ITB Asia 2021 to be held virtually on 25 – 29 October

The virtual event includes five full days of business appointments and three exclusive days of conference programme.

All conference sessions are available on-demand for a month Exhibitors can expect a number of virtual benefits and some new perksHeld in conjunction with MICE Show Asia as well as Travel Tech Asia.

Asia’s Largest Travel Trade Show, ITB Asia 2021, will be an all-virtual event with the physical show postponed to 2022. Messe Berlin (Singapore) announces the complete digitalisation of ITB Asia, set to go virtual from 25 – 29 October 2021. After close observations of international developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and extensive conversations with local authorities and partners, the show organisers made the difficult decision to move the show completely virtual. The decision is made as Singapore moves to Phase 3 (heightened alert) [1] where the current limit for MICE events is set at 250 attendees.

In addition, the recent surge in COVID-19 infections in the Asia-Pacific region has dimmed the positive outlook for the aviation sector, undermining previous optimism among travellers as regional countries tighten border controls and travel restrictions to control the spread of the virus. Therefore, after careful consideration, Messe Berlin (Singapore) concludes to postpone the physical ITB Asia to 2022 and hold this year's event virtually.

“Our team is committed in bringing a hybrid concept of ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia for the travel trade industry coming October. However, global health and travel uncertainties accompanied by the rapid emergence of new COVID-19 variants had halted our efforts. The hybrid concept garnered an excellent response with over 600 confirmed exhibitors, but it has become apparent that international delegates are unable to reasonably plan their participation and travel arrangements. Therefore, with a good lead time this year we will conduct the show virtually, offering international delegates a stronger digital platform for B2B networking, learning and knowledge sharing,” said Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB Asia.

ITB Asia Virtual, held virtually second year in a row, will once again be hosted on ITB Community in Asia. The virtual event previously concluded with a record-breaking participation of almost 35,000 travel professionals tuning in. Organisers are expecting an even stronger response this year with the longer lead time and as countries around the world plan for tourism recovery.

For the coming ITB Asia Virtual Event, attendees can expect the following key features:

Community Activity Feed – An interactive social networking page to share latest insights, articles and participate in group discussions.Business Matching – Live platform to exchange business contacts and schedule virtual appointments. Delegates can benefit from business appointment via social video and messaging functions. (From 25 – 29 October, 5 full days)Conference – A robust line-up of key industry speakers with thought-providing insights or showcases of innovative technology and solutions. (Exclusively on 26 – 28 October only, 3 full days)Supplier Directory – A comprehensive view of all suppliers, such as company profiles, product resources and downloadable articles. Knowledge Library – Resource library of trade articles, white papers on travel destinations, research reports and content by industry bellwethers and trade partners.On-demand Videos – Access to exclusive videos from virtual events or industry contributors.

[1]https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/maintaining-heightened-alert-to-minimise-risk-of-transmission-as-we-re-open-safely

How to exhibit at ITB Asia Virtual: Virtual Packages and Prices.

Registration for ITB Asia Virtual event 2021 is available through this link. Virtual booth packages range from USD 500+ per digital booth to USD 12,000+ per pavilion. Exhibitors have an array of virtual benefits and some new perks such as business card download functions, extra trade visitor passes, more comprehensive advertising bundles, co-exhibitor benefits, speaking opportunities and unlimited meeting slots. For more information on ITB Asia Virtual 2021, please visit https://www.itb-asia.com/virtual-booth-options

ITB Asia 2022 will be returning to Singapore on 19 – 22 October 2022 once again at Sands Expo & Convention Centre. For more information on booth participation, please email sales@messe-berlin.asia

About ITB Asia

ITB Asia is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The annual three-day B2B trade show and convention will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also MICE and corporate travel. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities and travel technology companies are all expected to attend.

ITB Asia is the premier meeting place for the travel trade industry for forging new partnerships and strengthening existing business relationships with the most important players in the region. ITB Asia 2020 Virtual concluded with a record-breaking participation of almost 35,000 travel professionals.

About MICE Show Asia

MICE Show Asia is where the incentive travel, meetings and events industries come together to connect and build the future of MICE. The annual three-day business-to-business trade show and convention featured industry suppliers, meetings & events professionals to up-and-coming MICE innovators from a wide range of disciplines, sectors and all levels of seniority. The show is co-located with ITB Asia.

About Travel Tech Asia

Organized by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, the inaugural three-day conference will feature leading travel brands and innovative start-ups to attendees from all levels of seniority across a wide range of disciplines and sectors in the travel industry. The conference will be co-located with ITB Asia and MICE Show Asia.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor