More than 150 senior industry leaders from companies including Agoda, Cvent, Disney Cruise Line, FCM Travel Asia, Simon-Kucher, Trip.com and WebBeds will take the stage at ITB Asia Conference 2026, to be held in Singapore from 21–23 October. Under the theme “Experiences in Motion: Human-Centred Design in Travel & Tourism”, the three-day programme will examine the trends reshaping travel across Asia-Pacific, from artificial intelligence and changing traveller behaviour to sustainability, luxury travel and the future of business events. Yapıştırılan metin

ITB Asia Conference 2026 will take place from 21–23 October at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, alongside ITB Asia.

Organised by Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, the conference will bring together more than 150 industry leaders across three main stages: the Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show Asia Theatre and Travel Tech Asia Theatre.

The programme will feature presentations, panel discussions, case studies and showcases covering Leisure, MICE, Corporate Travel and Travel Technology. Key themes will include market trends, Chinese outbound tourism, sustainability, luxury travel, artificial intelligence, data, emerging technologies, experience design and the future of business events. Yapıştırılan metin

Human-centred design at the heart of the programme

This year’s theme, “Experiences in Motion: Human-Centred Design in Travel & Tourism”, will focus on how the travel industry is responding to changing consumer behaviour, new technologies and evolving business models.

The programme places traveller needs and experiences at the centre of innovation, while also examining where new growth opportunities could emerge across Asia-Pacific. Yapıştırılan metin

Darren Seah, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, said the value of ITB Asia lies not only in business meetings and networking but also in the market intelligence and practical knowledge shared across the conference.

According to Seah, the programme is designed to bring the travel, tourism and MICE industries together to exchange insights, share practical knowledge and explore new opportunities. Yapıştırılan metin

Global travel outlook and connected travel to open the conference

The conference will open on 21 October with two keynote sessions examining the forces shaping the next chapter of travel in Asia-Pacific.

Lovrenc Kessler, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher, will present “The Global Travel Outlook: What’s Next for Asia-Pacific”, focusing on changing demand, emerging markets and evolving traveller behaviour.

Brett Henry, President APAC at WebBeds, will follow with “The Next Chapter of Travel: Technology, Transformation and the Future of Connected Travel”, exploring how AI, data and changing traveller expectations are moving the industry beyond digital transformation toward more connected and personalised travel experiences. Yapıştırılan metin

Cruise, sustainability and the changing traveller

The Knowledge Theatre will examine some of the major forces shaping growth across the Asia-Pacific travel economy.

Sessions will address the evolution of Chinese outbound tourism, changing destination marketing strategies and the growing influence of digital-native travellers.

The future of cruising will also be discussed in the Cruise Leaders’ Panel, featuring Sarah Fox of Disney Cruise Line, Wen Ciu Lee of Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services and Isha Goyal of STIC Travel Group. Yapıştırılan metin

Digital reputation will form another major part of the programme. A dedicated session will explore how generative and agentic AI, social media content and user-generated reviews are changing the ways travel brands build and protect trust. Yapıştırılan metin

Sustainable tourism to remain a major focus

Sustainability will feature prominently in “The Next Decade of Sustainable Travel”, where industry leaders will discuss how responsible practices can be integrated into travel strategy, product development and destination management.

Speakers will include representatives from Greytt.ai, the Meaningful Tourism Centre, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Thailand’s Green Plan 2030 Project and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Yapıştırılan metin

Other sessions will look at how storytelling can create more meaningful and memorable visitor experiences and how slower, more purposeful travel models can generate value for communities beyond visitor numbers. Yapıştırılan metin

MICE Show Asia to focus on events, technology and buyer expectations

The MICE Show Asia Theatre will examine the transformation of the business events sector.

Topics will include event design, return on investment, AI, corporate travel and destination competitiveness.

Sessions will explore how events can create stronger learning, community and engagement outcomes, as well as how destinations can attract the next generation of international business events. Yapıştırılan metin

The programme will also examine the buyer perspective, including why MICE deals fail between the request-for-proposal and final agreement stages, as well as changing expectations in corporate travel. Yapıştırılan metin

Artificial intelligence to dominate Travel Tech Asia

Artificial intelligence will be one of the central themes at the Travel Tech Asia Theatre.

Sessions will examine AI, automation, aviation technology, multimodal transport and digital discovery.

The programme will also explore how digital transformation can create more seamless air, sea and intermodal travel experiences. Yapıştırılan metin

A panel titled “AI in Travel: Beyond the Hype, Where’s the Value?” will bring together senior executives from Booking.com, D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, KAYAK and Traveloka to discuss where AI is creating measurable value across the travel industry. Yapıştırılan metin

Trip.com’s Edmund Ong will examine how AI is reshaping the traveller journey from search to discovery, while Anurag Jain of RateGain & Sojern will focus on the impact of AI on hotel marketing and revenue generation. Yapıştırılan metin

Industry partnerships strengthen the programme

The ITB Asia 2026 Conference Programme is being developed in cooperation with a range of international associations and industry organisations.

Partners include the Adventure Travel Trade Association, Global MICE Collaborative, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Tourism Economics – An Oxford Economics Company, uncommon conferences and the World Tourism Cities Federation. Yapıştırılan metin

Through its three conference stages, ITB Asia 2026 aims to provide a platform for business connections, knowledge exchange and cross-sector dialogue, bringing together industry leaders and experts to examine the developments shaping the future of travel in Asia-Pacific and beyond. Yapıştırılan metin