with a bigger event as the industry moves towards full recovery
World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) is returning to the Hamburg Messe on 6-8 June 2023, and following the success of last year’s event, the 2023 edition is expected to exceed expectations compared to the previous year.
The leading global event for inflight catering, onboard services and passenger comfort is expected to see a total of 5,000 attendees, including over 750 onboard buyers and around 300 exhibiting companies, with a host of first-time exhibitors that are set to bring fresh ideas to the show floor.
Attendees from global, regional and low-cost airlines and rail companies will come together as WTCE delivers exclusive industry insights, product and service innovations and networking opportunities that will continue to drive passenger numbers, increase loyalty and boost business. Plus, international caterers including LSG, dnata, and SATS Catering will provide insight into how the catering sector is evolving for 2023 and beyond.
Wellness, Sustainability and Creating Memorable Experiences will be the core themes of WTCE 2023, giving visitors the opportunity to uncover the latest trends, gain valuable insights from leaders in these sectors and immerse themselves in new at-show activations that are designed to demonstrate innovation at its finest.
Education and innovation
This year’s event is set to be a hotbed of innovation, with an array of future-focused products and services showcased on exhibitor stands. From on-trend food and drinks products – including fully prepared meals, meal components, snacks and beverages from suppliers such as Bottega Spa, Frankenberg GmbH, Monty’s Bakehouse, Smize Cream, and 4700BC Popcorn, that are all geared towards creating unforgettable experiences for passengers – to a host of amenity and hygiene solutions designed to draw in those visitors who are looking to reassure passengers with the latest products that make for an unforgettably comfortable and clean environment onboard.
There will also be a host of new, first-time suppliers exhibiting at the event this year. These include premixed cocktail company &Stirred Cocktails which will showcase its impressive range that features a mix for every spirit, all served in airline-friendly packaging, as well as French drinks brand féfé, who will reveal its premium innovations of Ready-to-drink cocktails in the mixology cocktail sector.
Elsewhere, pioneering UK healthcare brand, Sonisk will exhibit for the first time, introducing visitors to its hero product disrupting the oral care industry – The Sonisk Pulse – which is the most portable, affordable and easy to use hygienic oral toothbrush.
Connect and collaborate
Following the success of its debut last year, the WTCE Connect tool will be available to visitors and exhibitors to help them efficiently arrange meetings with the right people ahead of time. The online tool was hailed as a “huge benefit” by those at the 2022 show and helped to form new relationships as well as reconnect long standing ones. The WTCE Connect tool helps visitors to find the products most suited to their needs and arrange meetings with the relevant exhibitors at the event, meaning that they arrive at WTCE with a personalised schedule to help plan their time at the show.
The VIP Lounge will also once again serve as a place for onboard buyers to meet, collaborate and build relationships, as well as providing a place to relax, work or network away from the show floor. Furthermore, VIP attendees will gain access to the WTCE Digital Gift Bag, complete with exclusive offers plus a physical VIP Sample Bag featuring product samples and giveaway opportunities.
Invaluable insights
At the centre of WTCE will be the Taste of Travel Theatre, with an inspiring line-up of expert advisors, chefs and consultants forecast to promote the latest trends and advances for catering onboard. In association with Onboard Hospitality Magazine, the daily sessions bring together a host of experts to help visitors understand the macro trends that will affect their organisation in the coming year and share ideas on how they can build their business and keep up with ever-changing passenger expectations.
The 2023 line-up will delve into important topics including passenger wellbeing, creating memorable experiences and sustainable solutions that are easy to communicate to passengers.
Visitors are also being encouraged to learn more about current trends affecting other areas of the aviation industry at the co-located Passenger Experience Conference (PEC), which takes place the day before WTCE on 5 June 2023. These sessions are a fantastic opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in new ideas, innovative solutions and discover the next steps in the evolution of the passenger experience, on-board environments and services.
Furthermore, VIP visitors will be granted a discounted ticket for PEC. For attendees looking to maximise the networking opportunities available at WTCE, the Welcome Party on 5th June will serve as the perfect place to meet new contacts in a more relaxed atmosphere.
WTCE Event Director, Polly Magraw, commented:
“Our return to Hamburg for WTCE last year was met with resounding success and we’re now looking forward to the 2023 edition of the event being even better. We anticipate more exhibitors and more visitors, including some big names who have already confirmed.
Alongside some of the show’s interactive features that we know are always popular, I’m looking forward to seeing visitors experience the new initiatives we are bringing to WTCE 2023. One of our themes for this year is creating memorable experiences and the event is already shaping up to be very memorable indeed.”
Co-located with the industry-renowned Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), WTCE will be found in Halls A1, and A4 of Hamburg Messe. Together, the events will provide passenger experience professionals with a unique opportunity to identify new products and solutions throughout the cabin.
For further information or to register for the event, visit WTCE
For further press information please contact the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo press office on +44 (0) 207 240 2444 or email: wtce@stormcom.co.uk