As of today, visitors to the ITB Berlin 2012 can click here for a first look at the programme of the three-day convention.

As the main think tank for the tourism industry, the ITB Berlin Convention 2012 has again been able to secure the attendance of a range of prominent speakers.

From March 7th-9th leading speakers from the tourism industry and other sectors will be highlighting the latest trends and discussing the opportunities and challenges facing the global travel industry in the future.

Admission is free for trade visitors with tickets to ITB Berlin.

Each of the three days features a special topic. Day one is devoted to the major trends in tourism, business and society at the ITB Future Day.

The high-ranking members of the Executive Cruise Panel will be examining the current and future fortunes of the international cruise industry.

Bernd Fauser, head of global top accounts Travel Google, will also deliver a keynote on innovations such as the Google Hotel Finder and Google Offers, and how in the future revolutionary technologies can help to sell tours.

Another speech will deal with a survey by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and on future tourism prospects in the Mediterranean, with a look towards 2030.

Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of UNWTO, is expected to guest on the panel. In the light of recent events the programme will also include discussion rounds on the current financial debt crisis.

Day two features the ITB Hospitality Day, which will focus on the challenges facing the hotel market.

In view of the growing number of brands in this market segment one of the papers is entitled “Brands everywhere: how many brands make sense?”.

On day two speakers will also be talking about how booking portals are undergoing a consolidation process, the consequences for sales, the “war for talent”, and about how to interest young academics in hotel industry careers.

Thursday, March 8th 2012, also features the ITB CSR Day.

At a keynote panel participants will be examining the issue of barrier-free travel. At the Studiosus discussion the focus will be on human rights in the tourism industry.

Peter-Mario Kubsch, managing director of Studiosus Reisen; Jürgen Büchy, president of the DRV, and Klaus Brähmig, a member of German Parliament, will be discussing what can be done to safeguard human rights at travel destinations.

On Friday, March 9th 2012, the ITB Marketing & Distribution Day will be taking place.

Delegates attending the events will be shown practical examples of past marketing campaigns which were not ideally worth copying, as well as those which are highly praiseworthy.

The focus of the Innovator Panel at the ITB Mobility Day will be on sustainable fuels such as gas from wind and solar energy production.

On the subject of air transport, the debate will examine the burdens resulting from the air travel levy and the proposed EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Another topic will be the European coach travel market, which is facing massive change.

The opening up of the long-distance coach travel market as well as the popular new combination of air travel and local coach tours will also be on the agenda.