Travel industry research authority PhoCusWright has announced a pioneering program for its premier European event, PhoCusWright@ITB Berlin, taking place Wednesday 6 March 2013 in conjunction with ITB Berlin. Now in its eighth year, PhoCusWright@ITB is designed to help executives capitalise on the advances, strategies and innovations that are shaping the global travel, tourism and hospitality marketplace.

TB Berlin has set up a new consultation network that provides a meeting place for qualified experts and customers. ITB Advisory lets tourism associations, destinations, representatives of government and tourism experts communicate with travel industry experts who assist in analysing customers’ problems and developing new solutions.

Travel and event managers have to take decisions with the future in mind, which is why they must constantly take their core expertise to new levels and detect changing situations at an early stage. Very shortly, they will be gathering again at their established meeting place, at the ITB Business Travel Days in Berlin. From 6 to 8 March 2013 this three-day event features training courses on basic methods, information on strategies and tools in the field of business and travel event management.

In terms of outbound travel South Americans are ahead of everyone else in the Americas. In 2012, they undertook 12 per cent more trips abroad than last year, marking a new record. The country clearly driving growth is Brazil. This is one of the findings of the ITB World Travel Trends Report, compiled by IPK International and commissioned by ITB Berlin. Outbound travel from the US this year is forecast to rise by about three per cent. The number of long-haul trips rose by six per cent, while short-distance travel fell by around one per cent.

To what degree does negative reporting on countries in crisis impact on their tourism statistics? This was the question which ITB Berlin and the market research institute IPK International examined as part of a travel trend assessment by the World Travel Monitor®. Their conclusion was that, compared with last year, arrivals in Greece from northern and central Europe were in decline. All other southern European holiday destinations were less badly affected and were able to balance losses and even grow.

Turkey has been identified as the preferred holiday destination for Russian holidaymakers following research by IPK International ahead of ITB Berlin. However, when it comes to how often they visit the country this source market still has enormous growth potential.