Industry Leaders DER Touristik Online, Lufthansa Group, and Chain4Travel Host First Web3 & Travel Hackathon
DER Touristik Online, Lufthansa Group, and Chain4Travel recently made history by organizing the travel industry’s first-ever hackathon focused on web3 technologies. This unique event brought together industry leaders and skilled coders to deliver innovative prototypes in a record-breaking timeframe of just four days.
The hackathon, which combined the fields of travel and web3 technologies, aimed to explore and develop solutions for tokenizing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) consumption. Participants from DER Touristik Online were tasked with creating a platform that could simplify the process of earning SAF credits and tracking carbon savings. These prototypes were built on Camino Network, an emerging web3 ecosystem designed specifically for the travel sector.
DER Touristik Online, a digital arm of the DER Touristik Group, joined forces with Lufthansa Group, a major player in the European airline industry, to pioneer this collaboration. DER Touristik Online specializes in online travel sales and technology strategies, employing approximately 9,200 people globally. The partnership followed DER Touristik’s groundbreaking move to become the first major tour operator to purchase SAF from Lufthansa Group. This acquisition has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of travel products by up to 80%, offering a more sustainable choice for travelers.
With sustainability at the forefront, the hackathon aimed to drive positive change within the global travel industry. Teams worked on incorporating gamification elements to make the process of tracking carbon savings and earning SAF credits engaging for travelers. The winning entry showcased a unique loyalty program that utilized a green token called “Dertorium” to facilitate interactions between stakeholders, including DER Touristik, Lufthansa Group, travelers, and other partners.
A notable aspect of this hackathon was the participating developers’ ability to present functional prototypes despite having no prior experience with web3 technology. BytePitch, a trusted member of the Camino community, supported and guided the teams throughout the event. The jury, consisting of top executives from the collaborating organizations, praised the participants for successfully delivering impressive results in such a short period.
The Camino Network Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit organization, played a crucial role in making this hackathon possible. Operating from Zug, the foundation is dedicated to advancing blockchain-focused solutions within the global travel market. Camino Network, the industry’s first Layer 1 blockchain, was developed by travel tech experts and provided the foundation for the prototypes created during the event.
Overall, the travel industry’s first-ever hackathon centered on web3 technologies opened up new opportunities for sustainable innovation. The collaboration between DER Touristik Online, Lufthansa Group, and Chain4Travel exemplified the drive for positive change within the travel industry and showcased the potential of web3 technologies to transform the way we travel. With the success of this hackathon, it is clear that the future of travel lies in sustainable and technology-driven solutions.
