At a time when the future feels more uncertain than it has in years, the global tourism community has gathered at ITB Berlinin the halls of Messe Berlin.
The timing could not be more symbolic — or more uncomfortable. The good news is, there are delicious cupcakes with the number 60 reminding visitors of 60 years of ITB.
Airspace closures, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, stranded passengers, nervous investors, and governments scrambling to react: these are not abstract challenges. They are immediate realities affecting millions of travelers and the very lifeblood of the travel and tourism industry at the time this ITB is in session.
Yet, at the very moment when clarity and leadership are needed most, those expected to lead appear hesitant, cautious — even confused.
WTTC: Watching the Situation
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), representing the largest private travel and tourism companies worldwide, released a carefully worded statement.
It emphasized:
- Close monitoring of tensions in the Middle East
- The importance of traveler safety
- Cooperation between governments and the private sector
- The industry’s resilience
“WTTC is closely following the impact that the current tensions in the Middle East are having on travellers, businesses and communities across the region and beyond. The safety and well-being of travellers and those working across the Travel & Tourism sector must always remain the highest priority.
“At times such as these, close cooperation between governments and the private sector is essential. WTTC’s Members and partners are working together to prioritise safety, share information and support travellers and communities affected by disruption.
“Travel & Tourism has consistently demonstrated its resilience in the face of global challenges. As a vital force for connection, economic stability and mutual understanding, the sector continues to adapt and respond responsibly during periods of uncertainty. WTTC stands alongside the global industry in supporting safe and responsible travel, while encouraging stability that enables Travel & Tourism to continue contributing positively to economies and communities worldwide.”
All true. All reasonable. All safe. But also — all generic.
The statement could have applied to a hurricane, a pandemic flare-up, an airport strike, or a currency crisis. It confirms that WTTC is “watching the situation.” It does not clarify what decisive leadership looks like in this moment.
In times of disruption, the private sector looks for direction. Travelers look for reassurance. Governments look for coordination. Monitoring is not leadership.
However, there is hope.Gloria Guevara, the newly reappointed CEO of WTTC, has experience successfully leading WTTC and much of the tourism world through COVID. She has a direct connection to Saudi Arabia, as the former top advisor to the KSA tourism minister and the former minister of tourism of Mexico. She launched Safe Tourism, a successful campaign during COVID, and successfully launched the first global event during COVID – the WTTC Summit.
UN Tourism: Business as Usual?
At the same time, UNWTO (formerly UN Tourism ) has opened applications for its “Best Tourism Villages 2026” program.
The initiative, launched in 2021, has drawn more than 1,000 applications from 100 countries and now connects 319 rural destinations worldwide. It is, without question, a positive and meaningful program.
Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais, a UAE native from Dubai — where airports are closed, and bombs are exploding — emphasized tourism’s role as a “game changer for rural communities,” preserving traditions and supporting small businesses.
Again, true. But the contrast is striking.
While parts of the region face airspace shutdowns and uncertainty, the global tourism conversation from its highest public-sector body appears focused on village competitions in 2026. Important? Yes. Urgent? Not exactly. It feels detached from the gravity of the present moment.
Also, help may be on the wayin the private sector with the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism from Jamaica, who launched Tourism Resilience Day, now a UN holiday. He has been successfully guiding his own country through its worst human disaster currently.
An Industry That Calls Itself a Force for Peace
At the ITB opening press conference, Messe Berlin’s leadership reaffirmed a familiar mantra: tourism is an industry of peace. It connects people, cultures, and economies. It builds bridges where politics builds walls.
This is more than rhetoric. Historically, tourism has indeed served as a stabilizing force, fostering dialogue and economic interdependence.
But peace is not sustained by slogans. It is strengthened by decisive coordination, clear communication, and visible leadership in times of crisis.
If tourism is truly a peace industry, then its institutions must do more than issue universally applicable statements and proceed with pre-planned announcements.
The Real Problem: A Leadership Gap
The responses from both WTTC and UN Tourism suggest something deeper than caution.
They reveal a leadership vacuum.
- The private sector speaks softly and cautiously.
- The public sector carries on with scheduled programming.
- The broader industry watches and waits.
This mirrors a wider global trend: institutions are hesitant to move beyond safe language, fearful of taking positions, and reluctant to adapt messaging in real time.
Tourism has proven resilient through pandemics, financial crises, terrorism, and natural disasters. But resilience does not mean silence. It means adaptive leadership.
Can ITB Berlin Become a Turning Point?
With thousands of industry leaders gathered under one roof in Berlin, the opportunity is enormous.
ITB could:
- Facilitate emergency coordination dialogues.
- Establish real-time crisis response working groups.
- Issue joint cross-sector guidance.
- Reframe tourism’s role in stabilizing fragile regions.
Instead of repeating that tourism is resilient, this could be the moment to demonstrate it.
Perhaps ITB Berlin can become more than a trade show. Perhaps it can evolve into a diplomatic and strategic platform when the world needs one most.
Or perhaps it will remain what it has always been — a marketplace of destinations and deals, temporarily insulated from the turbulence outside its exhibition halls.
The Question Hanging Over Berlin
The world of travel is at a crossroads.
Airports close. Tensions rise. Travelers hesitate. Communities dependent on tourism feel the tremors immediately.
In such moments, watching is not enough. Issuing safe statements is not enough. Launching long-term programs, however worthy, is not enough.
The global tourism industry calls itself a force for peace, connection, and economic stability. Now is the moment to prove it.
Let’s hope that what is happening inside the halls of ITB Berlin becomes more than networking and negotiation — and instead becomes the beginning of something bolder.
Because right now, the industry that connects the world appears uncertain about how to lead it. ITB will officially launch today and end on Thursday. Let’s see what we can learn from all the leaders attending ITB Berlin, which a journalist today called “The Mecca of World Tourism.”
Leave a Comment