for 3 to 5 March 2026 in Berlin, the convention brings together more than 400 speakers from government, business, research institutions, and international organizations. Discussions will take place across four stages and 17 specialized tracks, reflecting the growing complexity of a sector under sustained economic, environmental, and regulatory pressure.
Under the working theme “Leading Tourism into Balance”, the program shifts attention away from growth narratives and toward stability models based on long-term social, environmental, and financial performance.
Industry Leaders Present Data and Market Strategy
The program features executives from major global travel and tourism companies, including Airbnb, Phocuswright, and G Adventures. Speakers from these organizations are expected to address market demand trends, changing consumer behavior, and the role of technology in managing tourism at scale.
Nathan Blecharczyk, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Airbnb, is set to contribute insights into platform economies and short-term accommodation policy. Mitra Sorrells, Senior Vice President at Phocuswright, will lead discussions on travel market data analysis and demand forecasting. Bruce Poon Tip, Founder of G Adventures, will address evolving expectations in the adventure tourism segment and the operational challenges facing experience-led travel businesses.
The speaker lineup also includes contributors from academia, conservation, and transport sectors, providing a multidisciplinary frame to industry conversations.
Sustainability Moves from Messaging to Measurement
Environmental considerations will feature prominently across the convention agenda. Sessions are expected to examine biodiversity protection, destination carrying capacity, carbon management, and climate risk planning.
Business biodiversity specialist Frauke Fischer will present on the increasing economic relevance of ecosystem integrity to travel operations. Her sessions focus on linking conservation outcomes directly to financial sustainability rather than approaching environmental protection as corporate branding.
The convention agenda includes content dedicated to sustainability indicators, regulatory frameworks, and investment models that align commercial interests with environmental realities.
ITB Transition Labs Expand Operational Focus
The ITB Transition Labs series will continue in 2026 with an expanded program. These sessions are structured to deliver firm-level analysis of current corporate strategies within tourism and hospitality.
Topics include:
- Key performance indicators for sustainability reporting
- Financial modeling for environmental investment
- Corporate climate accountability
- Risk assessment and destination vulnerability metrics
Participants are expected to engage in applied learning exercises based on live industry scenarios and data-driven evaluation methods.
ITB Deep Dives Deliver Specialist Analysis
The ITB Deep Dives format introduces extended discussion sessions dedicated to emerging market developments. Topics include regulatory design, consumer rights, international mobility policy, and digital market oversight.
These sessions are structured for executives and professionals seeking analysis beyond headline coverage, incorporating research data, comparative policy review, and case studies across multiple markets.
Hospitality and Travel Technology Take an Expanded Role
The hospitality program increases in scale with the expansion of the Hospitality Track across two major stages. Discussions will focus on revenue management, energy efficiency, hotel workforce policy, and digital service infrastructure.
Executives from groups such as a&o Hostels and Orascom Hotels Management AG will provide insight into operational restructuring strategies across European and international markets.
Airbnb joins the convention as Official Premium Partner. The partnership includes program participation within the Hospitality Track, highlighting discussions on accommodation supply, regulatory harmonization, and urban housing concerns related to short-term rentals.
Peru, participating as Adventure Travel Partner, will present destination development strategy focused on sustainability, heritage preservation, and visitor management.
Diversity, Risk Management, and Traveler Safety
The Diversity and Inclusion Track continues in 2026 with a focus on legal and social risk factors affecting international travelers.
ITB Berlin, in collaboration with A3M Global Monitoring and Diversity Tourism, is conducting an international survey examining safety conditions and legal environments for LGBTQ travelers across destinations. The research is designed to inform both corporate risk management frameworks and destination planning strategies.
Registration and Accreditation
Ticket sales for ITB Berlin 2026 are currently open. Reduced pricing applies until 14 January 2026. All trade visitor tickets and exhibitor passes include access to the ITB Berlin Convention.
Press accreditation is available online. Approved applicants receive a digital badge and individual QR code granting access throughout the event period.
About ITB Berlin and ITB 360
ITB Berlin 2026 takes place as a business-to-business trade event from Tuesday, 3 March to Thursday, 5 March.
Founded in 1966, ITB Berlin has established itself as the world’s largest travel trade show. The 2026 anniversary theme, “Discover the Stories Behind 60 Years of Legacy”, recognizes the exhibition’s role in shaping industry development.
The convention operates alongside ITB Berlin, while ITB 360 provides year-round professional services through articles, research publications, events, and audio content for the international travel community.
