Becoming the driver of Innovation in the Travel and Tourism Industry
DUBAI: The first edition of the Travel Tech ME Congress concluded today at Marriot Al Jaddaf in Dubai, UAE. The event gathered 100 technology experts, travel agents, airline operators and airport officials to provide a forum of exchange on the current technologies in tourism.
Organised by Verve Management, the two-day congress started yesterday with Diego Lofeudo, Director of Business Unit, Corporate, Yas Marina Circuit, UAE who made the official welcome address.
Conference Chairman, Albert Fernando, COO, Travelwings opened day two of Travel Tech ME Congress, where he said, “A great initiative for Verve Management, that has helped tourism stakeholders better understand and share future trends in travel technology. The industry looks forward to the congress next year, bringing in even more experts in travel technology.”
Mr. Diego Lofeudo, Director of Business Unit, Corporate, Yas Marina Circuit said, “Technology is the top subject in everyone´s agenda in our region. From well established brands and businesses, to international companies making a strong entry to startups and VC´s. Travel industry professionals need access to information, latest trends and best practices in order to catalyze the relevant changes to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business. Travel Tech ME has been the perfect place to network, debate, learn and share.”
The congress speakers and panelists included: Albert Dias, Co-founder & CTO, Musafir
Albert Fernando, COO, Travelwings, Geet Bhalla, Co-Founder, CEO, HolidayME, Hadi Al Alawi, CEO, Al Hayat Group, Juan Iván Martín, Head of Innovation, FDS, IATA, Kumud Sengupta, Director, Market Vision Research & Consulting Services, Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA & India, WEGO, Sami Eltamawy, Co-founder & CTO, Insydo, Vineet Budki, CEO, Co-founder, Guiddoo.
Several presentations over two days shed light on the latest innovations happening across the world in terms of travel and tourism.
Albert Dias, Co-founder & CTO, Musafir discussed the importance of sub-second search speed and its effect on a travelers’ decision-making process.
Juan Iván Martín, Head of Innovation, FDS, from IATA discussed travel blockchain, the introduction of the IATA coin as payment methods and how hackathons such as the IATA-NDC Hackathon-2016 in Dubai have helped the airline industry as well as the hotel and travel industries by introducing innovative ideas, and applications that have been implemented and increased revenue in the travel and tourism industry in the region.
From blockchain, IATA coins being implemented, disruption, the importance of sub-second search speed, web technologies challenging today’s relevance and the future existence of mobile apps.
The two-day conference was concluded with a panel discussion of the lessons learned and the way forward, on the evolution in the hotel distribution system.
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© Press Release 2017
