ITB Berlin 2019 is almost here, and we are super excited to be part of one of the world’s leading travel and hospitality trade shows. Last year, we saw some impressive superlatives at the event – the biggest of brands, the most popular influencers of the industry and the industry’s best panelists. We look forward to something just as powerful this year, too!
If you haven’t checked out this event, here’s where you’ll find all the details.
The event acts as a great platform for anyone in the travel and hospitality space, to interact with their peers from across the globe. ITB also gathers speakers from around the world to address topics that provide a global scope for discussion. They touch upon some of the most relevant topics, so the industry does not only gain insights on what is what, but can also discuss these insights with the community. This year’s lineup of speakers is as impressive as it is comprehensive. We handpicked five topics and speakers that we most look forward to.
1. PATRICK HADE
Mapify: Turning Instagram Into Bookable Travel
Patrick Hade is the co-founder and CEO of Mapify, a Berlin-based establishment that serves as a social travel network that allows people to visualize, find and plan their travels better. At this year’s ITB Berlin, Hade will discuss the role that Instagram plays in bringing more bookings to hotels. Today, a vast majority of bookings happen via mobile devices. Plus, the role of social media in influencing a traveler’s buying decisions is also widely known and accepted. This makes it all the more compelling that social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook will dictate the future of travel and reservation.
2. ALEXANDER EDSTROM
Revenue Management 2019
The CEO of Atomize, one of the world’s leading Revenue Management Systems, Alexander Edstrom will be speaking on a topic that can and will never get old, stale or irrelevant in the hospitality industry. Every few years, a disruption comes through and takes the industry over by storm. Is 2019 going to be one such year? Or will we see some already existing technologies and approaches get more streamlined and efficient? We’ll find out from Edstrom at the ITB Berlin 2019.
Here’s a glimpse of one of our latest blogs wherein we’ve discussed what revenue management trends we can expect to see in 2019.
3. CHRIS SILCOCK
Man Vs. Machine?! The Future Of Hospitality And Tourism In Times Of Artificial Intelligence
Over the last 20 years, Chris Silcock has served various roles with the Hilton Group. For someone of that pedigree to delve into a topic like “The Future of Hospitality and Tourism in Times of AI”, attending it will be an absolute must. Considering how Artificial Intelligence has, over the years, creeped into every aspect of hotel management, we can only wait to see how Silcock, in all his expertise, addresses this topic. With technology evolving by the minute, it would indeed be refreshing to take a leap into the future. We are thrilled to see how this ‘Man vs. Machine’ discussion goes.
If you have been following us, we had in the past spoken about how Artificial Intelligence has been a true game changer for the hotel industry. Take a look and find out for yourself just how rapidly technology is evolving!
4. ERIK TENGEN
Rewarding Upselling For Hotels
Erik Tengen is the Co-founder of Oaky, an automated and personalized upselling platform for accommodation solutions. Tangen comes with vast experience in the hotel-tech space, making him an ideal choice for a keynote speaker at an event of this scale. Upselling has always been a key contributor to hotel revenues. But with changing times, we also have to adapt to newer ways of upselling to the new-age customer.
We find this topic highly relevant! Our recently released eBook has everything related to cloud PMSs and how they help upsell better.
5. KRISTIAN VALK
The Quest for More Direct Bookings – Why Are Your Guests Lost In The Customer Journey?
Hotelchamp’s Founder & CEO Kristian Valk will address the issue of how guests tend to get lost in their journey that are not designed efficiently. Direct booking strategies can be much more successful when they are backed by a solid customer journey map that considers every single touchpoint. We really look forward to this talk as it can show the hotel industry the power of journey maps and how it can positively impact not just direct bookings but every goal of yours as a hotelier.
Speaker Source: ITB Berlin Official Website