Hotelbeds and AccorHotels partner for 2019 MarketHub Europe in Istanbul

Hotelbeds and AccorHotels partner for 2019 MarketHub Europe in Istanbul

Technology, distribution, payments and data among key topics

B2B bedbank Hotelbeds and its partner AccorHotels have selected Istanbul, Turkey as the host destination for the Hotelbeds MarketHub Europe event.

Hotelbeds named French hotel giant Accor as a strategic partner for the event. It will host the event in three of its Istanbul properties, Swissotel the Bosphorus, Fairmont Quasar and Novotel Istanbul Bosphorus.

MarketHub Europe is a three-day event taking place from May 28 to May 31 themed “Shifting Futures” that will explore how the travel sector should react to industry changes to better prepare for the future.

Key topics include technology, the complexity of distribution, payments and data.

A senior leader from Accor will provide a key-note speech while guest speakers from industry publication Skift and industry analyst Phocuswright will be appearing on stage to give a key-note speech and host a panel session.

Experts from Amazon, Google and Alibaba will also be present at the event. Further speakers will be confirmed in due course.

MarketHub Europe is an invitation-only event attended by up to 300 of Hotelbed’s partners from the key source markets of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Attendees include tour operators, airlines, loyalty and reward points schemes, top travel agency chains and online travel agents.

Platinum, gold, silver and bronze partners have also been confirmed.

Carlos Muñoz, bedbank managing sirector at Hotelbeds, said: “I´m very pleased to confirm that this year’s MarketHub Europe will be in Istanbul thanks to the generous support of AccorHotels as the hotel host partner.

“Additionally, I am excited to confirm that speakers from both Skift and Phocuswright will be giving key-note speeches on stage, exploring important topics such as the complexity of distribution.

“This MarketHub Europe event will be particularly exciting for us as it will be the first edition as one consolidated company as over the last year we’ve been working hard to create one new and enhanced business.

“I look forward to thanking in person all our sponsors, and of course clients for their loyalty, as well as their trust in us to continue to deliver them with the best and most exclusive deals available in the market.”

Sébastien Bazin, chairman and chief executive officer of AccorHotels, added: “Hotelbeds has long been a strategic partner for our business, complementing our distribution mix both in terms of non-domestic bookings and giving us access to hard-to-reach reservations from channels such as tour operators, travel agents, airlines and loyalty schemes.

“Therefore, we are very pleased to partner with Hotelbeds to help make this MarketHub Europe event in Istanbul a success by bringing together all of the key decision-makers and top influencers from today’s global travel industry.”

The MarketHub Europe event will kick-off with a cocktail dinner on Tuesday evening, with Wednesday and Thursday featuring a conference and trade show by day and exclusive entertainment by night.

Get more information about MarketHub Europe