The ITB Berlin, a travel value chain event rallying stakeholders from around the world to a global platform on the latest on travel offering, has rolled out highlights for the 2024 edition.
The three days Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), which will run from March 5 to 7 at the ITB Berlin Convention Centre in Berlin, Germany will focus on the etravel stage.
The etravel stage will avail attendees the opportunity to learn from travel tech experts drawn from different value chain of the industry to share their experiences at the MICE show.
The eTravel Stage at the ITB Berlin Convention is a think tank and ideas factory all in one. On all three days of the show, it will be the platform for outstanding keynote speeches, impressive pitches and informative panel discussions on travel technology.
On Tuesday, 5 March 11.15 a.m.
’Beyond the Buzz – What are the Key Technology Trends Shaping Travel” – moderator Lea Jordan (co-founder of techtalk travel and member of the ITB Board of Experts) talks to Mirja Sickel (VP Hospitality Distribution at Amadeus) and Andy Washington (general manager, EMEA at the Trip.com Group) about travel technology trends – what is simply hype and what can really be achieved?
On the same day by 2.30 p.m, a panel discussion entitled ’Hotel Technology Trends (or Hypes?) – Cutting the Noise, the moderator Lea Jordan will take on Kevin King (CEO, Shiji International), XinXin Liu (president of H World Group) and other industry visionaries to offer an insight into important hospitality industry trends. Hotel managers can find out how to navigate the complex world of hotel technology and successfully master the digital transformation.
Day one of eTravel Stage events at the convention is sponsored by Global Travel Tech. The company is also hosting a hotly awaited panel with its partners Skyscanner, Amadeus, Expedia Group and Booking.com.
On day two, Wednesday morning, March 6, the focus is initially on the Technology, Tours & Activities theme track. Events include a keynote speech by Schubert Lou (COO, trip.com), who will highlight Chinese travellers’ preferences for international tours and activities. In addition, ’Outlook for Experiences’ features the latest research findings of the tech platform Arival, and discussions with leading industry players, including Nishank Gopalkrishnan, (CCO, TUI Musement) and Kristin Dorsett (CPO, Viator).
Charlotte Lamp Davies (founder of the consultancy A Bright Approach): “The Technology, Tours & Activities theme track at ITB Berlin 2024 promises a morning full of fascinating insights and outstanding contributions by opinion-formers and major players.“
Also, on the afternoon of March 6, the new AI theme track features an interview with Dr. Patrick Andrae (CEO, Home To Go): ’How AI is reshaping travel searches and bookings’. Home To Go was quick to recognise the advantages of AI and has incorporated it in its complex technology for comparing prices and bookings. While customers can only see a smart chatbot, Dr. Patrick Andrae takes viewers on a tour of AI-driven technology at his company.
The last day, Thursday, March, 7 at 10.30 a.m. where Charlie Li, CEO, TravelDaily China, will moderate the panel entitled ‘Taking Notes – Lessons from Asia’s Digital Frontier’, where leading players in the Chinese travel market share their views and observations with Vivian Zhou (vice president, Jin Jiang International) and Bai Zhiwei (CMO, Tongcheng Travel) as well as other guests.
Also another session will feature ’camping goes digital’ – in his keynote speech Michael Frischkorn (CPO & CTO, PiNCAMP) talks about the status quo and future of the camping market.
In the afternoon of the day, the new digital destination theme track specifically targets destinations in German-speaking countries. Alexa Brandau, head of Media management and Richard Hunkel, head of Open Data & Digital Projects at the German National Tourism Board (DZT), offer an insight into the Open Data project. The discussion also focuses on innovations that inspire this technology. The winners of the DZT Thin(gk)athon present their solution: an AI-based method for collecting information from open data records.
To wrap off the 2024 edition at 4.15 p.m of the last day at ITB Berlin will be the understanding guests: from guest card to digital wallet’ – in his keynote speech Reinhard Lanner (strategy adviser, Travel & Hospitality, Workersonthefield), explains how efficient data management works for a perfect personalised approach to guests.
