Scheduled for September 12-14, 2023 in Shanghai, the ITB China Conference will offer keynotes and panel discussions covering Destination Marketing, Hotel Tech, Themed Travel, and Business Travel & MICE, equipping industry professionals with actionable insights.
Leading travel organizations and tourism officials active in the Chinese market once again await a strong program of keynotes and panel discussions on cutting-edge topics at the ITB China Conference 2023.
The three-day conference, set to take place alongside the leading B2B exclusive travel trade show focusing on the Chinese travel market from 12 to 14 September 2023 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, will provide further up-to-date key insights on Destination Marketing, Hotel Tech and Distribution, Themed and Customized Travel, as well as Business Travel and MICE in the conference area. The ITB China Startup Award will return to acknowledge innovative young entrepreneurs, whose products will impact the future of the travel industry.
Conference Day 1
The opening keynote speeches of this year’s conference will be delivered by top speakers from ITB China’s major partner line-up including official Partner Hotel Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Travel Service Partner Trip.com providing striking insights into their growing businesses. Further keynotes will include Tourism Malaysia which, underlining its commitment to a swift market recovery through an extensive pavilion participation on the show floor, will be lining out its most relevant strategies for the Chinese market.
With a focus on destination marketing, panels on the opening day will revolve around how destinations can efficiently leverage new platforms and technologies like social media, mobile apps, the metaverse, and virtual reality to share captivating stories. Senior industry panel members will be answering pertinent questions such as “Since the past cannot be recreated, how should China’s outbound tourism market embrace the future?” or “How Can CHATGPT empower product innovation in the tourism industry?” among others.
Conference Day 2
The second day of the conference will offer a packed program full of valuable insights on two tracks. Themed and Customized Travel as well as Hotel Tech and Distribution sessions addressing hotel operators regarding the role of distribution channels in enhancing hotel brand visibility elaborating strategies to improve marketing activities. These will include a keynote by Fliggy titled “How to build future-oriented super brands/destinations” as well as a panel on how to “Maximize brand exposure in various distribution channels to improve conversion rate”. Further panels will revolve around the operational efficiency of Douyin (TikTok) as well as “The practice of sustainable tourism in China” among others.
ITB China Startup Award
The ITB China Startup Award will once again honour companies that have turned visions into viable business solutions with high market potential. During the award ceremony, experienced travel industry experts Michael Zhu, TravelDaily Guest Commentator and hotel Digitalization Expert, as well as Leo Chen, Consultant of RationalAI, will select this year’s ITB China Startup Award winner.
Conference Day 3
The third conference day will be shining the spotlight on Business Travel & MICE. Participants can anticipate insightful discussions that delve into the potential brought to the MICE industry by virtual event platforms, digital marketing solutions and innovative promotion channels. Sessions will include a panel on “The opportunities for the MICE industry brought by digitalization and virtual experiences” as well as a keynote by industry giant Trip.Biz. Rounding up the packed third day, discussions about green business travel will be paying tribute to the growing global emphasis on environmental protection and social responsibility. These talks will explore how companies can reduce carbon emissions, conserve resources, and contribute to an overall sustainable community development.