Amadeus to Sponsor ‘Travel Forward’ Startup Competition at WTM 2019

Amadeus, a leading provider of cutting-edge technology solutions for tourism companies worldwide, will again sponsor the Startup Showcase and Competition by Travel Forward during the WTM (World Travel Market) 2019.

Held for the second year, the Startup Showcase and Competition will take place during the opening two days of Travel Forward, an exciting event in the WTM portfolio, launched as a platform to inspire the travel and hospitality industry.

“Identifying and nurturing best-in-class travel startups is one way to ensure that innovative ideas become part of the broader travel ecosystem. That’s why Amadeus is delighted to be sponsoring Travel Forward’s Startup Showcase and Competition for the second year in a row,” said Francesca Benati, SVP Online Travel and Startups for Amadeus in Western Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Travel and hospitality startups, which are less than 4 years old and have raised no more than £2 million in funding are invited to register.

All the chosen startups are allocated in a booth in WTM’s Startup Zone, which has a prime position on the main exhibition floor and can demonstrate their product on the Startup Showcase Stage.

They are also invited to take part in the Startup Competition during the opening two days of Travel Forward. The process involves startups making a six-minute-long pitch to a panel of judges who will select a shortlist of three. The finalists then take to the Keynote Theatre stage and re-pitch to the entire audience who will decide the winner, in real-time, using a live voting system.

World Travel Market 2018, ExCeL London – Opening morning of WTM 2018

Amadeus will provide the victorious startup access to its senior executive team through 12 hours of one-to-one mentorship. An individual stand on the main floor for Travel Forward 2020 is part of the winning package.

The inaugural Startup Competition, also sponsored by Amadeus with mentoring as the prize, was won by Trip Ninja, a Canadian business which has developed a B2B multi-city flight search engine.

WTM London 2019 will be held from November 4-6, at ExCel London.