Press Release – Technology Queenstown
An A-list of global travel, tourism and travel tech executives, founders and investors will descend on Queenstown in July, joining forces with homegrown heroes to discuss the most important topics shaping the future of travel tech.
Technology is rapidly transforming the travel and tourism industries worldwide, and Queenstown Lakes District is at the forefront of New Zealand’s response. Through Technology Queenstown, the region is spearheading e@orts to position the country on the global stage, expanding beyond traditional tourism into high-value technology solutions that can deliver high-value economic outcomes.
An A-list of global travel, tourism and travel tech executives, founders and investors will descend on Queenstown in July, joining forces with homegrown heroes to discuss the most important topics shaping the future of travel tech.
Technology Queenstown, the not-for-profit agency tasked with building a robust technology ecosystem for the Queenstown Lakes District, is hosting Asia Pacific’s leading travel and hospitality tech event, WiT (Web in Travel), on 20 and 21 July at the Queenstown Memorial Centre.
“We are excited to be releasing the programme for WiT Queenstown today, covering the topics that will shape the future of the travel and tourism sectors,” said Technology Queenstown Chief Executive O@icer Sarah Russell.
In a first for New Zealand, this event will shine a light on the challenges and opportunities that dominate the industry’s thinking – and how technology can be deployed in response. Topics will range from the seismic shift that AI is presenting the industry, to technology’s role in making tourism more sustainable, the future of online travel agencies, the changing marketing funnel and distribution landscape, how corporate travel is being reinvented, the global surge in consumer demand for authentic experiences, the changing face of accommodation and related tech stacks, the evolution of payments in travel, through to how technology is improving the airport experience for travellers and operators alike.
“The fact we have attracted such a high calibre of global players to participate in person is testament to the district’s strong reputation as a travel destination,” adds Sarah Russell.
Roger Sharp, founder of Technology Queenstown, said “our mission is to build $1billion in annual GDP from the technology sector in Queenstown Lakes District over the next 20 years. This vision is anchored in Travel & Hospitality Tech. We’re asking ourselves ‘what would need to be true for Queenstown Lakes to become the Southern Hemisphere’s go-to travel tech hub?’. This event, and the strong industry support that we are experiencing for it, anchors our view that Queenstown Lakes can successfully leverage its reputation as the World’s Adventure Capital to also become a renowned testing ground for Travel and Hospitality Tech innovation.”
Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder of WiT, said, “Our theme for the 2026 WiT edition is The Next 20, having sparked innovation in travel tech, from Singapore to Tokyo, Seoul, Cape Town, and Dubai for the past 20 years, we’re now looking to the next 20 years and debuting in Queenstown is an exciting part of the 2026 edition,”
“Collaborating with Technology Queenstown to deliver this programme that brings together WiT insights with local strategic vision and talent,” she added.
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
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