In an attempt to recover the huge loss of series of cancelled trade exhibitions since March starting with ITB Berlin, its flagship event, the organiser, Messe Berlin has planned to conduct a hybrid show in association with Berlin Travel Festival.

From October 16 – 18, at Arena Berlin, they plan to organise an event entitled ‘We Love Travel’ – a tourism recovery pop-up. “During the coronavirus crisis, the thing that struck us most was that nothing can replace the magic of personal contact – a smile, a handshake, proximity to one another. Tourism is and always will be people’s business,” says Julia Sonnemann, PR manager of ITB Berlin.

The three-day event will gather tourism professionals, hoteliers, restaurateurs, travellers and content creators, along with Instagrammers and bloggers. Together they can look back and give an initial assessment of events, while also looking forward and gaining inspiration for new ideas.

‘We Love Travel!’ will also provide a platform for an open and constructive discussion on what travel may look like after this unprecedented break.

“Right now, how travel will change exactly is something we can only guess at,” says Bernd Neff, co-founder and managing director of the Berlin Travel Festival. “That makes it all the more important to take an early look at the various scenarios in terms of priorities, safety needs, sustainability and other considerations and work on innovative strategies together,” he adds.