Thursday, August 29, 2024 World Travel Market London is dedicating this year’s Technology Track sessions to tackling the persistent challenges that travelers face when searching, shopping, booking, and paying for their trips. Technology-focused sessions will be spread across the event’s three days, with the Technology Summit scheduled for the opening day, Tuesday, November 5, from 10:00 a.m.
to 1:15 p.m., on the Purple Stage.
These sessions are curated by WTM’s newly appointed technology advisor, Timothy O’Neil-Dunne, who is also the principal at T2Impact, a firm specializing in aviation, travel, and leisure analysis and consulting. One of the highlights will be a fireside chat with Alfonso Paredes, President of Expedia Group’s Private Label Solutions business. Paredes oversees the B2B aspect of the business, enabling companies to sell travel by leveraging Expedia Group’s technology and supply.
Paredes will lead a session focused on the significance of the customer’s digital experience, sharing his insights into user challenges and the future convergence of AI and loyalty programs. The program also includes quick-fire sessions exploring the unique dynamics of customer experiences by region and industry vertical. These sessions will conclude with a panel discussion promising an unfiltered debate on the industry’s effectiveness in engaging with travelers.
Additionally, the Tech Track will feature a startup competition, set to take place on Tuesday afternoon. O’Neil-Dunne said: “I’m delighted that WTM London has given me the opportunity to try something different, and we’ve decided to tackle head-on one of my industry bug-bears: despite all this tech, why do sellers and suppliers make it so difficult for the traveller to find what they want, to buy our products and to experience what we offer. “I will be addressing the ‘apocalyptic inefficiency’, as I see it, across the industry and explore the tech we need to tackle this.
I’m assembling panellists and speakers from established and emerging travel companies, not all of whom will agree with me, or each other. It’s shaping up to be interesting, interactive and informative.” WTM London 2024 will be held at ExCeL London from November 5th to 7th.
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