As ITB Asia 2026 opens its doors, experiential travel is taking centre stage with the launch of the new Experience Pavilion, organised in partnership with Tripadvisor. Scott Wegener, Director, Enterprise Sales, APAC, Tripadvisor, explains why traveller demand is moving towards more immersive, hands-on experiences and what this means for the industry.
Tripadvisor has partnered with Messe Berlin Asia Pacific to organise the Experiences Pavilion at ITB Asia this year. Can you tell us about this new space at the show?
The creation of the new Experience Pavilion is a game-changer and it’s such a natural fit for Tripadvisor to be involved as the official launch partner.
Experiential travel is the fastest growing category in travel right now. We’ve seen over 12 million experiences booked on Tripadvisor sites in the first 6 months of 2026. This is why it makes so much sense to highlight and focus on experiential travel by having a dedicated pavilion at ITB Asia and why it is a no-brainer for Tripadvisor to be involved in such a prominent way.
Travellers are looking for more than just places to visit—they’re seeking experiences that help them connect more deeply with the places they go.
What experience booking trends has Tripadvisor observed in 2026?
Our 2026 Mid-Year Experiences Trends Report, which looks at booking data from January through June, tells a clear story: travellers are looking for more than just places to visit—they’re seeking experiences that help them connect more deeply with the places they go. Craft classes were our fastest-growing category globally, up 88% year over year, and concerts and special events grew 87%. On the nature side, eco tours were up 62% and fishing charters up 41%. And it’s not just about categories, destinations outside our 100 most-booked locations grew more than twice as fast as the top 100 themselves, meaning travellers are actively choosing to go off the beaten path.
How has the pavilion been organised to reflect these trends? What can visitors expect?
Specifically on the Tripadvisor stand we have invited operators who recently won Tripadvisor 2026 Travelers Choice Best of the Best awards. We have experience operators representing the gastronomy, wellness, nature and adventure categories coming from as far away as the US and Japan.
Any predictions for the near future?
The experience is becoming the destination. We’re shifting from “Where should I go?” toward “What do I want to experience?
If the first half of 2026 is any indication, I’d also expect the shift from “viewing” a destination to “inhabiting” it to keep accelerating. The data is clear: destinations beyond the usual hotspots are growing at more than twice the rate of the top 100, and that’s not a blip, it reflects travellers actively seeking out newer, less-crowded places to have these unique, authentic, hands-on experiences.
Basement 2 /Experience Pavilion (Stand E16)
Highlights from Tripadvisor’s 2026 Mid-Year Experiences Trends Report
• Craft classes were the fastest-growing category globally, up 88% year over year
• Concerts and special events grew 87%
• Eco tours were up 62%
•Fishing was up 41%
• Destinations outside Tripadvisor’s 100 most-booked locations growing more than twice as fast as the top 100
Key takeaways:
1. Getting hands-on with local culture e.g. craft classes, local cooking classes and cultural events
2. Nature taking centre stage e.g. eco tours and wellness experiences, hot springs & thermal baths
3. Coastal destinations and water activities – getting out on the water rather than watching from the shore e.g. submarine tours, fishing charters, whale watching and parasailing
4. Going beyond the tourist hotspots, looking for destinations off the beaten path
