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WiT (Web in Travel), Asia Pacific’s leading travel tech media and events platform, will bring an A-list of travel technology leaders from Asia, Australasia and beyond when it lands in Queenstown on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
With more than eight months to go, the debut event already boasts an impressive first wave of speakers, marking a milestone for Queenstown as it positions itself as a hub for travel and hospitality technology innovation.
The first line-up of 15 confirmed speakers includes senior leaders representing major global travel tech platforms including Airbnb, Agoda, Booking.com, Serko and Expedia, alongside New Zealand’s most senior tourism industry public official.
“WiT has always been about blending the best of local, regional and global,” says WiT founder Yeoh Siew Hoon. “Our line-up reflects that – movers and shakers from Asia, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. We’re thrilled to make our debut in Queenstown, not just to inspire on arrival, but to spark a travel tech community and forge new bridges of ideas between Australasia and the world.”
The one-day event is presented in partnership with Technology Queenstown, a not-for-profit agency founded by Roger Sharp, who also chairs global travel business Web Travel Group and tech investment bank North Ridge Partners.
“With this cast of speakers, WiT Queenstown feels like the beginning of a masterclass in travel tech,” says Roger. “It’s an opportunity to bring the world’s best minds to our beautiful region – and a vital step in diversifying the Queenstown Lakes District economy, where tourism and hospitality today account for more than 50 per cent of GDP.”
Founded in 2024, Technology Queenstown has a bold mission: to grow the local technology sector to $1 billion in annual GDP within 20 years. Its vision is to shift tech’s share of GDP from less than 2 per cent today to more than 15 per cent, creating high-value jobs and new economic opportunities.
“Launching a globally successful event like WiT is central to building out our travel tech sector,” says Roger. “By amplifying the talent already here, we want Queenstown to be known not only for its adventure and beauty, but for solving real-world travel problems through technology.”
Confirmed speakers for WiT Queenstown 2026
- Omri Morgenshtern, chief executive, Agoda
- Katrina Barry, chief executive, Webjet
- Darrin Grafton, chief executive, Serko
- Craig Gray, chief executive, Tourplan
- Sankar Narayan, chief executive, Siteminder
- Rene de Monchy, chief executive, Tourism New Zealand
- Rod Cuthbert, founder, Viator
- Kei Shibata, chief executive and co-founder, Travel.jp and Trip101
- Darrell Chan, head of legal counsel, Airbnb
- Marcus Yong, vice president, global marketing, Klook
- Hermione Joye, sector lead – travel, Google APAC
- Todd Lacey, regional manager, partner services, Booking.com
- Darren Karshagen, regional director, APAC, Expedia Group
- Kerry Healy, chief commercial officer, premium, midscale and economy brands, Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Asia Pacific, Accor
- John Boris, president and chief growth officer, Big Red Group
Event details
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Location: QT Hotel, Queenstown, New Zealand
Organisers: Web in Travel (WiT) in partnership with Technology Queenstown
Website: www.witevents.com/witqueenstown
