ITB Berlin 2020 is cancelled due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 Messe Berlin reported in a press statement late Friday evening.
The decision was made following strong recommendations from the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Economics during the course of the day that presured Messe Berlin to cancel the show the first-ever in 54 years.
ITB’s cancellation came after Messe Berlin found that it was unable to implement all of the requirements as instructed by the responsible health authority of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf of Berlin.
Messe Berlin GmbH CEO Christian Göke said: ”With more than 10,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries ITB Berlin is extremely important for the world’s tourism industry. We take our responsibility for the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors and employees very seriously. It is with a heavy heart that we must now come to terms with the cancellation of ITB Berlin 2020.”
The organisers of the fair, scheduled to start on March 4 for four days, originally expected about 160,000 visitors. Just a few days before the cancellation, the venue Messe Berlin and the organisers of the ITB had expressed their confidence that the fair would take place as planned. But over the last week requirements for exhibitors were tightened.
Meanwhile, the ITB in China, the fastest growing regional travel trade fair, planned for May, has already been cancelled by the organisers last week.
