Tour Operator, Travel Sales, Carrier and Cruise: Program Overview of the ITB Berlin Convention Theme Track Led by Dr. Markus Heller

Finally, the time has come: On March 7th, the ITB Berlin Convention will open its doors again to the most important players in the international travel industry. Under the motto ‘Mastering Transformation’, they will discuss the future topics of the industry for three days. Dr. Markus Heller, Managing Partner at Dr. Fried & Partner and member of the Board of Experts, is responsible for the theme track Tour Operator, Travel Sales, Carrier and Cruise, which will take place on March 7th on the Blue Stage in Hall 7.1b. In the following, we provide an insight into the exciting track program:

10.30 – 10.40 am | Tour Operator, Travel Sales, Carrier & Cruise Track
Opening and Greeting of the Tour Operator, Travel Sales, Carrier & Cruise Track (ENG)
Dr. Markus Heller, Dr. Fried & Partner GmbH (Day Moderator)

10.45 – 11.45 am | Tour Operator & Travel Sales Track
Expectations and forecasts from the customers’ perspective for the travel industry of tomorrow (ENG)
Travel transformation: Rising inflation and ongoing crises have changed the way we travel. But how will tomorrow’s customers travel? And what expectations does the industry have to meet in order to meet these new demands? These are the central questions that will be the focus of the panel discussion “Expectations and forecasts from the customers’ perspective for the travel industry of tomorrow ” at ITB. From three different perspectives the panelists will discuss changes in consumer behaviour, present current customer needs and highlight resulting trends in the industry.
Sabine Rogg, Trendbüro (Speaker & Panelist)
Bryan Bachrad, Expedia Group (Speaker & Panelist)
Dr. Dirk Glaeßer, World Tourism Organization, UNWTO (Speaker & Panelist)
Monica Jones, Conference Moderator / TV News Anchor (Moderator)

12.00 – 12.40 am | Carrier & Cruise Track
How Technical Innovation in Aviation can Shape Tomorrow’s Customer Journey (ENG)
The individualisation of customer needs is increasingly becoming part of the travel industry’s focus. The industry is in the midst of a transformation process in which all processes are being optimised to meet customer needs. The opportunities this presents for the industry are already evident in the aviation industry. The panel discussion “‘How technical innovations in aviation can shape tomorrow’s customer journey'” focuses on technical innovations that enable assumptions on the customer journey of the future. What is important, what are the key challenges and levers and what can other market participants in the travel industry learn from the aviation industry?
Jürgen T. Siebenrock, Lufthansa Group (Keynote Speaker & Panelist)
Annika Ledeboer, Ryanair (Panelist)
Marco Ciomperlik, TUI Group (Panelist)
Peter Glade, SunExpress (Panelist)
Marc Thibeault, Navitaire Digital (Panelist)
Monica Jones, Conference Moderator / TV News Anchor (Moderator)

1.00 – 1.45 pm | Carrier & Cruise Track
Carriers at the Crossroads between Decarbonisation and Changes in Booking and Travel Behaviour (ENG)
The essential importance of sustainability and environmental protection is putting the travel industry under increasing pressure for transformation. But how to balance decarbonisation with changes in booking and travel behaviour? This question is an essential part of the panel discussion “Carriers at the crossroads between decarbonisation and changes in booking and travel behaviour”, in which tourism transport companies and stakeholders will discuss demand recovery and sustainable market changes as well as current developments and their challenges for the industry.
Susanne Bouma, Neste (Keynote Speaker & Panelist)
Carl-Eric Schelleman, Air France-KLM Group (Panelist)
Björn Bender, Rail Europe (Panelist)
Kevin Bubolz, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (Panelist)
Jörn Messner, Lufthansa Industry Solutions (Panelist)
Dr. Markus Heller, Dr. Fried & Partner GmbH (Day Moderator)

2.00 – 2.45 pm | Carrier & Cruise Track
Luxury Cruises in the Context of Crises and Inflation (ENG)
The session “Luxury Cruises in the Context of Crises and Inflation” addresses the Congress motto ‘Mastering Transformation’. Key players in the luxury cruise industry will discuss the development of demand in the luxury travel market in the face of crises and rising inflation. The discussion will focus on the development of customer needs in the luxury cruise segment against the background of external influencing factors. Does this influence travel behaviour? How can crises and inflation be linked to luxury travel? The event aims to create transparency for current opportunities and challenges that market participants have to face in order to master the transformation.
Michael Ungerer, Explora Journeys (Panelist)
Douglas Prothero, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection (Panelist)
Andreas Nüssel, Silversea Cruises (Panelist)
Markus Stumpe, Cruisewatch (Panelist)
Dorothea Hohn, Global Communication Experts GmbH (Moderator)

3.00 – 3.45 pm | Tour Operator & Travel Sales Track
Tour operators and travel distribution in the midst of transformation processes – from classic tour operator to high-reach distribution platform (ENG)
“Tour operators and travel distribution in the midst of transformation processes – from classic tour operator to high-reach distribution platform”. The panel discussion at ITB is dedicated to the latest developments and changes in booking and travel behaviour as well as innovative business logics. The discussion will focus on the question of what changes there are in the processes of tourism companies and how they affect the industry. The participating experts will also discuss how Customer Centricity can be successfully implemented and which approaches can further drive the transformation of the industry.
Laura Meyer, Hotelplan Group / MTCH AG (Keynote Speaker & Panelist)
Casper Urhammer, FTI Group (Panelist)
Traci Mercer, Sabre (Panelist)
Erwan Corre, Worldia (Panelist)
Dr. Markus Heller, Dr. Fried & Partner GmbH (Day Moderator)

4.00 – 5.30 pm | Tour Operator & Travel Sales Track
Connected Trips vs. Package Tours – Market Demands and Technical Possibilitie (GER)
The competition between Connected Trips and package tours is a major concern in the travel industry. The panel discussion “Connected Trips vs. Package Tours – Market Requirements and Technical Possibilities” focuses on the future of the travel industry. Experts will discuss the development of Connected Trips and package tours in comparison to the individual travel market, based on current market trends and changes in booking and travel behavior. The discussion will also address whether secured trips justify higher costs than booking individual services, and whether package tours will evolve into a service-based and multi-component travel experience in the future.
Roland Gassner, Travel Data + Analytics GmbH (Speaker)
Ralph Schiller, FTI Group (Panelist)
Stefan Baumert, TUI Deutschland GmbH (Panelist)
Ömer Karaca, Schmetterling International GmbH & Co. KG (Panelist)
Dr. Ute Dallmeier, First Reisebüro Mönchengladbach GmbH (Panelist)
Frank Oostdam, ECTAA (Panelist)
Felix Methmann, Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (Panelist)
Dr. Markus Heller, Dr. Fried & Partner GmbH (Day Moderator)

We are looking forward to exciting keynotes, panel discussions, and new impulses!
Get your tickets now at: https://www.itb.com/en/visit/tickets/