· Event to showcase next-gen industry innovations
as part of Middle East’s largest gathering of hospitality professionals
· Conference will connect buyers and suppliers
from around the world, enabling delegates to take advantage of latest industry
tools
· Building on success of London edition, the
Middle East’s first Travel Forward event forms part of Arabian Travel Week 2020
Travel, tourism and hospitality professionals
from around the world will have an opportunity to explore the next generation
of industry innovations at the Middle East’s first ever edition of Travel Forward,
which will take place alongside Arabian Travel Market (ATM)
2020.
The travel and hospitality innovation event will
connect buyers and suppliers from across the Middle East and beyond, enabling delegates
to try out the latest industry tools and take advantage of technologies that
could boost efficiency and improve the customer experience.
The event will cover the full spectrum of
industry tools, from emerging innovations such as augmented reality (AR),
virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and machine
learning, to existing systems such as booking engines, business management software
and end-user technology.
Danielle
Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian
Travel Market, said: “In today’s ultra-competitive travel, tourism and
hospitality markets, the effective implementation of innovative technologies is
essential to the long-term success of any business. By identifying the right
tools to meet their needs, industry professionals can give themselves a
competitive edge.
“That is why events
such as Travel
Forward are so important to our
sector’s future. By bringing together buyers and suppliers, and facilitating
face-to-face interactions, the show will make it easier for participants to identify
and test innovative technologies and applications that could help to achieve
their long-term goals.”
Travel Forward will form part of next year’s Arabian Travel
Week, an umbrella brand comprising several co-located shows including
Arabian Travel Market 2020; ATM Holiday Shopper; CONNECT Middle
East, India and Africa; and ILTM Arabia.
The original edition of Travel Forward was
launched during World Travel Market 2018 in London. Based on the success of the
event to date, organiser Reed Travel Exhibitions rolled out a Latin America
edition earlier this year, and plans to introduce both Middle East and South
Africa editions in 2020.
Richard Gayle, Event
Manager, Travel Forward at WTM London, said: “The London edition of Travel
Forward has attracted widespread industry interest since its launch in 2018. The
event not only allows technology suppliers to showcase their products and
services to buyers on a one-to-one basis, but also enables travel, tourism and
hospitality professionals to get hands-on experience with technologies that
could transform their operations.
“The Middle East edition of the show will
enable industry players from across the Gulf to engage with the latest
innovations by bringing these technologies to their doorstep.”
Delegates at the Middle East event will have
access to high-profile keynote speakers and a world-class line-up of technology
experts, and the event’s organiser plans to limit the number of exhibitors so
that suppliers and buyers can be more effectively aligned.
Travel Forward will include a dedicated product
theatre, enabling exhibitors to conduct live demonstrations for attendees. The
event will also feature ‘Pitch It – Prove It’ start-up challenge, in which
suppliers will not only explain the theory behind their innovations but also
demonstrate their advantages in real time.
The standalone event will build on the success
of ATM 2019’s theme, cutting-edge technology and innovation, which has been
integrated across all show verticals and activities, including its focused
seminar sessions.
For more information
about ATM 2019, visit: https://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com.
To find out more
about Travel Forward, visit: https://travelforward.wtm.com.
