TSTT Tourism & Society - ITB Asia opens in Singapore championing human-centred experiences

ITB Asia opens in Singapore championing human-centred experiences

22-10-2026

Singapore became the meeting point of Asian tourism on Wednesday 21 October 2026. The 19th edition of ITB Asia opened its doors under a theme that sums up the sector's current conversation, "Experiences in Motion: Human-Centred Design in Travel & Tourism", and will run for three days, until 23 October. The fair is organised by Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, whose executive director, Darren Seah, delivered the welcome address, and the guest of honour was Gan Siow Huang, Singapore's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and for Trade and Industry.

The event is held alongside two concurrent shows, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, and brings together more than a thousand exhibiting brands and over 1,500 qualified buyers. Organisers expect to surpass 18,000 participants. Combining leisure travel, corporate meetings and technology is meant to help professionals close deals and, above all, make sure those relationships outlast the final day on the show floor.

One of the novelties is the Experience Zone, a space devoted to experiential tourism that includes a pavilion powered by Tripadvisor. Alongside it, free guided tours put buyers in touch with selected exhibitors across destinations, hospitality, experiences and technology, a format designed to save time and give meetings a clear direction. MICE Show Asia widens its exhibition presence and offers an invitation-only networking session for association leaders, a group that is key to winning conferences. Travel Tech Asia, meanwhile, concentrates on digital distribution, artificial intelligence and customer experience.

The conference programme tackles sustainability, destination competitiveness, emerging markets, traveller behaviour and practical uses of artificial intelligence across the three days. The opening session featured Lovrenc Kessler, senior partner at Simon-Kucher, who examined the global outlook for Asia-Pacific, and Brett Henry, president for APAC at WebBeds, who spoke about technology and connected travel.

Several ideas emerge that businesses can put to use straight away. The first is that when travellers look for meaningful, personalised experiences, setting a product apart matters more than ever. The second is that artificial intelligence can sharpen recommendations and speed up processes but should not replace the human touch that shapes final satisfaction. The third concerns meetings and incentives: buyers increasingly weigh the flexibility of proposals, their sustainability, the attendee experience and the ability to measure results.

Singapore is no accidental host. The city-state works as a hub for air, financial and business links in the region, and its convention infrastructure puts it among the favourite stages for this kind of gathering. That the theme stresses people reflects a change of mindset: after years of growth measured in arrivals, destinations and companies are asking how to deliver a trip that leaves a mark and benefits the communities that host it.

For European and Latin American professionals, the fair also offers a window onto a market that keeps gaining weight on the world travel map. The contacts made this week, the alliances with Asian operators and the trends unveiled in the forums will shape a good share of commercial strategies for 2027, at a time when technological innovation and the search for authenticity are moving forward together.

All in all, the opening confirms that Asia's tourism industry wants to talk less about numbers and more about experiences. The real test will come when the fair closes on 23 October: how many of the conversations started this week turn into contracts, new routes and products able to win over travellers who want more than a photograph.

It is also worth noting how the programme mirrors what travellers themselves are asking for. Many of them no longer measure a holiday by the number of sights ticked off, but by the stories, encounters and flavours they bring home. Businesses that learn to design around those expectations, while using technology discreetly, are likely to be the ones that stand out in a crowded Asian market during the year ahead.

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