Travel Technology at ITB Berlin 2013 is booked up – focus on Mobile Travel und Social Media innovations and developments – workshops and discussions at the eTravel World with first-hand industry information
Travel Technology has become one of the most stable and dynamic exhibitor segments at ITB Berlin 2013. The halls have been booked up for months. In March more than 150 companies from 25 countries are again exhibiting premium IT-related services and product innovations for back and front offices in the travel industry as well as hotel software solutions and hotel booking portals. Exhibitors representing social media networks and mobile and analysis services will be attending in large numbers. The focus is also on wider technology trends such as big data, real-time analysis, cloud computing, data security, privacy protection and innovative solutions for marketing products in the Web 2.0 environment.
Around 90 per cent of the companies at Travel Technology are regulars to the show. Nearly all of the exhibitors in Hall 6.1 at last year’s event have registered to take part again. As in 2012, hotel booking portals and software providers are strongly represented in Halls 8.1, 9 and 10.1. By contrast, there are many newcomers on the stands in the eTravel World. With 27 exhibitors, 17 of whom are new, the Social Mobile Trends Forum in Hall 7.1.c represents a small but highly innovative part of Travel Technology. Regulars include Review Pro and Reevoo as well as Customer Alliance, who for the first time are presenting hotel rating management and analysis tools. Adcloud and apprupt, who are newcomers to ITB Berlin, are showcasing solutions for controlling, monitoring and optimising mobile advertising. Verchaska from Bombay promotes social travel via a networking platform that enables travellers and groups to link up during the planning phase of their trip. The digital media guides of xpedeo provide visitors with a multimedia tool for exploring exhibitions, cities and tourist attractions. iRiS Valet’s mobile applications help hotel guests to navigate hotels with greater ease and make use of the services they offer. The Virtual Market Place of ITB Berlin has information on all the exhibitors at eTravel World and Travel Technology at: http://www.virtualmarket.itb-berlin.com.
Travel Technology in the convention programme: highlights
One of the key topics at ITB Berlin 2013 is how, after much experimenting on the social web and with mobile apps, tour operators can capitalise on technological innovations. How will the transition from pilot phase to growth work out? After investing so much, how can one benefit long-term from social-mobile technology?
The supporting programme of the eTravel World (Hall 7.1.c from 6 to 9 March) with more than 50 papers and workshops presented on two stages provides numerous answers to these questions. Topic headings at the many forums include Social Travel Solutions, Marketing in the App Economy, Mobile Destination Marketing News, Customer Journey Management, Near Field Communication (NFC) and Crowd Investing in the Hotel Trade. Visitors unable to attend the convention during the week are welcome to listen in on the Social Media seminars of the DRV and a story-telling workshop on the Saturday of the show.
”To pivot, or not to pivot, that is the question“ is the title of the PhoCusWright@ITB event in Hall 7.3, Room Europa on 6 March. At this international industry forum tourism experts from this international market research institute and senior travel industry executives will discuss whether it is enough to adjust business models by incorporating travel technology, or whether tour operators must reshape their strategies to satisfy customers’ real-life needs.
The ITB Berlin Convention has all the details of the workshops and papers at the Travel World at: www.itb-convention.com/program.
