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ITB Berlin is throwing its weight behind the development of the online industry and will support the first VIR Online Innovation Days, organized by the Association of Internet Travel Marketing (VIR).
The gathering will take place on June 16 and 17 at the Marshall-Haus on the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds.
Following extensive renovation three years ago, the historic Marshall-Haus, a listed building since1988, is now available again as an event venue and will be playing host to market leaders and newcomers to e-tourism during the VIR Online Innovation Days.
During this year’s event, the winners of the “Sprungbrett 2010” (Springboard) competition will be chosen for the third time.
The first prize, in the category of “Best Start-up Company”, has been donated by ITB Berlin: The winners will have a choice of staging a press conference or having a fully-equipped stand at the upcoming travel trade fair in 2011.
There will also be a cash prize of 5,000 euros from the co-sponsor HRS for the winners.
“The potential in the online travel sector has by no means been exhausted – and that is something that we notice from the increase-ing number of enquiries about ITB Berlin and the ITB Convention,” says Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Competence centre Travel and Logistics at Messe Berlin.
“However, success today depends on the ability to develop innovative ideas that are of genuine use to customers. And every good business idea still has its origins in a personal exchange of views and wide-ranging discussions with industry insiders, for which the VIR Online Innovation Days provide the ideal conditions.”
The VIR Online Innovation Days provide a platform where forward-looking company founders can exchange views and make contact with decision-makers in the travel trade.
For the third time, the winners of the current “Sprungbrett 2010” competition will be chosen during the first of this year’s VIR Online Innovation Days.
With this prize VIR seeks to lend encouragement and support to people with innovative ideas and to the founders of new tourism businesses in the online field. The previous winners have included TrustYou GmbH and Eat-the-World.
Applications by interested online and travel experts can be submitted free of charge at http://www.vir-online-innovationstage.de/innovationstage_2010_anmeldung.php.
Featured image credit (Attendees outside Messe Berlin Entrance South): Ockra/iStock
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