[Point Economy] Gyeongbuk Province and the Gyeongbuk Cultural Tourism Organization brought Gyeongbuk’s charm to ITB Berlin 2026, promoting the region to European travelers and industry partners from March 3–5 in Berlin, Germany.
This year marked the 60th anniversary of the Berlin International Travel Trade Fair (ITB), the premier global B2B travel expo where industry professionals from around the world gather to share trends and forge partnerships.
At the Korea pavilion, the Gyeongbuk Cultural Tourism Organization teamed up with the Korea Tourism Organization to showcase Gyeongbuk’s varied attractions, specifically targeting Europe’s premium travel market.
During the fair, the organization held 25 business meetings, primarily with local travel media and industry professionals. Discussions focused on boosting Gyeongbuk’s brand awareness in Europe and collaborating to attract premium group travelers, including incentive tours.
They also highlighted support programs and tourism infrastructure designed to draw high-value visitors — details that attracted notable interest from European industry players.
Participation at ITB Berlin expanded the organization’s European partnerships and helped raise recognition of Gyeongbuk as a travel destination.
After successfully hosting the 2025 APEC summit and proving its event-hosting capabilities, Gyeongsangbuk-do will welcome the annual meeting of PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association), the region’s largest tourism organization, to Pohang and Gyeongju in 2026.
The organization plans to leverage these international events to grow its global tourism network and intensify outreach to high-value markets.
“ITB Berlin is a major platform for the global travel industry. Our participation gave us a strong opportunity to showcase Gyeongbuk’s competitive edge to the European market,” said Lee Sang-hoon, head of marketing at the organization. “As we move into the post-APEC era, we’ll keep crafting premium tourism experiences and ramp up efforts to attract high-value visitors to elevate Gyeongbuk’s brand.”
