VIR's Review of ITB Berlin 2026
ITB Berlin 2026 took place this year from March 3 to 5, once again transforming the capital into a hub for the international travel industry. We’ve had three exciting days filled with networking and professional exchanges, as well as a packed schedule of meetings and events.
Once again this year, we were represented as a sub-exhibitor at GIATA in Hall 5.1, Booth 100, where we met many members, partners, and familiar faces. We particularly enjoyed the personal interactions and inspiring conversations about the future of tourism. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by, discussed ideas with us, and shared their thoughts.
Here you can find our recap and highlights from ITB 2026:
“AI & Visions in Travel Tech” Tour at ITB Berlin 2026
In 2026, the VIR Travel Tech Tour offered a behind-the-scenes look at the tourism industry for the third time—with around 60 participants, we delved deeply into modern technologies, innovative systems, and customized solutions that are shaping the travel experience of tomorrow.
On Wednesday, March 4, we kicked off at 2:00 p.m. at the VIR booth at GIATA (Hall 5.1, Booth 100). In approximately 15-minute presentations, our member companies showcased their latest developments and projects, demonstrating how artificial intelligence, automation, and visionary approaches are transforming the industry. It became particularly clear how the interplay of technology, data, and creative ideas forms the foundation for travel for millions of people.
Thanks to the support of elysium audio solutions GmbH, all content could be followed via a digital audio stream—even amid the hustle and bustle of the trade show.
The VIR Travel Tech Tour 2026 once again provided a valuable opportunity to gain exciting, concise, and practical insights into the future of travel. Thank you to our participating member companies: Amadeus, Peakwork, the team neusta Group, TraSo GmbH, Travelport, and the Travel Tech Start-up Hub, featuring adigi GmbH, elysium audio solutions GmbH, fanz, honeepot GmbH, and NewTravel.
The following companies took part in the tour:
Search4Talents Tour at ITB Berlin 2026
For many students, ITB Berlin can seem overwhelming at first—and establishing direct contact with companies is often not easy. At the same time, many are not yet aware of how diverse career paths in the tourism industry are. Companies also face the challenge of attracting new talent, especially for roles behind the scenes of the travel booking process, which are often still unfamiliar to students.
Through our search4talents initiative, we bring these two sides together. The goal is to provide young talent with an easy way to get started, allowing them to learn about exciting companies, gain authentic insights into the industry, and discover the wide range of entry-level opportunities available.
This year, around 25 students from all over Germany joined us on a tour of our member companies’ booths—ranging from online travel agencies and travel insurers to car rental companies and technology providers. The companies presented themselves as employers, offering insights into internships, part-time student jobs, and career opportunities. They also highlighted just how diverse career paths in the tourism industry actually are. At the same time, the students had the opportunity to ask specific questions, take a look behind the scenes, and make valuable contacts to help them launch their careers.
Thank you to our participating members— Allianz Travel, Amadeus, Booking.com, GIATA, GO Jugendreisen, Sunny Cars GmbH, and the Travel Tech Start-up Hub—for taking the time to meet with the students and welcoming us to their booths.
The following companies took part in the tour:
Networking at ITB Berlin 2026
ITB Berlin 2026 once again demonstrated the tremendous innovative potential of the tourism industry—filled with inspiring encounters, engaging conversations, and valuable exchanges within the sector. We made the most of the trade show to connect with our members, partners, and political representatives and to experience the latest developments firsthand.
We kicked things off, as is tradition, with the Sunny Cars Warm-Up Party at Ristorante Boccacalli. As always, the rustic atmosphere and delicious Italian food, combined with the first exciting conversations, set the perfect tone for ITB. At the same time, the Allianz Executive Dinner took place, which our CEO Michael Buller attended.
ITB 2026 kicked off on Tuesday, March 3, at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. Right from the start, we were busy with meetings and an event. We hosted our VIR Meet & Greet Lunch, where we discussed current developments and projects with our members in a relaxed atmosphere. The DRSF also visited our booth and discussed the future of the travel industry with Michael Buller.
On the evening of the first day of the trade show, the VIR supported LMX’s “Ramadan Iftar” initiative. As part of this effort, lovingly prepared food packages were distributed in the Turkey and Egypt halls as well as in adjacent areas. This initiative is particularly important, especially in times of political and social unrest: It sends a clear message of diversity, appreciation, and cultural sensitivity, and demonstrates that genuine solidarity has a firm place at ITB Berlin.
That evening, too, the VIR team split up due to the numerous events taking place: While our CEO, Michael Buller, attended the ERGO Travel Insurance board dinner, the rest of the team took part in Turespaña’s Noche de España at the Amplifier, where awards were presented for the best trips to Spain and journalistic pieces.
The second day of the trade show kicked off with a brunch hosted by our member HanseMerkur, which drew a large crowd of tourism professionals. Also on the same day, our member Go Jugendreisen celebrated its 40th anniversary with a booth party.
On Thursday, March 5, we hosted an ATV lunch for our partner organizations from the Tourism Diversity Action Alliance—an excellent opportunity to discuss current projects and joint initiatives.
ZAUBAR gave us a glimpse into the future when they presented their AI-powered smart glasses at our booth on Thursday. These glasses open up entirely new possibilities for tourism providers—from AR experiences and voice-based concierge services to assistance systems for on-site staff. This clearly demonstrated how much digitized and AI-based solutions will shape comfort, quality of experience, and service in travel in the future.
In addition to our promotional activities, we used the trade show for professional discussions: Our members presented their innovations at the Travel Tech Tour and during a special Travel Tech session with representatives from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)—demonstrating how AI, automation, and new technologies are shaping the future of travel. In addition, during this year’s ITB, five of our VIR startups joined forces for the first time to form a Travel Tech Hub: adigi GmbH, elysium audio solutions GmbH, fanz.io, honeepot GmbH, and NewTravel.
In addition, during the trade show, we held discussions with editors about collaborations and projects, met with political representatives, and actively worked to raise the profile of our members.
A brand-new feature at this year’s ITB Berlin was the mobile travelholics.media podcast studio in Hall 6.1 at Booth 224. Host Roman Borch invited tourism professionals and companies into the studio to present exciting new ideas, projects, and products—or simply to introduce themselves—during a live talk. The recorded sessions will be published on the travelholics website following the ITB.
All in all, ITB Berlin 2026 was a real success: full of networking opportunities, exciting insights into innovations, and plenty of chances to experience the future of the industry firsthand. Three days packed with inspiration, connections, and energy—we’re eager to put the ideas and insights we gained into action.
A photo recap of ITB Berlin 2026
Read more news
We keep you informed about current topics in the tourism industry.
You can find all our articles listed in our News section. Or choose a topic from our news categories and read only the articles related to that topic.