Skill as a currency is an inescapable necessity. Quantifying those skillsets can create a new self-aware economy that can facilitate connection and trading of those skills. Stay On Skill does the same, by providing a platform for homeowners to offer a place to travellers with expertise on skills they are interested in learning.

To boost this initiative further, the startup is organizing a first-of-its-kind TravelX Talks on April 15, 2018 at Amritsar, with the aim to facilitate a unique gathering of a community that is open to learning about different skills from some of the top influencers of India, sparking conversation and initiating connections in the process.

After two successful meetups in Dharamshala and Manali, the founders of Stay On Skill, Arjun Tuli and Rajshree Bothra, understood that experiencing a trip with fellow skilled experts from different domains was a far more enriching experience than travelling with known faces, friends or colleagues. By swapping stories and life-changing experiences, people can actually apply best practices to their own challenges and overcome them.

Founders Rajshree Bothra and Arjun Tuli

A picture from Stay on Skill’s Manali meetup

That inspired the duo to provide a platform where a panel of curated experts could share their daily hustles, challenges and solutions on various topics, and inspire people looking to take a similar path in life.

The speakers for the event include TEDx speaker Heena Raheja; Jony Jindal, the youngest Indian to do a solo tour of the country; BBC filmmaker Yashi Malviya; full time travel blogger and photographer Himani Chhabra; videographer Sahil Singh; artist and graphic designer Niharika Arora; entreprenuer, vlogger and musician Satyam Aggarwal; and Yogesh Mankani, a successful public speaker and entrepreneur.

The topics will range from building strong networks in different cities while travelling, to tips and tricks of travelling freely across India, and from creating videos that engage people, to learning how to travel while being jobless.

The event will be held at Cafe Chokolade in Amritsar and is a free-of-cost entry. City On Pedals is the travelling partner for the meetup, while Nomads Hostel is the stay and food partner.

The idea of trading skills for free travel accommodation is not new, but mostly involves doing some work in exchange for free food and stay.

“People travelling for vacations in great places don’t necessarily want to spend hours on work that is boring or monotonous,” says Arjun Tuli. So the founders decided to focus on homestays and on refined skills and knowledge like music or yoga, coding and writing, which guests could teach in their spare time while also enjoying their vacation.

“Most of them do a barter – a substitute for manual labour. However, here you are teaching something you are very passionate about. That is the gap we are trying to fill with our initiatives,” he added.

So far, more than 150 trips have happened through Stay On Skill, and people have saved over INR 9.5 lakh in stay expenses. Read more about Stay on Skill’s initiatives, here.

The post Learn from the best in travel at first-of-its-kind TravelX Talks by Stay On Skill appeared first on TravHQ.

The world of travel moved ahead rapidly in 2017. To keep up, the travel industry was also constantly on the move, with mobile dominating the purchasing behaviour of today’s connected traveller. A host of events and conferences helped the industry stay up to speed with the latest developments and hear from industry leaders on how best to deal with these changes.

The new year is expected to be no different. So, whether you are a small business owner, a travel blogger, a marketing team, or anyone else in the travel industry, events and conferences like these will give you the opportunity to learn from, and network with the best in the domain.

Image source: SEE Business Travel Magazine

We’ve pulled together a list of the very best travel and tourism conferences throughout 2018 to help you plan your year.

EU-China Tourism Year 2018, Venice (19 January):
The EU-China Tourism Year 2018, with its focus on the EU-China cooperation, will launch in Venice in January 2018 with an Institutional Event and Business Summit.

Travel Technology Track, Mumbai (18-20 January):
An initiative by OTM & TravHQ, this event will celebrate the growth of travel-tech industry in India. The knowledge platform at OTM Mumbai will showcase innovative travel solutions, panel discussions with industry thought-leaders and digital skill development workshops for travel trade industry.

ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition by Turkish Airlines 2018, Istanbul (21-23 February):
Recognized as Turkey’s most extensive B2B event, it aims to increase the perception and awareness of Turkey MICE sector globally. The exhibition’s professional hosted buyer program helps gain new clients and markets and the network and “AMEzing” parties within the exhibition aims to provide togetherness and motivation within the sector.

Guangzhou International Travel Fair, Guangzhou (1-3 March):This travel fair represents one of the most important international exhibition for Souvenirs, Tourism, Travel, Travel Organizer from across the world.

ITB, Berlin (7-11 March):
ITB Berlin is the world’s largest tourism trade fair. It has a busy programme of digital marketing, & social media events including expert industry and influencer panels and presentations.

Routes Asia, Brisbane (18-20 March):
Routes Asia provides the most efficient platform to meet and negotiate with senior decision makers from Asia’s route development community. Over the course of three concentrated business days, more than 2,000 meetings will take place between the region’s leading and fastest-growing aviation organisations.

Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, Shanghai (17-19 April):

Thousands of top business aviation leaders, entrepreneurs, and other purchase decision-makers will come together for this exhibition. This is the perfect venue for investors considering aviation as a business opportunity; companies thinking of using an aircraft for business; and flight departments who have long used aircraft as a valuable business tool.

IBTM Africa, Cape Town (19-20 April):

This event is where meetings, events and incentives industry decision makers meet for business adventures across Africa.

International Conference on Marketing, Tourism & Hospitality, Zurich (13-15 July):
As the name suggests, the international conference aims to host industry leaders across the globe on panels and discussions over social media and marketing in the tourism and hospitality sector.

ILTM Asia Pacific, Singapore (21-24 May):
This invitation-only, global event is where the suppliers of the world’s best luxury travel experiences get to meet the buyers representing the Asia Pacific region.

World Travel Market, London (5-7 November):

This is the leading global event for the travel industry to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals. Through its industry networks, unrivaled global reach, WTM London creates great opportunities.

Which ones do you plan to attend? Let us know if we’ve missed out on any event.

The post The unmissable travel conferences and events to watch out for in 2018 appeared first on TravHQ.