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The Berlin Travel Festivalwas held at Messe Berlin, Germany from the 25th to 26th Nov 2022. The three day travel exhibition focused on business to customer and was the first of its kind to focus on the traveller; as the international Travel show Berlin in March 2023 will focus on B2B Business to Business.
The Festival/Expo attracted various business from Europe and out of Europe. Countries present included Georgia (Host Country) Bulgaria, Canada, Germany,Jordan, Latvia, Malta,St.Martin,Seychelles, Spain and South Africa.
Counties at the Expo
GEORGIA
Georgia was the official host company for the 2022 Berlin Travel Expo.
Georgia shared activities that the country has to offer in terms of travel. The mountain resorts of Georgia, ski areas such as in the Svanoti region. Summer activities also include :camping, mountain biking, hiking and paragliding.
Germany was represented by man regions with Berlin also having a stand showing what one can do in Berlin. The other region that also came on very strongly represented was the region of Brandenburg Brandenburg lies between Germany and Hamburg and its known for its iconic views and ambience and hospitality.
The third region in Germany that was well represented was Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The region is known for its grandiose castles and one can organize a tour to each of them. The best times to discover is in the summer where one can book a sigh-seeing tour of all the beautiful castles in the area. The representation went ahead and even set a table as one would be set in the castles.
The Czech Republic was well represented. Showcasing is touristy sports including Prague, which most argue is the most beautiful city in Europe. The region is also known for its mind-blowing spa treatments.
Malta made a great showcase for the expo. With a representative from the ministry of tourism explaining what Malta has to offer. When other European countries are experiencing winter, Malta has over 20 degrees during this time of the year. Valletta ,Malta’s capital and has a lot to offer.
The top destinations to discover in Malta are: The Valletta Waterfront, the Muza, The Upper Barrakka Gardens, The National Museum for Archeology, The Grand Master’s place, The Fort St.Elmo, The Manoel Theatre, The Sacra Infermia, The Sacra Infermia, The Casa Rocca Piccola and St. John’s Co-Cathedral.
Balcan and Baltic countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia and Latvia were also present at the expo. Bulgaria has to offer in matter tourism .From its capital Sofia that makes you travel through time due to its historic buildings and its beaches along the black sea, Bulgaria a major highlight for travel enthusiasts.
Africa was represented by two countries: Seychelles and South Africa. Seychelles known for its iconic oceans and beaches. The Seychelles is a most visit destinations for travel enthusiasts and wanderlusters who love the ocean.
South Africa had a stand showcased a south African product named ‘The great African Grater:’ A small grater in the form of a plate that grates, cheese, nuts, garlic, turmeric and ginger. The travel industry is always looking for innovation and practical solitions, having such a device for everyday use and not just for travel is the kind of # sustainability we need in the travel industry.
Two other countries that were also at the Expo were Palestine and Jordan. Palestine was also presented at the expo by a tear operator and the showcased what an extraordinary destination the Palestine is. Rich in culture and history. The stand also offered some sweets from the beautiful country.
Jordan was represented by a representative at the ministry of tourism in Germany. Jordan is recently becoming a travel destination favourite. Although it is famous for the ancient city of Petra, carved from rock over 2000 years ago it also offers much more for the modern traveller. There are more areas to explore including the iconic Wadi Rum, The Dead Sea and amazing Desert Castles.
Last but not least, the French island of St. Martin was present at the expo too. They offered food and delicious St.Martin food as a representation of the amazing food from the Island.
The Berlin Travel Expo provided an opportunities for businesses to showcase their products. It was amazing to see the sleeping living solutions for everyday travel.
This innovative ‘hut’/house is comfortable and offers a bed away from home. The company that makes this tent is known as sleeporo. Read more on this impactful, exclusive and sustainable innovation on https://sleeperoo.de/en .
The expo also had a variety of tiny houses on display. The tiny houses either on water land are amazing opportunities that travelers’ hope will be continued to be revolutionized to offer practicability and comfort in every day travel.
Condor Airlines was also present at the Berlin Travel Festival 2022. Actually it was the only airline present. In the future, hopefully we will have more airlines showacasing their services. Condor Airlines showcased their business class and provided an opportunity to experience its business class. The business class offers lots of leg room, comfort and leisure.
Live Sessions
The live sessions at the event also offered opportunity for seasoned travellers to offer their tips on travel. One session that was inspiring was a session with ‘Zewedi’ a black woman living in Germany who uses a platform to talk about the travel experiences of a black person. The lesson here is that when travelling to a foreign land leave all stereotypes and go with an open mind to experience the culture and way of life of the natives.
The second panel that was also intriguing was ‘Stephan Orth’ who shared his travel experience in the UK in 2020. His biggest take away was travelling without causing harm to the environment and how 5 weeks of travel did him good. He was happier and even healthier.
Sustainability was also a recurring theme on those year’s expo. How does one travel sustainably? This question was discussed by a panel that discussed ‘how does one fly sustainably?’
There are many ways in which one can do that is: one should try take a flight that fly directly to destination. Secondly, one should also take a flight where the commission and green cards have been catered for. The question of sustainability in travel continues to be one that must be addressed as we progress and revolutionize the travel industry. The future of the travel industry is set to change especially after the Covid-19 pandemic and the way travellers are becoming more conscious of their travel choices in matters of the impact on the environment and tried to travel sustainably.
One can say the Berlin Travel was worth attending. There was so much to experience and to learn. Also due to the fact that a boat Exhibition was running parallel to the Berlin Travel Expo. This provided an opportunity for travellers who love being on the water to sample boats, surfing equipment and even swimming gear.
See you at the next travel expo!!!
