ITB Business Travel Forum: Valuable knowledge for travel managers

The latest trends and developments in business travel – Focus on the impact of digitalisation and globalisation

Under the heading of 'Business travel 4.0: dynamic, digital, disruptive' this year's ITB Business Travel Forum will be taking place on 8 March 2018 in Hall 7.1a, Room New York 2. Visitors can get first-hand knowledge and practical information on the latest business travel trends here. This year's exclusive partner is the German Business Travel Association (VDR). Admission to the forum is free for visitors to ITB Berlin.

Digitalisation and globalisation are triggering ever-shorter innovation cycles, which is a challenge that the business travel market must actively confront. Thus, the VDR Business Travel Forum at the ITB Berlin Convention will be giving visitors an insight into tomorrow's work environment and the next generation's travel behaviour.

Under the heading of Business Travel: Completely Digital! Florian Storp, vice president, Central Europe at American Express Global Business Travel, will demonstrate what the industry can learn from young people's travel and consumer behaviour and how digitalisation must positively affect business travel. Taking concrete examples, he will illustrate how travel management companies and customers are confronting the challenges.

Afterwards, Ludger Bals of The Travel Consulting Group and Dr. Engelbert Wimmer, founder and CEO of e&Co. AG will be talking to Christopher Bergau, head of Strategic Partnerships DACH, airbnb about disruptive business models and digital 'attackers' who are increasingly taking aim at the travel industry. In theory, the travel manager of the future must forfeit his role as a static departmental salesman and become a pro-active innovation scout and manager of digital eco-systems.

'His word shall be heard': together with the audience Marcus Scholz, management executive at Europcar Deutschland, will enter a new world in the Internet of Things. He will show that Alexa Echo and Alexa Show can already be used to manage services with one's own voice. Thus, travellers can already use voice control to hire a car, change their booking dates or cancel reservations.

The Networking Lounge Home of Business Travel by ITB & VDR – organised by Messe Berlin and the German Business Travel Association (VDR) lets visitors dwell on the day's topics in talks. Available from 7 to 9 March and covering a total area of 270 square metres, this is the sixth time that the Networking Lounge will be a part of the show.

The combined stand in Hall 7.1a offers travel and transport managers as well as buyers and newcomers a valuable platform for discussing ways to improve business and make contact with leading representatives of the business travel sector. Co-exhibitors will be showcasing a variety of solutions for professional management as well as for during and after business trips.

All visitors interested in business travel topics should make a note to attend the Networking Lunches. The informal lounge atmosphere lets visitors enjoy a relaxing lunch and provides an opportunity to network at their leisure. The lunch event will take place on all trade visitor days from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the Home of Business Travel by ITB & VDR.

Visitors can take an exclusive trip to the ITB Travel Forum and enjoy sustainable travel at bargain prices with an attractive special offer from Deutsche Bahn. A return fare from any DB train station costs only 99 euros for standard-class and 109 euros for first-class and includes admission to the show. Tickets are subject to availability. The flexible terms of the offer even permit reservations to be changed, if necessary. For more details please visit

www.itb-convention.com/travel

For more information on the Travel Forum please visit: www.itb-convention.com/businesstravel

Media Contact

Emanuel Höger

Press Spokesman and Press and Public Relations Director, Corporate Communication - Messe Berlin Group [email protected] +49 30 3038-2270