PRESS RELEASE.- The fourth edition of CON-X "Enough, Redefined", organized by TravelgateX at Son Termes (Mallorca, Spain), saw a record attendance of more than 500 people from all over the world, with presentations and debates given by high-level industry executives.
CON-X 2024 was attended by Yanolja CEO Jongyoon (Jeff) Kim, easyJet Holidays Chief Commercial Officer Paul Bixby, Stena Line Travel Group Chief Operating Officer Jari Virtanen, Hotelbeds Head of Digital Commercialization Paul Anthony, Despegar VP of B2B and B2B2C Martin Modarelli and consultant Bas Lemmens.
In addition, the traditional inspirational talk was given by Thomas Middelhoff, former CEO of Bertelsmann AG who personified a talk about second chances, how to analyze mistakes and learn from them in order to have second chances.
The CEO and founder of TravelgateX, Pedro Camara, has celebrated that CON-X 2024 is once again the meeting point for those who want to apply
the potential of technology for their development and to discover the latest trends in a sector that should serve as a catalyst for sustainability.
During this day, the more than 500 attendees have updated tourism trends and have learned first-hand how travel agencies and tour operators are the clear example of this year theme "Enough, Redefined", motivated by the implementation of disruptive technologies in data management, which allows to improve the customer experience and make the process more efficient. Thanks to them, they have learned how they have recovered after difficult years and the steps they are willing to follow for their development.
For his part, Yanolja CEO, Jongyoon (Jeff) Kim, explained that data management is essential to know the details of the business and that, in addition, this will allow them to build larger and more efficient platforms, capable of doubling or tripling their management capacity. Kim explained that his company operates both the platform business for travel and leisure-related services and the software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions business
powered by Yanolja Cloud.
New forms of promotion, no fear of a different way
In the round table "Exploring the limits of the industry", the head of Digital Commercialization at Hotelbeds, Paul Anthony, the vice president of B2B and B2B2C at Despegar, Martin Modarelli, and the consultant Bas Lemmens, participated under the moderation of the entrepreneur and expert Alex Gisbert.
Precisely, Gisbert has commented that the travel industry enjoys a good health with a growth between 4 and 7% per year, which demonstrates its capacity of resistance and resilience despite the international context. "It's still a pretty good time for the travel industry. A lot of things are changing, but the demand for travel is still growing. We've passed a moment, I think over the last 20 years, where travel has become less of a luxury and more of a human right"; he said. In this debate, innovative ideas were proposed, such as promoting alternative destinations through mass promotion channels or encouraging professionals to take references from other sectors and apply them to the travel industry. Once again, the chosen slogan "Enough, Redefined"; reflects how personal limits can be applied in the professional sphere, and how they must be expanded in search of integral development.
Second chances, learning from mistakes
Thomas Middelhoff, one of Germany's most influential and important managers, was this year's inspirational speaker. He was CEO of Bertelsmann AG from 1998 to 2002, established the RTL Group, led the book division to global market leadership and intensified Bertelsmann's Internet business. Thomas Middelhoff subsequently defended himself against the accusation of having driven Arcandor into insolvency, and was sentenced to three years in prison by the Essen District Court in 2014. Today, he is an author and lecturer, among other projects such as the one he does for Barça Media.
"I wrote a book with the title 'Guilty'. Yes, I believe that to have a second chance, you need to analyze what kind of mistakes led you to the situation where you hit the wall. And you also have to be humble" ; said Middelhoff, who acknowledged that he has learned from his own mistakes and that this has given him tools that can help in the future. "It's not bad advice, thinking about the seven deadly sins of the Christian religion; when you address all of them, personally, I didn't, and they all hit me", he concluded after encouraging everyone, but especially the younger generation, to keep their feet on the ground.
CON-X wrapped up with a highly successful Networking Day, during which more than 600 meetings were facilitated through the event's dedicated application. The fourth edition of CON-X saw participants and industry leaders engage in meaningful exchanges, culminating in a vibrant conclusion at AFTER-X, held at the iconic Nikki Beach. Here, an impressive 1,400 additional meetings took place, significantly enhancing the networking opportunities for all attendees. The event successfully brought together a total of 500 participants throughout the day, marking a record-breaking milestone in terms of engagement and connectivity. This year's CON-X not only fostered substantial business connections but also set a new benchmark for future industry gatherings.
