Mallorca, Spain, May 21 – ConX 2025, organized by Travelgate, the leading Connectivity Marketplace in the travel industry, successfully wrapped up its fifth edition, delving into key challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the tourism sector.
Under the theme ‘Connected’ and with Huawei as the main sponsor – joined by notable partners such as Smyrooms (part of Viajes El Corte Inglés), Ávoris, and HotelDistribute – more than 800 decision-makers and executives from some of the most innovative and influential companies in the B2B distribution space gathered to reflect on emerging destinations, how to steer tourism toward sustainability, and how to apply advances in Artificial Intelligence and process automation in a complex ecosystem that includes hotel groups, airlines, OTAs, tech providers, and independent operators – all while contending with new entrants from outside the travel industry. Perfect connectivity among these players is no longer optional.
Held at the Son Moix Stadium in Palma (Mallorca, Balearic Islands), the event provided the ideal setting for insights from industry leaders such as Ada Xu, Director of International Affairs at FLIGGY (Alibaba Group); Dor Krubiner, CEO & Co-Founder of Mize; Emilie Dumont, CEO of Digitrips; Faisal Memon, Founder & CEO of iOL; Kate Irwin, Managing Director of Skift EMEA; and an inspiring keynote by Johan Lundgren, Former CEO of easyJet.
ConX 2025: A Special Edition
“This has been the most well-attended edition,” said Pedro Camara, Founder and CEO of Travelgate, referring to the nearly 800 attendees who gathered in Palma for ConX 2025. “We’re thrilled—it’s been a special edition full of surprises throughout the day.”
Pedro Camara explained that the theme ‘Connected’ is more than just a concept – it’s “a lifestyle, a philosophy”:
“At Travelgate we connect people and companies on a technical level, but we created this space to connect people on a more personal level. That’s why we’re all here. ‘Connected’ is who we are, it’s what we do.”
The day’s agenda tackled hot topics such as India’s remarkable growth as a tourism market, the global expansion of B2B companies, and the increasing presence of non-travel brands in the travel space.
“People are still traveling – last year was the best on record, even better than we had expected. This year started off a bit slow, likely due to the timing of Easter, but things have bounced back in Q2,” he added.
New Strategies, New Markets, and New Brands in Travel
The day kicked off with the panel “The New Wave of Growth Strategies in B2B Travel”, moderated by entrepreneur Alex Gisbert, featuring Dor Krubiner (Mize), Tejveer Singh Bedi (VP, Traveloka Partners Network), Felix Shpilman (CEO, Emerging Travel Group), and Faisal Memon (iOL).
These B2B experts emphasized the need for agility in adapting to digital transformation and the importance of leveraging data to anticipate market demands. Success, they said, comes from knowing exactly where you are and where you want to go – and aligning your strategy accordingly.
In a related conversation, Kate Harden-England, Editor of Travolution, interviewed Javier Cabrerizo, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at HBX Group. He reflected on a time when companies could plan 5–10 years ahead, but now recommends a flexible 3-year outlook.
“You have to stay flexible. You may expect the market to go one way, and suddenly it shifts. There’s no sense in sticking rigidly to a plan—especially in uncertain times,” Cabrerizo said.
Non-Travel Brands Entering the Industry
Another major theme at ConX was the increasing involvement of non-traditional travel brands.
During the panel “How Non-Travel Brands Are Entering Travel”, Ada Xu (FLIGGY, Alibaba Group) and Emilie Dumont (Digitrips) joined moderator Kate Harden-England to discuss this trend.
Dumont highlighted that travel remains “a very resilient product in terms of customer experience, even during economic downturns,” explaining why many non-specialized brands are now venturing into the space. Rather than a threat, she sees this as an opportunity for established travel companies to offer their expertise.
Ada Xu added that brands like FLIGGY bring valuable insights about Chinese travelers, backed by extensive consumer research and data.
India’s Rising Influence in Travel
The panel “India’s Rising Influence in Travel”, moderated by Walter Buschta (SVP, Phocuswright), featured Albert Fernando (Travelwings.com), Bhanu Chopra (RateGain), Jaal Shah (RezLive.com / Travel Designer Group), and Rajnish Kumar (Ixigo).
India welcomed 76.8 million international visitors between January and October 2024, and projections suggest nearly 50 million outbound Indian travelers by 2030, double today’s numbers. With these figures in mind, panelists argued that India is no longer an emerging market.
Public and private investment in infrastructure, rapid digitalization (nearly half of India’s population is under 30), and a strong push for MICE tourism position the country as a key player in global travel.
From Music to the Skies
One of the highlights of this edition was the inspirational talk by Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet from 2017 to 2024. Lundgren, who started out as a musician, unexpectedly entered the travel industry and, at just 29, became CEO of one of Sweden’s largest travel firms. He later led Europe’s second-largest airline through turbulent times, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and staffing shortages, while spearheading business transformation and reinforcing the airline’s international standing.
“It’s great to run a major airline – but not if you can’t fly. That much I can assure you,” said Lundgren. He emphasized teamwork and holistic leadership as key to driving both personal and professional growth.
AfterX 2025
As part of the annual event, AfterX 2025 will cap off ConX with a full day dedicated to in-person networking and business opportunity exploration. Taking place on May 22, 2025, at the iconic Nikki Beach, the event will run from 1:30 PM to midnight, combining networking with fine dining and entertainment.
This year, Mize will be the official sponsor of AfterX, which has 1,000 participants registered from the B2B distribution sector – all focused on fostering new connections.
About Travelgate
Part of the Travelsoft group, Travelgate is a next-generation Connectivity Marketplace that enables seamless integration for travel agencies, OTAs, bedbanks, DMCs, and tour operators through a single API. Buyers gain real-time access to a wide range of sellers via a single integration, while sellers benefit from global exposure to a massive distribution network.
Through its intuitive platform and app, users can manage connections, monitor performance, generate smart reports, and access instant support—all from a single centralized tool.