The organisers of World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE), an event for professionals in the inflight catering, onboard services, and passenger comfort sectors, have released a roundup of the 2025 show, which was held from 8-10 April at Hamburg Messe. The three-day event welcomed over 4,500 attendees from the airline, rail and cruise sectors, and the onboard supply chain.
Representatives from more than 165 individual airlines visited WTCE, including prominent international carriers such as Qantas, Etihad, Air France, British Airways, KLM, and American Airlines, WTCE also saw a 3.6% increase in attendance from rail and catering buyers. Over 1,600 senior decision-makers attended as VIPs, confirming the event’s important role for onboard buyers. Complementing the push for a connected passenger journey, these VIPs also included airline buyers that visited WTCE from the neighbouring Aircraft Interiors Expo to explore technologies, solutions, and products that can elevate inflight offerings.
Simone Walli, who works with culinary art and food & beverage onboard concepts for Austrian Airlines, shared her experience at WTCE 2025: “It was a fantastic opportunity to be back meeting with suppliers and caterers, networking effectively, and discovering new possibilities, especially for our work in Austria as we redesign our F&B online experience and seek out new innovations across the board. WTCE 2025 has been truly successful, amazing, and is a must-go-to.”
As part of the VIP programme, attendees were given exclusive access to the VIP Lounge, sponsored by CAE, and given a premium backpack filled with 15+ samples from WTCE exhibitors.
A huge range of products and technologies on show
The WTCE exhibition floor featured a mix of nearly 300 exhibitors, with over 90 new exhibitors joining established industry leaders, all keen to present their advancements in passenger experience, including food and drink, technology, amenities, and tableware. Attendees were given a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape and key trends, from culinary offerings, to passenger-centric amenities and cutting-edge technological solutions, to environmentally friendly products.
For those focused on the onboard dining experience, the presence of major catering companies such as dnata, En Route International, Frankenberg, SATS Catering, Flying Food Group, Around Noon, Foodcase International, and Cuisine Solutions offered a glimpse into the future of inflight gastronomy. These companies presented a diverse array of gourmet meal solutions and options designed to bring a taste of luxury and fine dining to the skies.
Complementing the culinary displays, leading beverage suppliers including Diageo Global Travel, Bottega Spa, Castello Monte Vibiano, Inflight Initiatives, and Maison Sichel showcased their premium selections, highlighting the importance of a well-rounded beverage programme in enhancing the passenger journey. A key focus here was boosting the no- and low-alcohol offerings to ensure all beverage preferences can be met with flavour and style.
A number of well-known retail brands also showcased offerings to airline, rail, and cruise operators. Here the likes of Love Corn, Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn, Capri Sun, Nairn’s Oatcakes, The Drinks Bakery, and more offered tailored offerings to short-haul and low-cost carriers to offer as onboard retail options.
The exhibition also shone a spotlight on passenger comfort and experience through the presence of leading amenity and tableware companies such as Linstol, Buzz Products, Formia, Kaelis, Kimirica Hunter, Clip, and Bayart Innovations. These exhibitors presented innovative solutions aimed at elevating the passenger experience through thoughtful design and high-quality products.
A key highlight was the New Exhibitor Village, which hosted over 30 new companies eager to introduce fresh perspectives and innovative offerings to the industry. This area served as a hub for operators to discover emerging products, solutions and technologies poised to elevate onboard services. Among the exciting new brands featured were France Macaron and The Mallows.
Guiding the industry
To further enhance the visitor experience, three targeted exhibitor trails highlighted must-visit stands, providing a focus on key industry trends. This year, WTCE introduced the Tech Trail, spotlighting cutting-edge technological advancements from companies like Unisto, Omnevo, SkyTender, and Tourvest Retail Services, among others.
Here, solutions ranged from security enhancements and retail platforms, to AI-powered inventory and scheduling tools. Many ideas were designed to optimise operational efficiency, sustainability, and ancillary revenue generation as technology becomes an essential element of onboard service.
Alongside this new initiative, the well-received Wellbeing Walk-Through returned, guiding visitors to exhibitors such as WESSCO International, Procurall Solutions, 4700BC Gourmet Snacks, Nairn’s Oatcakes, and Whittard of Chelsea, showcasing products and services catering to passenger health and wellbeing.
The ever-popular Steps to Sustainability trail also provided a practical guide to environmentally conscious solutions, featuring exhibitors like Callington, Valrhona Selection, and Bottega Spa, demonstrating the industry’s commitment to a more sustainable future for onboard services. These trails offered attendees an efficient way to explore the innovations shaping the future of the industry.
A vision for the future
The Taste of Travel theatre programme, a considered collection of insights, captured significant attention throughout WTCE 2025. The programme included more than 55 industry-leading experts that took the stage. These thought leaders from across the world held compelling discussions on the most pressing issues and emerging trends within onboard hospitality and services.
The diverse three-day agenda encompassed everything from the latest culinary innovations and crucial sustainability initiatives, to the evolving landscape of special meal provisions and the increasing importance of nutrition and wellness during travel. Furthermore, strategic approaches to elevate the holistic passenger experience, extending beyond the aircraft cabin to encompass airport lounges and the integration of connected technologies, were also key areas of focus.
The five WTCE Ambassadors began the agenda by sharing their top picks for the event. The Ambassadors are Melissa Adamski, travel dietitian and founder of Nutted Out Nutrition; Matt Crane (founder of the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF); Kelly Stevenson, director of JetVine; Julianne Ponan MBE, owner and CEO of Creative Nature Superfoods; and the newest addition for 2025, Kai Kosicki, independent expert and consultant at the Hayward Partnership.
Their introduction was followed by a particularly engaging session, titled ‘The Human Touch’, which examined the balance between technological efficiency and the human element in customer experience, featuring panellists from Blue Skies, Retail inMotion, Data Clarity, and easyJet, and moderated by Deli Lites.
Honing-in on dietary needs and preferences, a session titled ‘Improving the customer experience and loyalty from an allergy and nutrition perspective’ focused on the crucial steps airlines, caterers and airport lounges need to take to ensure the safety and satisfaction of passengers with food allergies.
Here, WTCE ambassadors Melissa Adamski and Julianne Ponan were joined by Simone Walli from Austrian Airlines, Sharon Huetson, head of business performance and inflight retail at easyJet, and moderator Marc Warde, global special meals programme director at Foodcase International.
Bringing a dedicated focus on Latin America, discussions centred on the region’s rapidly expanding aviation industry, noting its position as one of the fastest-growing globally. The phenomenal surge of low-cost and ultra-low-cost carriers in the region, coupled with an accelerated international expansion, was highlighted as a key transformation shaping the aviation landscape.
Lance Hayward, founder and managing director of Hayward Partnership, moderated the session. Sharing insights into the drivers of their success and future plans were Dario Barrera Medina, inflight experience director at Avianca Airlines; Paula Lafora Ornosa, director of customer experience at Iberia; and Dominic Alexander Purvis, senior vice president of product and customer experience at LATAM Airlines, all of whom offered valuable perspectives from within the Latin American market.
Making connections easy
Underscoring the expo’s vital role in fostering industry partnerships, WTCE Connect, the event’s dedicated platform for pre-arranged meetings, facilitated over 1,500 confirmed meetings this year – a 20% increase over the 2024 figure. This tool proved invaluable for exhibitors seeking to forge new relationships and expand their reach.
Max Van Coillie, travel retail manager Asia/ME at Neuhaus highlighted the platform’s impact: “Our exhibition at WTCE 2025 was absolutely fantastic. We came well prepared with 15 pre-scheduled meetings with high-end decision-makers from great airlines, which has led to great success. The guidance, particularly with the WTCE Connect platform, has been excellent, allowing us to secure meetings with key individuals we haven’t been able to reach before – truly valuable connections.”
Shona Thomson, event manager of WTCE, said of the 2025 event: “All types of passengers are now being considered, and there’s a real look into the people who are going on planes, trains and cruises to travel. All preferences and needs are being catered, from allergens to disabilities, as well as making the journey more sustainable. This was wholeheartedly reflected at WTCE as we saw a clear commitment from the companies exhibiting and the positive plans of the airlines – who attended in full force – that the passenger experience is only getting better and better.
“WTCE 2025 brilliantly demonstrated the dynamic ecosystem that shapes the passenger journey, emphasising the critical need for a collaborative and future-oriented supply chain. We appreciate all the experienced catering companies, exciting food and beverage brands, passenger-enhancing amenity suppliers, transformative technology providers, and the visionary airlines who attended this year. We hope to see you again in 2026!”
For more information on World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo 2026 which takes place from 14- 16 April 2026 at Hamburg Messe, visit: https://www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/en-gb.html
