World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) will return to Hamburg from 8-10 April 2025 with more features than ever, highlighting the very latest advances in the onboard sector. Taking place at the Hamburg Messe, the thirteenth edition promises to unite the world’s leading air, rail and cruise operators with exhibitors showcasing the hottest onboard product innovations, services and trends across inflight catering, passenger comfort and inboard services.
With global air passenger traffic finally set to surpass pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024 to reach 9.7 billion[1], this opens up a huge opportunity for airline operators to ensure their offerings meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s passengers. And there are no signs of this slowing down as air passenger traffic is forecast to double by 2042, with Asian countries dominating the top three spots, the US will be overtaken as the number one market by total passenger traffic[2]. Creating a memorable passenger experience along with technology, sustainability and wellbeing are all key for airlines, railways and cruise ship operators to ensure they satisfy passengers as data shows the number of travellers continues to grow.
WTCE 2025 will see the return of well-known features on the show floor while also introducing some new elements that shouldn’t be missed.
Trailblazing Tech
Brand new for WTCE 2025 is the ‘Tech Trail’, that will shine a light on those paving the way in technology within the onboard industry. This feature will highlight exhibitors that tackle issues including onboard payment, customer meal pre-orders and inventory management. They will showcase solutions to create a smoother process for onboard operators and ultimately deliver an improved passenger experience.
Spotlighting Sustainability
Due to its successful launch last year, the ‘Steps to Sustainability’ feature will return for 2025, to celebrate the accomplishments and innovations of companies that are leading the way in sustainability. As the travel industry continues its journey towards improving environmentally friendly practices across all areas of the passenger experience, this trail and showcase will include a curated range of exciting onboard products from organic food and drinks to amenities and tableware.
Enhancing Passenger Wellbeing
Back for its third year at WTCE, the ‘Wellbeing Walk-through’ continues to promote a range of exhibitors that are making strides in onboard wellness. The trail highlights key exhibitors showcasing a selection of wellbeing-focused products from healthy food and beverages to soft goods and amenity kits.
Applications for the Tech Trail, Steps to Sustainability and Wellbeing Walk-through will be open to exhibitors in early October 2024.
First-class Exhibitors
Over 80% of this year’s show floor space is already sold, with a large number of exhibitors signed up for the 2025 event. Noteworthy companies include Linstol, a global leader in sustainable in-flight passenger comforts and dnata, one of the world’s largest air services providers and onboard catering companies, as well as Buzz Products, supplier of luxury amenity kits, skincare, sleeper suits, meal service ware and children’s kits. The show will also welcome the likes of Catrion, top provider of culinary and hospitality services, Diageo Global Travel with its international portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands for consumers in travel retail and En Route, the leading global specialist in passenger solutions, supply chain services and sourcing for airlines and airline caterers, to name a few.
Brand new exhibitors to WTCE 2025, located in the New Exhibitor Village, include Off-Piste Wines, bringing a range of award-winning brands to the UK and global markets, Sattviko, with its range of healthy snack options and instant meals and Neuhaus Chocolates, inventor of the Belgian praline, plus many more.
At the Theatre
WTCE’s popular Taste of Travel Theatre, produced in association with Onboard Hospitality and sponsored by En Route, will provide a programme of top-tier seminars with insightful industry speakers. Enabling visitors to gain insights and industry knowledge from a huge range of influential thought leaders and experts, the programme will feature a jam-packed schedule throughout the event including chef sessions, cooking demos and sampling.
Maximising Your Experience
The event’s VIP Buyer Programme provides eligible attendees (airlines, cruise and rail operators and catering buyers) with a range of exciting benefits before and during the exhibition. This includes access to the VIP Buyer Lounge, a digital gift bag with exclusive deals to redeem at the show, plus a VIP Sample Bag, sponsored by Marfo, containing an assortment of products from Gut Springenheide, Farmley, 4700BC Popcorn and Print2Pack among others.
It also offers a discounted rate for the Passenger Experience Conference (PEC), which will be taking place at the Hamburg Messe on 7 April 2025. During the conference, delegates will be able to gain valuable insights and unique networking opportunities within a one-day programme set to shape the future of the passenger experience industry.
A New Era for WTCE
This year will see Shona Thomson as the new Event Manager of WTCE, while Polly Magraw steps up into the role of Portfolio Director – Transport at RX. Created to further drive the success of the show, the new role sees Shona take the helm of WTCE, following her management of Imbibe Live in July 2024, the leading UK event for the on-trade drinks industry. Polly will continue overseeing WTCE through her expanded role at RX.
Shona Thomson, Event Manager of WTCE, commented: “My goal as the new Event Manager of WTCE is to continue delivering an outstanding exhibition that highlights the latest innovations in travel catering and onboard services, ensuring WTCE remains the leading industry event for the sector. I’m very excited for this new challenge and will leverage my extensive experience in the food and beverage markets to create impactful and successful events into the future.”
She continued: “The travel industry is in an exciting place with a positive outlook for the future as it looks set to reach pre-pandemic travel levels by the end of the year. Now, more than ever, we need to be on the front foot when it comes to future trends, and ensure we truly understand passenger dynamics as the number of travellers looks set to double in the next 20 years.
“At WTCE 2025, the spotlight will be on crafting experiences that will support airlines in achieving sustainability goals and providing wellbeing solutions tailored to the ever-changing needs of passengers. This event is an ideal opportunity for buyers from the airline, rail, cruise and inflight catering industries to come together and stay ahead of the curve.”
WTCE will be co-located with the industry-renowned Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), which will see Archana Dharni (previously AIX Marketing Manager and former Event Director for WTCE) take on the role of Event Director for the show. Both events will come together to provide passenger experience professionals with the opportunity to network and explore new products, services and solutions.
[1][1]https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2024/02/19/global-air-passenger-numbers-forecast-to-double-by-2042/
[2] https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2024/02/19/global-air-passenger-numbers-forecast-to-double-by-2042/