Students compete in Dida-backed travel innovation challenge

Elite teams from leading UK universities are participating in a future of travel innovation challenge backed by Dida.

The ‘AI-first’ travel technology group is offering winners with cash prizes and an all expenses paid insight week at Dida’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, China.

The challenge is designed to empower UK university students to reimagine the future of global travel through creativity, innovation and technology.

The universities are competing to develop solutions that "address frontiers" in travel technology.

Those involved include the London School of Economics, University College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Warwick and University of Manchester.

The finals will take place on November 1 at the Shangri-La Hotel, London, where the top nine finalist teams will pitch their breakthrough concepts to a panel of judges from Dida’s global executive leadership team.

Dida group chief executive Daryl Lee said: “The future of travel belongs to those who can combine technology, creativity, and human insight. 

"Through this challenge, we’re giving students the opportunity to experience how global travel is being transformed from the inside out - not just through AI, but through the ideas and imagination of the next generation. 

“Dida has always been driven by innovation, and this initiative reflects our commitment to nurturing the brightest young minds who will define the next era of travel tech.”