Hello, everyone!

In this week’s Feature Story, our friend and contributor Hanniel Almasco takes you inside the ITB Berlin 2025 and shares insights from some of the convention’s defining panel discussions.

In case you missed it, last week, we announced bringing the AST Forum to Hanoi, Vietnam on 15 May 2025. If you are in town, join our waitlist to receive RSVP details in the coming days. If not, please share this invite with your friends and contacts who are equally passionate about building an inclusive and sustainable travel sector.

If you like our content and want to support us, please share this newsletter with your friends to help us grow.

We plant a tree to welcome every new subscriber through our partnership with OneSeed.

ITB Berlin 2025: Global Tourism Rebounds, But Can It Regenerate?

ITB Berlin 2025, held from 4–6 March, lived up to its slogan, “The World of Travel Lives Here”, with fully booked halls and a record 5,800 exhibitors from over 170 countries.

The three-day event drew around 100,000 attendees, 87% of whom traveled from abroad. Energized by a strong post-pandemic rebound in tourism, the atmosphere was upbeat.

Outbound travel in 2024 rose 13%, returning to 2019 levels, a “welcome development” reflected in the optimistic mood in the halls of Messe Berlin.

While large in-person gatherings generate a significant carbon footprint, especially with attendees from abroad, face-to-face engagements are instrumental in promoting deep knowledge exchange, meaningful connections, and collective action toward achieving sustainability goals.

ITB Berlin recognizes the impact and has implemented several on-site initiatives. Attendees had the option to offset their flights and pay for discounted public transport tickets while booking their entrance passes, encouraging the use of local public transportation and reducing individual carbon footprints.

All convention sessions have also been made available online for those who opted not to be on-site.

ITB Berlin 2025 delivered a dynamic platform for industry leaders, policymakers, and tech innovators to discuss the future of tourism.

From discussions on sustainability, AI, and inclusivity to the inaugural UN Tourism Ministers Summit, this year’s event emphasized not only tourism’s rapid evolution but also the pressing challenges.

Sessions tackled visitor dispersion, regenerative tourism, and evolving traveler expectations, all while addressing the impact of technology, climate change, and economic shifts on the global travel industry.

We have compiled the key insights and highlights from some of the defining sessions at ITB Berlin 2025.

Robust Recovery Faces Growing Headwinds

At ITB Berlin, there was a broad consensus: global tourism has staged a remarkable comeback. Many markets have already met, and in some cases, exceeded pre-pandemic booking levels in 2024, signaling a robust recovery. According to Euromonitor International, international leisure and business travel generated an impressive $4.7 trillion in 2024, with forecasts approaching $5 trillion in 2025.

But behind the optimism, warning signs are hard to ignore. Rising inflation, currently at 4.1%, and slowing growth projections of just 3.1% raise concerns about the sustainability of long-term travel spending.

As Caroline Bremner of Euromonitor cautioned, while the recovery has been strong, 2025 presents new uncertainties: from economic volatility and the widening sustainability action gap to AI disruption and the accelerating pace of digital transformation.

Against this backdrop, one pressing question emerged: Where does tourism go from here?

At the convention, thought-provoking discussions and panel sessions offered a wealth of solutions — from visitor dispersion and regenerative tourism to reimagining experiences that meet today’s travelers’ evolving expectations. But these strategies cannot exist in isolation. They must go in tandem with addressing the broader forces reshaping our industry: rapid technological advancements, climate change, and global economic shifts.

A Winning Formula for Travel: Adaptive, Authentic, Inclusive, and Cross-Generational Experiences

Travelers Seek Belonging, Investors Hold the Key

Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel, Founder of Mission Wertvoll in her keynote “Pathways – Creating a Common Future,” highlighted how travelers today are not just looking for destinations but for belonging, collaboration, and authenticity. Investors, she noted, play a crucial role in shaping these new priorities, as the industry moves beyond foreign-dominated tourism models toward local empowerment.

This echoes Euromonitor’s data revealing that Gen Z travelers are willing to pay 30% more for sustainable travel features,. However, widespread consumer adoption of more sustainable options remains inconsistent.

»»» Go deeper into the rise of cross-generational tourism, the growing need for accessible and inclusive experiences here.

The Climate Crisis Demands Bold, Industry-Wide Action

During the session “10 Years Since the Paris Agreement: What Do the Climate Data Show?”, Dr. Jonathan Kartkut of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research delivered an alarming analysis and forecast of rising global temperatures, sea level expansion, and the growing urgency for comprehensive decarbonization efforts.

The industry faces mounting pressure to move from incremental changes to systemic transformation, including stricter regulations on aviation emissions and sustainable destination management.

While carbon offsets and green technologies are gaining traction, there’s consensus that far more must be done. The industry openly recognized that tackling climate change remains a long-term task for tourism.

Achieving sustainability will require rethinking supply chains, destination strategies, and business models.

Sustainable Travel: From Buzzword to Business Imperative

Discussions of growth did not eclipse sustainability. Instead, they reinforced it as a core theme of travel’s forecast: future expansion must go hand-in-hand with environmental and social responsibility. 

Sustainability was front and center in both expo booths and conference rooms. 

Companies showcased eco-friendly initiatives, from low-carbon transportation options to “green hotel” certifications, aligning with the industry-wide agreement that future growth must be harmonized with responsible resource use. 

ITB 2025’s official programs devoted entire tracks to climate action and accountable travel governance. The Green & Blue Tourism Forum focused on protecting oceans and biodiversity, while a panel titled “Is Tourism Coming to an End? From Overtourism to Sustainability Governance” sparked debate on managing visitor flows ethically. 

The prevailing buzzword was “transformation” – recognizing that incremental tweaks won’t suffice and that tourism must undergo a fundamental shift toward sustainable models to safeguard its future.

»»» Read more on why destination management emerged as a top priority here.

AI-Powered Travel: Personalization, Efficiency, and Ethical Frontiers

At ITB Berlin 2025, artificial intelligence emerged as the undeniable driving force reshaping the future of travel. From automation and mobility to hyper-personalized experiences, AI’s transformative potential was a central theme across conference sessions and expo showcases.

With over 66% of bookings now made online, and that figure projected to surpass 70% by 2027, traditional travel agencies face mounting pressure to adapt. AI has quickly become the tool of choice for companies seeking to stay ahead, offering unprecedented capabilities in data analysis, dynamic pricing, and real-time language translation to create seamless, tailored customer journeys.

As AI integration accelerates, data ethics and governance questions also loom. With AI and personalization relying on vast amounts of traveler data, the industry must address how that data is used and protected.

»»» Go deeper into how AI dominated the exhibition area and at the podium at ITB Berlin here.

The Daily Newsletter for Intellectually Curious Readers

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Join for free today!

Will we see you at the upcoming AST Forum in Hanoi on 15 May 2025?

»»» Join the waitlist to receive RSVP details and explore speaking and sponsorship opportunities.

Are you a solution provider looking to grow your business?

»»» Be part of AST Sustainability Solution Providers Collective — we connect innovators like you with Asia’s travel and hospitality leaders, creating opportunities to grow your business and drive sustainable impact.

Sponsored Content

This newsletter may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on thorough research and personal experience, and we only promote products and services we genuinely believe in. Thank you for supporting our work.