Expanded eTravel World sets its sights on the future

International pitching event for startups – discussion rounds with experts on chatbots, virtual reality and millennials – the eTravel World is booked up and for the first time occupies two halls

The eTravel World at ITB Berlin is booked up. For the first time it will occupy two halls, with more than 70 exhibitors displaying their innovative products and services. In Halls 6.1 and 7.1c visitors can find established companies as well as newcomers, which include Aldebaran, Betterspace, Conichi, Dayuse, eNett, Igola, Paymentwall, Traveltripper and Wanup. For the first time startups will be able to take part in an international pitching event (www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?pageTitle=ITB+Startup+Pitch+Powered+By+Phocuswright&eventDateId=443804) powered by Phocuswright. On 10 March at 11.30 a.m. startups from Europe, Asia and the US will present their ideas to a panel of leading experts and can also introduce themselves to an audience of international professionals. The winner can take part in Phocuswright Europe, a leading conference event in Amsterdam.

Hall 6.1 features the new eTravel Showroom, where on Wednesday, 8 and Thursday, 9 March 2017 trade visitors can find out about exhibitors' latest product innovations at some 20 sessions.

Trade visitors in search of innovative ideas and the latest developments in chatbots, virtual reality and digital marketing can find out more at various discussions and lectures. Thus on 8 March at 3 p.m., together with experts from Skyscanner, KAYAK and Icelandair, Timothy O`Neill-Dunne, co-founder of Expedia, Tnooz, Airblackbox, will explore the future of customer communications using chatbots (www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?pageTitle=Panel%3A+Chatbots%2C+AI+And+Machine+Learning+In+Customer+Interaction&eventDateId=442937). Afterwards, at the Vacation Rental Panel (www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?pageTitle=Panel%3A+Technology+%26+Vacation+Rentals%3A+A+Changing+Landscape&eventDateId=442983) on the Travel Stage, senior vice president Pete Comeau of Phocuswright and representatives of Rentals United, HomeAway and Tripping.com will discuss the latest developments in the European vacation rental market. In his keynote speech on 9 March at 10.30 a.m. the entrepreneur Uwe Frers will tell startups "You don't have a chance, so make the most of it!" (www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?pageTitle=Travel+Start-Ups%3A+You+Don%E2%80%99t+Have+A+Chance+-+But+Try+To+Take+The+Opportunity&eventDateId=443968). He will explain successful concepts to date, which ideas could succeed in the future and what conditions startups and the travel industry must satisfy in order to be successful.

Millennials, a much talked about target group, will be discussed at several events. As conventional marketing and media channels can barely reach this group the tourism industry must employ other methods. On 8 March at theTravel Lab Dr. Irfan Ahmed, managing director and founder of Irhal.com, will explain how to reach the market for halal tourism dominated by millennials, which is worth 140 billion dollars (http://www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?pageTitle=How+To+Reach+The+Millennial+Dominated+%24140+Billion+Halal+Tourism+Market&eventDateId=443893). On 9 March at the eTravel Lab Clement Wong, managing director of BeMyGuest, will present a case study on interdisciplinary influencer marketing (www.itb-convention.com/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?eventDateId=442864&pageTitle=Influencer+Marketing+In+Asia) in Asia as part of a "conversion funnel" for tours and activities which specifically targets the millennial tourism market.

Arnaud Masson, COO Europe of the rail tour operator Voyages-sncf.com, will explain clever ways of incorporating virtual reality and voice command technology into tourism products. On 10 March at 1 p.m. on the eTravel Stage, under the heading of smart tourism (www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/Search/EventDetail.jsp?eventDateId=435279&pageTitle=Smart+Tourism%3A+Knowing+What+Customers+Want+Before+They+Do), he will talk about possibilities for predicting consumer demand and behaviour and for recognising trends.

The support of the Platinum Sponsor eNett has made it possible to expand the eTravel World. In addition to the Traffics Lounge in Hall 6.1 it now features an eTravel Lounge sponsored by eNett in Hall 7.1c where visitors can meet and network. Other sponsors and partners include Airhelp, berner + becker Revenue Management, Criteo, Deutscher ReiseVerband (DRV), Faktor3, iAmbassador, Leonardo.com, mylike, Nexpics, Phocuswright, Rateboard, Reputize, Transperfect, Traffics, Traveldudes, Travelmassive, Travelpaq and Vamoos.

You can more information about the eTravel World at http://www.itb-berlin.de/en/ITBBerlin/DestinationsSegments/ETravelWorld/.

Media Contact

Emanuel Höger

Press Spokesman and Press and Public Relations Director, Corporate Communication - Messe Berlin Group [email protected] +49 30 3038-2270