ITB Asia returns from 23rd to 25th October this year at Singapore’s Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

Revolving around the theme Innovating for Tomorrow: Strengthening Future Resilience in Travel and Tourism, this year’s conference casts the spotlight on ground-breaking knowledge and insights across three focused tracks on how to adapt to changing consumer expectations, improve operational efficiency and create more sustainable and immersive experiences.

Joyce Wang, executive director of conference organiser Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, said of the event: “ITB Asia Conference is where tourism leaders gather to take the pulse of the future and discuss trends on business continuity and resilience. ITB Asia is jam-packed and full of energy, celebrating the vibrant travel and tourism scene with its cultural and destination showcases, complemented by a seamless B2B business meetings scheduler.” 

Wang added that some of the most brilliant minds in the global travel sector will be discussing the most pressing topics critical to the future of MICE, corporate travel, leisure travel, and travel technology. Such discussions aim to strengthen the industry’s resilience and pave the way for its future.

A sustainable future

World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) managing director for the Asia-Pacific Liz Ortiguera delivers the opening keynote on 23rd October, the first day of the conference.

With the theme Global Trends for Sustainable Travel and Tourism, Ortiguera’s speech offers an economic outlook on the industry within the Asia-Pacific and how it is affected by global and regional trends influencing the international sector’s shift to a more sustainable future.

Technology and hospitality

Other keynote speakers include CapitaLand Investment Limited’s CEO for lodging and The Ascott Limited CEO Kevin Goh who speaks on Navigating the Future of Travel: Embracing Technological Innovation.

According to Goh, technology is a catalyst that shapes the future of tourism, with the ability to transform the traveller experience, operational efficiency and sustainability. 

With regard to his work, Goh said: “As Ascott charts our course towards global leadership in hospitality, we see technology as crucial to enhancing our productivity and service standards. To continue leading in innovation, we must foster a culture that not only embraces technological advancements but also empowers our workforce to fully harness these innovations.”

He added that this approach will pave the way for a transformative future in travel, where technology and human expertise converge to deliver unparalleled experiences.

The future of MICE in the Asia-Pacific

Running concurrently with ITB Asia 2024 is MICE Show Asia, the leading conference for MICE and corporate travel.

This year’s agenda for the MICE Show features a wealth of insights into the topics of sustainability in long-term event planning, the transformative impact of AI and digital innovation, and the integration of experiential experiences at events.

Attendees who want to keep abreast of the latest trends in the MICE industry will find what they are looking for in Trends vs Reality: A Global Look at What’s Ahead in Our Industry with Content, Events, and Experiences. 

Led by BCD Meetings & Events vice-president and executive creative director Taylor Smith and BCD’s managing director for the Asia-Pacific Sanjay Seth, discussions will cover trends such as storytelling, experiential immersion, AI and sustainability.