Key themes
5
Preliminary Programme
Travel Recharted
Transforming industry shifts into concrete and lasting impact
The travel industry is undergoing a profound transformation. Artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, new distribution models, evolving traveller expectations and the transformation of the TravelTech ecosystem are reshaping the balance of power across the industry.
But beyond trends and experimentation, a new question emerges: how can these transformations be turned into concrete opportunities and lasting impact?
For its new edition, the Travolution European Summit brings together Europe’s leading TravelTech decision-makers in Paris to move beyond future predictions and explore the decisions, collaborations and solutions that will shape the future of leisure and corporate travel.
Preliminary Programme
08:30Morning
09:30Morning
Between promise and progress: Keeping Europe's finger on the pulse
In this opening keynote, we will take the pulse of the global travel landscape, exploring the technologies, trends and market forces reshaping the European industry today. From generative AI and data-driven decision-making to cloud transformation, operational resilience and the next generation of customer experiences, the session will separate promise from progress and highlight where the greatest opportunities for innovation lie. Setting the stage for the conference, this keynote will provide delegates with a clear-eyed view of the industry's current trajectory, the challenges that remain, and the strategic priorities that will shape travel's next chapter.
StageMain Stage
09:50Morning
Navigating success: Rewriting what defines this
Success in travel has never been static. Growth, market share and bookings remain important, but in an industry being reshaped by AI, changing consumer expectations and evolving business models, the metrics that matter are changing. Today's leaders must balance innovation with profitability, customer value with operational excellence, and long-term resilience with the pace of transformation. To get to this level of success it takes work and is never easy, join us for this exclusive fireside chat where this leader will share their perspective on what success looks like for one of Europe's largest travel businesses as the industry enters its next chapter. From embracing technology and navigating disruption to building customer trust, fostering innovation and creating sustainable growth, the conversation will explore the leadership decisions that separate businesses that react to change from those that shape it.
Golan Shakéd (Expedia Group)
Vice President, Hotel Market Partnerships and Air
StageMain Stage
10:05Morning
Travolution Innovation Report 2026: Digging deeper on the trends that have shaped the past 12 months
Our annual innovation report never fails to deliver insightful learnings and data on the travel industry's spend within the UK but this year we have expanded to take stock of Europe and how that market is faring - where is the biggest investment happening? Where are the necessary advancements needed to progress? What else is tracking when it comes to spend? Are we the most profitable we've ever been with traveller spend reaching all new highs?
Paola Putzolu (Mastercard)
Director Business Development
StageMain Stage
10:35Morning
The new compass: Finding direction in an industry being rewritten
In this exclusive fireside chat, this CEO shares his perspective on leading through a period of unprecedented change. From the rise of AI-native hospitality and the evolution of the guest journey to modernising legacy technology and building businesses that are fit for the future, this conversation will explore how innovation is reshaping one of travel's most dynamic sectors. Known as a visionary when all were stepping away from this space, this chat will talk opportunities, challenges and leadership lessons as well as their own journey leading an emerging brand that come with navigating an industry being rewritten and what it will take to stay ahead when the only constant is change.
Boris Raoul (DERTOUR Germany & DERTOUR Group)
CEO & Chief Technology Officer
StageMain Stage
10:50Morning
11:20Morning
Recharting the OTA: The new rules of distribution
As intelligent agents evolve from assistants into decision-makers, the rules of travel are being rewritten. From discovering destinations and comparing prices to building itineraries, managing disruptions and making bookings, AI is poised to transform not only the traveller experience but the very foundations of travel distribution, loyalty and customer relationships.
Damien Pfirsch (Agoda)
Chief Commercial Officer
Katherine Clark (KAYAK)
General Manager & Vice President, EMEA & LATAM
StageMain Stage
11:50Morning
Keynote Session
12:05Morning
Awards Ceremony
StageMain Stage
12:20Midday
13:45Afternoon
Recharting intelligence: When AI starts travelling for us
From AI-powered discovery and autonomous booking to hyper-personalisation, loyalty and the future of distribution, this discussion will examine where the biggest opportunities lie, and which businesses are best positioned to thrive when AI doesn't just help us travel, but starts travelling for us.
Ellen Madeker (Airbnb)
Director of Policy Strategy EMEA
Charles Arundel (Tui Musement)
VP Product
StageMain Stage
14:15Afternoon
Recharting travel: Where does the next big leap of faith come from?
The travel industry has never been short of ambition, but true transformation demands more than incremental innovation. As new technologies redefine how people discover, book and experience travel, where will the industry's next breakthrough come from? This thought-provoking panel brings together some of travel's most influential leaders to explore the ideas, technologies and business models with the greatest potential to redefine the industry. The discussion will examine where companies should be placing their biggest bets and where they're risking being left behind Expect bold predictions, honest debate and practical insights into what it will take to shape the next era of travel - where is the next billion Euro idea coming from?
Martin Reichenbach (Mews)
Senior Director of Market Development EMEA
Erika De Santi (WeRoad)
Co-founder and Chief Experience Officer
Javier Cabrerizo (HBX Group)
Chief Strategy, Transformation and AI Officer
14:45Afternoon
The next generation of visionaries
This session will see Google chart the next the stage of visions for the industry including challenges and opportunities for the industry, depict how it predicts is best to navigate these changes and define who will be the best at accommodating these visions, becoming a visionary in their own right.
Toby Lyons (Google)
Industry Manager
StageMain Stage
15:00Afternoon
Recharting AI: Personalisation that wins
This interactive workshop explores how AI is moving personalisation beyond simple recommendations to create smarter, more connected customer journeys. From predicting traveller intent and delivering dynamic offers to tailoring content, communications and experiences in real time, delegates will discover how leading travel brands are using AI to build stronger relationships, increase conversion and drive long-term loyalty.
StageLab Room
Recharting payments: Where are the biggest gains? By Sunrate
This interactive workshop explores where the biggest gains can be made across the payments ecosystem. From improving conversion and reducing fraud to accelerating supplier settlements, simplifying cross-border transactions and creating more personalised payment experiences, delegates will examine how closer collaboration between travel companies, banks and fintechs is transforming the industry's commercial landscape. Discover how the partnership between travel and banking is creating smarter, faster and more connected payment experiences and where the next competitive advantage will come from.
StageLab Room
15:30Afternoon
Recharting hospitality: Smarter stays beyond the room
This interactive workshop explores how the next generation of hospitality technology is transforming both the guest experience and hotel operations. From AI-powered personalisation and intelligent property management systems to automation, revenue optimisation and digital guest services, delegates will discover how leading hospitality brands are creating smarter stays that extend well beyond the room itself.
StageLab Room
Recharting loyalty: Surviving the AI era
A workshop exploring how travel businesses can rethink loyalty for a new generation of travellers. From hyper-personalisation and intelligent rewards to building trust, advocacy and lifetime value, delegates will examine what it will take to remain relevant when AI increasingly sits between brands and their customers.
StageLab Room
16:00Afternoon
Recharting scale: Building, buying or backing the next big idea
From scaling high-growth start-ups and attracting investment to navigating mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships, delegates will gain first-hand insight into what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into market-leading companies.
StageLab Room
Recharting payments: The strategic game changer by FLOA
This workshop explores how travel businesses can turn payments into a strategic asset rather than an operational necessity. Delegates will discover how innovative payment solutions can unlock new revenue opportunities, improve conversion, reduce costs and create smoother experiences for travellers and partners alike.
StageLab Room
16:30Afternoon
Recharting airline retailing: How to mature faster
From modernising legacy infrastructure and transforming distribution to building better offers, improving merchandising and creating more personalised customer experiences, delegates will examine where airlines are making progress and where barriers remain in this workshop.
StageLab Room
Upcoming Workshop
StageLab Room
17:00Evening
Travel Recharted:
Transforming industry shifts into concrete and lasting impact
Preliminary Programme Highlights
01
Recharting AI
What really works: moving from experimentation to impact
After the AI hype comes the reality check. Which use cases are truly creating value? How can organisations build reliable and actionable data foundations, establish the right governance and develop the necessary skills to move from experimentation to profitable deployment?
o Generative & Agentic AI in production: how to deploy, measure and iterate to create value
o Travel & AI in action: moving from experimentation to high-value use cases
o No AI without qualified data: building the foundations for successful transformation
o How are strategic alliances, emerging solutions and new technology partnerships transforming the way travel companies operate?
02
Recharting Distribution
The new distribution battle
Travel distribution is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Artificial intelligence, new acquisition channels and changing traveller behaviours are reshaping the rules of the game.
OTAs, suppliers, TMCs and emerging intermediaries: how can the industry build tomorrow’s distribution models while maintaining ownership of the customer relationship?
The future of distribution: reinventing customer relationships and capturing value
OTAs in the age of AI agents and direct booking: what comes next?
GEO, AEO and visibility in the age of AI: how to stay discoverable when AI answers (almost) everything?
AI agents in corporate travel: opportunity or threat?
Social commerce & influence-to-booking: can new channels such as Instagram and TikTok redefine travel distribution?
03
Recharting Customer Experience & Loyalty
The new era of traveller experience
Traveller expectations are changing profoundly. Personalisation, premiumisation, responsible travel, trust and seamless journeys are becoming the new drivers of differentiation and loyalty. How can TravelTech help travel companies adapt to these new behaviours and create more meaningful customer relationships?
The experience economy as a growth driver: integrating multiple services into a single travel offering
Seamless customer journeys: from inspiration to booking, what can travel learn from the best experience creators?
Loyalty Beyond Rewards: How Travel Brands Build Lasting Customer Relationships
From Product to Experience: Rethinking Offers, Pricing and Operations
The Connected Hospitality Era: Turning Technology into a Competitive Customer Advantage
04
Recharting Tomorrow’s Technologies
Beyond AI
While AI dominates the conversation, other less visible but equally transformative technologies are already reshaping the industry: payments, tokenisation, connectivity, new mobility solutions and data infrastructures.
Travel’s invisible infrastructure: data, connectivity and payments the foundations of TravelTech towards 2030
Building a more integrated, connected and sustainable mobility ecosystem
The EU Digital Identity Wallet: preparing for the future of seamless traveller experiences
NDC maturity & the next generation of airline connectivity
The travel payments revolution: tokenisation, BNPL, agent-to-agent payments and the booking-to-payment gap, where do we stand?
05
Recharting the European Ecosystem
Building tomorrow’s European TravelTech ecosystem
Startups, investors, global technology players, major travel companies and industry incumbents are redefining their strategies in a context of consolidation, strategic partnerships and regulatory transformation.
European TravelTech champions: ambitions for global leadership and digital sovereignty
Startups & investment: where is capital heading by 2030?
Cybersecurity, compliance, EU AI Act, ETIAS… navigating the next wave of European regulation: constraint or competitive advantage?
Contacts
Event enquiries: johanne.jean@eventiz.biz
Sponsorship enquiries: charles.vanhoutte@eventiz.biz
Conference enquiries: kate.harden-england@travolution.com