Tourism Innovation Summit confirms dates for second annual event in Seville

Spanish city to host 2021 edition of the confex on November 10 to 12

The Tourism Innovation Summit 2021 has announced its second annual conference and trade show will take place on November 10 to 12 in Seville.

The summit was run for the first time last year despite the challenges of operating large business events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organisers say the pandemic has heightened the need for innovation and technology in the global travel sector to reactivate a sector hit hard by the crisis.

More than 1,200 travel professionals are expected to travel to the Spanish city for this year’s event to hear hundreds of experts speak.

“The digital acceleration we have lived in 2020 has also been experienced in the tourism sector,” organisers said.

“Eighty three percent of hotel chains are currently more likely to increase spending on technology.

“In a year where travel and mobility have been suspended because of Covid-19, the tourism industry is being prepared to start its activity again adapted to a new normal.

“In this context, TIS2021 will present new trends related to emerging technologies such as the Internet of Behaviour, cloud, cybersecurity, big data, robotics, smart business models, or hyper-automatisation, among others that are transforming competitiveness on travel.”

TIS2021 will also showcase disruptive solutions such as artificial intelligence, machine learning or predictive analytics.

Other topics such as health passport, or growing trends such as individual travel, LGTBI+ tourism, smart destinations and sustainable tourism, will also be discussed.

The Tourism Innovation Summit is being supported by the Seville City Council, the Junta de Andalucía, and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of Spain, as well as international tourism organizations such as the WTTC, UNWTO, ETOA, Skal International, European Cities Marketing (ECM), NECSTouR, MPI and PATA.

The inaugural TIS was supported by Her Majesty Queen Leticia of Spain and attracted senior executives from the likes of City Sightseeing Worldwide, Amadeus, TUI, American Airlines, among others, and tourism board representatives from destinations such as Ile de France Region, Regional Government of Tuscany or Lapland Regional Council.

More than 1,200 representatives and industry leaders from 16 countries attended the event in person and more than 3,800 people from 56 countries connected virtually.

TIS2020 was the first professional event in the tourism sector held in person in Spain last November, and deployed strict safety and hygiene measures to guarantee the safety of all attendees.