Asia’s Largest Travel Trade Show, ITB Asia, will again be an all-virtual event this year, because of COVID travel restraints.

Organiser Messe Berlin (Singapore) announced the show will take place virtually from 25-29 October 2021 with a physical show postponed to 2022.

The decision has been made as host city-state Singapore moves to Phase 3, ‘heightened COVID alert’ level, where the current limit for MICE events is set at 250 attendees.

In addition, the recent surge in COVID-19 infections in the Asia-Pacific region has dimmed the positive outlook for the aviation sector, undermining previous optimism among travellers as regional countries tighten border controls and travel restrictions to control the spread of the virus.

Messe Berlin (Singapore) Managing Director Katrina Leung said: “Global health and travel uncertainties accompanied by the rapid emergence of new COVID-19 variants had halted our efforts.”

She said the show, a hybrid concept of ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, had attracted over 600 confirmed exhibitors, but ‘it has become apparent that international delegates are unable to reasonably plan their participation and travel arrangements.’

Last year’s ITB Asia virtual event attracted 35,000 travel professionals tuning in.