All Entries Tagged With: "Berlin"

Record numbers in Berlins convention industry

Major increases in events and number of participants

Berlin, 20 August 2010 Besides the tourism boom, Berlin is also successful as a convention destination. In the first half of 2010 the number of meetings and conventions increased by 4.7 percent to 53,250. 4.2 million convention participants attended these events. That is six percent more than during the same period the previous year. These are the results of the latest convention statistics of the Berlin Convention Office of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH (BTM).

The participants in meetings and conventions spent more nights in the German capital, too. 2.6 million room nights were recorded in the first half of 2010 – an increase of 18 percent over the same period the previous year. The average event length rose to 1.9 days (1^st half 2009: 1.7 days).

“Berlin is one of the five leading convention destinations in the world”, says Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH. “We have proved ourselves even towards the end of the crisis. To continue this success what we now need are speedy decisions about the future of the ICC Berlin.”

In the first half of 2010 the convention destination, Berlin, was particularly popular with national event participants. Their share rose by 2 percent to 83 percent. Events in the communication industry (12 percent) and the pharmaceutical sector (10 percent) were the most frequently visited ones.

Fabio Sergio to Present Keynote Address at ACTE Berlin Conference about Design

Alexandria, VA (23 August 2010) - Continuing its bold commitment to anticipating travelers’ future user experiences, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has engaged Fabio Sergio, Executive Creative Director at frog design, as a keynote presenter for its upcoming Global Education Conference, in Berlin, Germany, 3-5 October 2010. Sergio is a driving force in a company that has influenced tactical and strategic innovation for companies such as Disney, GE, HP, Intel, Microsoft, MTV, Siemens, Qualcomm, and many other Fortune 500 brands. According to a statement issued by ACTE President Chris Crowley, Sergio will explain the implications of design on our business lives, and translate the potential of applying the design process to some of our industry’s biggest challenges.”

“Frog design has a unique claim to fame,” said Crowley.” Frog is fanatical about improving the world. Their team members are curious, vigilant, expert, and aware. Sergio’s presentation, titled ‘Design Matters,’ will energize the delegates with the same drive and insight frog design introduces to the highest boardrooms of commerce.”

Fabio Sergio is a visiting professor at the Politecnico di Milano, Domus Academy and Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, and was an Associate Professor of Interaction Design at Interaction Design Institute Ivrea. An experienced lecturer, he has presented at such venues as LIFT, PMN’s Mobile User Experience, Business to Buttons, Design Engaged, Media Futures and Frontiers of Interaction. Frog design is a global innovation firm that works with the world’s leading companies, helping them create and bring to market meaningful products, services, and experiences.

He joins three other dynamic keynote addresses that include “The Changing Economic Outlook and its Impact on Our Industry,” by Dr. Linda Yueh, BBC Business Commentator & Economist and Christopher Buckley, Executive Vice President for Europe and Asia Pacific, EADS; “Re-evaluating Alternate Futures for the Travel Industry,” by Drs. Jan Nekkers Founder of Futureconsult & Master Class Instructor at Nyenrode; and “Could You Do More to Keep Your Travelers Safe?” by Mark Hide Founder, Planet Wise.

The Keynote presentations are supported by 15 educational sessions, dealing with various aspects of advanced business travel management. Complete educational session descriptions can be found at: http://www.acte.org/content/FG_10/Education_Sessions

For more information about the ACTE Berlin Global Education Conference, and to register, go to www.acte.org. As a reminder, members of the press receive complimentary registrations to all ACTE events.

Leading Expert In Scenario Planning To Present Keynote At ACTE Global Education Conference in Berlin

Alexandria, VA (29 July 2010) – In a thought-provoking keynote session, participants at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ (ACTE) Global Education Conference in Berlin (3-5 October 2010) will consider several of the forces shaping the travel industry and gain a high-level understanding of how to use scenario planning as a strategic tool.

“This keynote presentation will provide attendees with the rarest of luxuries — options,” said Crowley. “Options that can help all of us prepare for unforeseen circumstances that may have significant consequences for our industry.”

The session will be presented by Drs. Jan Nekkers, Founder of Futureconsult and visiting Master Class Instructor at Nyenrode Business Universiteit, a prestigious Dutch business school and the only private university in the Netherlands. Nekkers will describe the function of scenario planning and introduce a series of events and situations with far-reaching, global effects for the business travel industry. Attendees will be challenged during the keynote presentation, and in the small-group roundtable breakout sessions that follow, to consider the consequences for their organizations and to create appropriate response strategies for these alternate futures. Some of the scenarios to be discussed include: a global disruption of the internet, new research on CO2 emissions, and technological advancements that change the way people interact.

According to Nekkers, “Scenario planning is a way to minimize the risks an organisation faces in an ever increasing unpredictable future. It offers ways of exploring difficult decisions not yet taken and anticipating futures not yet seen.” Attendees will receive a summary of the strategies recommended to address each scenarios discussed, which can be used for in-company training with colleagues.

Crowley added that there is a full complement of 14 educational sessions, plus two more days of general sessions and keynote speakers to set the tone of an annual event, which has become the benchmark of professional business travel conferences in Europe over the past 20 years. For more information on the conference visit the ACTE website at: www.acte.org.

Berlin Airports welcomes Air Berlin’s accession to the Oneworld alliance

Air Berlin is already the biggest airline at Berlin Airports / Successful hub structure in Tegel: number of transfer passengers doubled / Other long-haul flights to follow in autumn

Berlin Airports welcomes Air Berlin’s prospective accession to the Oneworld alliance and the announced code-share agreement with Oneworld members American Airlines and Finnair.

Dr. Rainer Schwarz, CEO of Berlin Airports: “Air Berlin’s accession to the Oneworld alliance presents a great opportunity for Berlin. This cooperation is of great significance, especially in view of the opening of BBI in 2012. It paves the way for other attractive flights from Berlin to the rest of the world. With BBI, Berlin is offering airlines unique opportunities for growth in one of the most promising markets in Europe. We are delighted that Air Berlin is making consistent use of this opportunity.”

Air Berlin is already the strongest airline at Berlin Airports. Since 2000, the airline’s market share has risen from 5.4 per cent to more than 30 per cent. So far this year, Air Berlin has carried 3.7 million passengers in Berlin; almost 140,000 passengers more than in the same period the previous year. Passenger figures at Berlin Airports have risen by almost half a million since the beginning of the year, despite the harsh winter, ash cloud and strikes.

The key growth driver behind this positive trend is Air Berlin’s hub structure at Tegel Airport, which the airline began setting up in May, with up to 22 aircraft operating in six waves a day. Air Berlin now offers more than 6,000 weekly connections via its hub. The fact that the number of passengers using Air Berlin’s hub in Tegel as a transfer point has doubled since the airline began setting up the hub structure in May 2010, is of key strategic significance. Starting from its winter flight schedule, Air Berlin will be offering three new long-haul routes to Dubai, Miami and Mombasa and also stationing another Airbus A330-200 in Berlin.

Besides Oneworld and Skyteam, the Star Alliance also has a strong foothold at Berlin Airports with a wide range of Lufthansa offers and, for example, a daily flight with Continental Airlines to New York.

380 additional hectars of park in Berlin

The former site of Tempelhof Airport is now open to the public every day until sunset. With 380 hectares the new city park is bigger than Central Park in New York. The old runway in front of the historical terminal buildings offers considerable space for outdoor events, too.

The Berlin Tempelhof Airport was one of Germany’s first commercial airports. Up until 30 October 2008, it was beside Berlin Tegel and Berlin Schönefeld one of the three commercial airports in the greater Berlin area. After the airport operations ended on the 30 October 2008, the Berliner senate introduced, as a following concept of use, the urban-development project Tempelhofer Freedom.
Berlin, for the next five to ten years, is intending a large number of political city development projects, so that the subsequent use of the Tempelhof Airport receives a long-term perspective. The strategy envisions a stepwise settlement of the Tempelhof field, while in temporary use, an explicit part of the overall strategy. Along with it, the Senate Department for City Development, under the motto “Tempolhofer Freedom”, initiated a planning process, of which the goals and paths of the development will be publicly discussed and determined on a broader basis.
In 2017, the International Horticultural Show is anticipated to take place on the grounds.

Excellent convention marketing in the USA

Berlin Convention Office receives “2010 Pinnacle Award” for the third time

Berlin, 28 June 2010 The Berlin Convention Office (BCO) has won the “2010 Pinnacle Award” presented by the American journal “Successful Meetings” for the third consecutive time. The award winners are selected once a year by the magazine’s readers. BCO put on a convincing performance in the category “Convention Bureau International” thanks, amongst other things, to the wide spectrum of its service offerings.

Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH, comments, “We are really delighted to have won this award for the third consecutive time. It shows that our meeting and convention activities on the US market, further strengthened since the beginning of the year with the opening of our own office in New York, are having a positive effect”.

The Pinnacle Award for Convention Offices is one of the most highly regarded prizes for the convention industry in the USA. The journal “Successful Meetings” has presented awards for some 20 years now to national and international convention offices. Last year Visit Denver and the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau ranked amongst the award winners.

To find out more about the Berlin Convention Office of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH, visit the website www.berlin-convention-office.de.

Airport Berlin Brandenburg International BBI:

The new airport will be even bigger – first flight takes off on 3 June 2012

Sustainable solution ensures compliance with new European Union safety regulations: BBI terminal is to get two additional extensions for security screening. Additional investment will be fully covered by the existing funding programme

The security checking facilities at the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport BBI are being modified to comply with the new European Union regulations which come into effect on April 2013. The planners have redesigned the terminal to include 32 security lines in a modified configuration, as well as two pavilions on the left and right of the terminal building. All further work on the building of the initially planned 36 security lines, which complied with current regulations, has been stopped. Taking into account the extra time needed to implement these changes, BBI is due to open for flight operations on 3 June 2012. A submission to this effect was presented by the Board of Management of Berlin Airports and was today accepted by the Supervisory Board in its meeting.

Commenting on today’s decision, Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Berlin Airports, said: “The opening date for the BBI Airport is a good compromise between forward-looking planning and a continuation of our speedy implementation timeline for the new airport. In comparable projects delays lasting years are the norm, as are exploding costs. We are far removed from encountering such obstacles. The Willy-Brandt Airport is and will remain a success story.”

Matthias Platzeck, Prime Minister of the State of Brandenburg, said: “The decision we took today is a decision driven by reason. There is no point in holding on to one particular opening date at all costs. With the new airport, we will be offering the aviation industry a clear perspective from mid-2012, a solid basis to allow them to roll out their plans and schedules for the Berlin region.”

Rainer Bomba, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, added: “Today’s decision underscores the demand of the federal government: when it opens, the top-most priority must be to have BBI operating smoothly. All functions and procedures must be perfect when the first scheduled flights take off and land. This is essential, not only for the airport’s security, but also for the BBI’s reputation. The new timetable presented today gives the aviation location Berlin-Brandenburg a clear perspective.”

Prof. Dr. Rainer Schwarz, Chief Executive Officer of Berlin Airports, said: “I believe that today’s decision makes supreme sense, both in planning and economic terms. With the new opening date we will not need to turn away traffic, and with the building solution reached today we remain securely within the existing budget for BBI.”

Manfred Körtgen, Managing Director of Operations/BBI at Berlin Airports, added: “A major project as complex as an airport requires a vast amount of coordination. Even with the new timetable, the construction of the new BBI is going to be a lot of hard work. We will continue to do everything in our power to push forward the implementation of BBI as forcefully and as speedily as we can.”

A sustainable solution: more space for security screening

Today’s decision sees Berlin Airports responding to the European Union directive on the amendment of aviation security standards which came into force on 29 April 2010. In accordance with the new directive, as from April 2013 passengers will again be allowed to carry beverages and other liquids on board in their hand baggage. On 25 May 2010, Berlin Airports received from the federal police a concrete forecast of what the consequences of the new rules would be. The report came to the conclusion that the implementation of the rules would result in considerable space problems at the screening gates in the BBI terminal. As things stand at the moment, larger, heavier screening equipment will be needed to screen liquids and more space will be required to handle a greater number of screening steps.

With the new planning timeline agreed today, Berlin Airports is creating a sustainable solution for BBI and for hand baggage screening and passenger controls. The redesigned security area will allow full-body scanners to be installed if needed; the use of these new scanners in Europe is currently being discussed.

Adapting the technical building services plans

Today’s decision by the Supervisory Board of Berlin Airports also takes the present situation of technical building services for the new airport into consideration.

The insolvency of IGK-IGR Ingenieurgesellschaft Kruck mbH in February of this year resulted in a delay in the plans for the airport.

Berlin Airports, the Planungsgemeinschaft Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg International (pgbbi) – the consortium responsible for planning the new airport – and the BBI project managers WSP CBP Airport GmbH (CBP) are unanimous that the necessary technical building services plans can be implemented within the new timeframe. This was the result of comprehensive meetings, detailed plans and votes over the past few weeks.

Adherence to the original opening date deemed too risky

Berlin Airports believes that holding on to the original opening date – which had been scheduled for 30 October 2011 – would be too risky, both because of the new security regulations and the delays in the technical building services plans. The BBI security screening zone needs to be extensively redesigned to comply with the new regulations, and all these changes will require authorization which is expected to take some time. With regard to the technical building services, completion in time for the original opening date, even if all available acceleration measures are used, is considered too risky.

Additional investment is fully absorbed by the present budget

The new, sustainable plans for BBI will see Berlin Airports investing an additional €50 million. This amount covers the cost of planning and building the two new security screening pavilions and the modification of the terminal necessitated by the new regulations. €62 million has been budgeted to cover the necessary additional expenditure required to complete the project on time and adapt the construction schedule. Additionally, the rescheduling of the opening date will result in an income shortfall amounting to €26 million. Reallocations within the budget and the investment of reserves mean that the project’s original funding concept (€2.4 billion in loans, €430 million from shareholders, €440 million equity contribution by Berlin Airports) will remain unchanged.

Background information: new configuration of the BBI security screening lines based on the new EU regulations

The implementation of the new configuration will take place in two stages:

• From the first day of operations, the airport will have 32 security screening lines with a peak capacity of 4,500 passengers instead of the originally planned configuration with 36 security lines.

• From April 2013, the airport will have 36 security screening lines in the new configuration including liquids detection with a peak capacity of 5,500 passengers.

komoot wins award for best start-up at VIR Online Innovation Days

Messe Berlin to support winner with a high-profile display at ITB Berlin 2011

Berlin, 21 June 2010  – On 17 June 2010 at the Sprungbrett 2010 awards, part of the VIR Online Innovation Days, the winner in the “Best Start-up” category was komoot, a newly founded company from Berlin. During the event at the Marshall Haus on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds Internet Reisevertrieb e.V. (VIR) and a panel of 50 leading members of the travel industry praised the innovativeness and user-friendliness of the new iPhone application.

komoot offers navigation products for outdoor sports enthusiasts who wish to plan their leisure time and explore new tours. By entering relevant information such as altitude and weather parameters users can put together individual tours and send the data directly to a mobile phone. When planning a route komoot takes users’ personal requirements into account. This app makes it possible to document one’s own training programme and share experiences and suggested tours with friends.

“This prize gives us an outstanding opportunity and makes us very proud. With this award we will be able to attract new customers and gain new support for our start-up“, said Markus Hallermann, managing director of komoot. “We look forward to our company being able to take part in ITB Berlin 2011.“

Messe Berlin donated the first prize to the award winners. komoot can choose between holding a press conference at ITB Berlin 2011 or a complete trade fair stand. Furthermore the winners received a 5,000 euro cheque from co-sponsor HRS.

“The wealth of entries representing creative and innovative products and services submitted to Sprungbrett at the VIR Awards showed us once again that the German online travel industry can compete with leading international players“, said David Ruetz, Senior Manger, ITB Berlin. “ITB Berlin is an ideal platform for up-and-coming enterprises in the travel industry, which gives komoot a perfect opportunity to present their services to trade visitors and a wider audience.“

Customer Alliance, who have developed a fully integrated evaluation system for the hotel industry, were awarded second prize in the “Best Start-up“ category. Hotel managers can feed customer reviews directly into their websites, boosting attention to in-house booking channels and optimising quality management.

mobile melting occupied third place. This company has designed  software which internet users can employ to develop, publish and sell local information for mobile phones. Examples are GPS-directed city tours which automatically call up appropriate content, talking books which play at the relevant sites in question, and city tours to a background of music or poetry.

In the “Best Established“ category the hotel portal HRS beat off the competition with its mobile service called ”Hotels Now!“. The technology this service uses finds available hotel rooms in the immediate vicinity and displays them in real time as an HRS bed symbol in a video on a user’s mobile phone, where they can then be booked directly. Second spot in this category was taken by myobis, a company from Munich whose online booking engine makes it easy to market vouchers, tickets and service packages and additional tour services and enables real time booking. Third place went to German Transfer with its “business shuttle solution” which lets users book all their business transfers through a central Web 2.0 application.

Emirates orders 32 Airbus A380 super jumbos valued at US$ 11.5B – Adds to 58 previously ordered A380 aircraft

BERLIN, GERMANY, 8th June 2010 – Emirates (www.emirates.com), the Dubai-based international airline placed an order with Airbus for an additional 32 A380 aircraft taking the total firm order for the iconic flagship of the 21st century to 90 super-jumbos.

The order for the additional aircraft has a list price of $US 11.5 billion (AED 42.2).  The agreement was signed during a ceremony at the Berlin Air Show by His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group and Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO which was witnessed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other dignitaries.

“This latest order, adding to 58 A380s previously ordered, affirms Emirates’ strategy to become a world leading carrier and to further establish Dubai as a central gateway to worldwide air travel.  The A380 is our flagship in terms of passenger comfort, innovation, operating and environmental efficiency and revenue generation,” said H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al- Maktoum. “Our latest commitment signals Emirates’ confidence in the growth to come in a thriving aviation sector as we build our fleet for tomorrow,” he added.

“Emirates supported the development of the A380 from the earliest days, a project employing tens of thousands of Europe’s best people and today’s increased order, is the best endorsement I can imagine. On behalf of all of us at Airbus, we thank Emirates for their support. The A380 is indeed a remarkable eco-efficient aircraft, a profit generator for airlines and a great flying experience for passengers,” said Tom Enders.

Emirates, the second largest airline in the world in available seat kilometres, is on track to become one of the largest airlines in the world.  In addition to the orders placed today, Emirates has 48 Airbus 380s, 70 Airbus 350s,  18 Boeing 777-300s and 7 Boeing air freighters on order totaling 143 wide-body aircraft worth more than $US 48 billion. In a year where the aviation industry was rocked by the economic downturn, Emirates Airline recently reported its 22nd  year of profit, up 416 percent to close at US$ 964 million (AED 3.5 billion) over its 2008-09 profits of US$ 187 million (AED 686 million).

From the delivery of its first A380 in July 2008, to receiving it 10th A380 on 7th June 2010 from the Airbus plant in Hamburg, Emirates is now serving eight international destinations with the super-jumbo aircraft including London Heathrow, Toronto, Paris, Jeddah, Bangkok, Seoul, Sydney and Auckland. The airline will start A380 services to Beijing from 1st August, Manchester from 1st September and will return service to New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport on 1st October.  Emirates’ looks forward to expanding the list of destinations at more than 100 airports around the world as A380s become ready.

Sustainable and oriented towards the future: International contests TO DO! and TOURA D’OR again announced worldwide by Studienkreis

Berlin, 2 June 2010 – The TO DO! – Contest Socially Responsible Tourism is announced worldwide for the sixteenth time by Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V. (Institute for Tourism and Development). Enterprises and public or private institutions that take into account the interests and needs of the local population in their touristic activities are welcome to apply. That socially responsible and sustainable projects and measures can be economically successful at the same time has been proven impressively by the latest TO DO! award winners from the Gambia and Mozambique. The winners receive their awards and the prize money during the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin/Germany – after a thorough selection process by a jury and an on-site visit of an expert.

The international TOURA D´OR – Film Contest Sustaiable Tourism, which has been organized bi-annually since 1990, calls for entries of tourism-related films from professional filmmakers, producers, and agencies. Productions which support a socially responsible, environmentally compatible and thus future-oriented tourism are honoured in different categories. Accepted are contributions in PAL-system as VHS tapes or DVDs in German or English, produced within the period of 2008 to 2010. The TOURA D’OR award ceremony will also take place during the ITB 2011.

On the websites www.to-do-contest.org and www.tourador-contest.org further information about the contests as well as all TO DO! and TOURA D’OR winners (including short film clips) are available in German and English. The conditions of participation and applications forms are also available for downloading.

Deadline of application for TO DO! 2010: August 31, 2010.

Deadline of application for TOURA D´OR 2010: September 30, 2010.

Gastronomy at the new Capital Airport BBI

23 spaces let for food outlets / More than 50 per cent of outlets with concepts typical of Berlin / Gastronomy concept strengthens regional ties

The structural work for the terminal of the new Capital Airport is standing – now work can begin on the interior. The first step has already been taken: Berlin Airports today presented a list of tenants for the 23 food outlets at the new Capital Airport BBI. All tenants – from major chains to single outlets – fought off stiff competition with their gastronomy concepts in a Europe-wide letting process. Retail space is expected to be let over the summer.

“I am delighted that we have such an impressive line-up of food outlets for BBI”, said Dr. Rainer Schwarz, CEO of Berlin Airports. “The diverse range of products on offer and the wide variety of concepts typical of Berlin show that we are firmly rooted in the region with the new airport. Following the topping-out ceremony for the terminal last Friday, we are now concentrating on working on the interior of the terminal and implementing the shopping and retail concept to be located there.”

“We are very happy with the outcome of the letting process for food outlets: more than half of the spaces could be let to regional companies”, said Dr. Norbert Minhorst, Head of Non-Aviation at Berlin Airports. “We have thus also honoured our promise with the gastronomy concept to increase the importance of Berlin and the region. The people of Berlin and Brandenburg, and visitors to Berlin, will be able to choose from a wide variety of unique offers.”

A wide selection of gastronomy

The type of gastronomy available ranges from fast food and snacks to business meals in sophisticated surroundings. 23 food outlets offering a wide selection of culinary delights await passengers and visitors both airside and landside, and beyond the main levels of the terminal to the piers.

Passengers will be able to choose from six food outlets landside and 17 airside. Four of these food outlets will be located inside the approx. 9,000 m² marketplace in the centre of the BBI Terminal, which all passengers pass through right after the security checkpoints. In the Food Court, which can be reached directly from the marketplace, seven different food outlets share the same seating and relaxation area. Here, across 1,800 m², passengers can choose from a wide variety of offers and relax amidst the terminal. The other six outlets are located in the main pier and in the south pier.

Europe-wide letting process a success

The Europe-wide letting process for food outlets at BBI was divided into three phases: pre-qualification, invitation to tender and negotiation. A great deal of interest was shown: in total, over 600 applications were submitted by restaurateurs (regional, national and international). Just under 60 companies and their BBI concept(s) were presented at a presentation appointment. All tenders were rated and tenants chosen according to four predefined criteria: a financial offer, the quality of the concept, strategic accord with the requirements of the space in question and the importance of the concept for the location. A total of 23 food outlets have been successfully let.

•           asiagourmet GbR with the concept: asiagourmet

•           Stephanie Arnan with the concept: auf die hand feinstes fastfood

•           borchardt catering GmbH with the concept: Traiteur by borchardt

•           C. Wöllhaf GastroService GmbH with the concepts: Ständige Vertretung and Berliner Kaffeerösterei

•           Casualfood GmbH with the concepts: east side berlin, Mondo and Schnitzel Huber

•           Dante GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG with the concept: Berliner Kindl Pub

•           Kamps AG with the concept: Kamps Backstube

•           Play Off Holding GmbH with the concept: Berliner Bar

•           Karmez AG with the concept: Kebox

•           Klässig’s Systemgastronomie Holding GmbH     with the concept: Klässig’s Fish & Chips

•           Laggner Finest Food & Wine GmbH with the concept: Lutter & Wegner

•           Marché Restaurants Deutschland GmbH with the concepts: Marché Bakery and Mövenpick Café

•           McDonald’s Deutschland Inc. with the concept: McDonald’s Restaurant incl. McCafé (2x)

•           NU Gaststätten GmbH with the concept: NU Restaurant

•           Pellegrini & Girau GbR with the concept: pellegrini Gusto Italiano

•           Starbucks Coffee Deutschland GmbH with the concept: Starbucks

•           Witty’s food & nonfood Handels GmbH with the concept: Witty’s

•           Yellow Cup Ltd. with the concept: Juiceland

Berlin launches joint promotion with Budapest and Prague

Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH enters into new marketing cooperation

World Ophthalmology Congress 2010 (WOC® 2010)

The World Ophthalmology Congress 2010 (WOC® 2010) is rapidly approaching. For the third time the German Society of Ophthalmology (DOG) will be the host of the largest international ophthalmology congress. Following Heidelberg in 1888 and Munich in 1966, the DOG and AAD now jointly welcome ophthalmologists from around the world to come to Berlin in 2010. Twenty years after the reunification, the German capital has evolved into one of the most important metropolises in Europe, thus making it the perfect location for the WOC® 2010.

Berlin, welcome to New York!

Germany’s Number 1 Congress Destination now Represented in the USA.

Berlin, March 18, 2010 — Berlin Tourismus Marketing (BTM) and the Berlin Convention Office are investing in the North American Market. Effective immediately, the Berlin Convention Office is represented in New York City, by John Cardona, CEO of Ancar Marketing, Inc. Cardona comes with extensive sales and marketing experience in the meetings and congress industry, including luxury hotel brands.

„The U.S. and Canadian markets are of immense importance to Berlin’s meetings industry“, said Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Berlin Tourismus Marketing. „Our new representation brings us closer to our clients in the meetings and congress industry, and will significantly increase our visibility in North America. John Cardona will provide our services to all our clients in the USA and Canada, and expand our network of corporate meeting planners and agencies. “

Working closely with the director of the Berlin Convention Office, Heike Mahmoud, the new representation is tasked to market meeting destination Berlin to congress, event, and incentive agencies, as well as to professional congress organizers. Associations continue to be serviced by “Marketing Challenges International“, also located in New York.

John Cardona can be contacted at p/ 212 376 5222, f/ 212 376 4701, Cardona@bco-na.com

Further information on congress destination Berlin is available at www.berlin-convention-office.com

ITB Berlin: attendance remains stable at last year’s level

Positive interim assessment: large increase in trade visitors from Asia and Africa – more decision-makers – ITB Berlin Convention continues to grow

An interim assessment of the world’s leading trade fair for the international travel industry reveals an extremely positive situation. David Ruetz, Senior Manager ITB Berlin: “During the first two days the number of trade visitors was at the same level as in 2009.” The figures for international trade visitors, who account for around 45 per cent of the total attendance at ITB Berlin, are also equivalent to those of last year. “One welcome development is the fact that the proportion of foreign trade visitors from Asia and Africa has more than doubled”, Ruetz reports. They now make up 27 per cent of the total, compared with around 13 per cent last year. “This is largely attributable to the impending FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and to the ITB Asia”, Ruetz concludes, following initial discussions. He also emphasises that “bosses are coming back again.” The proportion of trade visitors occupying senior management positions has risen from 53 to 67 per cent.

The ITB Berlin Convention has also recorded a slight increase. The individual events that are attracting the highest attendances, each with more than 500 participants, are “Social Media: Lessons from the Leaders” and the presentations by the “ITB World Travel Trends Report”. Ruetz: “These outstanding figures provide impressive confirmation that the ITB Berlin Convention is the leading think tank for the global travel industry.”

Slight easing of pressure in the business travel sector

Recovery in sight – The current survey of members of the Association of German Travel Management (VDR) reveals a mood of cautious optimism in the business travel sector

There is light at the end of the tunnel and positive signals are changing the mood in the travel industry. Ahead of the world’s leading travel trade show the end of the global recession is also reflected by the business travel sector. This was revealed by the latest survey of members of the Association of German Travel management (VDR). In collaboration with ITB Berlin, the world’s leading platform for the global travel industry, the VDR asked its members to predict what the impact of the world economic and financial crisis would be on business travel during the current business year. Their findings: more than half of the companies that were polled, consisting of suppliers as well as German companies with their own travel management departments, are confident that there will be an upturn before this year is over. Furthermore almost a quarter of those questioned expect to see a recovery in business travel activity at the start of next year. Only ten per cent of companies expressed their concern that there would not be a recovery in business travel.

“The trend that has been revealed by the latest snap poll by the VDR is giving the industry reasons for cautious optimism. This is good news for ITB Berlin”, comments Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Competence Centre Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin, referring to the findings of this survey. “Stringent travel guidelines, which have met with complete acceptance within the companies, and are being consistently applied, not only offer tangible benefits for travel management but also ensure high levels of reliability and professionalism in the dealings between companies’ customers and service providers.”

The economic situation continues to have a significant impact on the business travel activities of German companies. However, following a sharp downturn a year ago there seems to have been something of a recovery. Nevertheless the situation is having a noticeable effect on cost-saving, and almost 60 per cent of VDR member companies are still paying particular attention to costs and are seeking cheaper travel options. However, the survey did reveal that cost-cutting is not being applied as rigorously as it was during the initial phase of the economic and financial crisis at the beginning of last year. Only
11 per cent of these companies are cutting out all travel which is not absolutely necessary, compared with twice as many in October 2009, according to the latest survey by the VDR.

Companies are making more use of web, video and telephone conferencing as a means of reducing their travel costs. One third of the VDR member companies that were questioned now apply such technology as a substitute for business travel. A further 20 per cent are following this trend for other reasons, such as improving internal communication. “The shift in the direction of virtual conferences is one of many topical issues being dealt with during the Business Travel Days, which are taking place during ITB Berlin”, Dr. Buck reports. “This convention will provide decision-makers in travel management with a valuable stimulus for addressing strategies when the crisis is over. Experts will be explaining, for example, the extent to which the use of telecommunications can replace face-to-face discussions.”

The snap poll was conducted among the 512 members of the VDR at the beginning of February. A total of 126 companies took part.

Reduced-rate tickets: online for school pupils and students

Anyone attending ITB Berlin on the public days, Saturday and Sunday, 13 and 14 March 2010, can obtain their tickets from the comfort of their own homes and at a reduced rate by booking online at www.itb-berlin.com/tickets. Online tickets cost 12 euros compared with the usual price of 14 euros. The cost on the day from the ticket offices on the grounds is 14 euros. Children up to the age of 14 accompanied by parents will be admitted free of charge. Schoolchildren and students can obtain reduced rate day tickets costing just eight euros. Last Minute tickets for 14 March, valid from 2 to 6 p.m., cost eight euros from the ticket offices. Tickets for the public days at ITB Berlin are also available until 12 March 2010 from all BVG sales outlets and BVG ticket dispensers at stations throughout the city. To facilitate travel to and from the fair and for other journeys by public transport the VBB day ticket, costing
6.10 euros (Berlin AB), is recommended. ITB Berlin is open daily from
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Big names and leading international companies at the ITB Berlin Convention

Royal celebrities, among them His Royal Highness, the Hon. Chief Mukuni of Zambia, and Fabien Cousteau, the world famous oceanographer, will figure on the list of more than 200 speakers – leading enterprises, ranging from Google to the World Wide Fund For Nature, will be debating the future of travel

As the international travel industry’s think tank, from 10 to 12 March 2010 this year’s ITB Berlin Convention is once again presenting an outstanding programme, with more than 200 leading speakers. The list of speakers and participants from practical fields, science and politics, reads like a Who’s Who of the travel industry. His Royal Highness, the Hon. Chief Mukuni of Zambia will add royal flair to the ITB Destination Days, which run over a period of three days. At the Africa Forum, at a discussion round with the Hon. Najib Mohamed Balala, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Kenya, andMartina Kohl of the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), His Royal Highness, the Hon. Chief Mukuni will be discussing how important tourism is among the measures for combating poverty, as well as the role of development aid. Well known author and TV presenter Manuel Andrack will speak on the subject of spirituality and tourism. Vural Öger, owner of Öger Tours, will also be setting the tone with his keynote speech on the challenges posed by the creation of sustainable tourism destinations.

At the ITB CSR Day the world famous oceanographer and environmental activistFabien Cousteau will be raising some fundamental issues. In the second keynote speech he will be examining whether ocean protection and tourism are friends or foes. Along with other participants from the travel industry, Dr. Volker Böttcher, CEO, TUI Deutschland GmbH, will examine the topic of customer experiences as regards sales, and whether CSR is simply a fake concept. Along with other panel discussion members, Pier Luigi Foschi, Chairman & CEO, Costa Crociere S.p.A., will be answering questions from the audience at a session debating whether the expanding cruise market has a negative effect on the environment.

Leading figures will also be attending the ITB Aviation Day. Dr. Temel Kotil, CEO, Turkish Airlines will hold a keynote speech opening this headline event of the world’s aviation industry. At the global CEO Panel the following will take part in the panel discussion on the future of the world’s aviation industry: Joachim Hunold, CEO, Air Berlin, Stefan Pichler, CEO, Jazeera Airways and Emirsyah Satar, President & CEO, Garuda Indonesia. Mauro Oretti, Vice President Sales and Marketing SkyTeam, will examine the future of strategic alliances in aviation. Along with leading airport experts,Dr. Stefan Schulte, Chairman of the Board of Fraport AG, will be highlighting best practice examples for increasing public acceptance of air traffic in the vicinity of airports.

Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemfert, Head of the Energy, Transport and Environment Department at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), will open the ITB Global Future Summit at the ITB Future Day. Along with other experts she will be discussing the main trends as regards demographics, climate change, natural resources, technology and consumer behaviour. In a discussion round with other high-ranking participants, Peter Hill, CEO, Oman Air, will be analysing whether luxury tourism is still a viable market.

Finally, the search engine giant Google will be represented at the Global Future Summit with Patrick Schönemann, Geo Sales Manager DACH & Nordics, Google Enterprise, as well as at the PhoCusWright@ITB Berlin Technology Convention with Javier González-Soria. The paper due to be held by the CEO of Google Travel Spain, entitled “What’s New With Google”, promises fascinating insights and a look ahead regarding the latest developments of the enterprise heading the World Wide Web.

UNWTO Activities at ITB 2010: Challenges for the Tourism Sector in a Year of Transformation

Madrid, Spain March 2010 – 2010 is expected to be a year of transformation. The challenges facing the tourism sector in a post-crisis scenario set the framework for the activities and events organized by UNWTO during this year’s ITB Travel Trade Show (Berlin, Germany, 10-14 March 2010).

What lessons can be drawn from the crisis and what challenges lay ahead for the tourism sector as the world economy recovers and paradigms shift? In this context, the UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, will deliver the keynote address at the official opening of ITB (9 March).

Highlights of UNWTO’s presence at ITB 2010 include:

- ST-EP Forum (11 March): Organized by UNWTO and the ST-EP Foundation, the Forum will debate the role of tourism enterprises in driving local economic growth and present the cases of ST-EP projects in Ecuador, Ghana and Laos. In less than a decade, the Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) initiative has evolved from an ambitious idea into a comprehensive and fully operational initiative with projects all round the world. THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PRESS.

- UNWTO news conference (11 March): With a focus on the latest tourism trends, the advances of UNWTO’s Roadmap for Recovery, including the outcomes of the recent meeting of the T20 Tourism Ministers in Johannesburg, and the potential contribution of tourism to the recovery process of Haiti. The conference will count with the participation of the Minister of Tourism of South Africa, H.E. Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, and of the Minister of Tourism of Haiti, H.E. Patrick Delatour.

- 4th Meeting of the Tourism Resilience Committee (12 March): Special attention will be given to the state of the world economy, the implementation of the Roadmap for Recovery with examples from various countries and the T20 and other related initiatives to position tourism in the global agenda. The TRC is a platform for UNWTO Members and key stakeholders to share information on the impact of the global economic crisis on tourism and on the path towards recovery. THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PRESS.

Other UNWTO activities at ITB include:

- ‘Linking Tourism and Biodiversity – Experience from Indonesia and Thailand’ (10 March): An interactive session will present the projects carried out by UNWTO linking tourism development and the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in the Andaman coast of Thailand and in West Java, Indonesia, to assist overcoming the devastation of the 2004 tsunami. This event takes place in the framework of this year’s World Tourism Day theme ‘Tourism and Biodiversity’.

- The 25th Meeting of the Task Force for the Protection of Children in Tourism  – the evolving efforts of UNWTO to advance and implement the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism will be addressed in the training practices and tools (12 March).

For complete information and timetable on all UNWTO activities at ITB 2010 go to: www.UNWTO.org.

Berlin Convention Market 2009: Strong despite the crisis

Six percent more rooms nights and four percent more events

Berlin, 26 February 2010 The convention destination Berlin chalks up growth in crisis-stricken year 2009 too. Around 108,500 events were staged, a four percent rise. 8.26 million participants came to Berlin to attend these events – one percent more than in 2008. These are the results of the latest convention statistics of the Berlin Convention Office of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH (BTM).

The increase in the number of room nights is particularly strong.  The meeting and convention industry generated five million room nights between January and December 2009, a plus of six percent (2008: 4.7 million room nights).

Burkhard Kieker, CEO of BTM, “The convention destination Berlin countered the effects of the crisis in 2009 in true sporting fashion, in the true sense of the word. The World Championships in Athletics attracted numerous corporate events to the German capital. This year we wish to continue our successful run by stepping up our commitment on important markets like the United Kingdom and with our own office in the USA.”

In 2009 one in four events in the German capital had an international dimension. The number of national participants increased to 78 percent (1008: 77 percent).

A particularly high number of events were recorded in the medical, pharmaceutical and communication sectors last year. The average meeting length (1.7 days) remained the same as in 2008.

The Berlin meeting and convention market is very important for the Berlin economy. Approximately 29,500 full-time employees worked in this sector in 2009.

Further information is available on the convention destination Berlin on the Internet www.berlin-convention-office.com.

The Berlin band The BossHoss makes the B&B opening party in the “Original Sin Saloon” a magnificent event

The prelude to the first B&B winter premiere at the historic airport Berlin-Tempelhof was celebrated by 2,500 international guests to the BREAD & BUTTER on the airport site !

Berlin Convention Office appoints Hume Whitehead in the UK

The agency will be highlighting ´s leading position as an event destination

Online Educa Berlin 2009: Sharing and Innovation Lead to Another Highly Successful E-Learning Conference

Berlin. 2078 delegates from 92 countries convened at this year’s Online Educa Berlin, the largest global e-learning conference for the corporate, education and public service sectors. From December 2nd – 4th, the participants discussed the latest developments and trends in the field of technology-supported learning and training at Hotel InterContinental in Berlin.

European Travel Industry Likely to Stay Flat in 2010

ITB World Travel Trends Report says small gains from Asia won’t be enough to offset low demand from economically uncertain American and European travellers

Berlin, 29 December 2009 – Decline in demand for European destinations in 2009 will ease, with some instances of growth in 2010. But any upturns in demand from emerging markets in Asia won’t be enough to offset continued flat or negative demand from American and European markets.

These are just some of the key issues highlighted in the latest ITB World Travel Trends Report, commissioned by Messe Berlin, the organisers of ITB Berlin, and compiled by IPK International.

The report quotes IMF predictions that developed economies are shaping up for an average 3% decline in GDP for 2009, compared to 2% growth in emerging economies, led by top performers China and India

However, salvation from Asia is far from certain, says the report. Factors such as oil price volatility, H1N1 fears, the Chinese government directive that government employees shouldn’t travel abroad, and a general trend to domestic, cheaper short haul travel in Asia – and worldwide – all indicate that European destinations are likely to have a lean 2010.

The ITB World Travel Trends Report notes that the impact of the global recession on travel and tourism demand has been severe. In the first eight months of 2009, international tourist arrivals fell by 7%, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which is now forecasting a decline of 4% to 6% for full year 2009.

The long-term trend in European travel has been for a steady increase in the use of air travel. Car travel has been weak for several years. However, Europeans, with a keen eye on costs, economised in the first eight months 2009 by hitting the road to travel. There was a 2% increase in car travel, while air travel declined 8%.

The report also noted that rail travel had been enjoying a recovery in tourism demand, from lower levels, associated with the introduction of new high-speed services. However, demand for rail travel in Europe declined 3% in the first eight months of 2009.

Cruising had been a booming market. Ferry travel had been doing well. However, trips by ship declined by 10% in the first eight months of 2009. Coach travel, among European travellers also continued to slide, suffering a drop of 20% for the first eight months of 2009. However, IPK cautions that such trends in the first two-thirds of 2009 may only be indicative. Full-year results may reveal new or modified trends.

Sun and beach holidays, which form by far the most important category of outbound holidays among Europeans, have performed relatively well in both 2008 and 2009, following three years of only modest growth. However, holidaymaker’s preferences for traditional destinations such as Spain, France and Greece have changed. Market shares were lost to newer holiday destinations in North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean and further a field.

Making forecasts is difficult. Dr Martin Buck, Director of the CompetenceCenter, Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin said that there were currently too many uncertainties to make accurate forecasts for 2010. “Depending on developments over the next few months, the best ‘guesstimates’ suggest that neither Europe nor North America will do better than achieve a flat 2010 in terms of growth, unless the economic recovery is much stronger in the USA than currently expected.”

However, on a cautiously optimistic note he added: “Asia Pacific should see at least a modest increase in outbound trip volume, mainly for intra-regional destinations, a trend also forecast for South America and the Middle East.”

Bruised Asian Travel Industry Recovering Slowly

ITB World Travel Trends Report says Asian travel demand will perk up in 2010, but spending is likely to lag

Berlin, 21 December 2009. – Asian travel demand will close 5% down for 2009 in part due to sharp declines in travellers from South Korea. Longhaul destinations such as Europe are being hit hardest as Japanese, Chinese, Indians and Thais also choose to stay home or travel within Asia.

Travel demand for 2010 is likely to pick up, but spending is likely to lag at around 2005-2006 levels. Prospects for 2010 will be greatly determined by any return of consumer confidence in Japan and China.

These are just some of the key trends highlighted in the latest ITB World Travel Trends Report, commissioned by Messe Berlin, the organisers of ITB Berlin, and compiled by IPK International. The full report is now available free online at www.itb-berlin.com/media centre/publications.

The ITB World Travel Trends Report findings show that Asian travel demand averaged a more than a 10% decline January-June. However, some market recovery has been recorded since July 2009, indicating that the Asian travel industry is over the worst. IPK forecasts of a total-year decline of 5%.

While intra-Asian trip volume fell by only 5% from January through August 2009, travel to Europe (14% of total trips) was down 10%. Asian travel to the Americas (9% of all Asian trips) slumped by a more hurtful 15%.

The report notes that Chinese travellers may be more recession-proof than the Japanese, but they don’t spend as much. In Europe, for example, the total spend by Chinese tourists on transport, accommodation, food and beverages and incidentals (i.e. excluding shopping) was €240 per night, as against €320 for Japanese, €185 for Koreans and €180 for Taiwanese.

In 2009, destinations dependent on Chinese travellers were also disappointed for different reasons. The Chinese government issued an edict earlier in the year stating that no Chinese government employee could travel abroad in 2009.

The biggest decline so far in 2009, in terms of outbound travel, has come from South Korea, down more than 10% over the same period in 2008 – a decline due in large part to exchange rates. In the six months from September 2008, the won went through a period of great volatility, involving massive depreciations. The report notes that South Korea was already weak as an outbound travel market in 2008 following several years of consistently strong growth.

Even within Asia, the once high-flying low cost airline sector suffered in 2009. Despite rock-bottom airfares, the sector has experienced capacity cuts, which resulted in lower seat availability and, inevitably, rising airfares.

According to Dr Martin Buck, Vice President CompetenceCenter Travel & Logistics, at Messe Berlin, the big question now is, how sustainable are the first signs of recovery in Asia? “Analysts are divided,” he said. “Some see a 2^nd dip into recession. Others think government stimulus packages have got us through the worst of it. The price of oil and the threat of H1N1 are unknown factors.”

He added: “The report predicts a modest increase in outbound trip volume for Asia, but expenditure and yield levels will still be at pre-2008 levels. Within Asia we can still expect to see shorter, cheaper trips, closer to home and at off-peak times.”

The report also predicts that, globally, business travel will stay flat, with many companies saying they had introduced stricter travel policies. One consequence is likely to be a rise in the price of economy tickets as airlines losing money at the front end of the plane raise economy class tickets to compensate.

The findings in the ITB World Travel Trends Report were based on the assessments of 60 tourism experts from 30 countries, on a special IPK International trend analysis undertaken in leading source markets, and on core data supplied by the World Travel Monitor®, recognised as the largest ongoing survey of global travel trends in some 60 source countries.

The report concludes: “There are currently too many uncertainties to be able to predict with any real confidence the likely trends in terms of travel and tourism demand from the world’s leading source regions. For the time being, pending developments over the next few months, the best ‘guesstimates’ suggest that neither Europe nor North America will do better than achieve a flat year in terms of growth, unless the economic recovery is much stronger in the USA than currently expected. But Asia Pacific should see at least a modest increase in outbound trip volume – mainly for intra-regional destinations – a trend also forecast for South America and the Middle East.”

The ITB World Travel Trends Report 2009/2010 can be downloaded free of charge from www.itb-berlin.com, media centre under publications.

The European Meeting of Chief Executives of Capital Cities

The CEOs of 13 European capital cities met in Berlin on 14^th December 2009 to attend ‘The European Meeting of Chief Executives of Capital Cities’. Previously held in Dublin in 2007 and last year in Paris, this one-day meeting gathered together the brains behind the European capital city tourism and meetings industry. This time, Burkhard Kieker, CEO, Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH, welcomed colleagues to his city 20 years after the fall of the Berlin wall.

The participants were able to learn more about the strategy of Air Berlin with Matthias von Randow, the Director of Air Berlin and also to compare the statistics of several European cities thanks to the presentation ‘European City Tourism: Trends and Prospects’ by Olivier Ponti (a representative of ECM Research & Statistics Working Group). Olivier Ponti also explained that, according to the interpretation of the findings of the ongoing crisis monitoring of ECM cities, we could expect a rise of 2% for 2010 after a more-than-difficult 2009.

The ensuing discussion during which CEOs related the economic situations of their respective cities and gave approximations of the increase and decrease of activities in 2009 was, of course, the crucial part of the meeting and even continued throughout the dinner at Bode-Museum. The necessity of exchange between the CEOs and of sharing experience was evident and proved that there was a very real need for this meeting. At the request of participants, the discussion will be extended and developed even further at the CEO meeting in 2010.

Dieter Hardt-Stremayr comments: “The year 2009 has been a roller coaster ride and we have all been trying to manage the situation despite the loops. Even now the ride has not finished – we are still sitting in the train and nobody knows when it will stop, where we will arrive and in what condition. The only thing we can do is our best. For ECM, this means constantly changing, developing and restructuring our activities so that they follow the rhythm of our members’ needs.”

The European Meeting of Chief Executives of Capital Cities

What will ECM offer to the CEOs and their cities in 2010 in terms of strategy and activities?

2009 was a challenging year for most of the destinations in Europe. In order to meet this challenge, European Cities Marketing adopted a policy of not only keeping in line with developments in the tourism and meetings industry, but also of pursuing its goals more steadfastly and providing relevant support for ECM member cities: reinforcing the possibilities of sharing knowledge and expertise, stressing the educational aspect of the association and focusing on the development of new activities.

As a result, in 2009, ECM was able to innovate in a number of ways. A new format of seminars was introduced comprising break-out sessions with specific case studies and discussions in smaller groups of participants. The ‘Meet Europe’ event took place in Washington D.C. for the first time in its history and a brand new business workshop called ‘The Mercado’ was put in place for ECM members and their clients.  In addition, a ‘Special Impact Crisis Review’ of the ‘ECM European Cities’ Visitors Report’ was published and the traditional ECM Summer School was organised in an environmentally-friendly way, with the topic of organising green events incorporated into its educational content. In June 2009 a new ECM Intranet was introduced to members as a platform for sharing their best practice remotely.

Given the successes of 2009, in 2010 ECM will continue to pursue its strategy and to run its newly introduced activities. During the first six months of 2010, member cities will have the opportunity to meet in Turku for the ECM Spring Meeting (24^th – 27^th February) and in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for the ECM Annual Conference and General Assembly (9^th – 12^th June). ‘Meet Europe’ will again take place in Washington D.C. – on 27^th January 2010 – and ‘The Mercado’ workshop will be hosted by the city of Biarritz on 25^th and 26^th March 2010. A little later in the year, the 24^th ECM Summer School will retain this year’s green approach, this time in Tampere, Finland, from 28^th August to 1^st September 2010.

ITB Berlin – a barometer for travel technology and mobile travel service trends

International exhibitors will present their latest travel technology and innovations at ITB Berlin – after a four-year absence Sabre Travel Network, the world’s largest global distribution system (GDS), is back at the world’s leading travel trade show with its own stand

Berlin, 18 December 2009. “The market offering mobile communications and technological solutions for the global travel industry is expanding rapidly“, said David Ruetz, Senior Manager ITB Berlin, underlining the positive reactions from international technology companies to the Mobile Travel Services and Travel Technology sections at ITB. Sabre Travel Network’s return to the Berlin Exhibition Grounds after a four-year absence in particular emphasises ITB Berlin’s role as a barometer for new technology and software trends in the tourism industry. A world leader in the global distribution system (GDS) field, the company will be exhibiting at its own stand in Hall 8.1. David Ruetz: “The fact that the Travel Technology section in Halls 8.1 and 6.1 has attracted so many new exhibitors sends an important message to the industry. Only companies making the right decisions now will be able to reap long-term benefits from new technology.“ Other companies represented at ITB Berlin for the first time include XClirion, Lute Tec, Hotel Net Solutions, Vertical Booking and Hotelreservierung.de. A number of technology companies will be showing new products exclusively at the world’s leading travel trade show.

With the introduction in Hall 7.1c of its Mobile Travel Services section ITB Berlin is hosting its own representative platform for the first time, along with a stage for presentations and accompanying exhibition area. International companies will be represented, among them Netbiscuits GmbH, leading global innovators and mobile internet page operators, the network operators Ecocarrier, the Canadian mobile communications operator QiiQ, the audio guide portal for art and cultural tourism Pausanio GmbH & Co. KG, and Tourias, travel guide suppliers for mobile phones. Europe’s leading hotel portal HRS and the car hire company Sixt, who operate throughout Europe, will also be presenting their new mobile travel services products to visitors on a stand at ITB Berlin.

In order to make the many aspects of mobile travel services more comprehensible to visitors experts will be on hand to answer questions. Topics such as “Mobile services and applications for the travel industry“, “Working with mobile networks“ and “Working on the move? Yes, of course!“ will be aimed at providing transparency for visitors. The ITB Berlin 2010 Convention, which boasts a number of high-ranking participants, will also focus on the topic of mobile travel services. At the ITB Hospitality Day on 11 March experts will highlight how smartphones, BlackBerry devices and iPhones are influencing hotel booking patterns, and at the ITB Business Travel Days on 12 March the keynote speaker Gerry Samuels, founder and executive director of Mobile Travel Technologies Ltd., will talk about how mobile travel services are changing the world of business travel.

Trend-setting themes and leading experts at the world’s largest tourism convention

Global travel industry’s leading think tank highlights effects of the financial crisis and changing society – more than 200 high-ranking speakers to discuss trends, innovative strategies and key topics at around 100 events. New: ITB Marketing and Distribution Day plus ITB Global Future Summit – ITB Destination Days and China Outbound Tourism Marketing Forum discuss zero-carbon luxury hotels

Berlin, 14 December 2009 – Featuring an outstanding programme of events and high-ranking speakers, the ITB Berlin Convention 2010 will highlight the effects of the financial and economic crisis on tourism, the structural changes in society, and shifts in travel patterns. From 10 to 12 March 2010 more than 200 leading speakers and panel guests from science, politics and with practical experience will present topics and discuss the future of travel at around 100 events. Over a period of three days the focus at the world’s largest tourism convention will be on quality discussion and the latest industry knowledge. Admission is free for all trade visitors.

ITB Marketing and Distribution Day

The ITB Marketing and Distribution Day will take place at the world’s leading travel trade show, with debate focusing on the marked changes in consumer booking patterns and information needs. Experts taking part in a discussion round entitled “personalised package tours“ will point out that the much talked about paradigm shift towards longtail services has already taken place. The internet will also come in for close examination, as a way to occupy attractive market niches and personally address customers. A further panel will discuss strategies for the growing gay and lesbian tourism market. The day’s highlight will be the ITB Media Summit 2010. Together, the recession and completely new attitudes towards media usage have undermined established media forms. Magazine titles are disappearing from the shelves and readers are migrating to the internet. The confidence of the travel industry has been shaken. The questions its members are asking are “How can we reach the consumer?” and “What opportunities do Facebook and Twitter etc. offer?”. Leading speakers, among them former Minister of Economics Wolfgang Clement, will be taking part in and answering questions at a round table discussion.

“Theme Days“ – latest developments and background information

The convention opens with the ITB Future Day. The first ITB Global Future Summit will analyse the main trends in demographics, climate change, natural resources, technology and consumer behaviour. Afterwards Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International, will present the latest forecasts of the ITB World Travel Trends Report. Based on 500,000 interviews, the world’s largest travel survey provides indispensable information for decision-makers from the tourism industry. “Web 2.0 and Social Media“ will discuss future ways to gain customers and secure their loyalty, as well as mobile travel solutions for business and leisure travellers. The final programme event is the ITB Tourism and Climate Panel which will analyse climate change and ecology, the biggest challenges of this century.

Against the backdrop of a changing climate the ITB Hospitality Day will discuss what new services hotels should offer. At the CEO panel discussion three high-ranking executives from leading hotel chains will speak about the market and their survival strategies. Under the unconventional heading of “Ways to change boring hotels“ they will be motivating audiences to become more creative in this field. Distributors of online applications and hotel owners will discuss how mobile phones with internet access are changing hotel booking patterns. Taking as their slogan “What are the challenges facing the industry?“ leading executives heading hotel chains in America, Europe and Asia will debate the various concepts of budget hotels.

The ITB Aviation Day is recognised as the leading event for the global air transport industry. Key topics certain to spark controversy are the future of aviation alliances and a discussion on the strategies and concepts of budget airlines, the winners in this recession. Will they reap long-term benefits from the crisis? These are just some of the urgent issues that will be raised in interviews with financial experts from low-cost carriers. At the global CEO panel discussion members will give their opinions on the future of commercial aviation around the world. A discussion under the heading of “A revolution in airline prices, the recession as an innovative force in the absence of premium customers“ will highlight a number of progressive business models. According to many experts, public acceptance of airlines as a mode of transport has been in crisis for some time. A panel discussion with numerous analysts, among them Dr. Stefan Schulte, Chairman of the Board of Fraport AG, and Prof. Dr. Rainer Schwarz, Management Spokesman of Berliner Flughäfen, will discuss which measures hold particular promise for future success.

Following its successful debut last year the ITB Corporate Social Responsibility Day has become an integral part of the ITB Berlin Convention. A high-level government representative of the Federal Republic of Germany will highlight the significance of CSR in economic and social terms. Keynote speeches and panel discussions will debate examples of the role which CSR can occupy in tourism. This is the first time that GfK is presenting a survey undertaken exclusively for ITB Berlin, entitled “Leading CSR companies from the vantage point of the customer“. High-ranking members will be attending the cruise holiday session. In her keynote the world-famous adventurer and explorer Céline Cousteau will be asking “Marine protection and tourism, are they friends or foes?” Afterwards, leading experts, among them Prof. Dr. Martin Visbeck from the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of Kiel, will examine whether the expanding cruise market is having a negative effect on the environment.

Discussions on the first day of the ITB Destination Days will focus on the challenges posed by efforts to create sustainable tourism destinations. Vural Öger, owner of the Öger Group, will deliver a keynote speech. Representatives from Essen/Ruhr, Istanbul and Pécs, cities designated “European Capital of Culture” in 2010, will summarise the developments to date. The subsequent discussion as to whether the title of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site is a curse or a blessing is certain to reveal fascinating insights. On Thursday and Friday experts will devote themselves to the topic of sustainability in tourism. Brazil and Ecuador will present their successful concepts at the South America Forum, and at the Africa Forum experts will discuss how important tourism is in combating poverty. Turkey, this year’s partner country at ITB Berlin, will show how to achieve success with cultural tourism. The findings of the latest conference of the German Society for Tourism Research will be made public, highlighting potential business opportunities for investors exploring the market niches of spirituality and tourism. The China Outbound Tourism Marketing Forum@ITB Berlin 2010 will talk about ways to make destinations more appealing to tourists from China. Zero-carbon luxury hotels are both a significant topic and elements of a vision of future tourism. Two speakers from Masdar City, planned as the world’s first zero-carbon city, will talk about their progress to date.

The ITB Business Travel Forum will take place on all three days of the convention. Workshops, panel discussions and keynote speeches at the MICE Day, Strategy Day and Hands-On Day (with a focus on economics) will provide opportunities for exchanging opinion and furthering one’s knowledge on business travel and events management. From 10 to 11 March decision-makers from all walks of the global tourism industry can find out about the latest technology trends at the Travel Technology Conference PhoCusWright@ITB. A conference under the heading of “E-Travel Success Across Europe” will highlight the significance of travel technology, addressing experts involved in sales, marketing and business promotion.

No prior registration is necessary to visit the convention. Holders of a trade visitor ticket to ITB Berlin may attend any of the events free of charge, with the exception of the Travel Technology Convention PhoCusWright@ITB. PhoCusWright@ITB will be held in English. Simultaneous interpreting into English and German is available at all other lectures and discussions. Information and programme details: www.itb-convention.com/program. A trade visitor pass with unlimited admission to ITB Berlin costs EUR 46. If purchased by 31 January admission tickets to PhoCusWright@ITB cost EUR 300, thereafter 350 EUR per person. All tickets are available online .

European travel industry cautiously optimistic in the wake of massive losses

Preliminary travel statistics for 2009: shorter trips that are closer to home and saving money the priorities – more and more last-minute bookings – decline highest in UK and Russia

Berlin, 7 December 2009 – In the calendar year following the worldwide economic and financial crisis the international travel industry has experienced a serious decline, but nonetheless has survived this period in better shape than was expected in the spring of 2009. With eight per cent less arrivals, in the first eight months of this year the losses experienced by the European travel industry were by comparison the highest. According to the ITB World Travel Trends Report, commissioned by the world’s leading travel trade show and compiled by the consultancy IPK International, during this period the number of outbound trips undertaken by Europeans went down by seven per cent, who also spent 15 per cent less on their travels. Long-haul travel fell by twelve per cent, short-haul trips by only six per cent. Europeans are also less willing to make a firm decision regarding their travel intentions in 2010 than they were a year ago. More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of those polled in October 2009 said they would travel at least as often as they did in 2009, however in the same period last year the figure was 80 per cent.

The findings of the ITB World Travel Trends Report are based on the assessments of 60 tourism experts from 30 countries, on a special IPK International trend analysis undertaken in leading source markets, and on core data supplied by the World Travel Monitor®, recognised as the largest ongoing survey of global travel behaviour in some 60 source countries. The researchers found that among the most important European markets travel activity had declined strongest in the UK (minus 15 per cent), Russia (minus twelve per cent) and in Sweden (minus ten per cent). Germans undertook five per cent less trips abroad. Austria was the only nation to report gains, with travel activity up by two per cent over 2008.

The ITB World Travel Trends Report noted that this year the travel industry was particularly hard hit by the effects of consumer insecurity. According to the researchers there was a record number of last-minute bookings in 2009. Thus, compared with the same period in 2008, in the first eight months of this year the number of people booking their holiday one week before travelling rose by 18 per cent. By contrast, the number of reservations made in the period from one week to one month before the start of a trip fell by five per cent. Bookings made from one month to three months before travelling went down by 13 per cent, and for three months and more by twelve per cent.

Dr. Martin Buck, Director Competence Center Travel & Logistics, Messe Berlin: “For holiday destinations, airlines, hotels, tour operators and travel agencies, travellers are becoming an increasingly indeterminable factor. Together with demographic shifts, changing lifestyles and technological progress, the recession is changing travel behaviour. Holidaymakers are not showing their hand and last-minute bookings are at a record high. With the economic situation as it is there are huge challenges awaiting the travel industry.”

Airline ticket prices expected to increase worldwide

Commercial aviation in Europe behind forecast global growth – recession-hit industry takes older planes out of service

Berlin, 3 December 2009 – According to the ITB World Travel Trends Report, commissioned by the world’s leading travel trade show and compiled by the consultancy IPK International, a short to mid-term rise in the price of airline tickets is to be expected worldwide. Travellers will have to bear the cost of anticipated increases in taxes and charges by paying extra for tickets, according to the report. The ITB World Travel Trends Report states that in order to become profitable again airlines will have to significantly adjust their ticket prices. The findings are based on the assessments of 60 tourism experts from 30 countries, on a special IPK International trend analysis undertaken in leading source markets, and on core data supplied by the World Travel Monitor®, recognised as the largest ongoing survey of global travel trends in some 60 source countries. The report notes that “current airline prices are clearly too low to allow airlines to become profitable again“.

Despite the worldwide recession the ITB World Travel Trends Report expects commercial aviation to grow dynamically over the next two decades. The Chinese market is predicted to expand annually by around 8.4 per cent, followed by the Asian-Pacific region (6.9 per cent) and South America (estimated at 6.4 per cent). The European market is forecast to grow by 3.4 per cent, lagging significantly behind the expected global average growth rate of 4.9 per cent.

Dr. Martin Buck, Vice President CompetenceCenter Travel & Logistics, Messe Berlin: “The currently unanswered question facing the world’s airline industries is whether price-conscious consumers will continue to drive the downgrading trend we are seeing in bookings, or whether we will witness a return to the situation we had before the worldwide economic and financial crisis began. It also remains to be seen whether companies will limit their business travel to a minimum and how video conferences and other new forms of communication technology will influence travel behaviour.“

According to Dr. Martin Buck the recession has already had a positive effect: “The over-capacity of the world’s airline industries has been reduced and older planes which consume large amounts of kerosene have been taken out of service. In the short term a full recovery of demand is unlikely. Describing the situation he added that “flat is the new growth“.

ITB Berlin focuses on social media

The world’s leading travel trade show to network with web 2.0

Berlin, 25 November 2009 – As of now ITB Berlin is to become more active on the social web, where it will discuss the latest trends and news from the tourism industry. Advance extracts from the annual ITB World Travel Trends Report will also be published online in order to provide journalists with early information on developments in the tourism market.

In future the world’s largest travel trade show, which annually in March welcomes around 8,000 journalists from more than 90 countries to Berlin, will be using numerous social media portals to engage in interesting discussions on the subject of tourism.

ITB Berlin has launched the “ITB Berlin Pressenetz” on Xing and the ITB Berlin Press Newsroom on LinkedIn to give journalists networking on the web a quick and uncomplicated means to exchange views about travel news and trends. ITB Berlin is also on Twitter, where journalists and industry experts can find out about this vibrant industry and communicate in real time. Journalists who log on to the ITB Facebook page can also find a multimedia overview of all the fair’s social media activities. Each portal will publish advance extracts from the ITB World Travel Trends Report. All the ITB Berlin and ITB Convention press releases can also be subscribed to via RSS feeds. Videos and original commentaries are available over ITB Berlin’s youTube channel, at http://www.youtube.com/user/ITBBerlin.

“We have taken on this growing market with online communities at just the right time and regard the social web as an appropriate way to actively observe the travel market and openly discuss trends“, commented David Ruetz, Senior Manager, ITB Berlin.

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention

ITB Berlin 2010 will take place from Wednesday, 10 to Sunday, 14 March. ITB Berlin will be open to trade visitors only from Wednesday to Friday. Parallel with the trade fair, the ITB Berlin Convention will be held from Wednesday to Saturday, 10 to 13 March 2010. Full details of the programme can be found at www.itb-kongress.com. ITB Berlin is the world’s leading travel trade show. In 2009 a total of 11,098 companies from 187 countries exhibited their products and services to 178,971 visitors, who included 110,857 trade visitors.

Leading think tank of the global travel industry

Berlin, 16 November 2009. As the world’s leading travel industry platform ITB Berlin 2010 takes a first look at a future which in the long term will be marked by the financial and economic crisis as well as by structural changes and changing travel behaviour. One of the highlights of ITB Berlin, which takes place from 10 to 14 March 2010, is the world’s largest travel industry convention.

ITB Berlin has been holding its travel industry convention since 2004, an event with an unparalleled success story. Over the last six years 50,000 professionals from all tourism source markets and destinations from around the world have visited the ITB Berlin Convention. Each year the ITB Berlin Convention was able to build on its position as the leading think tank of the global tourism industry and in 2009 recorded its highest attendance to date. At 12,000 participants the number of visitors increased by 10 per cent over 2008.

The ITB Berlin Convention is the ideal platform for dialogue with the tourism industry. Decision-makers from all walks of the global tourism industry enjoy networking opportunities among professionals to discuss the latest industry trends as well as pressing issues and market topics among leading experts. High-ranking speakers from tourism and industry have already announced their participation in the ITB Berlin Convention 2010.

As the event hosting the industry’s leading forums the Theme Days highlight the latest trends and background developments. Innovators and futurists will be presenting global mega trends at the ITB Berlin Future Day. The challenges facing the hotel industry will be discussed at the ITB Berlin Hospitality Day. The ITB Aviation Day is recognised as the leading event for the global air transport industry and discusses key issues concerning the latest developments in the airline and airport industries. With its ITB Corporate Social Responsibility Day, which celebrated a successful debut last year, the ITB Berlin is again organising a definitive forum comprising experts in travel matters. Corporate social responsibility is becoming an increasingly important topic in the tourism industry.

Forward-looking destination management concepts from selected regions will be presented at the ITB Berlin Destination Days. The ITB Business Travel Days will also be taking place on all three days of the convention. Workshops focusing on practical issues, podium discussions and keynotes will provide opportunities for exchanging opinion and furthering one’s knowledge on business travel and events. The Travel Technology Convention PhoCusWright@ITB focuses on the latest technology trends and the complex world of travel technology.

The FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM on 9 November: The stars of the event are some 1,000 oversized dominos, which have been painted by 15,000 participants

The stars of the 9 November event – around 1,000 dominos measuring 2.5 metres in height – are currently housed in an industrial warehouse in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin.

Since March, 15,000 young people and school pupils have
been creating designs related to the fall of the Wall for these huge dominos as part of an action specially aimed at a young target group. The Domino Action has received support from artists and well-known patrons, including the Nobel Peace Laureates, Muhammad
Yunus from Bangladesh, Nelson Mandela from South Africa and Vaclav Havel from Czech Republic, as well as the wall artists, Thierry Noir and Kiddy Citny. The event organisers, Kulturprojekte Berlin, who have been commissioned by the Land Berlin (local government) to run the theme year, are now providing information for the first time on the current preparations for 9 November.

Moritz van Dülmen, the Managing Director of Kulturprojekte Berlin said, “The idea of our  action, whose motto is ‘Be there! Make history with a domino effect’, will become particularly clear here. Each of the dominos will tell its own story of the fall of the Wall from the perspective of young people, sometimes in a thoughtful way, at other times with sadness, or as a documentary, a thriller or with humour. I am very happy that this project has proved to be so successful and that we have been able to reach the generation of those who were born after the Wall fell.”

All of the dominos can be viewed during the weekend before the FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM
in the open-air Domino Gallery in the streets between Potsdamer Platz, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. The dominos will form a line of around 1.5 kilometres before playing an important role in the event on 9 November, when they will create a symbolic reminder of the chain reaction that the fall of the Berlin Wall caused in Germany,
Europe and the whole world. The dominos will be set up close to the former borders of the Wall. Traffic will be disrupted at times as a temporary reminder of the borders of 1989. All Berliners and guests of the city are invited to visit the gallery from 7 November. The organisers will provide further information about the traffic and street closures in the area around the Brandenburg Gate between 4 and 11 November closer to the time.

FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM
The highlight of the theme year in Berlin is the Festival of Freedom at the city’s worldfamous landmark, the Brandenburg Gate. Thousands of spectators are expected to attend the commemoration and celebration of the historical events of 9 November, which will take place in the presence of actors from the GDR opposition groups, contemporary witnesses, and representatives from politics and culture. There will be an emotional opening
of the event during an open-air concert at Pariser Platz, which will be performed by the Berlin Staatskapelle and the Male Choir of the Staatsoper Berlin, conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

The Governing Mayor of Berlin and official host of the event, Klaus Wowereit, will welcome the Federal President Horst Köhler and Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as many invited heads of state and government, including the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, the British Prime Minister, Gordon
Brown and Hillary Clinton, the United States Secretary of State.
People such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Lech Walesa, who played an important role in the historical events of 1989, are among the prominent domino patrons and will also be actively involved in the evening event. Representatives of the GDR opposition groups, Marianne Birthler, Roland Jahn and Katrin Hattenhauer, will
remind people about the important historical events, that is, the Peaceful Revolution started by people on the streets.
The ca. 1.5-kilometre long line of dominos will form an unusual stage. School pupils, apprentices and young people from Berlin, as well as artists from Berlin and the whole world, have painted these oversized dominos. They have dealt with the history of the Wall and made a contribution to ensuring that this fantastic event can take place. They will also be involved at many stages of the evening event. Through their commitment, they have expressed the joy about this special anniversary – the fall of the Wall twenty years ago – in the whole world, and particularly in Germany and Berlin.

Thomas Gottschalk, one of Germany’s best-known TV personalities, will present the event. He will receive professional support from Guido Knopp (ZDF) and Klaas (MTV).
With their help, thousands of people will experience the scheduled fall of the dominos over the course of the Domino Gallery and at the Brandenburg Gate (Platz des 18. März).
The symbolic fall will stop twice – its course will be deliberately held up. This will provide an opportunity to remember the dramatic moments of twenty years ago and the most important actors of the time in various ways. Lech Walesa, the former chairman of the Polish union, Solidarity, and the former President of Poland, will knock over the first domino
close to the Reichstag.
A first pause will provide time for a talk with Mikhail Gorbachev, the former President of the Soviet Union, and Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the former Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany.
There will also be interviews with the Nobel Peace Laureates and a Korean artist from the Goethe Institute during the event. As part of the Wall Trip project, the Goethe Institute organised the painting of 21 dominos in countries that are still divided by walls, such as Korea, Cyprus and Mexico.
The varied programme will be supported by artists from Germany and abroad. Adoro, five young opera singers who combine classical and pop music in a particularly moving way, will perform the song “Freiheit” as part of the musical programme. As an international guest, the singer Jon Bon Jovi will perform the song “We Weren’t Born To Follow” during the event.
When young Berliners, as representatives of the thousands of young participants of the Domino Action, and their dominos move to the centre stage of the event, they will be accompanied by the group, Stamping Feet, who will perform impressive drum rhythms.
Right before the last dominos fall in front of the Brandenburg Gate and in the presence of all of the guests, Paul van Dyk, the “World’s No. 1 DJ” and a Grammy Award nominated artist, will perform the world premiere of his song, “We are one – Hymne”. The emotional highlight created by the fall of the last dominos will be rounded off with a firework display.
ZDF will broadcast the event live. There will be twelve screens along the course of the Domino Gallery, so that people on the streets will be able to watch the event as it unfolds.
The prelude will start at 17.00 on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate and will be presented by Radio Berlin 88.8 (rbb), in their program the live translation of the international greetings will be send.

Open-Air Exhibition, “The Peaceful Revolution of 1989/90”
From 7 May until 14 November 2009 (extended until 3 October 2010), the Robert Havemann Society, in cooperation with Kulturprojekte Berlin, is presenting and honouring the events of 1989/90 in a large open-air exhibition, “Peaceful Revolution”, at Alexanderplatz.
The exhibition deals with the liberation movement in the GDR and provides information about the events of the Peaceful Revolution in texts and images, with the focus on its actors.
The exhibition is open 24 hours per day and is free of charge. The project is sponsored by the Foundation of the German Lottery Berlin and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, thanks to a resolution passed by the German Bundestag (German Parliament).
Until 10 November, those interested can get information about the events from the red information staircase at Washingtonplatz / Hauptbahnhof (main train station) every day from 11.00 – 20.00 or from the Internet at www.mauerfall09.de /
www.fallofthewall09.com.

10 years Estrel Convention Center

More than 12,800 events, over 4.5 million guests and an almost unparalleled range of events: the Estrel Convention Centre, Europe’s largest Convention, Entertainment & Hotel Complex celebrated its 10th anniversary in September.

The Convention Centre is one of the three pillars “Meetings, Accommodation and Entertainment” of the Estrel Berlin. It is the perfect complement to the Estrel Hotel that opened its doors in 1994 and the Show Theater Estrel Festival Centre that was added in 1997.

Business travel still suffering from economic crisis

Dark clouds still hang over the business travel sector – latest VDR survey reports an increase in video conferences – ITB Berlin with a new Mobile Travel Services section

Berlin, 22 October 2009. Many companies in Germany have yet to feel the effects of the current boom on the international stock markets, and what experts are predicting as a foreseeable end to the global financial crisis. Few companies anticipate the business travel sector to recover in the coming months. By contrast, video conference organisers have benefited significantly from the global economic and financial crisis.

According to the latest survey by Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement e.V. (VDR), 40 per cent of the companies polled are making increasing use of virtual conferences in order to reduce business trips. A further twelve per cent use this method of communicating for other reasons. “Video conferences are not the only popular trend. Efforts to save money have unleashed a real mobile communications boom“, said Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Travel & Logistics Competence Center at Messe Berlin. ”ITB Berlin 2010 has responded with the launch of its Mobile Travel Services section. The global travel industry’s leading trade show with its specialist convention and informative stage shows provides a broad platform for the fast-growing market for modern methods of communication.”

With its new Mobile Travel Services section ITB Berlin also provides a significant impetus for alternative solutions in the business travel sector. Close to 40 per cent of the VDR members polled either do not believe the crisis is over or will not risk making any predictions. Only 17 per cent anticipate an upturn in the business travel sector this year. 23 per cent expect a recovery in the first half and 18 per cent in the second half of 2010.

Dirk Gerdom, President of Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement: “VDR members are unsure as to what the future holds. Small wonder, with so many surveys, expert forecasts and export figures appearing daily in the media, at times contradicting themselves. The only reliable indicator genuinely reflecting the economic situation is the number of trips, and for a year these have been in sharp decline. Our quarterly trend survey clearly shows that since October 2008 company travel has gradually decreased, with trips costing less and less. Thus the economic pressure is mounting.“

This flash survey was conducted in early October among the 548 companies belonging to the VDR. Their combined business travel turnover is more than ten billion euros a year. 126 companies took part.