Organisers of World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) have been busy firming up a stellar line up for the Taste of Travel Theatre programme that will take place at the Hamburg Messe from 8-10 April.
Curated in partnership with Onboard Hospitality Magazine and moderated by former Editor, Jo Austin, this year’s Taste of Travel Theatre sponsored by En Route International will see one of its best line ups covering themes from technology to sustainability, practical drink serves to allergy and nutrition.
As sustainability remains a key topic for WTCE 2025, the Taste of Travel Theatre will be bringing some thought-provoking topics to the stage to create lively discussions about how onboard hospitality can become more sustainable to not only help the planet but to also simultaneously enhance the passenger experience.
On day one of WTCE, join WTCE’s sustainability ambassador and Aviation Sustainability Foundation (ASF) founder, Matt Crane, as he moderates an interesting session looking at cabin waste. ‘What Goes Up Will Come Down’ will take place at the theatre stage from 15:15pm on Tuesday 8 April, where Matt will be joined by Daniela Stange, Corporate Sustainability Manager at IATA, Svenja Steffen, Sustainability Lead at Lufthansa Industry Solutions, Justin Cook, Inflight Product and Catering Leader at TUI, and Diana Cawley, Head of Commercial at ASF.
The panel will discuss cabin and catering waste and how airlines can meet the challenge of understanding, measuring and reducing cabin waste. For the first time, our sector has a standardised operating procedure for the segregating, measuring, and recording of cabin and catering waste and this panel of experts will cover the importance of establishing a robust Cabin Waste Composition Audit (CWCA) measurement and analysis. It’s a ‘must see’ for everyone involved in the catering supply chain and sustainability colleagues.
Kicking off day two of the Theatre will be the ‘Mile High Marketplace’ session on Wednesday 9 April at 10:30am. Transforming passengers into shoppers, this session’s panel of global experts in retail travel will look at innovative solutions to drive revenue both onboard and at airports worldwide – all while enhancing the customer experience. At the heart of this innovation lies the sustainability agenda with consumers now factoring it into purchasing decisions.
The panel will delve into the growing trend of eco-friendly products and services, examining the various factors influencing their adoption and effectiveness. Moderated by Maryann Simson, Director of Jetway Communications, she will be joined by panellists Vimal Kumar Rai, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Commercial Excellence Partners – Blue Skies – AI-led Inflight Customer Experience, Kai Kosicki, Founder of ExpAir and Member of Hayward Partnership, and Manuel Huebschmann, Head of Retail at Lufthansa Group.
One topic that continues to be big in the airspace is carbon reduction targets. On Wednesday 9 April from 14:00pm, you can stop by the ‘Target 2030’ session to understand ways in which the supplier industry can support airlines in making significant carbon reduction targets over the next five years. Many airlines have regulatory reporting requirements as well as significant carbon reduction targets by 2030, so this session dives into ways in which the supplier industry can support airlines in making this target.
Moderated by Alison Wells, Owner & CEO, Plane Talking Products, this session will include key considerations around product development and the procurement process. Panellists will include Philippe De Naeyer, Director Sustainability / ESG of deSter, Sarah Klatt Walsh, Sustainability Lead at FORMIA, and Paula Lafora, Director of Customer Experience at Iberia.
The free-to-attend Taste of Travel Theatre, produced in association with Onboard Hospitality and sponsored by En Route International, will be located in Hall A1 at the Hamburg Messe from 8-10 April 2025. In addition to the programme of educational sessions, a series of live cooking demonstrations, and tasting opportunities will also take place. All sessions are free to attend.
Visit WTCE for more information.
About RX (Reed Exhibitions)
RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face-to-face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors. RX is passionate about making a positive impact on society and is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
About RELX
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs over 33,000 people, of whom almost half are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. The market capitalisation is approximately £33bn, €39bn, $47bn.*
*Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors
All images credited to WTCE
