ITB Berlin 2007 Opening Report: Record Number of Exhibitors - 10,923 Exhibiting Companies from 184 Countries

The world's leading trade show for the travel industry again takes
place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 7 to 11 March. Visitors to
the 41st ITB Berlin can obtain a complete review of everything
currently on offer from the travel industry. A total of 10,923
companies from 184 countries and territories will be presenting their
tourism attractions on a display area measuring some 160,000 square
metres, ranging from service providers such as hotels and airlines to
tour operators, and individual countries and regions. The ITB Berlin
continues to grow and the number of exhibitors has risen by one more
percentage point since last year.

"The ITB Berlin not only claims to reflect the current state of
this sector but, with the world's largest convention for the industry,
it also shows the rapid pace of change in this field. It helps to
identify new strategies for constantly changing consumer demand," in
the words of Dr. Christian Goke, COO of Messe Berlin. "The ITB Berlin
sees its role as providing a fresh impetus and pointing the way for
the global travel industry. This has proved to be a successful
concept, which is why the ITB Berlin is expanding into Asia and will
be staging a specialist exhibition and convention for the first time
in Singapore in the autumn of 2008."

Increase in worldwide tourism demand is expected

Coinciding with the start of the ITB Berlin 2007 the fair's
organisers, in association with the consumer research organisation
Gesellschaft fur Konsumforschung (GfK), have produced a new edition of
the ITB Tourism Indicator. This representative poll by the GfK
provides a forecast of the rising demand for travel in 2007. "We do
not expect the increase in the rate of value added tax to have a
negative impact on the travel and spending plans of Germans. On the
contrary, the public will probably spend around three per cent more on
their holidays," according to Goke. "The omens are good for the ITB
Berlin 2007, which will help to give a substantial boost to demand. We
therefore have every reason to expect positive business results during
this trade show. In five days the scene will be set in the Berlin
exhibition halls for a successful summer's business."

Important information for editors

The opening tour of the ITB Berlin 2007 on 7 March will begin at
9.30 a.m., assembly point: Partner Country India, Hall 5.2b.
Participants: Michael Glos, Federal Minister of Economics and
Technology, Harald Wolf, Mayor and Senator for Economics, Technology
and Women's Affairs.

Latest press material online: print, audio and video footage

Detailed press releases can be found at www.itb-berlin.com under
Press Service / Press Releases. Not only press photos can be
downloaded from this site (Press Service/Photos) but also radio items
and original sound items suitable for broadcasting (Press
Service/Audiolink) for unrestricted editorial use. Starting on 8 March
daily updates in the form of brief reports and special press releases
will be available here too.

TV pictures via ATM or on BetaSP by courier will be obtainable on
Friday, 2 March 2007 from 11 a.m. onwards at: www.tvservicebox.de.
Contact: Carsten Teubel, Leitung Media Communications, Atkon
TV-Service GmbH, tel.: +49(0)30 / 347474-375; e-mail:
c.teubel@atkon.de