Going big on Tourism.

Messe Berlin Chief to pursue feelers on Malaysia's 'partner country' participation at ITB Asia in Singapore.

The top executive at the Messe Berlin, the organizer of the prestigious International Tourism Bourse (ITB) of Berlin, touted as the world's largest tourism show, is keen to pursue the initial feelers from Malaysia on the possibility of its 'partner country' participation in the Asian version of the show called ITB Asia held in October in Singapore. The Singapore show focuses on destinations and markets of Asia.

The 'partner country' participation allows the selected country to highlight its entire tourism features, ranging from destination attractions and leisure tourism through business travel to hotels and other infrastructure facilities. Being in the limelight glare for the duration of the show, the 'partner country' makes a strong impact on the international travel and tourism trade, according to tourism strategists.

In an interview with Malaysian Business at the recent ITB Berlin show, Raimund Hosch, the chairman of Messe Berlin and an internationally respected tourism expert, revealed that he will be taking up the matter with the Malaysian tourism ministry as a follow-up to the interest shown by Malaysia for a possible 'partner country' participation at the ITB Asia show.

'Such a participation allows the participating country to find easy access to future business with tour and travel operators, and possibly attract foreign investments in the country's infrastructure such as hotels, etc,' Hosch explained.

Some 80% of the 'partner country' participants in the past had expressed satisfaction with their participation, according to surveys by Messe Berlin.

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