How did Georgia become the official ITB Host Country?

Georgia is the official host country at ITB Berlin 2023. In 1992 Burkhard Herbote, a VP for the World Tourism Network and a Tourism Hero introduced Georgia to ITB.

Will prime minister Irakli Garibashviliand from Georgia and UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili recognize World Tourism Network VP Burkhard Herbote when they open ITB 2023 in Berlin next week?

A proud Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashviliand and a controversial UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili must be looking forward to the opening of the world largest travel and tourism trade show ITB Berlin next week.

Their country, the Republic of Georgia is the official host country for the world largest travel and tourism trade show.

Seen as the guru for information for the global travel and tourism, German national Burkhard Herbote was personally invited to witness this achievement for Georgia and ITB in Berlin next week, but won’t be able to make it. Here is his story:

Burkhard Herbote is a VP of the World Tourism Network, an ambassador for this publication since it started in 2001, and a tourism hero.

Burkhard is also a pioneer for so many developments in the history of global travel and tourism, and one if his assistance made Georgia a major player in this sector, an exhibitor at ITB, and now a the official partner host country for the worlds largest tourism trade show.

Here is his story on how he helped Georgia to become what the country is today in regards to its standing in travel and tourism.

Herbote: This is February, 1992, one week before the ITB 1992 trade show in Berlin, Germany.

The Soviet Union just collapsed weeks ago. Countries that were part of the USSR had a mountain of problems in rebuilding their nations, and tourism wasn’t on the list of priorities.

Michail Grobatschow was elected General Secretary of the KPdSU, the communist party for the USSR. He tried to safe the Soviet Union with reforms. Perestroika (changes) and Glasnot (Russian for openess) was on the agenda.

The cold war became warmer and more peaceful by the day. The days for the old Soviet system was numbered. In Germany the wall in Berlin fell on November 9, 1989, and 10 months later the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) joined the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).

“Germany was lucky. As we see today with Ukraine the ending could have been a lot less happy. “

Burkhard Herbote

The DDR (East Germany) was no more and similar changes were on the immediate horizon for the Eastern communist block in Europe.

Many working for ITB and its organizer, Messe Berlin today only know this from school. Many today never experienced a deadly border wall within the two former Germany countries.

The border wall and the role Berlin played as the capital of former DDR in one divided city, makes this city a bacon of freedom and hope for the world.

At ITB 1990 exhibitors at the DDR stand did not know that just one year later East Germany will be part of one united Germany again.

“Unity, and right and freedom for the German fatherland” were the first words of West Germany’s national anthem at that time – and it became a reality.

Just 10 days after ITB 1990 the first free election took place in the former German Democratic Republic (DDR)

At ITB 1991 many changes shaped a new world also for Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Besides the state owned travel companies that operated travel and tourism in countries behind the iron curtain, such as Ibusz (Hungary), Polorbis (Poland), Cedok (CSSR), Carpati (Romania), Balkantourist (Bulgaria), the first private exhibitors from those countries joined their nations stand.

The same development was seen at the ITB stand for the former Soviet Union. Republics that were part of the USSR exhibited independently. Among them was the Republic of Georgia.

The European map was repainted – also at ITB.

“My phone rang in 1992”, Burkhard Herbote went on to explain:

It was a call from a Mr. Saba Kiknazde long distance from the Republic of Georgia. Saba was an architect based in Georgia’s capital city Tbilissi. He spoke good English and told me he was starting his own private tour company in Georgia.

Expert for unknown exotic tourism destinations

He explained, a German friend had mailed him a copy of an article published in “Frankfurter Rundschau” newspaper saying I (Burkhard Herbote) was an expert for unknown exotic tourism destinations.