Globetrender invites travel execs to play Squid Game in VR
Pegged to the premier of season two of Netflix thriller Squid Game, Globetrender hosted an army of travel industry pros in a virtual reality fight to the death at Sandbox VR London. There was also a live AI tech demo and a robot bartender.
On January 8, Globetrender, the world’s leading travel trend forecasting agency, hosted a future-facing industry event at Sandbox VR in London to celebrate the launch of "Globetrender 2.0" – taking the form of a new website and branding, and a host of new services for 2025 and beyond.
Bringing together 50 influential travel professionals, the evening showcased Globetrender’s latest innovations (including hotel-focused newsletter Room Service), thought leadership and vision for the future of travel.
The event was opened by Jenny Southan, founder and CEO of Globetrender (pictured right), alongside in-house trend analyst Olivia Palamountain (centre) and freelance strategist Robbie Hodges (left).
Those attending represented brands such as Cookson Adventures, Pelorus, The Luminaire, Joro Experiences, Mason Rose, Finn and Partners, Lotus, Expedia, Scott Dunn, Shangri-La the Shard, Korean Air, The Savoy, Connections Luxury and Quintessentially Travel.
Guests were engaged in a series of cutting-edge tech experiences, starting with an AI-powered creative workshop led by futurist Henry Coutinho-Mason, which crowdsourced visions of travel's future (you can see the results here.)
Later, attendees participated in a virtual reality version of Netflix thriller Squid Game (season two debuted in December 2024), providing a taste of how VR could revolutionise travel marketing and immersive storytelling. All participants donned vibrating body armour, motion sensors, headsets and headphones, before competing in a fight to become the number-one survivor.
A Makr Shakr robotic bartender prepared cocktails on-demand, adding a sci-fi flourish to the networking experience. After selecting their drink of choice from an iPad menu, the robotic arms worked together to fill cups with spirits and mixers, then shake and serve.
The event also marked the launch of Globetrender’s “Innovators 100” report, a compendium of trailblazing travel concepts available for £250 or free for VOLT subscribers. Southan highlighted the company’s evolution since its founding in 2019, emphasising its success in predicting trends.
Looking to the future, Globetrender unveiled its new Forecasting and Advisory division and announced upcoming workshops, including “Superhuman Storytelling,” which harnesses generative AI for marketing.
Southan also introduced Globetrender’s debut corporate ideation retreat at the Juvet Landscape Hotel in Norway (April 2025), designed to unlock creative thinking through nature-based experiences. (Applications are open now.)
The evening concluded with an exciting announcement: the launch of Jetlag Noodles, a healthy instant noodle brand co-founded by Southan and her brothers. Boosted by functional ingredients that help balance your circadian rhythms, the product is set to revolutionise convenience food for people on-the-go.
Globetrender’s Sandbox VR event exemplified the company’s commitment to embracing innovation and shaping the future of travel, leaving attendees inspired and ready to explore new horizons.
With thanks to our sponsors: global payment platform Stripe and Travel Conversations, which hosts C-Suite, roundtable discussions on the future of the travel industry.
Here are some more photos of the event…
© Photography by Katy Gorniak