The program will see Travala.com work with leading airlines, including Emirates and Singapore Airlines, to develop more personalized customer offerings using blockchain technology.
Travala.com, the world’s leading cryptocurrency-friendly travel booking platform, has been selected as one of six startups selected to help leading airlines create more personalized offers and orders as part of the Accelerate@IATA program.
The initiative is designed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that connects seven airlines—including Emirates Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and International Airlines Group—with innovative startups to develop impactful industry solutions.
The program is powered by Plug and Play, an innovation platform that runs accelerator programs and provides venture capital to startups. Since 2006, Plug and Play has accelerated over 2,500 startups, assisting thousands of pioneering companies like PayPal, Dropbox, and SoundHound to raise a total of $9 billion in venture funding to date.
As part of the Accelerate@IATA program, Travala.com will have the opportunity to work with airlines by collaborating on projects, developing white-label products, and expediting implementations while participating in networking events, mentor sessions, and dealflows to expand its network and forge long-term partnerships.
“At Travala.com, we’ve dedicated significant time and resources to develop an elevated flight booking experience, and we’re thrilled to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation in the field via the Accelerate@IATA program,” said Juan Otero, CEO of Travala.com. “The program will allow us to explore new ways to use blockchain technology in conjunction with airlines to rethink the future of flights for the global airline industry.”
The Accelerate@IATA team and the startups in the program will be showcasing their work at IATA symposiums—the World Financial Symposium, and the World Passenger Symposium—in September and November, respectively.
Read the full announcement here.
About Travala.com
Founded in 2017, Travala.com is the leading cryptocurrency-friendly travel booking service with 2,200,000+ properties, 400,000+ activities in 230 countries, and 600 airlines globally. Travala.com is a champion of cryptocurrency adoption, accepting over 80 leading cryptocurrencies along with traditional payment methods. In addition to unbeatable prices via its Best Price Guarantee, Smart members on Travala.com can also enjoy additional discounts and loyalty rewards for eligible bookings made on the platform. For more information about Travala.com, visit: www.travala.com.
About Accelerate@IATA
Accelerate@IATA is the first industry-owned travel tech accelerator where airlines and startups converge for innovation. This program gives airlines and value chain partners access to startups and leading-edge technologies, with the objective to facilitate projects, pilots, and implementations between the partners and the startups. Each group of selected startups will go through a dynamic program, where they will be granted unprecedented access to IATA Subject Matter Experts and Plug and Play’s mentor network, giving them a true innovation mindset to help them improve their solutions and scale to meet industry demand.
