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Special Report: Travolution European Summit preview

The expected impact on travel of emerging technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence will be put under the spotlight at this month’s Travolution European Summit.

Travel Weekly’s sister title for the digital travel sector will host its annual conference at a new venue this year: The Brewery, near the Barbican in central London.

Around 350 delegates are expected to attend the summit on September 26 to hear presentations by senior executives from three of the world’s biggest travel corporations: Expedia, IAG and Carnival Corporation. They will talk about the importance of innovation, partnerships and new technology in their businesses and the wider travel sector.

Panel sessions will turn the focus on the practical applications of new technologies, with speakers from Thomas Cook, IBM and blockchain start-up Travel Ledger, among others.

Offstage, headline sponsor Amadeus, the leading European GDS and technology developer, will be showcasing some of its latest systems.

Travolution editor Lee Hayhurst said: “There is so much happening in the world of technology and the digital economy that there is always huge value in coming together as a sector to debate the challenges, discuss the possibilities and be inspired by some of the leaders in their various fields. This year’s summit provides just such an opportunity.”

Secure your place at: travolutionsummit.co.uk

Key sessions at summit

Innovating through growth: Using blockchain to optimise processes and transactions in travel

Blockchain, the emerging distributed ledger technology, remains unproven. This session will hear from experts who will shed light on the technology’s likely applications in travel and what travel firms can expect.

Speakers:

• Alexandra Limerick, head of international solutions, Wex
• Khalid Ladha, director strategic alliances, BlockX Labs
• Roberto De Re, founder, Travel Ledger

Artificial intelligence in travel: The art of the possible

What do the new industry buzzwords – AI, machine learning, internet of everything, chatbots, cryptocurrency – mean for travel businesses? A panel of experts will share their views on how travel businesses can turn the buzzwords of the day into actionable next steps.

Speakers:

• Sharon Moore, technical leader for travel and transportation, IBM
• Sara Pavan, head of innovation partnership program, Amadeus Explore

Secure your place at: travolutionsummit.co.uk

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