ITB Travel Tech Startup Session Closing Panel @ITBBerlin

Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

From Ideas to Impact: What Travel Startups Must Get Right Next - This is part 3 of a 3-part Travel Technology Startup Session.
After the pitches, the expert panel reflects on what stood out and what it signals for the future of travel innovation.

Which problems attracted the strongest responses? Where are founders aligned with industry needs, and where are gaps still visible? And how are shifting capital dynamics, AI, and buyer expectations changing what it takes to build and scale a travel technology company today? A forward-looking wrap-up connecting investor sentiment, execution realities, and emerging opportunities - for anyone building, funding, or partnering with the next generation of travel startups. #Startup #Technology #Trends #Digitalization #Future

Host:
Lea Jordan

Panel guests:
Yuen Suzanna Chiu Lee
Lars Mangelsdorf
Michael Treskow

ITB Travel Tech Startup Session Closing Panel

Opening & Welcome at ITB Berlin 2026 Orange Stage 03/04/2026

60 Years of Stories: Kash Bhattacharyas (Budget Traveller) most unforgettable moment of ITB Berlin

Wrap up: a paradigm shift or business as usual in tourism?

$Beyond the Algorithm: Why AI Still Fails at Trust, Culture & Human Connection AI-powered travel concierges promise frictionless journeys and radical personalization — yet trust remains their biggest failure. Only a tiny fraction of travelers are willing to let AI book autonomously. Why? Because today’s systems optimize transactions, not relationships. They know preferences, but not people. They recommend highlights, but miss meaning. As AI assistants in hospitality and travel race toward mainstream adoption, this session asks a more uncomfortable question: what is fundamentally missing in the algorithm? The answer lies beyond data and automation — in context, community, cultural intelligence, and human judgment. This session explores why current AI travel tools remain fragmented, siloed, and culturally shallow — and what it takes to evolve them into trusted companions rather than smart booking engines. We examine how hyper-personalization must expand beyond individual taste profiles to include local co-creation, community knowledge, ethical design, and shared value creation. Drawing on perspectives from technology, hospitality, and academia, the session challenges hotels, platforms, and destinations to rethink their role in an AI-mediated future. The core message is clear: trust is not coded — it is designed, governed, and earned. Those who fail to move beyond the algorithm risk becoming invisible in the next generation of travel experiences. Moderator & Interviewer: Dr. Jessika Weber-Sabil Professor of Digital Transformation for Cultural Tourism Breda University of Applied Sciences Panel: Klaas Koerten Researcher Robotics Hotelschool The Hague Nicholas Hall CEO Digital Tourism Think Tank Laurenz Schwarzhappel Co-Founder & CEO Global Living Apartments Claire Robinson Co-founder & Co-CEO Region Lovers Katerina Volchek Professor Deggendorf Institute of Technology$

TikTok Revolutionizing Travel: From Inspiration to Trends and Bookings

The Industry View: How Travel Will Become AI-native

60 Years of Stories: Rika Jean-Francois (MissionRespo) on what ITB Berlin means to her

60 Years of Stories: Horst Schwartz (Redaktionsbüro Schwartz) on his most memorable ITB Berlin story

Camping: One of Europe’s Fastest-Growing Travel Segments