In 2009 ITB Berlin will provide impressive confirmation of its significance as the global travel industry’s leading trade show. From 11 to 15 March 2009 the fair management is expecting some 11,000 exhibiting companies and organisations from more than 180 countries in the 26 halls on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. Despite the difficult economic situation around the world, in 2009 demand still exceeds supply. Messe Berlin is expecting even larger numbers of international trade visitors at the ITB Berlin Convention, the world’s largest meeting of this kind, which is taking place at the same time.

Dr. Martin Buck, Director ITB Berlin: “Major international trade shows are a reliable indicator of the state of the industries that they represent. Against the background of a significant slowdown of the world economy and mainly sceptical expectations this year’s ITB Berlin is more important than ever for its exhibitors and its trade visitors. During this phase ITB Berlin will be able to fulfil its role as a networking platform and a marketing instrument.”

Six weeks prior to the start of ITB Berlin this trade show reports that registrations are at an impressively high level, despite the global economic and financial crisis. Among the exhibitors who will be meeting trade visitors and the public will be some from the world’s newest nation: Kosovo. The African nation of Gabon has returned as an exhibitor after an absence of several years, along with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. In 2009 the Middle East reports a continuing boom in tourism. The Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Qatar now have an even wider range of attractions and facilities. For the second time the airline Emirates is bring its spectacular stand, in the form of a globe, to Berlin.