First early indicators had already created a positive outlook within the RDA weeks before the start of the exhibition. These predicted a noticeable increase in participants for the 50th anniversary edition compared to the previous year. Indeed, around 1,700 trade visitor tickets were registered at the exhibition admission, an increase of more than 6% compared to the previous year. In addition to that, trade visitors used the MatchMaking tool to request around 1,200 appointments with exhibitors, which corresponds to a threefold increase in the number of matches made compared to 2024.
With 340 exhibitors from 27 countries, the size of the exhibition matched the previous year's figures in terms of space, despite extensive public sector cost-cutting measures for the tourism sector. With 55 new exhibitors (+34%), a new post-corona pandemic high was reached, resulting from the growing economic importance of international coach and group tourism.
The opening ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of the exhibition and the importance of the RDA Expo for the coach and group tourism industry. Cologne's Mayor Andreas Wolter (Alliance 90/The Greens) described coach and group tourism as a ‘central component of tourism life’ in the cathedral city and thanked the RDA for its more than 40 years of loyalty to Cologne as exhibition venue. Koelncongress Managing Director Ralf Nüsser thanked the RDA for the loyal and successful cooperation and outlined the new possibilities of Hall 1 from 2026.
Renata Vincek, project manager at the Kvarner Region Tourist Board, promoted the partner region as an attractive coach and group tourism destination on the Adriatic Sea in view of its rich cultural heritage and culinary diversity. Romeo Draghicchio, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board in Frankfurt, aroused curiosity about Croatia's green regions, whose tourism potential is still largely undiscovered. RDA President Esser concluded by expressing his gratitude for the exemplary cooperation with the Kvarner region and Croatia and introduced South Bohemia as the partner region of the upcoming RDA Group Travel Expo 2026.
The RDA TrendForum started with a tour of the Kvarner Bay. David Danijel, who lives in Opatija and has worked there as a tour guide for 17 years, gave a tour of his home region and presented Kvarner as a recognised climatic health resort with proven health benefits. The region's culinary offerings, which are appreciated by gourmets, were recently honoured with the title “European Region of Gastronomy 2026”. Finally, Romeo Draghicchio reported on fascinating routes through Croatia that lead beyond the tourist hotspots to unspoilt nature and unique sights.
Tourismus NRW set a refreshing accent at the RDA TrendForum with a thematic triad of nature, culture and city life. Patrick Krian, Head of Marketing at IGA 2027, presented the coach tourism concept for the upcoming International Garden Exhibition in the Ruhr region. Julia Bauer, Team lead at Tourismus NRW, drew attention to magnificent palaces and historic castles in the cultural travel destination of NRW and Rainer Suhr, Head of Tourism at OWT, surprised the audience with the ‘New Centre of Oberhausen’.
In the association part of the RDA TrendForum, RDA tax consultant Sören Münch spoke about final accounts and new developments regarding margin tax, while RDA lawyer Marie Vandersanden gave a legal assessment of the Federal Court of Justice's greenwashing judgement and provided recommendations for coach tour operators. Roman Müller-Böhm, former member of the German Bundestag and political advisor to the RDA, looked at the political environment after the general election from a tourism perspective. Alexander Mirschel, Partner at Realising Progress, presented AI solutions for customer acquisition and management in coach tourism.
As in previous years, the RDA Expo Night was held in Cologne's Rheinterrassen on the first evening of the exhibition. More than 770 guests, around 7% more than last year, celebrated until the early hours of the morning with a view of the cathedral. The entertaining retrospective of the 50-year history of the RDA Expo delighted the audience. Five companions from the last five decades from 1975 to 2024 (Bernhard Conin, Ralf Nüsser, Meinhold Hafermann, Manfred Schürmann and Heinrich Marti) recalled the eventful history of the RDA Expo with amusing stories and tales - from the beginnings in Grafenau in 1975, the years in Munich from 1981 to 1984 and the beginning of the success story at the exhibition centre in Cologne from 1985 to the present day. In conclusion, Bernd Petelkau, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Koelncongress GmbH and Chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the Cologne City Council, emphasised the special significance of the RDA Expo for Koelnmesse and the city of Cologne.
The RDA Group Travel Expo 2026 will take place on April 28th + 29th, 2026 in the new Hall 1 of Koelnmesse, partner region will be South Bohemia.