Edition #54 (Mar 17th)

View this email in your browser

Reading time: 3 minutes Click here to read our past editions

Dear ,

I am so happy with the positive response to the report we launched last week! It seems there’s no doubt that a strong place brand is key to attracting attention, and the benefits this has for the travel industry. I like to think that having a solid brand can turn any place into an attractive and desired destination. If you missed our latest report “Creating places for the new era”, you can still have access here and through our website.

Whilst reading the latest (fourth!) package of sanctions against Russia announced by the European Commission, I stumbled upon the following expression: ‘on the wide-ranging and unprecedented packages of measures the EU has been taking’. Let me tell you , I’m looking forward to the day when I can watch the news and the only sector where we see ‘unprecedented updates’ is in the innovation space.

Ready to check out our weekly wrap-up on the top travel innovation, trends and startups? Let’s go!

• Space technologies have the power to be a big part of shaping the future of travel - and we can already use them to solve current challenges. This is what the upcoming CASSINI Hackathon will be about: who are the innovators ready to use EU space tech to transform European tourism? The applications are now open! We can’t wait to see which innovations will come out of this year’s challenge!

• What does the movie The Bodyguard and the startup HearHere have in common? Kevin Costner. The actor is the co-founder of the audio app that plays stories based on a traveler’s geographic location and interest. HearHere has just raised $3.2 million to continue its business growth and expansion.

• Another celebrity joining the travel industry is Jennifer Lopez, who just joined Virgin Voyages as an investor and Chief entertainment and lifestyle officer. The cruise company plans to go global this year with homeports in Miami, Barcelona and Athens.

• TravelX launched in 2021 and has been working on a blockchain-based solution to create a more frictionless industry, to tokenize inventory and develop new ways of distribution. The startup has just raised $10 million and are still planning to announce its first service later this year. Well, we are curious…

• Much has been said about how the pandemic changed how we work, and business travel is a big part of this. American Express has just published a white paper on the topic: Why Business Travel is the Center of the New Company Culture. My thoughts about it? Nothing replaces in-person meetings.

• Travelzoo has announced they are creating a metaverse division in the company. Although they will continue to offer their usual travel and lifestyle deals, the new service will provide members with exclusive metaverse travel experiences. Travelzoo counts on the annual membership fees to fund the new business division.

• As Russia continues to attack Ukrainian cities, visiting the countries neighboring the conflict is something that travelers might still avoid due to its geopolitical tension. Deutsche Welle published an interesting piece questioning if the war has replaced the pandemic as a vacation constraint in Europe. Oh, just when we thought things were just about to get better post-covid…

This is it for today, . I hope you are looking forward for the weekend - it’s almost time to rest.

See you next week,Ana

How did you enjoy this edition?loved it | meh | hated it

Thank you for reading until the end.

The content of this newsletter is curated and published by Ana Metz, innovation expert, passionate about technology and excited about the future of travel.

If you are looking for the most disruptive startups in the travel industry right now, make sure to check out our Premium Report: “Top 100 Travel Startups” which might be relevant for you.

Looking for a space to promote your business or service for more than 10k subscribers? Let’s talk.

FutureTravel is a weekly newsletter about the future of travel, featuring the most exciting news about innovation, trends and startups in the industry.

Subscribe now

Copyright (C) Want to change how you receive these emails?You can update your preferences or unsubscribe