2024 Program

Wednesday November 20
Rise & Shine
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Morning YogaGrand Sonoran A, Level 1
7:00 AM – 7:45 AM
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Breakfast and NetworkingNetworking Showcase, Grand Canyon Ballroom, Level 1
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
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All Day
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Networking Showcase and Lounge, and Attendee Services OpenGrand Canyon Foyer & Ballroom, Level 1
Register or check in, and collect your conference materials. Phocuswright Reception is the go-to spot for all your needs.

Then, meet ... [read more]
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
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Breakout
Immerse yourself in an intimate, interactive environment to learn about hot topics impacting today's travel marketplace.

All times shown are MST (UTC -7).
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
Soapbox Industry Debate: Unpacking the 2024 Elections’ Impact on the Travel Tech IndustryWildflower Ballroom, Level 2, Lobby Level
Join Phocuswright and the Travel Technology Association for the second annual Soapbox Industry Debate! (Breakfast will be available.)
... [read more]
Laura Chadwick, President & CEO, The Travel Technology AssociationEmmett O'Keefe, Director of Government Affairs, Sabre GLBL IncJason Scism, Founder & CEO, DreamGuestLara Tennyson, Head of U.S. Federal Affairs, Booking Holdings
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
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Center Stage
All times shown are MST (UTC -7).

Conference sessions take place in the Theater (Entrance through the Exhibitor Showcase; Grand Canyon Ballroom, Level 1); all other locations are noted.
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Executive Interview: Ready, Set, Go
"Audacious and ambitious" is how Expedia's tech and business transformation over the past few years has been described. But there's no time to rest ... [read more]
Ariane Gorin, Chief Executive Officer, Expedia GroupInterviewer Mitra Sorrells, Senior Vice President, Content, Phocuswright/PhocusWire
9:15 AM – 9:35 AM
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Executive Panel: Grounded - Traveling Beyond Air
Whether for convenience, savings, or to save the planet, transportation is being reshaped from the ground up as travelers seek alternatives to air ... [read more]
Panelists Veronica Diquattro, President B2C Europe, Omio (GoEuro)Francois Le Doze, Chief Commercial Officer, EurostarJennifer Shepherd, Global Head of Uber Transit, UberModerator Robert Cole, Senior Research Analyst, Lodging and Leisure Travel, Phocuswright Inc.
9:35 AM – 10:00 AM
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Executive Interview: Past, Present and Future of Travel, Tourism and Tech
One of online travel's OGs shares his take on the state of travel and tourism, technology's role in the future and where he's focusing his ... [read more]
Erik Blachford, Founder, Pine5 PartnersInterviewer Chris Hemmeter, Managing Partner, Thayer Investment Partners
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM
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Executive Panel: The Investor View
Travel startup funding is rebounding. New technologies and breakthroughs are amping up investor interest and there's still a long runway for those ... [read more]
Panelists Gilad Berenstein, Founder, Brook Bay CapitalMia Morisset, Principal, Inovia CapitalBetsy Mulé, Investor, F-Prime CapitalModerator Mike Coletta, Senior Manager, Research and Innovation, Phocuswright Inc.
10:25 AM – 10:50 AM
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Global Startup Pitch Winner: Hotel Treats
Hotel Treats is the people's choice winner of Phocuswright's and WiT's Global Startup Pitch.

A 5-minute session on why hotels serious ... [read more]
Kasia Pankowska, CEO, Hotel Treats
10:50 AM – 10:55 AM
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Networking Break Sponsored by: Rakuten Advertising
10:55 AM – 11:25 AM
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Hot Spot: iWander - A PhocusWire Hot 25 Travel Startup for 2025
iWander is an AI travel companion. Its technology aims to transform in-destination exploration by providing personalized, immersive audio tours and ... [read more]
Marius Nigond, CEO & co-founder, iWander
11:25 AM – 11:30 AM
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Phocuswright Research: Travelers vs. Technology - Who's Winning?
Travelers’ relationship with technology continues to evolve, with the latest tech-driven services and hardware devices delighting, frustrating and ... [read more]
Alicia Schmid, Director of Research, Phocuswright Inc.
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM
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Executive Panel: Points, Experiences, Service: The New Customer Loyalty?
Points and discounts are no longer enough to engender loyalty. Brands seek to create deeper, more meaningful connections with consumers through ... [read more]
Panelists Oral Muir, VP, Partnerships, Experiences, & Distribution, HiltonNadia Omer, CEO, AirAsia MOVEJenn Scheurich, Managing Vice President, Capital One Travel & Retail Experience, Capital OneModerator Lorraine Sileo, Founder, Phocuswright Research and Senior Analyst, Phocuswright Inc.
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM
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Presentation + Executive Interview: The New Age of Search
As AI-powered conversational search delivers increasingly personalized travel recommendations, the marketing funnel is evolving. Learn how Google ... [read more]
Julie Farago, Vice President, Engineering, Google LLCInterviewer Pete Comeau, Managing Director, Phocuswright Inc.
12:10 PM – 12:30 PM
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Executive Interview: Fast Forward
A retailing revolution, an increasingly fragmented distribution landscape and the rise of AI has the potential to elevate the customer experience ... [read more]
Kurt Ekert, CEO & President, SabreInterviewer Linda Fox, Executive Editor, PhocusWire
12:35 PM – 12:55 PM
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Hot Spot: Road.Travel – a PhocusWire Hot 25 Travel Startup for 2022
Founded in 2018, Road.travel provides curated travel guides designed to be used through in-car navigation systems to make road trips more ... [read more]
Nikita Dedik, Founder, CEO/CTO, Road.Travel
12:55 PM – 1:00 PM
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Lunch
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Meet The Analysts Lunch: Hosted by Phocuswright ResearchPinnacle Peak Lawn
(Limited Availability – Registration Required)

Join us for an exclusive research lunch where you’ll have the opportunity to meet our ... [read more]
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
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Networking LunchBallroom Lawn, Level 2, Lobby Level
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
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Short-Term Rentals LunchWildflower Ballroom, Level 2, Lobby Level
(Limited Availability – Registration Required)

Connect over lunch with industry leaders and those passionate about the short-term rental ... [read more]
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
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Tours & Activities Lunch: brought to you by TiqetsWildflower Ballroom, Level 2, Lobby Level
(Limited Availability – Registration Required)

Mix, mingle and munch with leaders and enthusiasts from the Tours, Activities, ... [read more]
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
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Launch
All times shown are MST (UTC -7).

Conference sessions take place in the Theater (Entrance through the Exhibitor Showcase; Grand Canyon Ballroom, Level 1); all other locations are noted.
2:00 PM - 4:10 PM
Welcome to Innovation: Launch Sponsored by: Amadeus
Innovation isn't just for startups - scaleups and established companies are also breaking new ground and developing new technologies. Launch ... [read more]
2:00 PM – 2:11 PM
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Superlogic
Experiences are the future of loyalty. Superlogic technology powers the best in music, sports & culture for loyalty programs.
Presenter Lin Dai, CEO and Co-Founder, Superlogic
2:11 PM – 2:20 PM
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Traversing.ai
See how this all-in-one commerce platform simplifies your tech stack, consolidating an average of 10 systems into one seamless solution that ... [read more]
Presenter Blaire McCoy, Co-Founder & CRO, Traversing.ai
2:20 PM – 2:29 PM
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Daytrip
Adding value to an impossible category. How our point-to-point tech and curated stops revolutionize private car transfers.
Presenter Tomas Turek, CEO, Daytrip
2:29 PM – 2:38 PM
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KeyBrain
How complex, connected trips can be built from multiple suppliers as well as US-based tour operator, aggregating 30+ APIs in one session using AI.
Presenter Koray Edemen, President, Keytours International Inc.
2:38 PM – 2:47 PM
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BILL
Discover BILL’s latest budgeting & merchant tools for powerful insights and effortless expense management.
Presenter August Aiono, Account Executive, BILL
2:47 PM – 2:56 PM
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Logitix, A Victory Live Company
Introducing a seamless live event ticketing solution for the travel industry, unlocking more value for guests and revenue for partners.
Presenter Mario Bauduin, Managing Director, XPOTRAVEL
2:56 PM – 3:05 PM
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Juniper Travel Technology
Showcasing Smart BE, JuliA, and AI CMS: revolutionizing travel tech with dynamic rules, advanced AI, and seamless content creation.
Presenter Mario Pineda, Director of Sales USA West, Mexico, Caribbean & Central America, Juniper Travel Technology
3:05 PM – 3:14 PM
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Mobi.AI
Discover how Mobi Intent Driven Search helps your guests find the ideal properties tailored to their desired activities, amenities, and ... [read more]
Presenter Harriet Brown, VP Product, Mobi Systems
3:14 PM – 3:23 PM
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Snowflake
A groundbreaking customer data platform perfectly fit to meet the complex needs of the travel and hospitality industry.
Presenter Whitnee Hawthorne, Global Head of Travel and Hospitality, Snowflake
3:23 PM – 3:32 PM
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Arena
Discover Arena’s partnership with NEOM to leverage the latest AI technology in creating personalized experiences for guests and operators.
Presenter Eamon Blackwell, GTM Lead, Arena Technologies, Inc.
3:32 PM – 3:41 PM
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Katanox
Katanox unifies direct distribution AND financial infrastructure for accommodation suppliers and buyers to drive growth.
Presenter Mendel Senf, Co-Founder, Katanox
3:41 PM – 3:50 PM
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Networking Break Sponsored by: Rakuten Advertising
3:50 PM – 4:10 PM
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Center Stage
All times shown are MST (UTC -7).

Conference sessions take place in the Theater (Entrance through the Exhibitor Showcase; Grand Canyon Ballroom, Level 1); all other locations are noted.
4:10 PM - 5:50 PM
The Philip C. Wolf Memorial Scholarship Awardees
Philip, Phocuswright’s founder, was an entrepreneur, travel advisor, consultant, and mentor to many. His influence on the travel industry and its ... [read more]
Pete Comeau, Managing Director, Phocuswright Inc.
4:10 PM – 4:15 PM
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Executive Interview: Technology Enabling the New Age
The leader of the Travel unit of one of our industry’s largest travel tech companies will share his thoughts on the themes we heard from our Launch ... [read more]
Decius Valmorbida, President, Travel, Amadeus IT Group SAInterviewer Pete Comeau, Managing Director, Phocuswright Inc.
4:15 PM – 4:30 PM
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Executive Interview: New Age Destination in the Making - The Story of Saudi Arabia
No destination fits the “New Age” bill more than this kingdom, which combines ancient history and traditions with the most new age of architecture ... [read more]
Hazim AlHazmi, President of Americas & Europe Markets, Saudi Tourism AuthorityInterviewer Siew Hoon Yeoh, Founder, WIT and Editorial Director, Northstar Travel Group Asia
4:30 PM – 4:50 PM
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A Glimpse of the New Age(nts)
AI agents promise to shop and book travel for us. Two companies on the leading edge demonstrate the capabilities of their tech and tell us why we ... [read more]
Michael Gulmann, CEO, Otto the AgentMark Losey, CTO, FlockxTalkbackers Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer, SojernTerry Jones, Chairman, AMGiNEModerator Norman Rose, Senior Technology and Corporate Market Analyst, Phocuswright Inc.
4:50 PM – 5:20 PM
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Executive Panel: A New Identity - SSI Comes of Age
The confluence of SSI (self-sovereign identity) and AI is setting the stage for true personalization in travel. From shopping to booking to on the ... [read more]
Panelists Vikas Bhola, CEO, NeokeGillian Jones, Identity and Access Management Lead, CondatisShane OFlaherty, Global Director, Travel & Hospitality, Microsoft CorporationModerator Mike Coletta, Senior Manager, Research and Innovation, Phocuswright Inc.
5:20 PM – 5:45 PM
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Innovation Launch Awards Ceremony
Find out the winner of the Travel Innovation and People's Choice Awards!
Pete Comeau, Managing Director, Phocuswright Inc.
5:45 PM – 5:50 PM
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Happy Hour + Parties
5:50 PM - 8:50 PM
Happy HourNetworking Showcase, Grand Canyon Ballroom, Level 1
Join us for drinks and enjoy networking with your fellow attendees, speakers, and the Phocuswright team!
5:50 PM – 7:20 PM
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Evening Party Sponsored by: JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & SpaWildflower Ballroom and Terrace, Level 2, Lobby Level
Join our vibrant gathering. Amid the mingling, connect and share insights and have fun while enjoying the company of fellow attendees.
7:20 PM – 8:50 PM
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Late Night at the BarTwenty 6 | Lounge
Join travel industry professionals for this relaxed, after-hours networking event - discuss trends, share ideas, and forge collaborations in a ... [read more]
10:00 PM – 12:00 AM
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Note: All conference information (including program, speakers, etc.) is subject to change without notice.