Innovation takes flight at WTCE 2026
This is a special feature from the November 2025 Middle East, Asia & Africa digital issue of PAX International, on page 50.
At WTCE 2026, the show floor will spotlight more than 100 new exhibitors alongside returning favorites such as the Tech Trail, showcasing the latest digital innovations
The World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) returns to Hamburg, Germany in 2026, setting the stage once again as the premier global marketplace for airline and rail hospitality. This year’s event promises a dynamic mix of innovation, collaboration and inspiration across every aspect of the onboard experience.
This fall, PAX International caught up with Shona Thomson, Event Manager for WTCE 2026, to learn more about the upcoming event.
“We have been able to really embed sustainability and passenger well-being into the show,” she says. At the same time, the event will spotlight how airlines can maximize ancillary revenue opportunities through smarter, tech-driven onboard retail.
Building on the success of previous years, WTCE 2026 introduces several features designed to reflect the industry’s evolving priorities. The Journey Circle, a new advisory group made up of airline buyers from Ethiopian Airlines and Austrian Airlines, ensures that the show’s content and exhibitors align closely with real-world challenges and opportunities.
Shona Thomson, Event Manager for WTCE 2026
The event’s show floor will feature more than 100 new exhibitors, with fresh ideas waiting in the First Time Exhibitor Village. Hall A3 will be dedicated exclusively to gategroup and its market-leading brands, while the new Drinks Zone in Hall A4 will spotlight premium and emerging beverage suppliers—and serve as the setting for the official WTCE Happy Hour.
Visitors will also find returning favorites like the Tech Trail, guiding buyers toward digital innovators such as Omnevo and Retail inMotion. Complementing these are the Steps to Sustainability and Wellbeing Walk-Through trails, which highlight eco-friendly materials, nutritious foods and wellness-focused amenities shaping the future of travel.
“WTCE 2026 will ensure airline buyers can source everything—from cutting-edge galley equipment and technology to food, beverage and amenity products—while caterers are supported with solutions to drive down costs and maximize partnership opportunities,” Thomson says.
Taking place from April 14 to 16, WTCE 2026 will once again serve as the industry’s meeting point, where innovation, sustainability and collaboration come together to define the next era of onboard hospitality.
