Exhibitors at the ITB trade show taking place in Berlin this week have been kept busy at what they say is a highly relevant platform.

Both Linda Pampallis CEO of Thompsons Africa, and Suzanne Benadie, Your Africa Sales and Marketing Director, told Tourism Update at the show that this year’s ITB had been extremely busy and the show remained incredibly relevant, attracting members of the trade from a wide region of Europe. Benadie said she had had back-to-back appointments, not just from the German market but also with members of the trade from the UK, Benelux and Scandinavia.

[AdZone][AdZoneGiant]

Benadie said the show was well attended and well supported. “The quality of our fellow exhibitors on the SA Tourism stand is excellent,” she said adding that it was a show she would continue to support. Pampallis said it was great to be surrounded by the SA tourism industry at the show and that the co-operation of the industry helped it present a show of force.

Benadie and SA Tourism Country Manager in Germany, Theresa Bay-Müller, pointed out that the show was well-timed, falling in the period when operators were contracting, putting together brochures and selecting product. Pampallis also pointed out that the trade attending the show did so with the purpose of signing business.

Exhibitor demand for the show is also at a high. Bay-Müller said SA Tourism’s stand was sold out and had a waiting list. Other stands, including the Africa Showcase stand and the Atta stand, were also sold out, with waiting lists. Amanda Margison of On Show Solutions, which owns the Africa Showcase brand, said the exhibitors were busy.

Bay-Müller expressed gratitude to the SA trade for making the investment and travelling to Berlin. She said SA Tourism had looked at ways to extend the value for money for exhibitors. To add value, it organised for exhibitors who wished to partner with travel agents on the consumer days of the show, over the weekend, to do so. This way, local German travel agents would be able to transact with consumers, selling the products of the exhibitors on the SA Tourism stand.

SA Tourism has also arranged for presentation over the weekend on the stand and extended the invitation to present to the exhibitors. Exhibitors were also equipped with a market report giving insight into the German market.

Tourism Update attended ITB in Berlin, Germany, as a guest of South African Tourism.