ITB Berlin 2020 cancelled over Covid-19 fears

ITB Berlin 2020 has been cancelled due to the rapid spread of the Covid-19, said Messe Berlin in a press statement late Friday evening.

This is the first time in the show’s 54-year history that it has been cancelled – a move made by the organisers following recommendations by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Economics.

Messe Berlin said in a statement that yesterday evening at 18.27 (local time), the health authority of the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf in Berlin imposed significantly tighter restrictions on holding the event, which was supposed to take place from March 4 to 8​, that led to the show’s cancellation.

Among its requirements, the authority stipulated that each participant would need to prove to Messe Berlin that they were not from a designated risk area or had not been in contact with a person or persons from a risk area. It is “not possible” to fulfil those requirements, said the organisers.

Messe Berlin had for weeks made it known that a decision on holding or cancelling large-scale events would only be taken based on the recommendations or instructions of the relevant specialist authorities, as only they possess the necessary information and specialist knowledge required to draw the right conclusions.

Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin GmbH, said: ”With more than 10,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries, ITB Berlin is extremely important for the world’s tourism industry. We take our responsibility for the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors and employees very seriously. It is with a heavy heart that we must now come to terms with the cancellation of ITB Berlin 2020.”

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