Vielfältiges Programm bei den VIR Innovationstagen 2024

Munich, April 8, 2024 (KC) – Diverse, innovative, and forward-looking: this is how the program for the VIR Innovation Days (OIT) presents itself. The event is being organized by the Association of Internet Travel Distribution (VIR) on June 18 and 19, 2024, at the Design Offices at Humboldthafen in Berlin. The trade association for digital tourism is offering a diverse range of topics with plenty of inspiration for visitors. Prompts, AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, and insights into Generation Z are just a few of the many items on the agenda.  

DWith a total of 200 spots available, the event is already half-booked, so the association recommends that interested parties register soon—also to secure the pre-reserved hotel rooms in a central location near the main train station. Participants will also receive special rates with the DB Event Ticket. At the same time, the association recommends registering soon due to the limited number of seats.

The prestigious industry event kicks off on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. with a keynote address by Christiane Brandes-Visbeck, Managing Partner of Ahoi Innovationen GmbH. As a strategy consultant and systemic coach, she supports companies through periods of change. The former Bertelsmann media executive has authored various books and articles on sustainable corporate management and the impact of digitalization on organizations. A thought leader in digital leadership, she is an award-winning Handelsblatt contributor, a Top 99 HR influencer, and a source of inspiration for peers and younger generations. The VIR is delighted to welcome Christiane Brandes-Visbeck as the keynote speaker.

On the first day of the VIR Innovation Days, there will be a panel discussion on the topic “OTAs – What’s Next? Challenges and the Way Forward,” featuring leading figures from Germany’s largest online travel portals.

“Garbage in, garbage out – prompting done right” is the title of another session in which participants engage in an interactive discussion to learn how to more effectively formulate inputs, prompts, or tasks for the AI. Later, they can put this new knowledge to the test in an AI challenge.

In another session on the topic “AI in Tourism – What Are the Benefits?”, the panelists will share their experiences with specific AI projects and their visions for the future.

Destinations will also showcase their innovations and demonstrate how they are making smart use of digitalization. The first day of OIT 2024 will conclude with a session focused on the topic of fraud.

At a large evening event, the “Mastercard Night,” attendees can reflect on their experiences, take time to chat and network, and enjoy great music and delicious food.

The next day begins with a light breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m., before the official program kicks off around 10:00 a.m. with a presentation on various innovations and projects from Mastercard.

The program will then focus on the airline sector: first, with a Meet & Greet session titled “Airline Behind the Scenes – Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Airlines,” and second, with a presentation highlighting the role of sustainability in the aviation industry.

Next comes the rise of the ubiquitous Generation Z—a study by Journaway sheds light on what makes the next generation tick.

“The Power of Cybersecurity – How Secure Can We Be?” and specific presentations on blockchain will round out the second day of the Innovation Days around 4:00 p.m. A new educational format from neusta and the Verband Internet Reisevertrieb e.V. will also be presented to participants.

“In putting together our program and selecting the presentations and panel discussions, we focused on ensuring a wide variety of topics and a high level of interactivity, so that every participant can benefit from the insights offered for both themselves and their company,” emphasizes VIR Board Member Michael Buller. At the same time, the association’s head advises all interested parties to register soon. “We are already seeing very high demand, even though the first details of the program are only now being announced,” he notes.

Michael Buller confirms that this year’s VIR Innovation Days are deliberately being held on a smaller scale than in previous years. “In terms of content, we are focusing even more on quality over quantity, as well as on a sustainable event format at the new venue, the Design Offices near Berlin’s main train station.”

Sponsors of the VIR Innovation Days 2024 include Advant Beiten, Amadeus, Bosys, Hanse Merkur, ITB Messe Berlin, Journaway, Legoland Holidays, Mastercard, neusta, Sunny Cars, SunExpress, ta.ts, and traffics.

You can register for the VIR Innovation Days at: https://v-i-r.de/events/vir-online-innovationstage/
VIR members receive a discount on the ticket price.

The press release is available for download here in PDF format.