Shanghai, China, September 16, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / As the bridge for the global travel market to China, ITB China is once again offering a first-class event for China’s travel trade community with the ITB China Industry MeetUp (IMU), which will be held both online and offline from 14 – 28 September 2022. The event starts on 14 September with the launch of its virtual platform, which will run until 28 September, and features a physical networking event with branded sponsor booths and tables on 21 September at the Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai. The IMU brings together 50 sponsors from over 20 countries and regions promoting selected contents and activities through their event-exclusive mini-sites to buyers from across China, while all onsite and online sessions will be live-streamed and made available on demand for global audiences.

High demand from industry sponsors sets tone for the exclusive event

The organizers of the IMU see strong sponsor participation from international destinations such as AlUla, Austria, California, Catalonia, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Hawaii, Hiroshima, Ireland, Israel, Los Angeles, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sarawak, Spain, Tahiti, Taipei, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland together with Graubünden, Laax and Zurich.

The event also welcomes hotels and resorts as sponsors including Kerry Hotel Pudong Shanghai, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, WebBeds, Hemisphere Corporation Sdn Bhd, Imperial Hotel Kuching and Melia Hotels International.

In addition, the IMU event confirms other key travel & tourism organizations and companies as sponsors, including the European Travel Commission, Borneo Adventure Sdn Bhd, Brighton Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, Collinson, ChinaTravelHub, DEHUA GmbH, Innosar Holiday Sdn Bhd, Ireland China International Travel Services Ltd, Kildare Village, One Wayang Tours Sdn Bhd, Rachel Sunshine International Ltd, Schilthorn Cableway Ltd, Swiss Travel System, Touching Travel, World Animal Protection, ZHANGJIANG SCIENCE HALL and ZU snowboard school.

Interactive engagement of key market players from across China

The customized sponsor mini-sites enable all event sponsors to promote and highlight selected products, news, events, surveys and market activities to hundreds of Chinese buyers online from all over China, more than half of whom are C-level executives and final decision makers of leading travel agencies, who will actively interact and engage with their contents.

“The experience and insights of foreign travel companies in resuming international travel business are very important for our own planning and future business outlook. We look forward to the exchange of information and ideas with all attending NTOs and travel suppliers and expect to gain deeper market insights at this year’s ITB China Industry MeetUp event,” said Mr. Feng Bin, President of U-tour, China’s most influential travel agency for international travel business.

Acclaimed travel experts report on the hottest topics in the travel industry

More than 30 online content sessions on six topics will be hosted between 14 to 28 September, offering valuable guidance on maintaining industry competitiveness and develop business in the post-pandemic era.
Sessions and topics:

14 September: “Learnings from International Travel Rebound”

15 September: “Next big thing in MICE”, in partnership with China BT MICE

19 September: “Ecological travel & sustainable tourism”

23 September: “New Media, New Technology, New Scenario, New Demand”, in partnership with TravelDaily

26 September: “Cross-industry travel product development”

28 September: “The adaptability of hotels in a highly volatile environment”, in partnership with The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)

Meet face-to-face in Shanghai

The exclusive in-person event on 21 September in the Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai, offers direct on-site exchange at branded sponsor booths and tables with additional networking opportunities to connect with high-level market players, while all speeches and discussions in the presentation studio will be livestreamed to a global audience. The day will be rounded off with a VIP networking dinner for selected top-level participants powered by Experience AlUla, a Saudi Arabian destination represented at the event for the first time.

A look at new challenges and opportunities for the industry

The ITB China Travel Trends Report 2022, prepared by ITB China, examines the latest travel demands and upcoming developments in the Chinese and global travel markets. It provides the industry with valuable information that will help strategists and decision makers to adjust business operations by gaining first-hand insights into market trends in a fast-changing environment.

A comprehensive survey among senior and top-level representatives of nearly 80 international destinations and travel suppliers was conducted in the run-up of the IMU, reflecting the current perception of the recovery status of the global travel industry. Another travel trends survey targeting Chinese buyers will be launched during the event, collecting opinions and estimating on the current travel market in China and its readiness to resume international travel when restrictions are further lifted.

The results of the surveys and the final analysis of expert contributions during the MeetUp will be incorporated into the ITB China Travel Trends Reports 2022. The report will be published after the conclusion of the entire event.