Online Travel Conference aims to bring sector together during COVID-19 pandemic

Virtual event aims to replace the many cancelled live conferences

Travel technology firm Avian and online start-up community Travel Tech Nation have collaborated to produce an online travel conference next week.

Online Travel Conference (OTC), which will take place virtually on April 22 and 23 aims to emulate the many face-to-face events that have been cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics due to be covered include COVID-19 mitigation, airline distribution, hospitality, corporate travel, start-ups and the future of online travel.

Thousands of participants from across the globe are expected log in to the live sessions which have been timed to capture as many timezones from the US, across Europe and into APAC.

Headline speakers already confirmed include TripActions chief executive Ariel Cohen, kiwi.com founder Oliver Dlouhy, senior executive for innovation and strategy at CWT Utpal Kaul and managing director of Hotelbeds’ Beyond the Bed division Javier Arevalo.

Firms are also being offered ‘virtual booths’ to showcase their products and services to delegates

OTC said the platform is designed to accelerate the industry recovery and preparations for the day after COVID-19.

Co-organiser Henry Chen Weinstein, venture capitalist and founder of Travel Tech Nation, said:

“In these challenging times, leadership is key. Allowing room for conversation will accelerate the industry recovery and help it come out stronger on the other end.

“OTC is the biggest stage uniting industry top leaders into two days full of live sessions shedding light on the different sectors of the industry, from corporate travel, airlines, and hospitality companies to startups and investors – all in one virtual space.”

Also due to speak are representatives from AeroCRS, Transavia, ADP, Turkish Airlines, UNWTO, Routier, and many more.

OTC co-organiser Mickey Haslavsky, Avian chief executive, said: “Our goal is to provide the industry with a platform to learn from industry experts and leaders, but also to develop partnerships with other industry peers.

“In no time, we have developed a virtual environment giving the attendees tools to better prepare for the day after the pandemic.”

OTC has a special section ‘Expo Section’ in which companies can list their virtual booths allowing them to interact with attendees via live video sessions in real-time.

Oran Epelbaum, Avian chief technology officer, said: “We are running virtual booths for companies who want to present their service or products to the e-conference attendees.

“This will require at-least one company representative to be live at the booth virtual. We tried to create an environment similar to a real, physical conference, where people have the opportunity to speak in real-time to company representatives.”

To register to attend OTC, go to the event website.