Web in Travel (WiT) was founded in 2005 as a news platform chronicling how technology was transforming Asia Pacific’s travel industry. That same year, WiT Singapore debuted as the company’s annual flagship conference, bringing together senior decision-makers, founders and investors from tech companies, airlines, travel agencies and hospitality groups.
This Oct. 6-8, the original Singapore edition celebrated its 20th year—and as WiT enters its third decade, it’s expanding again, this time to New Zealand. WiT already hosts editions in Tokyo, Seoul, Europe and the Middle East. Next up is WiT Queenstown, set for July 21, 2026 at the QT Hotel in Queenstown.
The new event will carry the theme “The Next 20,” honoring WiT’s milestone year while reimagining its future. But unlike its larger Singapore counterpart, Queenstown will be “a one-day, high-impact event,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, the founder and editor-in-chief of WiT, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Group.
Siew Hoon expects around 200 attendees. It’s notably smaller than the flagship’s typical 500—but, as she put it, “intentionally so.” Siew Hoon described WiT Queenstown as a “boutique” experience designed to ensure every participant can meaningfully connect with speakers and one another. “The focus is on intimacy and connection rather than scale,” she said.
To that end, programming will emphasize interaction and discovery through “demo corners, hosted conversations and experiential brand moments,” Siew Hoon explained. “This isn’t a traditional trade show with rows of booths.” Instead, sponsors will activate through tailored experiences within the QT Hotel’s ballrooms and breakout spaces, spanning 225,709 square feet in all.
The main stage will feature a “mix of global C-suite voices, regional disruptors and local innovators,” she said, with speakers flying in from Asia, Australia and beyond. The attendee mix, however, is expected to skew more regional than WiT Singapore, aligning with the event’s goal of cross-pollinating local and global insights.
“We want the physical environment to encourage serendipitous encounters, where a CEO can bump into a startup founder over coffee and spark a new idea,” Siew Hoon said.
Eight months out, WiT Queenstown has confirmed its first wave of 15 speakers, including the head of legal counsel for Airbnb, a regional manager from Booking.com and a chief commercial officer from Accor Asia Pacific, among others.
When curating the lineup, Siew Hoon said she begins with one guiding question: “What are the most pressing issues facing the industry right now?” Those best positioned to answer are invited, with attention to geography, gender and perspectives to reflect the industry’s diversity.
Under “The Next 20” theme, conversations will focus on the future of travel, from AI disruption and sustainability to digital identity and traveler loyalty. Siew Hoon told Vendelux she hopes sessions will have attendees “challenged to think about the future they want to build at a time of great change on all fronts, from technology to changing demographics and traveler preferences, and a shift in the global axis.”
Uniquely, WiT aims to reshape the global narrative on travel tech—one often dominated by the U.S. and Europe. “[WiT] Queenstown gives us a platform to elevate those voices,” she said.
As for why WiT chose New Zealand, Siew Hoon cited: “its ambition to become a hub for technology and innovation.” She added that while Queenstown is better known for its natural beauty than its tech scene, the destination’s mission to grow the local tech sector to $1 billion GDP within 20 years made the timing ideal.
“The timing felt right to bring WiT here,” she said.
Looking ahead, Siew Hoon said that WiT Queenstown 2026 is the debut of something bigger. “By year 5, we want WiT Queenstown to be recognised as a must-attend event on the global travel tech calendar, and for Queenstown itself to be seen as a hub for travel innovation.”
