ITB Berlin 2026 Unveils AI, Agentic Commerce and Payment Innovations Across Six Travel Tech Halls

ITB Berlin 2026 runs from 3 to 5 March 2026 with six fully booked Travel Tech halls — 5.1, 6.1, 7.1c, 8.1, 9, and 10.1 — and a pronounced emphasis on artificial intelligence, agentic commerce and cross-border payments; notable names include Travelsoft ve Amadeus in Hall 5.1, VISA, Stripe ve Revolut in Hall 10.1, and a larger presence for Planet in Hall 9. These logistics and platform developments will ripple into airport transfers and city-to-city taxi services through smarter booking flows and payment integration.

What to expect at a glance

The event’s exhibition layout signals where travel tech investment is concentrated and how that may affect transfers and ground mobility.

• Distribution & GDS: Sabre, Travelport and Phocuswright bring retailing, data and market insights that influence channel pricing for transfer operators.
• Payments: Cross-border settlement and fintech solutions in Hall 10.1 aim to reduce fees and speed up driver payouts.
• AI & Voice: AI agents and voice booking prototypes (DerbySoft’s voice agent) could automate cab and airport shuttle bookings.
• Hotel & Operations: Property management and housekeeping tech indirectly shape expectations for vehicle cleanliness and service standards.

Halls, themes and notable exhibitors

Conference tracks and live sessions

The new Travel Tech Track on the eTravel Stage links classic distribution with modern tech, while the AI Track (sponsored by Travolution / Travelsoft) targets agentic commerce and autonomous booking. Key sessions include the Executive Forecast 2026 with Chinmai Sharma (Sabre), hospitality panels with Pedro Colaco ve Dan Ogen, and sessions featuring Bruce Poon Tip (G Adventures) and Wendy Olson Killion (Rome2Rio).

Innovation highlights and startup focus

Visitors will see demonstrations such as Apaleo’s open PMS, DerbySoft’s AI voice agent, The Trip Boutique’s AI Brain and Qualiday’s live translation. Start-up Valley and the VIR area will showcase German travel tech fledglings, while Phocuswright provides market research to inform strategy and pricing decisions for operators and suppliers.

Practical implications for taxi and transfer services

AI-driven agentic commerce implies that a traveler’s assistant could autonomously decide and book the exact transfer option — weigh price, ETA, vehicle type and driver rating — without manual input. Payment innovations reduce friction at airport pick-ups, allow faster driver settlements and introduce alternative fare models (dynamic pricing, subscription, flat fares). Integration between GDS/platforms and local ride providers can make real-time availability, seat counts and licensing checks more transparent to the passenger.

How tech translates to the road

• Instant verification of driver license and vehicle seat capacity at booking time improves safety and fit for private transfers.
• AI-based price optimization will affect fare transparency — travelers will be able to see how much a ride costs in context (airport surcharge, time of day, distance).
• Live translation and AI routing reduce waiting time at terminals, improving time to pick-up and lowering idle fare costs.

At a glance, the conference’s focus on AI, payments and distribution is directly relevant to anyone managing a fleet, operating airport shuttles or booking private limousine and seater services through apps and platforms.

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In summary, ITB Berlin 2026 concentrates travel tech innovation across six halls, highlighting AI, agentic commerce, payments and platform distribution — developments that will influence taxi and transfer pricing, driver workflows, airport pick-ups and booking apps. For travelers seeking an exact car, seat and price, modern platforms bring clearer service detail: compare fares and drivers, check licenses and vehicle type, and decide how much to pay and when to book. LocalsRide.com supports these needs by offering transparent listings, verified providers and flexible booking for city and airport transfers, private limousines or multi-seater options — making it easier to get the right car, at the right price, at the right time.