Hotelbeds Group to be lead partner of London’s Traveltech Lab
London/Palma de Mallorca, 15 April 2015 – London’s travel tech industry has received a major boost, as one of the world’s leading travel companies announced its support for a new incubator space in the city.
Hotelbeds Group, the leading global provider of travel services and part of TUI Group, is to be the lead partner of the Traveltech Lab, a new incubator for travel tech companies based in London, the company announced today. Under the three-year agreement, Hotelbeds Group will provide support to the Traveltech Lab, including mentoring by Hotelbeds Group experts for the incubator’s start-ups.
The Traveltech Lab was created by London & Partners, the Mayor’s promotional company for London, in partnership with The Trampery. It is hoped the incubator will help London become the number one city in the world for travel technology, supporting the development of the next lastminute.com, Citymapper or Skyscanner.
“Hotelbeds Group’s support of the Traveltech Lab will enable the company to play a key role in shaping the future of the global travel industry through aiding the development of new innovations and companies in the sector”, said Managing Director Joan Vilà.
Mr Vilà added: “Technology, creativity and innovation are at the core of Hotelbeds Group’s DNA. We’re really proud to support Traveltech Lab, a project that will give us the opportunity to closely monitor the latest trends in travel innovation first hand, while backing the growth of new companies that could have a significant impact on the travel sector.”
The Traveltech Lab was launched by HRH The Duke of York, KG, in March. Its high-spec workspace, designed for 30 people, is co-located in the offices of London & Partners and is designed and managed by The Trampery, creators of premier innovation spaces in the city.
Gordon Innes, CEO of London & Partners, said: “Securing a lead partner of the calibre of Hotelbeds Group is a superb endorsement of the Traveltech Lab, showing that the very best names in the travel industry are firmly behind the development of this exciting sector. For the startups in the incubator, having links with major corporate bodies such as Hotelbeds Group will be hugely helpful, providing mentoring and guidance that will enable them to realise their ideas more easily and grow more quickly.”
Charles Armstrong, Founder of The Trampery, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Hotelbeds Group as lead partner for Traveltech Lab. As part of TUI Group, the world’s largest leisure travel businesses, the experience and reach they bring to the project will be invaluable in helping our startups develop ground-breaking solutions and succeed internationally.”
In addition to lead partner Hotelbeds Group, the Traveltech Lab is also supported by Gatwick Airport. The first group of companies working in the lab include PhotoSpotLand, Lulutrip, Epteca, MICEbook, Timelooper, Great Little Places, Wooia, Touriocity, Beaconia, bd4travel, GreatDest and Much Better Adventures.
About Hotelbeds Group
Hotelbeds Group is part of TUI Group, the world’s number one leisure travel company. With more than 30 million customers, TUI Group operates in over 180 countries. The Hotelbeds Group is a global provider of travel services in more than 180 countries. Its businesses provide hotel accommodation, transfers, excursions and tours, meetings and events, visa outsourcing and cruise handling services. Its main clients are tour operators, travel agencies, corporate clients and final consumers. Its brands include Hotelbeds Group, LateRooms.com, Destination Services and Intercruises. Hotelbeds Group provides these services to the tourism industry, corporate clients and directly to the consumers worldwide.
About London & Partners
London & Partners is the official promotional company for London. We promote London and attract businesses, events, congresses, students and visitors to the capital. Our aims are to build London’s international reputation and to attract investment and visitor spend, which create jobs and growth. London & Partners is a not-for-profit public private partnership, funded by the Mayor of London and our network of commercial partners.
For more information visit www.londonandpartners.com
About The Trampery
The Trampery is London’s premier creator of spaces for innovation. Its mission is to find and nurture the most exciting new talent across technology and the creative industries. The company is celebrated for its sumptuous interiors, vibrant communities and its ability to build bridges between startups and established corporations. Since opening Shoreditch’s first dedicated facility for startups in 2009 The Trampery has expanded with six further locations in London. These locations include the UK’s first accelerator for high-growth fashion labels (in partnership with London College of Fashion), the UK’s first incubator for digital arts and media (in partnership with the Barbican Centre) and a flagship facility on Old Street (in partnership with Publicis Worldwide). The Duke of York is Patron of the Trampery.
For more information visit www.thetrampery.com
