ITB Berlin Convention 2026 opens at a moment when the global travel industry is being reshaped by geopolitical instability, technological acceleration and mounting sustainability pressures. From 3 to 5 March in Berlin, the convention will attempt to answer a question that now feels urgent rather than theoretical: how will we travel in the future when crisis and artificial intelligence are simultaneously rewriting the rules?
Held alongside ITB Berlin, the convention has long positioned itself as more than a trade gathering. It operates as a strategic forum where policymakers, technology architects, tour operators and destination leaders debate structural shifts that affect billions of journeys annually. In 2026, the tone is less celebratory and more analytical. Travel is not merely expanding. It is recalibrating.
A Travel Industry Navigating Polycrisis
The concept of “polycrisis” has moved from academic circles into boardrooms. Economic volatility, regional conflicts, supply chain fragility and climate disruption now intersect in ways that directly influence travel demand and consumer confidence. ITB Berlin Convention 2026 confronts this reality head-on.
A keynote address by Joschka Fischer, former German Foreign Minister, sets the geopolitical tone. Fischer is expected to examine how global tensions alter mobility patterns and destination reputations. His presence signals that tourism can no longer operate as an insulated sector. Political risk now shapes route planning, investment decisions and marketing narratives.
For destinations, resilience is no longer a marketing slogan. It is operational doctrine. Governments and private operators alike are reassessing dependency on single source markets and fragile infrastructure systems. The convention’s political emphasis acknowledges that tourism has become a frontline economic indicator of global stability.
Digital Disruption and the Expanding Role of AI
AI as Strategy, Not Experiment
Artificial intelligence dominates the strategic agenda. The debate has moved beyond automation of repetitive tasks. The industry is now examining AI as an engine for reshaping pricing models, distribution strategies and traveler personalization.
Executives from Google, Microsoft, Expedia and Airbnb are expected to outline how AI-driven search tools and predictive systems are influencing booking behavior.
Nathan Blecharczyk of Airbnb will address how short-term rentals and nature-focused tourism intersect with data analytics. As travelers increasingly seek remote experiences and environmentally conscious stays, algorithmic recommendation systems are becoming gatekeepers of visibility. The implications are significant. Small operators who fail to adapt risk being filtered out of digital ecosystems.
Meanwhile, senior leaders Yannis Simaiakis and Anna Sawbridge from Google will explore how AI is transforming search from keyword matching to intent prediction. Travel providers must now design content and pricing strategies that align with algorithmic interpretation rather than traditional marketing logic.
Ethical and Structural Risks
The optimism around AI is tempered by scrutiny. Hospitality scholar Fevzi Okumus is scheduled to present research on algorithmic bias. Studies increasingly show that AI systems can marginalize smaller or locally owned providers if training data favors scale and historical dominance. In destinations where tourism is a lifeline for community income, visibility algorithms carry social consequences.
The conversation at ITB Berlin Convention 2026 therefore moves beyond efficiency. It confronts fairness, access and digital equity.
Managing Tourism Growth Responsibly
Economic Development Versus Environmental Pressure
As global travel rebounds, the central question is no longer whether growth will occur, but how it can be governed. Thomas Ellerbeck of TUI and Ingo Burmester of DERTOUR Group are expected to address tourism’s role in international cooperation and local economic strengthening.
Large operators face a dual mandate. They must drive revenue while ensuring that growth does not overwhelm destinations. In recent years, overtourism debates have exposed governance gaps. ITB Berlin Convention 2026 places these tensions under scrutiny.
Hospitality executive Dr Renée Nicole Wagner of Orascom Hotel Management will contribute to discussions about community integration. Hotels increasingly act as local economic hubs. The conversation has shifted toward partnerships with neighborhoods, supply chains rooted in local production and social investment frameworks.
Biodiversity and Technological Intervention
Biodiversity expert Frauke Fischer will examine whether AI can assist conservation in tourism-heavy ecosystems. From predictive crowd management to environmental impact modeling, technology may offer mitigation tools. Yet tools require governance. Data without regulation risks accelerating exploitation.
Innovation, Metrics and Operational Reinvention
Transition from Vision to Measurement
The ITB Transition Lab promises operational depth. Rather than abstract forecasts, sessions focus on key performance indicators and modernization strategies. For executives, this is where rhetoric meets implementation.
The industry has learned that sustainability targets without measurable frameworks remain symbolic. Data transparency and standardized reporting are increasingly demanded by investors and regulators alike.
Program Highlights by Day
Tuesday, 3 March 2026 – Future Track
Sponsored by Microsoft Advertising, the Future Track convenes leaders across politics, science and technology to examine resilience in a fragmented world. Discussions are expected to address innovation under pressure and the recalibration of long-haul demand.
Wednesday, 4 March 2026 – AI, Destination and Marketing Tracks
The AI Track, supported by Travolution, analyzes business model reinvention. Distribution, customer engagement and automation sit at the center of this debate.
The Destination Track, partnered with Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, focuses on governance models that balance economic ambition with environmental stewardship.
The Marketing and Distribution Track, sponsored by Google, addresses revenue strategies in a landscape increasingly shaped by algorithmic mediation.
The Youth, Adventure and Outdoor Track highlights how Peru, serving as Adventure Travel Partner, positions experiential tourism within evolving safety and sustainability standards.
Thursday, 5 March 2026 – Responsible Tourism Track
The Responsible Tourism Track, supported by Studiosus, centers on adaptation and regeneration. Conservation is framed not as a constraint but as a strategic imperative.
ITB Berlin Convention 2026 ultimately positions itself as a laboratory for recalibrating travel’s social contract. The event acknowledges that fascination with travel remains intact. Yet the industry must reconcile aspiration with accountability.
A closing keynote by Danish traveler Thor Pedersen will offer a personal counterpoint to data-driven discussions. Pedersen completed a decade-long journey to every country without flying, challenging assumptions about speed and convenience. His story underscores that the future of travel may involve reconsidering pace as much as technology.
For those unable to attend in person, sessions will be livestreamed via the ITB Navigator platform and later archived on the official YouTube channel of ITB Berlin.
ITB Berlin Convention 2026 reflects an industry in strategic transition. Travel is no longer insulated from geopolitical risk. Artificial intelligence is no longer optional. Sustainability is no longer peripheral.
What emerges from Berlin may not be a single roadmap, but a recognition that adaptability now defines competitiveness. In an era shaped by uncertainty, travel must evolve with deliberate intention.
