Right focus on APAC growth

The upcoming Phocuswright India 2017 conference aims to bring together over 400 attendees from travel and related industries from February 28-March 2.

After opening doors to a full house at the inaugural India edition in 2016, Phocuswright, the U.S-based travel research company is coming back to the country with a whole new line-up of speakers and a fresh theme. Scheduled to take place in Gurugram, the conference will gather top players to discuss the trends, technology and disruptors affecting the Asia Pacific travel market.

The 2016 staging witnessed over 330 attendees and Simon Lehmann, President, Phocuswright, expects a higher number this year. “We’re hoping for around 400 attendees and more,” he says. “This year’s theme, The Asian Advantage — puts a spotlight on Asia Pacific’s lead in the global travel market. Not only is APAC the world’s biggest travel region, but travel companies in the region are increasingly staking their claim at the global stage,” he elaborates.

The three-day conference consists of ‘Travel Innovation Summit,’ an opportunity for travel start-ups to present their innovations to a panel of judges; ‘Partner Workshops’ which features some of travel’s best-known brands sharing practical advice, and finally ‘Center Stage’ where senior executives from around the world assemble for educative sessions and discussions.

Lehmann adds, “We continue to make our conference more regional in focus, bringing in topics, speakers and companies beyond India. Our headline speakers include Arthur Chapin, Expedia’s Senior Vice President of Product and Design; Rob Torres, Google’s MD for Travel; Arjun Nohwar, Business Head–APAC, Uber; Oliver Hua, MD-APAC, Booking. com; Albert Pozo, President, Amadeus Asia Pacific; among many others.” APAC looks to be a promising bet, Lehmann explains, as Asian travel companies are taking on the established order within and beyond the region through fund raising, acquisitions and consolidation. “Add to that the ever-growing traveller population, which is both aspirational and digital, that makes the region an attractive bet for the industry. This year, customer acquisition will continue to dominate conversations in the digital travel space. Companies that remain well-capitalized will continue to be the leading brands in the space,” he adds.