One of the largest and most influential venues in the global tourism industry, the ITB Berlin 2026 international exhibition, has started in Berlin. The forum, which has the status of "World's Leading Travel Trade Show", this year takes place on the territory of the Messe Berlin exhibition complex (Berlin ExpoCenter City) and covers about 190 thousand square meters in pavilions Hall 21, CityCube and hub27, the correspondent reports Altainews.kz.
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Thousands of exhibitors from almost 180 countries are taking part in the exhibition. According to experts, from 5,500 to 10,000 companies present their products annually at the ITB Berlin site, and about 100,000 professional participants attend it within three days. It is a strategic platform where global tourism market trends are formed and international agreements are concluded.
East Kazakhstan Region – for the first time on the world stage
This year, the official delegation of the East Kazakhstan region participates in ITB Berlin for the first time. This is an important step for the region and an opportunity to establish itself internationally. It is noteworthy that the invitation to the exhibition was sent to Governor of East Kazakhstan Region Nurymbet Saktaganov personally from the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kazakhstan.
"The potential of the East Kazakhstan region allows us to work actively and ambitiously. The region has everything necessary for development - unique nature, cultural heritage, opportunities for various types of tourism. It is also important that the akimat of the region is interested in building communications between local tourism entrepreneurs and global operators. We understand that it is impossible to reach a qualitatively new level without a systematic dialogue and partnership. Today, for the development of tourism, it is not enough just to advertise yourself to the final tourist. It is equally important to build cooperation with industry colleagues all over the world - with tour operators, aggregators, and professional associations. It is only through such interaction that a steady tourist flow and long-term interest in the region are formed," said Irina Smith, Deputy Head of the East Kazakhstan Region Tourism Department.
The participation of the delegation of East Kazakhstan at the exhibition corresponds to the instruction of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the transformation of the tourism industry into a new driver of the economy. The work of the region's delegation in Berlin is a practical realization of this strategic objective.
Representatives of the authorized state body in the field of tourism and specialists of the Tourist Information Center are taking part in the prestigious exhibition on behalf of East Kazakhstan Region. In addition, the tourism potential of the region will be presented by two leading tour operators. Thus, the founder of the company "Gastro Tour VKO" Mukhtar Toibazarov promotes the direction of gastronomic tourism, local products and original routes, and the manager of the travel company "Altay-pro.kz " Ekaterina Orlova presents active and ecological travel packages based on the unique natural landscapes of Altai.
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"Kazakhstan still remains a largely closed destination for Europe and America, especially for those travelers who consciously choose destinations. These are tourists looking for authenticity, uniqueness, and cultural identity. It is important for them to see how the country differs from others, to feel its character, its historical code. And as a state that inherits nomadic, nomadic traditions, it is important for us to be present exactly where the global tourism agenda is being formed: where the whole of Europe meets, leading hotels are represented, modern infrastructure is developed, a high level of service is provided and international quality standards are in effect. In addition, this is an opportunity to attract specific buyers of our tours and gain experience in interacting with the world's largest travel companies and aggregators," Mukhtar Toibazarov is confident.
A total of 22 companies from Kazakhstan are participating in the exhibition, including hotel accommodation facilities.
Specific negotiations in the B2B format
ITB Berlin is primarily a professional B2B platform. The world's leading tour operators, airlines, national tourism organizations, hotel chains and digital platforms are concentrated here.
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The East Kazakhstan Region delegation discusses specific proposals to increase the flow of foreign tourists to the region at bilateral business meetings with foreign partners. The main goal is to systematically bring the natural, cultural and gastronomic potential of Altai to the international market, attract new partners and expand investment cooperation.
Participation in the large–scale Berlin exhibition is an important stage in the promotion of tourism in East Kazakhstan on the global market. This will strengthen the region's position on the international tourism map and give a new impetus to the formation of an export-oriented tourism product.
Source: Altainews.kz
