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Simon Ferguson: ‘You’ve got to look at what’s happening globally’


‘London is start-up capital but axis is shifting to east’


SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS THE RISE OF TECH- SAVVY FAR EAST TRAVELLERS. LEE HAYHURST REPORTS


London and the UK’s regional hubs are vibrant breeding grounds for travel start-ups but, globally, the industry’s focus is moving east, a Travolution 10th Anniversary Summit was told.


The half-day event, sponsored by


Travelport and Cheapflights, was held in London at the new offices


of News UK, the parent company of The Sun and The Times. The capital has a stated ambition to be a world centre for travel start-ups, having established the Traveltech Lab,


72 travelweekly.co.uk 2 June 2016


an incubator run by London & Partners, the mayor’s official promotional company. Speaking about Travelport’s


approach to innovation and start- ups, Simon Ferguson, managing director for northern Europe, pointed to demographic trends. “By 2025, 75% of the world’s


workforce will be under 25, so you have to think as a big business how you are going to attract people to want to work for you,” he said. “The concept of being relevant as a big legacy business goes far


deeper than just asking if your proposition or products are relevant. “It’s how are you going to get


people who are relevant and attract them in a world where the next generation expect certain things from their employer and places of work. “Great things are happening


in this city. The whole ‘Silicon Roundabout’ [Old Street] tech hub is fantastic. Then there are hubs around the UK, such as Edinburgh and Bristol. “But you’ve got to look at what’s happening globally. One in five travel apps is consumed in South Korea. That’s an incredible stat.


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