Reimagine travel at ITB Asia

ITB Asia, to be held in Singapore from October 17-19 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, will focus on MiCE, technology and millennials. Katrina Leung, Managing Director, Messe Berlin (Singapore), in an interview with TravTalk , talks about all that is on offer at the show

TT Bureau

What is the theme for this year’s event?
ITB Asia, ‘Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show’ is excited to host its 11th annual conference on the theme ‘Travel Reimagined’. Key leaders from travel and technology industry will share insights on the major trends provoking disruption across the travel industry while analysing how companies are innovating to stay ahead. Hosted at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, the conference will take place from October 17-19, 2018. This year, we are proud to welcome Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore Airlines and Marina Bay Sands, to name a few.

How many exhibitors are expected from the UAE, GCC and Middle East?
We are expecting 25-30 exhibitors from the UAE, GCC and Middle East, including leading industry players like Tourism Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways, JTB, Turkish Tourism and many more. This year, we have six conference theatres— Knowledge Theatre, Presentation Hub, MiCE & Corporate Hub, Travel & Tech Hub, Muslim Travel Pavilion and the Ignite Rooms@Begonia at Level 3. The six areas will each focus on a different subject matter.

Is there a special focus on millennials this year?
This year, we will be looking at the $180 billion Muslim travel market and partner with key experts, for the third edition of the Halal in Travel Asia summit. The conference will kick off with the official release of the Mastercard-Halal Trip Digital Muslim Travel Report (DMTR) 2018, revealing the latest insights into the Muslim travel market and behaviours. While our newly-dedicated Muslim Travel Hub will offer panels, showcases and important discussions on Halal travel, key topics covered include how to attract Muslim travellers to destinations throughout the year, how to further develop the growing Muslim travel market and developing Muslim-friendly travel packages.

What are the important seminars for B2B partners?
Key highlights include an opening session with global leaders from Google, Microsoft and Trip.com who will provide insights on the major trends driving change in the travel industry. On the second day, ITB Asia 2018 will host a keynote panel session on the future of travel distribution with insights from leading OTAs and intermediaries. The third day will see a dedicated session on the Chinese market.