HBX Group and Mastercard join forces to further innovation in the tourism sector

Palma, Spain, 13 November, 2023 —The TravelTech Lab by HBX Group has joined Mastercard’s Tourism Innovation Hub (the Hub), while Mastercard has joined HBX Group’s TravelTech Lab, to collaborate on accelerating innovation in the travel and tourism sector.

With HBX Group’s TravelTech Lab and Mastercard’s Global Tourism Innovation Hub based in Spain, the companies share a joint commitment to provide a springboard for emerging innovation and tech talent to the world. Together, over the next three years they will share knowledge, industry insights and collaborate on sustainability and inclusive tourism projects, to support the future of the industry.

“Our new membership in Mastercard’s Tourism Innovation Hub will help us accelerate our goal to provide frictionless end-to-end travel for everyone,” said José María Pestaña Sartorius, Chief Innovation Officer at HBX Group. “Since the TravelTech Lab by HBX Group launched earlier this year, we have established ourselves in the travel innovation ecosystem by joining forces with world-renowned institutions who share our vision and mission.”

“Mastercard’s Tourism Innovation Hub has become a trusted collaborator across the public and private sectors in developing more sustainable and resilient tourism globally, “said Quim Martinez Bosch, Vice President, Tourism Innovation Hub at Mastercard. “We look forward to working with HBX Group to co-create innovative solutions for destinations around the world, focused on connecting and empowering businesses and local communities.”

While the TravelTech Lab by HBX Group opened earlier this year to reimagine tourism and improve the overall travel experience, Mastercard’s Global Tourism Innovation Hub works with governments, public sector agencies and private sector companies to accelerate their digitalisation efforts, as well as innovate, research, and co-create solutions across the tourism ecosystem.

Recent additions to the Hub include the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kazakh Tourism National Company. They join existing Tourism Innovation Hub members including the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Spain’s SEGITTUR, and the Global Travel Resilience & Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) of Jamaica.

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About the TravelTech Lab by HBX Group The TravelTech Lab by HBX Group is on a mission to re-imagine the world of travel. The Lab’s creation was driven by a passion for innovation in product development and finding new ways to use technology to create frictionless travel for all. We explore the intersection of emerging technology and travel to revolutionise both the product offering and the consumer experience, whilst engineering solutions which advance HBX Group’s agenda to change the way that tomorrow’s travellers move, connect and explore. We do this by co-innovating with trail-blazing start-ups and like-minded partners who are focused on collaboration and have a disruptive mindset. The TravelTech Lab by HBX Group is where cutting-edge ideas can soar. We create breakthrough products, platforms and services by exploring new horizons to drive digital transformation within the travel industry.

To find out more, visit https://www.traveltechlab.net/

Press contact
Clara Truyols Nadal
clatruyols@hotelbeds.com