The New Exhibitor Village will feature more than 35 companies debuting at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) when the 2025 edition of the trade show is held at the Hamburg Messe from April 8-10.
New Exhibitor Village will include the likes of France Macaron, The Mallows and Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn.
Elsewhere on the show floor, first-time exhibitors will include BioNatur Plastics, which specialises in 100% recyclable and landfill biodegradable plastics. The Mallows ApS, Østerberg Food Service ApS, JALUX, Pick on Us and Tourvest Retail Services.
Taste of Travel Theatre
Produced in association with Onboard Hospitality and sponsored by En Route International, the Taste of Travel Theatre will welcome industry experts for a series of thought-provoking sessions.
This year’s lineup will spotlight key themes shaping the onboard hospitality sector, from the evolving AI landscape to beverage innovations and culinary creativity. Sustainability, accessibility and retail innovation will also feature.
One of the first sessions in the Taste of Travel Theatre (Tuesday April 8, 11:15 am) will look at The Human Touch. Panelists will weigh up the efficiency of tech and human elements, addressing if AI is improving the customer experience.
Sponsors En Route International will showcase its new passenger solutions at 12:15 pm on day one, with a special tasting session for spectators. En Route’s Global Managing Director, Nick Wiley, will join the panel on day two for Innovation vs Best Price – Can Airlines and Suppliers Find the Balance?’
VIP Buyer Programme
WTCE will offer its exclusive VIP Buyer Programme to onboard buyers and procurement teams from airlines, rail, cruise and travel catering companies. The programme provides added benefits before and during the event, including exclusive VIP Lounge access, a digital gift bag plus VIP sample bags, sponsored by Marfo, containing over 20 products from exhibitors
The VIP Buyer Programme offers a discounted rate for the Passenger Experience Conference (PEC) on Monday April 7, including access to the evening’s Welcome Party.
Wellbeing Walk-Through
Mental and physical wellbeing have become important to passengers and WTCE’s Wellbeing Walk-Through will showcase products and services relating to health and nutrition, wellbeing and comfort.
Curated and supported by WTCE Ambassadors Melissa Adamski, Julianne Ponan MBE and Kelly Stevenson, the trail will highlight products that alleviate side effects associated with long-haul travel and promote long-term health and well-being.
Steps to Sustainability
Steps to Sustainability celebrates suppliers’ and airlines’ initiatives to reach net zero goals. Curated by WTCE Sustainability Ambassador Matt Crane, the dedicated trail and related Taste of Travel session will highlight accomplishments, trends and innovations leading the way in utilising environmentally conscious materials, production, manufacturing and operations.
Tech Trail
New for WTCE 2025, the Tech Trail showcases technologies transforming the passenger experience and operational efficiency for airlines, rail and cruise operators, and travel caterers.
Attendees can explore innovations relating to topics such as meal planning, stock management and payment solutions, which help to reduce costs.
WTCE Ambassadors
Designed to highlight the key pillars of the event – technology, sustainability, nutrition, allergens and special meals and beverages – the WTCE’s Ambassador Programme initiative will return with familiar and new faces.
New this year is Kai Kosicki, Founder of ExpAir and a member of the Hayward Partnership, who takes on the role of Technology Ambassador. He will join the panel of industry experts to provide insights into technology’s role in the onboard catering and services sector.
Subject specialists will work closely with the event organisers to raise awareness of the event across the industry, highlight their specialist topics and also provide advice and knowledge throughout the exhibition.
It’s possible to meet them at the Ambassador Lounge (stand 1G105) for one-to-one sessions. Pre-booking is advised but can also be done at the lounge during the show.
WTCE Connect
Available online, WTCE Connect will allow attendees to search for relevant companies and products. It facilitates booking meetings with exhibitors, either at their stands or in the WTCE Connect Lounge.
Colleqt QR Codes
For the first time at WTCE, Colleqt QR Codes will be featured on all exhibitor booths. Many features will be available when scanned with a smartphone. This tool allows visitors to collect information from all the companies they’re interested in without the need to carry brochures.
Visitors will also receive a Daily Digest of companies they’ve scanned at the end of each day and also at the end of the week.
Shona Thomson, Event Manager at WTCE, said: “As we approach WTCE 2025, we are excited to reveal the full programme of events, showcasing the latest innovations and trends that will shape the future of travel catering and onboard services. “
“Seeing the return of at-show activations proves how valuable these features are for visitors to make navigating the show floor easier and more convenient. Which is why we’re thrilled to be launching the new Tech Trail for 2025 to continue to improve the overall event experience for visitors and exhibitors alike,” she continued.
The three-day show will bring together over 250 exhibitors with more than 5,000 visitors, including delegates from more than 150 airlines, including Etihad, British Airways and KLM.
