Following its success in October 2012 the collaboration between the world’s leading travel trade show and ABAV is set to continue – the ITB Academy addresses up-to-the-minute topics such as responsible tourism, adventure travel and gay & lesbian travel – visitors to ABAV can attend the Academy seminars free of charge

The long-standing collaboration between ITB Berlin and ABAV, the Tourism Fair of the Americas, is set to become even closer. For the second time the world’s leading travel trade show is due to be the official partner of Brazil’s largest tourism fair. From 4 to 8 September 2013, more than 60 countries, 2,700 exhibitors, 700 hosted buyers, over 30,000 trade visitors and 50,000 members of the public are expected to attend the 41st ABAV Tourism Fair of the Americas on the Anhembi exhibition grounds in São Paulo. ITB Berlin will be represented with a large stand and a wide-ranging convention programme. Partners represented on the stand of ITB Berlin will include the German National Tourism Board (DZT), the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and from India, the ITB Responsible Tourism partner The Blue Yonder. Gay & lesbian travel will be among the dominant themes. In collaboration with ITB’s partner Diversity Tourism UG and in close cooperation with the Brazilian Gay & Lesbian Tourism Association (ABRAT GLS) ITB Berlin will be hosting a Pink Corner, where Brazilian and international LGBT operators will be presenting their services and products. Among those represented will be Community Marketing Inc. from San Francisco, the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), Wien Tourismus, visitBerlin and TomOnTour. visitBerlin will be extending an invitation to a reception on the stand of ITB Berlin. Argentina will also attend the Pink Corner with its own LGBT stand.

The topic of gay & lesbian travel will also be a key part of the three-day programme of seminars organised by ITB Berlin. On Thursday, 5 September 2013, specialists from Germany, Brazil and Argentina will be taking part in an educational event hosted by the ITB Academy. Community Marketing Inc., the LGBT Science Partner at ITB Berlin, will be presenting the latest findings of a survey. On Friday, 6 September 2013, the agenda will feature the topics of responsible tourism and adventure travel. Discussion will focus on the need for sustainable and socially responsible practices to become an integral part of every aspect of tourism. The ITB Academy will also present the latest figures released by Community Marketing Inc. Besides ITB Berlin’s international partners the Brazilian Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (ABETA) will also be attending. Furthermore, a workshop on source markets in Germany and Brazil has been scheduled for the first day of seminars on Wednesday, 4 September 2013. For visitors to ABAV participation in the three-day series of events hosted by the ITB Academy is free of charge.

Dr. Martin Buck, director of Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin: “Our involvement in the Brazilian tourism fair ABAV has been a success. Here we can reach target audiences in one of the tourism sector’s most important growth markets, can pass on our expertise and discover new trends. Over the next few years in particular, and in view of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games taking place, plenty will change in Brazil’s tourism market.“

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention

ITB Berlin 2014 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, 5 to 9 March. From the Wednesday to the Friday ITB Berlin is open to trade visitors only. The ITB Berlin Convention is held parallel with the trade fair, from Wednesday to Friday, 5 to 7 March 2014. It is the world’s largest specialist convention for the industry. More details are available at www.itb-convention.com. ITB Berlin is the leading trade fair for the worldwide travel industry. In 2013 a total of 10,086 companies and organisations from 188 countries exhibited their products and services to 170,000 visitors, who included 110,000 trade visitors.