Tourism startups and luxury market trends highlighted in recent industry reports

The IFTM Top Resa tourism trade fair, held from September 15 to 17, is highlighting startups that utilize technology to transform the travel industry. Key innovators include AirGateway GmbH, a Berlin-based company that uses APIs to aggregate NDC and low-cost airline content for travel agents, and Bed & Rando, a platform that enables online bookings for walking and cycling itineraries.

In the luxury sector, market trends for 2026 indicate that wealthy consumers are becoming more selective regarding brand collaborations. A notable example is the Swatch x Audemars Piguet ‘Royal Pop’ collection. While the $400 pocket watch release initially caused significant retail congestion and speculative resale prices reaching five times the original cost, values dropped sharply after Swatch clarified the collection was not a limited edition. Despite a previous decline in 2025 revenue, Swatch Group shares rose approximately 15% following the announcement.