Well, here we are – 20 years on.

From dial-up to deep tech, we’ve ridden the waves of the Internet age, surfed the rise of mobile and social, and now find ourselves face to face with the fastest train yet: AI.

If the last 20 years were about surviving disruption, The Next 20 is about mastering reinvention.

Travel now sits at the epicenter of a perfect storm – technological acceleration, shifting demographics, and seismic societal change. And nowhere is this felt more keenly than in Asia Pacific. New Zealand and Australia, for example, are regions where tourism isn’t just an industry, it’s a way of life. Global visitors continue to flock here, and local travellers are some of the most adventurous and tech-savvy on earth.

As we move deeper into the digital age, Australasia has the chance to reimagine travel on its own terms – blending natural beauty, cultural richness, and pioneering innovation. From Queenstown’s adventure capital status to Sydney and Melbourne’s emerging travel-tech ecosystems, the region is uniquely positioned to shape what comes next.

So, what lies ahead?

Will AI rewrite how we discover and book travel or rewire the traveller’s brain entirely? What becomes of intermediaries when the funnel flattens, and choice becomes conversation? As machines get smarter, will we pay a premium for the soulful, the human, the handmade? Will science and art converge to spark a new travel Renaissance?

The Next 20 will belong to the bold – to those who can see what’s coming, build what’s needed, and lead with imagination, not just innovation.
It’s not just about what’s next. It’s about who’s shaping it.

WiT Queenstown, in partnership with Technology Queenstown, will bring together some of the world’s most influential minds in travel and hospitality tech – senior executives, innovators, and investors – right here in the heart of the Southern Alps.

With its reputation as a global tourism icon and a rising hub for innovation, Queenstown is primed to fuel the growth of a dynamic travel and hospitality tech cluster. WiT Queenstown isn’t just a gathering – it’s a launchpad for the next chapter of travel.