Emmanuel Mounier: Watch this space

What are some of your immediate to-dos for this new association? Will there be any more hires?
As for any new association, our first objective will be to be pinned on the map by all stakeholders in our sectors. This means getting out there! We will do it through communication actions such as this interview, but also through issuing publications, organising and taking part in conferences or webinars, or engaging directly with other industry stakeholders or international organisations.

Do expect to receive some news from us in the coming months! At this stage, there will be no additional hire, as the association will strongly leverage on its members’ resources for its actions.

What other tech companies are on your association wishlist and how do you plan to convince/entice them to join Global Travel Tech?
First of all, Global Travel Tech’s existing membership comprises global leaders in the travel tech sector: online travel agencies such as Booking Holdings, eDreams Odigeo, and Expedia Group; metasearch platforms like Skyscanner; and travel tech systems with Amadeus and Travelport. This is a great start for a newborn association!

However, we would be happy to obtain the support of additional members in the future. All travel tech companies already members of existing regional travel tech associations (Eu Travel Tech in Europe, the Travel Tech Association in the US, Asia Travel and Technology Industry Association in Asia) are welcome to join Global Travel Tech and be part of the collective effort!

Overall, we have reasonable growth ambitions for the coming years. Our primary goal is to be recognised as an important stakeholder by all industry players. We believe that expansion will naturally follow due to our hard work.

How do you plan to keep your members engaged, and what activities will the association be organising?
We are lucky to have very committed members, and keeping them engaged is not a challenge. We have been quite busy so far in 2024 with our official launch and related activities (e.g. website, press outreach, and definition of initial positions). We also hold regular meetings with all members to keep them updated on our activities.

But our primary challenge will be more to keep our industry partners engaged. In this regard, we plan to organise webinars throughout the year on topics of relevance for our membership, such as distribution and transparency, sustainability, and regulation of platforms. We see it as a way to engage with all industry stakeholders, regardless of whether they are intermediaries, travel services providers, destinations, local and national authorities, or international organisations. So stay tuned!

Could you share what is your five-year plan for the association?
When you are only two months old, five years forward seems like a very long time! Our clear objective is to establish Global Travel Tech as the go-to player for industry and policy discussions at the global level affecting its members. This would mean ensuring that organisations such as UN Tourism, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and IATA consider Global Travel Tech an indispensable partner. We are currently building our plan around this objective.

How does the association obtain the necessary funds to carry out its activities?
Global Travel Tech is wholly funded through membership fees. Logistical support for the launch was provided by the existing travel tech associations at the regional level (Eu Travel Tech, Travel Tech Association, and Asia Travel and Technology Industry Association).

How will technology play a part in further shaping the future of the tourism sector, and how will Global Travel Tech play into this?
Technology already plays an obvious role in shaping the future of tourism. Booking travel services is now simpler, cheaper, and more transparent than it has ever been.

In terms of future efforts, collectively, our members consistently invest in R&D that provides innovative and cutting-edge solutions that power the entire travel ecosystem, and ultimately improve the end-to-end traveller experience.

Worth mentioning is the strive towards developing artificial intelligence-driven tools and data analytics solutions that facilitate seamless connectivity between travel providers and consumers. As of now, these R&D efforts have resulted in solutions that have shaped the travel sector such as personalised travel experiences, dynamic pricing models, and efficient booking systems.

The role of Global Travel Tech in this effort is clear. We seek to collaborate with public and private stakeholders in addressing global challenges of the travel and tourism industry, and create legislative frameworks that work for everyone involved. It is only through such collaborative efforts that the benefits travel tech brings to the industry can be maintained and further promoted into a greener, more resilient and more transparent future for travel and tourism.

Ultimately, that is the core mission of the association, as well as the message that we aim to spread to global stakeholders and policymakers alike.