Berlin/Shanghai, 27 March 2018 – Exhibitor demand for the second ITB CHINA, taking place from 16 to 18 May 2018, is undiminished. At the exclusive ITB CHINA Press Event in Shanghai with more than 120 attendees from China and other countries, the organizers announced that bookings for ITB CHINA 2018 are coming off expectedly well. With an expected attendee number of 15,000, approximately 700 exhibitors and far more than 800 buyers, the new marketplace for the Chinese travel industry will show significant growth after its world premiere last year. At the Press Event, which took place in the Golden Tulip Shanghai Rainbow on 27 March, experienced industry professionals provided a foretaste of what ITB CHINA 2018 has to offer. Among the distinguished speakers were: Mr. David Axiotis, General Manager of ITB CHINA; Mr. David Wu, Director of Visit Finland China; Ms. Ludivine Destrée, Chair of ETC´s China Operations Group and Wallonie Bruxelles Tourisme Beijing Representative; Ms. Kitty Huang, Vice President-Customer Loyalty & Revenue Generation, Greater China of Wyndham hotel group; Mr. Roger Qiu, GM of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Destination Marketing of Ctrip; Mr. Aaron Zhi, General Manager of Meituan travel marketing center and Mr. Peter L Herweck, President of Golden Tulip China.

David Axiotis, General Manager of ITB CHINA said:” I am delighted to say that in its second year ITB China is again making a strong step forward by even surpassing the success of its premier in 2017. The overall scale of the show has significantly increased, and the attendees can look forward to an even more diversified content and networking programme.”

David Axiotis, General Manager of ITB CHINA
 

Around 700 companies, destinations, organisations and travel service provider from some 70 countries and territories will be represented in China’s B2B event for the travel industry. Over one-third of the exhibitors are coming from Europe, and another third from all over Asia and China. The Americas and the Middle East are also strongly represented. More than 800 buyers will attend the show this year. The diversity will again be very high as the buyers will be coming from over 300 different companies and from all over China, thereby representing the full range of China’s largest industry players. ITB CHINA 2018 counts the biggest names of China’s travel industry on its buyers list.

Strong partners at ITB CHINA 2018
This year’s partner destination is Finland, who will be the co-host of ITB CHINA’s official opening dinner with some 600 guests attending and will also have information on its wide range of tourism products in the display hall. ITB CHINA 2018 is an official partner event of the EU China Tourism Year, an initiative that has been jointly announced by the Chinese government and the EU Commission promoting touristic and cultural exchanges between China and Europe. Hotel industry giant, Wyndham Hotel Group has become the official partner hotel of the second edition of ITB CHINA. The group operates more than 8.000 hotels worldwide, among which more than 1.400 hotels in China alone. ITB China also brings up two strategic partnerships in 2018 to mutually promote each other as well as to enhance business opportunities and raise global awareness for the Chinese tourism industry: The China Tourism Academy, a research institution directly under the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) with a focus on studies in the tourism industry, such as tourism research, data analysis and tourism promotion.  Another strategic partner is the China Tourism Association (CTA). The CTA, founded in 1986, is the largest industry association for China’s travel and tourism industry with some 4,000 members covering all major travel verticals of the industry.

Experts to take the stage at the ITB CHINA Conference
This year the ITB CHINA Conference is once again expecting the leading travel organisations and tourism officials active in the Chinese market. This think tank of Chinese travel, co-hosted by TravelDaily, will provide up-to-date key insights of these seven areas: ‘Destination’, ‘Travel Tech’, ‘Corporate Travel & MICE’, ‘Online Travel’, and - for the first time - ‘Unique Travel’, ‘Business Travel’ and ‘Education & Job’. A total of 2,700 attendees are expected to take part in the lectures, discussions and keynotes, given by some 70 industry speakers. The conference kicks off with the opening keynote speech by Mr. James Liang, Chairman of Ctrip. In addition, other top companies such as CITS American Express Global Business Travel, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and BCD Travel, Merlin Entertainments, Mafengwo, Lushu, Abercombie & Kent will be sending speakers to the ITB CHINA Conference.

On 17 May 2018 the ITB CHINA Conference will offer everyone working in the business travel market an ideal platform for training and networking at the Business Travel Day. Practical workshops with up-to-date information on methods and strategies will provide both career newcomers and corporate travel managers with first-hand knowledge and updates. For the first time ITB CHINA will constitute the last day of the ITB CHINA Conference, 18 May 2018, to a dedicated Education & Job Day in partnership with Fudan University & Hong Kong Polytechnic University. ITB CHINA will also be hosting a multitude of award ceremonies: For the second time the ITB CHINA Start-up Award will be launched. QYER and ITB CHINA will, for the first time, co-organize the IT'S MY WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2018 honoring Chinese key opinion leaders as well as global destinations at this year’s ITB CHINA. The Chinese Tourist Welcome Award, which is being organized by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), also makes its debut at the travel show.

 

Exhibitor search online and trade visitor registration open
As the second ITB CHINA is getting closer, trade visitors can now start registering for ITB CHINA 2018 online at Trade Visitor Registration in order to meet with exhibitors from all over the world covering leisure, mice, corporate and travel technology. Giving a preview on the global range of exhibitors the list of ITB CHINA 2018 exhibitors is now available online under: Exhibitor Search.

Trade visitors may register for ITB CHINA 2018 at reg.itb-china.com.

Relevant Chinese News: ITB CHINA迎来第二季 700家展商鼎力支持