ITB Berlin, world’s largest trade show, cancelled owing to coronavirus threat

ITB Berlin, Germany’s biggest and the world’s largest travel trade show, which was due to be held on March 4-8, has been cancelled owing to the rapid threat of the coronavirus. Germany is among several countries that have people infected by the coronavirus.
The decision to cancel the trade show, in which Sri Lanka has been an active participant for many decades, was taken on Friday night by organiser Messe Berlin following calls by government agencies, local authorities and trade bodies as holding it would have posed a threat to around 160,000 participants.
Initially representatives of 60 travel companies in Sri Lanka along with Sri Lanka Tourism representatives were billed to take part. However many Sri Lankan companies had dropped plans to participate owing to the threat (See Business Times for comprehensive story).
ITB Berlin and WTM London hosted by British authorities and held every year in November, are the biggest travel trade shows in the world and eagerly looked forward to by the industry.
In a statement, Dr. Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin GmbH, 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.”
According to foreign news reports, the German health ministry, the interior ministry and the government’s tourism affairs expert Thomas Bareiss had all called publicly for ITB to be cancelled due to the public health risks. Interior minister Horst Seehofer said on Thursday that in his view the potential risk to so many people at such a large event as the ITB was “incalculable”. “Personally, I believe that it (ITB) should not take place,” he said. Cancellation would be ‘force majeure’, he added.
News reports said that organiser Messe Berlin has been criticised for prolonging the action (to cancel), putting many exhibitors and visitors in a difficult position to cancel or change flights and arrangements.(SD)