HBX Group, home of Hotelbeds, has joined forces with Mastercard to accelerate the pace of innovation in the tourism industry.

Today, the TravelTech Lab by HBX Group has joined the Tourism Innovation Hub from Mastercard.

At the same time, Mastercard has joined the TravelTech Lab from HBX Group.

Together, the two companies will collaborate on accelerating innovation in the travel and tourism sector. 

With both innovation hubs 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.”

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.

“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.”