ITB Berlin to shine spotlight on women entrepreneurs and youth from the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya and Myanmar
(Geneva) – Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC) will field a strong presence at the ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading travel trade shows, on 6 10 March. These include tourism operators from Myanmar, youth-led tourism development through the Youth Empowerment Project and women-owned companies from Ghana and Kenya.
Exhibiting at ITB Berlin will provide the ITC-supported companies with an opportunity to showcase their travel packages and connect with international buyers. As part of the preparation for the event, the women-owned tourism operators have, as part of ITC’s SheTrades Initiative, received training and marketing assistance, and been connected to potential buyers. A youth representative from the Gambia, who has been coached as part of the European Union-funded Youth Empowerment Project, will be holding business meetings to promote new tourism products aimed at creating job opportunities for rural youth in the country.
Meanwhile, a team from Myanmar will present newly developed products for the country’s Kayah State and the Tanintharyi Region targeting the international tourism market and strengthen connections with European tour operators. The Myanmar delegation is attending ITB Berlin as part of the Dutch-funded Netherlands Trust Fund programme.
ITB Berlin will be a memorable moment in particularly for the fifteen SheTrades-sponsored participants from Ghana and Kenya who will be presented with the Travelife Award, a sustainability label, during a ceremony on 6 March. The companies’ participation at ITB Berlin has been made possible thanks to funding from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID). More than 10,000 companies are expected to attend this year’s version of ITB Berlin.
Stands, panel discussions and press briefings
Other activities at ITB Berlin include a press conference on 6 March for travel bloggers and journalists interested in responsible tourism in developing countries with a focus on women entrepreneurs in Ghana and Kenya and youth-led community based tourism in the Gambia. Following this, the International Trade Centre will host a networking reception at the SheTrades booth.
On 7 March, Michelle Kristy, the associate programme officer of ITC will participate in a panel discussion on gender equality and tourism to highlight the various barriers women face while working in the industry. The keynote speaker for this event will be Her Excellency, Mrs. Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland and United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals.
To mark International Women’s Day, ITC and ITB Berlin will on 8 March host a joint one-hour panel entitled ‘SheTrades: Empowering Women through Tourism’. This event will provide the audience with an opportunity to hear from of the SheTrades-supported companies and their experience in the tourism sector.
ITC’s activities at ITB Berlin
6–10 March 2019: SheTrades stand
When: All days
Where: Hall 21A stand 114
6–10 March 2019: Youth Empowerment Project at the Gambia Tourism Board stand
When: All days
Where: Hall 21.A Stand 107
6 March 2019: Press Conference: Myanmar – Be Enchanted
When: 2pm-3 pm
Where: Room Lindau 3, Meeting Bridge A
6 March 2019: Press conference
Women and Youth in Responsible Tourism: The Gambia, Kenya and Ghana
When: 3pm-4 pm
Where: Room Lindau 3, Meeting Bridge A
Travelife awards ceremony: SheTrades beneficiaries will receive the award. The SheTrades Initiative will also be mentioned as the contributor for sustainable and inclusive tourism.
When: 4pm-5 pm
Where: Palais am Funkturm, ITB Convention Awards
SheTrades networking reception
When: 4.30pm-6.30pm
Where: Hall 21A, stand 114
Presentation by tourism expert Peter Richards: Kayah and Tanintharyi: Working alongside local people to craft incredible local experiences in Myanmar
When: 4.30 pm-17.30 pm
Where: Adventure Stage and Event Area, Hall 4.1b, Adventure Travel-Responsible Tourism
7 March 2019: Gender Equality in Tourism Seminar – Celebrating Her Awards
When: 1pm-2pm
Where: Palais am Funkturm, ITB Convention Awards
8 March 2019: SheTrades: Empowering Women through Tourism
When: 1m-2pm
Where: Palais am Funkturm, ITB Convention Awards
Notes for the editors
About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit www.intracen.org. Follow ITC on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
About ITC’s SheTrades initiative - The SheTrades Initiative aims to connect three million women to market by 2021 and rallies stakeholders around the world to work together on seven actions to address trade barriers and create greater opportunities for women entrepreneurs. It is supported by a web and mobile digital platform. For more information, please visit SheTrades.com.
International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland, Media Officer
P: + 41 22 730 0145
M: + 41 79 582 9180
E: hetland [at] intracen.org (hetland[at]intracen[dot]org)