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Good morning to all,We are experiencing a fabulous ITB Asia 2022. Everywhere you look, the alleys and stands are bustling with visitors and the conferences are drawing large crowds. Safe to say, the first face-to-face post-pandemic show edition is a real success. Numbers speak for themselves. The show welcomes over 80 National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and…

Skyscanner sent key members of its team to this year's Travel Tech Asia to talk about the latest travellers' insights and the trends of the post-pandemic tourism world. Speakers at the session were Betsy Croft, Global Head of Industry Marketing, Skyscanner, Jarrod Kris, Lead Partnerships, DMO, APAC, Skyscanner and Michelle Tan, Data Partnerships Manager, Skyscanner.The…

"Fresh on ideas, wild on knowledge": this is how Sapporo Convention Bureau is presenting itself at ITB Asia - a creative, alternative Japanese MICE destination. Located on Japan’s island of Hokkaido, Sapporo is known as Japan's capital of the North with a population of almost two million. However it is not just at the top…

It has become somewhat of a tradition. On Wednesday, a glamorous evening was held at the Marina Bay Sands venue for ITB Asia's buyers and VIPs. The special event took place at KOMA, Marina Bay Sands' trendy Japanese restaurant, inspired by Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. In KOMA's spectacular setting, guests were invited to enjoy…

On October 17, representatives of ASEAN and the European Union signed a historical air transport agreement. For the first time, two economic blocs agreed on a global air transport policy applicable simultaneously in 37 countries. The move replaces more than 140 bilateral air service agreements, with now only one single set of rules and reduced…

During a C-Suite Talk titled "Fool-proof your MICE Business in Unpredictable times", Richard Soo, Chief Guru@ Creative Marketing MEP Meeting & Exhibition Planners defined what the MICE industry could look like... While the complete halt to the MICE industry during the pandemic was challenging, Richard Soo, Chief Guru from MEP, struck a positive note saying:…

Talking at ITB Asia on Wednesday, Adam Armstrong, CEO, Contiki Holidays, confirmed that the youth segment has experienced a strong rebound in 2022 and is set for continued growth in 2023. In his presentation, Armstrong listed many reasons for travel businesses to include the youth segment in their priority list. He said: "There are loads…

Alhasan Aldabbagh, Chief Markets Officer APAC, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), sat down with ITB Asia News to outline how Saudi Arabia is presenting itself to the region The kingdom's approach has been developed in close cooperation with local trade partners and offers a full range of tourism products - also reflected by the destination's stunning…

Ben Taylor, CEO APAC, George P. Johnson, spoke to visitors at MICE Show Asia about how these technological advances can compliment a real meeting or event experience During his hard-hitting speech, Mr Taylor explained why the time is right for real technological innovation. We asked him to tell us more about it. Do you think…

Global travel distribution platform TBO.com is back at this year's ITB Asia to meet with travel agents and discuss how they can leverage the platform for a booking experience as regional demand grows. With over 1 million hotels and 100,000 buyers across a 100+ countries already on the platform, TBO.com is looking to expand further.“The…

Boon Sian Chai, Trip.com Group’s Managing Director and Vice President (International Markets) discussed how OTAs can adapt and evolve with the return of international travel at yesterday's Travel Tech Asia. He shared some in-depth insights by Trip.com in an exclusive interview with ITB Asia News. What has changed in the behaviour and expectations of Asian…

Adopting an original approach, Sabah wants to focus on community-based tourism explains Noredah Othman, General Manager, Sabah Tourism Board. Sabah’s Community Based Tourism (CBT) has been growing and is increasingly popular. "This is timely, as Sabah receives a large number of return visitors. So it is necessary for the state to provide new options to…

Visitors at ITB Asia can learn all about New York's latest tourism marketing campaign created by NYC & Company. Supporting the return of international tourists this year, the city's tourism organisation (NYC & Company) has released Neighbourhood travel guides of its five boroughs Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island and Queens. ‘Brooklyn Like a New Yorker,’…

Visit Finland is working to make travel activities, particularly for MICE, more sustainable through its Sustainable Travel Finland programme. Finnish people have been heavily involved in protecting their environment and nature for a long time. Such a commitment also applies to MICE activities. Responsibility is a mega-trend and a decisive selection criterion for an increasing…

BESarawak (Business Events Sarawak) aims to attract more national and international meetings and incentives through a new immersive team building programme, Tribespirit Teambuilding. As part of the destination's strategic development plan, BESarawak is working in close partnership with main local actors like Miri Business Committee (MBEC) to host more national and international meetings and incentives. “Our principal move…

Business Events Perth is pitching the Western Australia's capital to MICE organisers as the city remains the closest destination for Asian travellers in the Pacific. Business Events Perth has many reasons to celebrate at ITB Asia this year. The company, which is in charge of attracting business events including MICE, is celebrating its 50th anniversary…

The release of a new 2022 - 2026 tourism master plan for Papua New Guinea gives an opportunity for the country to look for new markets during the show. Living culture, arts, traditions, tribes, languages, and history as well as a pristine nature made of thousands of kilometres of beaches, tropical reefs, mountains and coastal…

For ITB Asia visitors with little time to get to know Singapore, the Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) is an experience-rich and fun way to learn more about the city-state's history through immersive journeys. Located in the Jurong district, west of the metropolis, the Singapore Discovery Centre provides an engaging, multi-sensory learning experience covering a selection…