South African exhibitors at ITB Berlin say the 2026 edition delivered valuable access to international buyers and opportunities to strengthen partnerships across key source markets.
The Perfections Group reported high-quality engagement with global buyers and product managers looking to expand Southern African offerings.
Speaking to Tourism Update, Ryan Ashton, Director of The Perfections Group, said: “ITB Berlin once again proved to be an exceptional platform for engaging with international buyers and senior travel trade professionals. For The Perfections Group, the show provides valuable access to product managers, tour operators and decision-makers who are actively shaping their Southern African portfolios.”
Buyer engagement around Southern African itineraries was particularly strong, according to Sally Hancock, The Perfections Group Head of Country: DACH Region. “Engagement by buyers interested in South Africa and wider Southern African itineraries was strong and highly focused. Many of the conversations went beyond general interest and moved into practical discussions about how our partners’ properties could be integrated into upcoming itineraries and product lines.”
Safari properties generated consistent interest with lodges in the Greater Kruger, Madikwe and the Eastern Cape attracting attention from operators seeking big five experiences. Hancock said buyers were also interested in boutique hospitality and wine region stays in the Western Cape.
“Overall, the level of engagement reflected continued appetite among international buyers for multi-layered Southern African itineraries that combine wildlife, cities, wine regions and distinctive independent properties,” added Hancock.
Several potential partnerships emerged from discussions with tour operators and product partners, according to Ashton. “In particular, there has been notable interest from partners looking to expand their footprint in the DACH region, the UK and broader European markets.”
Airline exhibitors
Kirby Gordon, FlySafair CMO, said the scale of the event and the concentration of travel trade stakeholders make it an important platform.
“ITB Berlin remains one of the largest and most important gatherings in the global travel trade calendar and it delivered strong exposure for us,” Gordon said, noting the impressive scale of buyer attendance and the number of meetings on the show floor.
While this year’s edition was influenced by operational realities affecting parts of the Gulf region, delegates worked hard to ensure representation and engagement were well maintained, Gordon added.
Engagement by international buyers focused on access to South Africa and regional air connectivity, which Gordon said is encouraging. “There is clear ongoing interest in air access into South Africa and, importantly, in the regional connectivity that allows tour operators to build broader itineraries for international visitors.”
Gordon also reported particularly strong engagement by traditional European feeder markets. “We saw strong engagement by buyers from Germany and the UK, in particular, as well as France. There was also some encouraging interest from Asian markets.”
Gordon said a number of discussions at the show have already progressed to follow-up meetings. “As is typical with an event of this scale, many of the initial conversations naturally lead to follow-up discussions after the show. We’ve already begun engaging with several parties to explore areas of mutual interest identified during the event.”
DMOs
According to Enver Duminy, Cape Town Tourism CEO, ITB Berlin offered insights into the direction of global tourism.
“ITB Berlin this year was more than a trade show. It was a ‘live read’ on where global tourism is heading and what is already changing beneath our feet.”
Duminy said discussions during the event reflected growing geopolitical uncertainty, the increasing role of artificial intelligence in travel planning and a wider industry shift towards more balanced tourism growth.
Across exhibitors, overall sentiment indicated that ITB Berlin continues to deliver trade engagement and opportunities to build partnerships across international markets.
Next year’s edition, ITB Berlin 2027, will take place on March 16-18. According to ITB Berlin, exhibitor registration will open shortly with a registration deadline of September 1.
