Travel inspiration start-ups to bid for funding and mentoring at World Travel Market

Trip planning and travel inspiration start-ups are being offered the chance to win £5,000 and the help of industry mentors as part of a new initiative at World Travel Market.

Trip planning and travel inspiration start-ups are being offered the chance to win £5,000 and the help of industry mentors as part of a new initiative at World Travel Market.

Sponsored by Sabre Travel Network and organised by consultancy Travel Perspective, WTM Fresh will form part of the new standalone Travel Tech Show at WTM event this year.

It will focus on companies less than a year old which have innovative and viable ideas for using technology to help consumers with trip planning and travel inspiration before and during a trip.

Travel Perspective is also producing a number of seminars on social media at WTM 2013. Co-founder Mark Frary is chairman of the WTM Fresh judging panel.

Other judges include Lee Hayhurst, editor of Travolution – The Travel Tech Show at WTM’s official media partner – Joakim Everstin, innovations manager at Sabre Travel Network as well as start-up accelerator ignite100’s Paul Smith.

Frary said: “Trip planning and travel inspiration are arguably the areas where technology can have the biggest impact on consumers.

“There are countless start-ups who believe they have come up with the next big thing in travel but this is an area where there is still scope for innovative ideas that can work for the travel industry both today and tomorrow.”

Everstein added: “Sabre prides itself on being an innovator, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to this exciting WTM initiative.”

Full details about how to apply can be found at wtmlondon.com/fresh. Entries should be submitted by Wednesday October 16. The six shortlisted entries will be invited to present their business plans to the judges and to WTM visitors on the Wednesday of WTM.