ITB Berlin Will Provide Major Focus on LGBTQ+ Travel
ITB Berlin is the world’s largest tourism trade fair and the apparent meeting place for the international LGBTQ+ travel industry, yet again.
On March 7-9, ITB Berlin will convert Hall 4.1 of the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds into the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion. Taking part in the show for the first time are Visit Malta, where this year’s Europride will be presented, Communitat Valenciana, which is presenting Benidorm and the Gay Games 2026 in Valencia, Visit Buenos Aires, Visit Tampa Bay, the Munich Tourist Board, and Proudly Portugal. Other exhibitors include IGLTA, TOMONTOUR, GNETwork Madrid, Florida Keys & Key West. Industry meetings, press events, presentations, lectures, interviews with experts, panel discussions, networking events, and parties make the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion one of the most important meeting places for the LGBTQ+ tourism community worldwide. Visit Malta and EUROPRIDE Valetta 2023 are this year’s partners presenting the LGBTQ+ Tourism segment at ITB Berlin.
During the three-day event, LGBTQ+ tourism professionals and trade visitors will meet with destination representatives and product providers at fascinating networking events and various parties in the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion. A wide-ranging program also awaits LGBTQ+ tourism professionals on the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion Stage and at the wider ITB Berlin Convention.
Schedule of networking events at the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion Stage in Hall 4.1
Tuesday, March 7
10 am – Visit Malta together with Europride Valetta 2023 and other exhibitors will gather with accredited media members and bloggers to network at the LGBTQ+ Media Brunch, a well-known event, in the LGBTQ+ Pavilion.
1:30 pm – The official opening of the pavilion will take place with Gavin Gulia, chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, and Carlo Micallef, CEO of Malta Tourism Authority, official representatives from Valencia, Buenos Aires, Tampa Bay, as well as Felipe Cardenas, board chairman, IGLTA, who will announce the IGLTA Convention City 2024 at the event.
5 pm – Rounding off day one of the show will be an LGBTQ+ networking reception, organized by Tomontour in the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion.
Wednesday, March 8
11:30 am – Under the heading ’10 Years – Pink Pillow Berlin Collection’, Philip Ibrahim, general manager of The Social Hub Berlin, and Ralf Ostendorf, divisional head of Market Management at Visit Berlin, will welcome the guests to the Pavilion.
1:30 pm – At a session entitled ’LGBTQI+ Tourism: European Insights and Differences’, Philippe De Wulf, managing director of VO Citizen, will present the findings of a survey by the European LGBTQ Media Association & VO Colorus (ELMA).
2 pm – At a panel discussion entitled ’PINKWASHING – HOW TO AVOID IT IN 2023!’, Vacationer cover women Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz and Rachel Ferguson, chief innovation and global diversity officer at Visit Philadelphia, will explain how companies can avoid pinkwashing.
3:30 pm – There will be a workshop entitled ’Level up your Social Media: The Future is vertical video’ where participants can find out everything about the latest trends, dos and don’ts, and useful tips for increasing user visibility on social media such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube shorts, from the prize-winning creator, television host, and influencer Ravi Roth.
Thursday, March 9
9:30 am – The Global LGBTQ+ Business Summit will commence with an LGBTQ+ networking breakfast sponsored by Visit Brussels.
2 pm – Panel discussion: ’Effective Ways to shape the world towards a more LGBTQ+ Inclusive Place’ featuring Clayton Bartolo, tourism minister of Malta, Jane Castor, mayor of Tampa, Florida, Benedikt Brandmeier, director of Tourism, Events, and Hospitality at the Department of Labour and Economic Affairs of the Bavarian Capital Munich, and Fatima Zibouh of Brussels 2030.
Click here for more information about the ITB Berlin’s entire program.
LGBTQ+ Tourism will also be discussed outside of the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion. On March 7 on the Green Stage in Hall 3.1, the Diversity & Inclusion track at the ITB Berlin Convention will feature panel discussions and presentations that will also highlight queer topics. In addition to a panel on LGBTQ+ tourism, the focus will be on gender, equality diversity, and inclusion (GEDI) and geopolitical aspects in tourism. Leading speakers will report on activities setting examples from around the world and in every tourism market and take a critical look at tourism.
At the panel discussion entitled ’LQBTQ+ Tourism und Resilience’, the participants will talk about the need for LGBTQ+ tourism actors to confront current challenges such as resurgent conservativism and the climate emergency. Among those taking part will be Barbara Poma, founder of the onePULSE Foundation, Benedikt Brandmeier, director of Tourism, Events, and Hospitality at the Department of Labour and Economic Affairs of the Bavarian Capital Munich, Rachel Ferguson, chief innovation and global diversity officer at Visit Philadelphia, and Peter Jordan, LGBTQ+ destination development adviser at Gen C Traveller. This will be followed directly by the announcement of the ITB LGBTQ+ Pioneer Award 2023 for special achievements in LGBTQ+ tourism. The official awards ceremony will take place at the ITB Diversity Gala happening on March 9 at the Ritz Carlton Berlin along with a silent auction in support of the IGLTA Foundation.
There will also be a discussion included in the Diversity & Inclusion track entitled: Peace, Tourism and Geopolitical Influence on Travel Behavior. Taking part will be Russell Lord, senior travel consultant at Kenes Tours Global Services, Theresa Quiachon, senior consultant at Löning Human Rights & Responsible Business, Petra Thomas, managing director of Forum Anders Reisen, and Natalia Turcanu, Tourism Industry & Marketing manager, Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity (RCRA) Moldova, as well as Elon Cushi of Albanian Trip.
Full details of the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion Stage program can be downloaded from ITBxplore. An overview of the Diversity & Inclusion track can be found here.
