A Glass Roof... That’s So Berlin
Berlin is a vibe.
It’s a city where modern glass buildings rise beside old stone and history isn’t hidden, it’s acknowledged. You feel that mindset everywhere.
Even in the roof.
At Germany’s parliament building, the Reichstag, a massive glass dome sits above the chamber where lawmakers debate and govern. Visitors walk a spiral ramp inside and can literally look down into the room where decisions are made.
The message is simple: leadership should operate in the open.
Last week I was in Berlin for ITB, the largest gathering of the global tourism industry. Every March, destinations from around the world come together to improve how we tell the story of our places and invite the world to experience them.
But this year there was a different tone. News of the attack involving Iran broke while we were there, and you could feel the shift in conversations across the halls. Moments like that remind you how connected tourism is to the broader world.
People travel because they’re curious about the world. But they travel when the world feels stable enough to explore. When the world feels uncertain, travel feels it quickly, and we have to respond just as fast.
Ted’s Top 5 Things He Learned:
Berlin is 9 times bigger than Paris with over 170 museums.
If someone at dinner toasts, “There are two things I can’t stand in this world. People who are intolerant of other cultures, and... the Irish”, it’s still funny.
The City motto is “Berlin lets you be whoever you want to be.” Which is awesome and true but be prepared.
At a 10 course dinner stop asking “What is this?” because you don’t want to know, you won’t remember and who cares.
The ITB Conference is now 60 years old and keeps improving.
A week in Berlin reinforced for me that tourism leadership carries real responsibility. Destinations must balance residents, visitors, and businesses in a way that builds trust and long-term health for communities. And that only works when decisions are made transparently.
Standing under that glass dome, I knew that tourism should operate the same way. Open, accountable and visible to the communities we serve.
Because trust, like that glass roof, is the foundation everything else rests on. That’s so Berlin
Trip Quote:
“So I’m in this East Berlin speakeasy that’s Star Wars themed, and in walks 3 people dressed as Ewoks and a guy who’s a Pharoh.”- me
“Sully, I’ve heard this joke before.”- my friend.
“Joke?... This was early this morning!”- me
