2020 Session/Topic Preview

• Tour Operating Redefined: Debate the latest challenges and opportunities that guide the volatile European tour operator segment. Take a guided tour through new products and services, innovative technologies, a challenging political framework and the dramatic collapse of a giant. 
• The Investor View: Some of Europe's smartest investors share their views on the state of startups, the climate for raising capital, and how to recognize the overlooked from the overhyped. 
• Beyond Travel: Is the travel industry prepared to transport the next decade of global travelers? Travel avoidance and flight shame are issues in need of smart solutions. Examine innovations in transportation, trends in destinations, and new ways of creating the perfectly suitable (and sustainable) trip.
• Lodging Transformed: The merging of hospitality and short-term rentals has created a brand new, and enormous, lodging marketplace. As millions of new homes and apartments compete with traditional accommodations, the traveler decision becomes even more complex. Who will prevail and what will the customer decide?
• Mobility – What’s Next? This session that explores the impact of flight shame, the promise (and status) of multimodal, consumer trends and the reality of combining ground, rail, bus and flight to create the perfect (and connected) trip.
• Tours and Activities – The Next Act: Tours and activities has been heralded as the next, booming online travel category. New players emerged, existing businesses made power grabs and investments poured in. Now what? Is the category living up to the hype or still too early to tell?
• From Luxury to Budget – How Hoteliers Remain the Preferred Choice: Hotels remain consumers’ preferred choice for lodging, but challenges keep mounting. Trusting third parties, building direct distribution through loyalty and mobile, competing with home rentals and private accommodation, and knowing when to invest in guest technology are just some of the challenges for hoteliers. Hear from industry leaders how hotels must evolve to stay ahead in complex times.
• Crisis Management 2020: Covid-19 is not the first and unfortunately won't be the last occurrence to stress the global travel industry. A panel of experts discuss how they are dealing with Coronavirus impact and preparing for what's next – based on learnings from past pandemics, terror and weather-related setbacks.
• The Digital Decade: Voice, chatbots, mobile messaging, AI and VR all promise to transform the way we search, shop for and experience travel. How far along are we really? A series of Tech Talks capture the latest innovations.
• The Sustainable Future: The Travel Foundation's CEO describes the current and future risks facing destinations and shares a new model for tourism that everyone can embrace.
• The state of hospitality, local and global OTAs, Brexit, crisis management, diversity, packaging, search, airline tech, Asia and emerging markets, are all topics to be discussed and debated at Phocuswright Europe.

2020 Program Overview

13:30 - 15:30

The Young Leaders Summit

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15:30 - 17:00

Women's Leadership Initiative

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17:00 - 18:30

Connects Program

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18:30 - 19:30

Opening Happy Hour

9:00 - 18:30

Summit and Launch Innovator Demos

Breakout Sessions

Center Stage

9:00 – 17:00

WiT Europe

Center Stage

* Please Note: The Phocuswright Europe program is subject to change without notice.