Berlin, March 2026 – Under the motto ‘Leading Tourism into Balance.’, ITB Berlin Convention once again brought together representatives of the international travel industry. In the Tour Operator & Travel Sales and Carrier & Cruise tracks, curated by Dr Markus Heller and the team at Dr Fried & Partner, leading representatives from tourism, mobility, technology and platform economics discussed key questions shaping the future of the industry: How are distribution and customer behavior evolving? What role will platforms, AI and data play in the future? And how are business models changing in an increasingly interconnected travel ecosystem?
During the sessions, several developments became particularly clear:
- Distribution is becoming more strategic: The balance between direct sales, platforms and OTAs is becoming a key competitive factor
- AI is changing the customer journey: From inspiration to planning to booking, new models of interaction are emerging between customers, platforms and providers
- Business models are evolving: Airlines, cruise lines, rail providers and tour operators are increasingly thinking about distribution, products and partnerships in an integrated way
- Customer experience is becoming more differentiated: Personalisation, convenience and new offer formats are gaining in importance
For those who could not attend the sessions live – or would like to revisit individual sessions – all recordings are available below:
Exclusive Preview from the Travel Compass 2026 Study – How Market Development Is Driven by New Business Models and AI
This session provides an exclusive preview of the findings of the Travel Compass 2026 study. What developments are currently driving the travel market – and how are AI and new business models changing competition? The analysis provides key market data and classifies the most important trends for tour operators, distribution and platforms.
Shaping the Future of Tour Operating – How AI-Driven Digital Transformation is Redefining Business Models and Industry Leadership
How can tour operators remain relevant when platforms with high customer traffic, modern tech architectures and AI-driven innovation are shaping the market? The panel explores the structural strengths of integrated tour operator (orchestration, responsibility, security) – and discusses the steps required to modernise legacy systems, data and working methods so that AI creates a real competitive advantage.
Beyond Flights and Hotels – Does the Future of Tour Operating Lie in the Stay?
What will be the future role of the ‘stay’ in value creation and differentiation in tour operating? The panel discusses how the industry’s focus is increasingly shifting from transport and accommodation to the design of the stay phase at the destination. The focus is on how activities, experiences and services can be more closely integrated into the overall product – and what role platforms, data and AI play in orchestrating a seamless travel experience.
Aktuelle Weichenstellungen beim DRSF – Erfahrungen und Empfehlungen für die Reisewirtschaft (German only)
What lessons can be learned from the first few years of the German Travel Security Fund? In this interview, Prof. Dr. Ali Arnaout provides insights into the structure of the system, the test it faced during the FTI insolvency and the current challenges facing the fund. The focus is on questions about future financing, the further development of the security concept and the role of data and crisis management in ensuring more resilient protection for the travel industry.
The Critical Success Factors in a Data- and AI-Driven Sales World
What determines whether AI creates a real competitive advantage in travel sales – or remains just a buzzword? In this panel, industry experts discuss the importance of data quality, system integration and a culture of experimentation in order to successfully use AI in pricing, personalisation and sales. The focus also lies on the question of how the travel market could evolve from classic search logic to more data-driven recommendation and inspiration models.
GDS in Transition – New Models in Global Distribution
How is NDC changing global distribution – and what does that mean specifically for travel sellers, airlines and GDS platforms? In this session, Sabre, Amadeus, Travelport and Travelsoft discuss how workflows, serviceability and content differentiation are evolving. The focus also includes modern airline retailing (offer–order–deliver), modular platform architectures and the question of who will ‘retail’ travel in the future – as well as the role that agentic AI will play as a new discovery and service channel.
The Impact of Agentic AI on the Shopping and Purchasing Habits of Airline Travellers
How is Agentic AI changing the search, booking and service behaviour of airline customers – and what does this mean for direct sales, distribution and control over customer contact? The discussion makes it clear that while inspiration and service are already benefiting in measurable ways, shopping and booking are still in the early stages of development – API/offer readiness, payment capability in conversational flow and new ‘connected trip’ orchestration will be decisive factors. At the same time, the strategic question arises as to whether Agentic AI is primarily an evolution of the airline’s own sales or whether power and margins are shifting towards new intermediation models.
Leisure First? – The Growing Importance of Leisure Travel for Airline Strategies
How strongly does leisure travel influence the strategic orientation of airlines today? The discussion focuses on the role of vertically integrated models (airline + tour operating), dealing with seasonality, and the question of how airlines can align their capacity and revenue management more closely with tourist demand. At the same time, it is becoming clear that traditional allotment models are increasingly being replaced by dynamic distribution and actively managed capacity across multiple sales channels.
Outlook of Long-Distance Rail and beyond – Cross-Border Networks, Multimodal Connectivity and Changing Distribution Structures
The panel discussion makes it clear that there is great potential for cross-border long-distance rail transport – however, the biggest bottlenecks are not so much on high-speed lines as in hubs, stations and stabling and maintenance capacities. At the same time, the digital level is also decisive for further growth: without seamless end-to-end journey planning, multimodal connections and better distribution (findability, bookability, after-sales), the international rail share will remain limited.
Growth, Saturation, Segmentation – Cruise Industry Between Boom and Balance
The cruise industry continues to grow – not only in terms of capacity, but also in terms of differentiation (target groups, brands/products, destination offerings). At the same time, shipyard capacities and infrastructure (e.g. shore power, fuel availability) are limiting the pace of growth – which is why regulatory certainty and close cooperation with ports/destinations are crucial, also to better manage overtourism.
The Future of Cruise Distribution – Online and Direct Channels in Focus
The panel discusses how the cruise industry is adapting to changes in product complexity, rising customer expectations and new digital technologies. The focus lies on the role of online and direct sales, how to deal with price and quality competition, and how platforms, OTAs and cruise lines can collaborate to enhance visibility, provide better advice and improve bookability. Meanwhile, it is becoming clear that AI will play a key role in inspiring, searching for and personalising the booking process in future.
With high-calibre panels, strategic perspectives and in-depth discussions, the ITB Berlin Convention has once again confirmed its role as the central think tank of the international travel industry.
We would like to thank all speakers, partners and participants in the Tour Operator & Travel Sales and Carrier & Cruise tracks – and we are already looking forward to the ITB Berlin Convention 2027!