German travel buyer association VDR is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and will kick off celebrations at the ITB trade show in Berlin in March.

Founded in March 1974, the association has grown steadily over the years to more than 600 member companies.

VDR president Christoph Carnier said in a New Year message on the association’s website that its success and longevity was down to adapting to the changing world around them: “Global, dynamic, digital and sustainable – these are not just keywords, but terms that have become indispensable in business mobility,” Carnier wrote.

He also said that climate-neutral travel would be a “high priority” in the association’s work in the coming year, as well as being mindful of other influences on the industry, such as new technology and artificial intelligence.

Carnier said VDR’s 50th anniversary celebrations will begin at ITB in Berlin on
5-7 March and will be followed by an official celebration of the half
century this June in Frankfurt.

Last year VDR successfully lobbied the German government to abolish the requirement for domestic hotel guests to fill in a registration form. The association had been calling for the forms, which require guests to provide personal details at check-in, to be axed for a “long time”.

Meanwhile, in October last year, long-time VDR managing director Hans-Ingo Biehl retired after more than 20 years in the top job. Biehl handed over the baton to his successor Jens Schleichmann, who has been part of the VDR team since July 2023.