Expanded eTravel World sets its sights on the future
International pitching event for startups – discussion rounds with experts on chatbots, virtual reality and millennials – the eTravel World is booked up and for the first time occupies two halls
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ITB Berlin highlights corporate social responsibility in tourism again
Corporate social responsibility in tourism will be a dominant theme at ITB Berlin – ITB CSR Day features the key topic 'Sustainable Food and Beverages in the Hotel Industry and at Tourism Destinations' – admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for trade visitors
ITB MICE Day: MICE striking a balance between effectiveness and efficiency
Agenda includes topical issues such as sustainability and social responsibility, digitalisation and demographic change – admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for trade visitorsDigitalisation, demographic change, disruption, corporate social responsibility etc., what is behind the mega trends and the buzzwords of the MICE industry? How do they play out in practice? How effective and efficient are these developments? At the ITB MICE Day MICE industry professionals will be providing answers to many questions and highlighting best practices and actual scenarios. The event is organised by Vereinigung Deutscher Veranstaltungsorganisatoren e.V. and will take place on 8 March 2017 at the ITB Berlin Convention.
Clear, focused and industry leading programme announced IHIF 2017
As the industry prepares to gather and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), the programme for the 2017 event is announced.
ITB BookAwards 2017: the winners
Award winners include Art Wolfe, Laurent Baheux, Andreas Kieling und Kilian Schönberger, Ilona Hupe, Michael Iwanowski, Nikolaus Gelpke, Christine Thürmer, Robert Macfarlane, Jörg Maurer, Werner Pawlok, Jens Glüsing and Michael Pasdzior
ITB Berlin Convention: well prepared for turbulent times
4 days, 200 sessions, 400 speakers – all the latest topics ranging from geopolitical crises and disasters to artificial intelligence – numerous sessions will be streamed live on the internetAt the ITB Berlin Convention, which takes place from 8 to 11 March 2017, one of the key up-to-the-minute topics will be 'Disruptive Travel: The End of the World as We Know It'. Leading international experts will show how tourism professionals are successfully taking on controversial issues and current challenges such as geopolitical crises, travel safety risks and the use of artificial intelligence.
Holiday Inn ups its game with new luxury development in Berlin city centre
A new development for one of the world's largest hotel chains, the HOLIDAY INN, is in the pre-opening stages in the German capital, Berlin. The project is in the pre-opening stages, with the opening date set for March 2017. The 4-star development will have 186 rooms and be located in one of Berlin's most iconic squares, Alexanderplatz. The hotel is a move up for the brand, which often lies at the more economic end of the spectrum. The HOLIDAY INN Express Alexanderplatz is to be a luxury upscale development, for business and conference purposes, in the heart of the city.
ISHC Now Accepting Nominations for the 2017 Young Leader Award presented at IHIF
The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Young Leader Award presented at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Germany 6-8 March 2017.
STR: Preliminary November 2016 data for Berlin
STR's preliminary November 2016 data for Berlin, Germany, indicates performance growth.Based on daily data from November, Berlin reported the following in year-over-year comparisons:
Sharing accommodation impacts cities more than hotels
Fast growth but low market share for 'sharing' accommodation platforms – Experts see major impact on residential accommodation – ITB Berlin exclusively publishes results from the World Travel Monitor® ForumSo-called 'sharing' accommodation providers may be growing fast but they still have a relatively low share of the overall hospitality market in Europe. Their main impact is in cities where they generate significant numbers of visitors but also reduce residential accommodation, according to experts. Those were some of the results of the 24th World Travel Monitor® Forum. Only 3 percent market share for 'sharing' accommodationThe so-called 'sharing' economy has boomed in recent years with the rise of firms such as Airbnb which have disrupted the leisure accommodation sector. However, they remain niche players, according to figures from the World Travel Monitor®. In 2015, Europeans booked so-called 'sharing' accommodation for 14 million outbound trips, which was a mere 3 percent of all their international trips. Nearly two thirds of these bookings were for apartments/flats and holiday homes, while only about 15 percent were for private rooms or B&B stays. "These apparently low figures may seem surprising considering how often 'sharing' companies make headlines about their dynamic growth, but they also show the sizeable future potential for these players," commented Dr. Martin Buck, Messe Berlin's Senior Vice President. Is Airbnb 'sharing' or commercial?The largest and best-known 'sharing accommodation' platform Airbnb now has about 3 million accommodation listings worldwide and is expanding into new business areas such as destination activities. But the US company has also faced widespread criticism that it is disrupting city centres and neighbourhoods by bringing in excessive numbers of visitors and effectively taking apartments out of the commercial rental sector by driving up prices. Diverse cities including Berlin have imposed new rules on commercial rental of private apartments to try to stop property-owners from renting to tourists through Airbnb and other providers instead of to local people or students. In response, Airbnb agreed at the start of December to enforce regulations designed to prevent hosts from renting properties in London for more than 90 nights a year and in Amsterdam for more than 60 nights. Jeroen Oskam, research centre director at the Hotelschool The Hague, explained to the Pisa forum that Airbnb is primarily a commercial business, and now has a 10 percent share of all international arrivals in Amsterdam and nearly 8 percent in London. According to his in-depth analysis of Airbnb's bookings in four European cities (Amsterdam, London, Berlin and Madrid), more than 82 percent of Airbnb-listed accommodation is rented as the entire property, and less than 18 percent as a private room or a sharing room. Similarly, more than 80 percent of the accommodation is available for rent for more than 31 days a year, and a high proportion of listed accommodation is located in city centres, he said. In London, about half of all Airbnb units are offered by hosts with multiple properties. "Airbnb combines a substantial part of commercial activities with a minority of authentic 'sharers'. This means residents are displaced by tourists. So it's 'unsharing'. You reserve assets for tourists," Oskam concluded. At the annual World Travel Monitor® Forum in Pisa, initiated at the invitation of consultancy IPK International and sponsored by ITB Berlin, around 50 tourism experts and academics from around the world present the latest figures and current trends in international tourism. Alongside special evaluations from IPK International's World Travel Monitor®, ITB Berlin will publish further key data from the World Travel Monitor® as part of the 'ITB World Travel Trends Report 2016/17' (Link to last year's ITB World Travel Trends Report 2015/2016 here: http://www.itb- berlin.de/media/itb/itb_dl_all/itb_presse_all/WTTR_ITB2016_8_Web.pdf) in early December. The 'ITB World Travel Trends Report' is based on the latest results and presentations at the World Travel Monitor® Forum, which is an exclusive meeting where current trends in the travel industry are discussed and predictions for tourism developments are made. The annual results of the World Travel Monitor®, which is the largest worldwide study on global travel behaviour, will be presented by IPK International at the ITB Future Day at the ITB Berlin Convention.
Medical Tourism – a new segment at ITB Berlin
For the first time ITB Berlin 2017 will be fully devoting a platform to medical tourism, which has become an important fast-growing market. Medical service providers, hotels and destinations will be able to exhibit their products and services In the Medical Tourism Pavilion in Hall 3.2. Presentations and workshops will be held so that visitors can find out more about the latest trends and developments in this growth market.
eTravel World now in two halls
ITB Berlin allocates more space for exhibitors in this growth segment – for the first time the eTravel Showroom features product presentations – lectures about chatbots, storytelling and influencer marketing on the eTravel Stage
ITB Berlin Convention: knowledge for tomorrow’s world
The think tank of the international travel industry discusses the main topics of our time and offers an insight into future trends – Experts provide information on artificial intelligence, on support from social media in a crisis and Chinese investment in hotels – Admission is free for trade visitors at ITB Berlin
Sir Savigny Opens in Berlin
Not since Jay Gatsby set foot in West Egg has a neighborhood so eagerly anticipated the arrival of a new host —This October sees the grand opening of Sir Savigny in Berlin's vibrant Charlottenburg district. This 44- room luxury urban retreat built in 1893 perfectly reflects the mindset and sybaritic ways of its mythical founder, Sir Savigny, a bon vivant who has dedicated his life to beauty and storytelling. At this newest addition to the SIR hotels stable, the story unfolds deliciously with guestrooms that showcase the work of local artists and wide-open public spaces that create intimacy, spark conversation, and promote new friendships among kindred spirits.
Marriott International Debuts Moxy Berlin Ostbahnhof
Moxy Hotels, Marriott International's experiential hotel brand, hosted an epic party inspired by the prolific nightlife culture in Berlin, showcasing the music, dance, art and sexual expression that are the lifeblood of the city, October 20, 2016. Moxy Berlin, located between the buzzing Mitte and the ceaselessly hip Friedrichshain districts, was the perfect playground for guests to leave their inhibitions at the door and explore the underground's darkest desires through a corridor of hidden playrooms.
STR releases preliminary September 2016 results for Berlin
STR's preliminary September 2016 data for Berlin, Germany, indicates record performance for the month boosted by a number of events in the market.Based on daily data from September, Berlin reported the following in year-over-year comparisons:
The Student Hotel Berlin To Open
Adding to its twelve-strong portfolio of properties, The Student Hotel will open its first German location in the heart of global youth capital Berlin in partnership with the European Student Housing Fund. The 17,000- square meter space is located on Alexanderstraße, in the immediate vicinity of the iconic Alexanderplatz, an area known as the Alexanderquartier. The project will be developed and operated in a joint venture with Triton Development GmbH, the investment adviser to the European Student Housing Fund. The Student Hotel Berlin will bring 456 new rooms to serve the thriving international student and tourist community.
Sylvia Schnelle has been appointed as Director of Business Development - Germany at Scandic
For several years, Scandic Hotels, the largest hotel company in the Nordic countries, has operated three successful hotels in Berlin and Hamburg that together offer 1,100 rooms in total. Scandic intends to continue to grow in the German market, particularly in the seven largest cities and in strategic regional cities. As part of realizing the Group’s German growth strategy, Scandic has recruited Sylvia Schnelle for the new position of Director of Business Development in Germany.
Moxy Berlin, Marriott International’s Bold Experiential Hotel Brand, Opens in the Heart of the Modern Capital
Moxy Hotels, Marriott International's experiential hotel brand, welcomes the new Moxy Berlin into the heart of the modern capital known for culture; cutting-edge museums, galleries, and nightlife. Moxy Berlin shake-ups the traditional hotel experience by offering Next Generation travellers a spirited and stylish hotel experience at a surprisingly affordable price point. Moxy Berlin joins Moxy Frankfurt Eschborn and Moxy Munich Airport as the Moxy's third experiential hotel in Germany, and the brand's sixth hotel globally.
Sebastian Riewe has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Hotel Adlon Kempinski
Sebastian Riewe has joined Hotel Adlon Kempinksi as the new Director of Sales and Marketing. Sebastian is a true sales professional and is responsible for the coordination of all sales and marketing activities in the famous hotel next to the Brandenburg Gate. At the same time, he will be in charge of a team of 20 people in the sales, event sales and marketing departments.Sebastian Riewe has gained many years of sales experience in luxury hotels. He was born in Berlin and immediately before moving to Hotel Adlon Kempinski, he had worked at Hotel de Rome, Berlin for 8 years, first as Senior Conference & Banqueting Manager, later as Sales Director and since 2012 as Hotel Operations Manager.The 37-year-old began his career in the Four Seasons Hotel in Berlin in 1999 where he completed his apprenticeship in hotel management. After qualifying, he moved to the Hotel at Gendarmenmarkt for the next two years where he worked as Front Office & Reservations Agent. In 2004, the ambitious young man moved to England where he had secured a position as Sales Agent in the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane. Later he worked there as Group Coordinator which laid the foundation for his career in sales and marketing. In 2005, he returned to Berlin and worked at the Regent Berlin until 2008 as Assistant Group & Event Sales Manager and Sales Manager.