Being curious as to the reason why time seems to fly faster as we get older, we intelligently asked AI for the answer.
And it seems there is science behind it, the simplest explanation being that “Each year becomes a smaller fraction of your life. When you’re 5, a year is 20% of your life. When you’re 50, a year is 2% of your life. Your brain compares new experiences against the total you’ve lived – so every year feels shorter relative to your lifespan.”
So having got that out of the way, it’s time to reflect on the year that just went faster by and look ahead to the year that will fly even faster by.
Best to hang on to your seats for the wilder, faster ride coming even as we slow down (a tad) to take in the trials, tribulations and triumphs of 2025.
Here’s what our friends in the industry thought of 2025 and what they are looking forward to in the new year – the fourth instalment.
Kerry Healy – CCO Accor MEA APAC
Looking back – one word to describe 2025
Adaptive – because we needed to have intentional action despite the uncertainty and the turbulent environment we operate in in our vast region.
One word you wish would disappear from the vocabulary
“Can’t” because we have proven that we can. My team loves this one
On a scale of 1-10, rate how optimistic (10 being most) do you feel about 2026? Briefly, explain why.
I’d put it at a solid 7.5, pushing towards an 8 because of the incredible groundwork we’ve laid.
Being pragmatic, I am certainly aware of the external headwinds that could swirl in 2026 – that’s just the reality of our global landscape. So I am cautiously optimistic, and my optimism is built on something incredibly solid. What we pulled off in 2025 was impressive. We didn’t just weather storms; we actually turned challenges into genuine leverage points. We’ve built serious muscle this year, making us more resilient. We feel we are ready for 2026.
Looking forward, one word to describe 2026
Resolute. Because we’ve proven we can not only withstand the curveballs, but actively adapt and find our winning plays, no matter what the landscape throws at us. We’ve built that muscle, and we’re ready to adapt as needs be.
What are you most looking forward to?
The learnings – every year we learn, we grow, we get new experiences, we get a chance to be a better version of ourselves. We get to play bigger and surprise ourselves with the outcomes.
What’s the biggest question you are asking myself as a leader?
My biggest question, the one that keeps me pushing, is: How do we continually ignite that spark of audacious thinking and relentless execution across all our commercial functions – from Revenue to Sales, Digital to Marketing, Loyalty, and PR, to not just meet but redefine what’s possible for our owners and guests in a rapidly evolving landscape? It’s about cultivating that mindset of constant evolution and maximizing the synergy between every single piece of our commercial puzzle.
What’s the one key thing you’ll be doing over the next six months to prepare your business for whatever lies ahead?
We’ll be hyper-focused on deeply embedding our enhanced predictive intelligence and unified commercial strategies across every touchpoint. This means ensuring our sophisticated BI insights directly fuel our targeted marketing campaigns, enrich our loyalty propositions, and inform our proactive PR narratives. It’s about empowering our teams with smarter tools and a shared vision, allowing them to anticipate shifts and create truly compelling value for guests and owners. We’re giving them superpowers to make smarter, faster, more impactful decisions, and communicate them effectively – every single day.
What is the biggest opportunity for your business in 2026?
I truly believe our biggest opportunity lies in amplifying our brand equity and loyalty leadership to drive unmatched customer lifetime value and owner returns. With Premium, Midscale & Economy leading globally in loyalty metrics – that incredible repeater ratio and new member enrolment – we have a powerful lever. Combined with our transformed marketing model and PR’s ability to drive strategic visibility, we can create deeply personalized, trust-building journeys. This isn’t just about bookings; it’s about fostering unwavering advocacy for our brands and delivering such exceptional value that our owners see a significant uplift, and our guests feel genuinely understood and connected.
What’s the biggest problem you want to solve for the traveller?
The problem I’m passionate about solving for travelers is the “guesswork and stress.” Travel should be exhilarating, not exhausting. We want to remove every single point of friction, and critically, build such strong brand affinity and trust through our seamless experiences and compelling storytelling that choosing Accor becomes the intuitive, reassuring decision every single time. From discovering the perfect destination to navigating their stay, making it intuitive, delightful, and utterly seamless – and backed by a brand they unequivocally trust.
One important trend that no one is talking about yet
I think we’ll see the quiet rise of “Hyper-Niche Affinity Travel” where guests aren’t just looking for a destination, but a highly specific, curated experience that perfectly aligns with a very particular passion or value set – think micro-communities traveling together for ultra-specific interests. It’s beyond traditional special interest groups; it’s about brands having the data, the product development agility (thanks to our partnerships with development teams!), and the communication power to tap into these emerging, almost tribal, travel motivations at scale. Our ability to tell those nuanced stories will be key.
What’s the trip you want to make in 2026 to add to your memory bank?
I don’t know yet but whatever I decide the purpose will be transformative – watch this space.
What’s the most interesting thing you read or watched in 2025?
Without a doubt, it was ‘The Invisible Architect: Designing the Future of Transformative Travel’ by Julian Thorne. The visionary former CEO of Odyssey Expeditions completely shifted my perspective. He argues that the real frontier in travel branding isn’t just about destinations or experiences, it’s about the profound personal transformation a guest undergoes, and how our brand subtly architects that journey.
This book pushed me to think about how Accor can elevate beyond great stays to become truly transformative partners, shaping the best chapters of our guests’ lives. It’s a game-changer for how we build enduring brands.
Nadia Omer, CEO, AirAsia MOVE
Looking back – one word to describe 2025
Growth. 2025 has been a year of growth for us as we evolve into a more cohesive travel ecosystem. We’ve worked hard to make booking simpler by sharpening our recommendation models. Our team has grown to meet that challenge, and an increasing number of partners (Antom, Singapore Tourism Board, Indonesia Tourism Board,
Thailand Authority of Tourism, Sri Lankan Airlines, Royal Brunei Airline, Air Macau, VietJet and others) are joining us. Being named ‘Asia’s Best Travel Booking App’ by the World Travel Tech Awards and Digital and Tech Excellence Awards by TalentCorp validates our evolution from a simple airline app to a full-fledged OTA, and confirms that our customers value this direction.
One word you wish would disappear from the vocabulary.
AI, the buzzword. As a travel tech player, we embrace AI in many aspects of our work. However, I believe we need to focus on value creation for our travellers. The conversation should be about solving problems for our customers, not just the tools we use to do it.
On a scale of 1-10, rate how optimistic (10 being most) do you feel about 2026? Briefly, explain why.
A solid 10! I’ve witnessed extraordinary grit from our Allstars this year. We’ve really worked to reshape the app and sharpening our reliability and simplifying the booking journey. On top of that, the travel trends across Asean are bouncing back with the increasing trends of short and frequent weekend trips within the region, visa free travels for China travellers and a growing segment of pop culture tourism – All of these make me incredibly optimistic about what 2026 has to offer for our sector.
Looking forward – one word to describe 2026
Community – bringing together like minded people together on our platform. If the last few years were about building the tech, the inventory, the booking engines, 2026 is about building the people, the conversations, and the connections for our users.
The most powerful travel agent isn’t an algorithm—it’s a fellow traveller. We are building a community platform where you don’t just book a trip; you join a conversation. We want to embrace the diversity of Asean and how communities are created based on the cultural diversity of its people, the interest towards different destinations, the places and the passion towards different activities and experiences.
What are you most looking forward to?
Fun fact: 60% of our users are Gen Z. Gen Z has brought a fresh wave of energy to travel. They are adventurous, budget-savvy, and deeply community-driven. I’m really looking forward to tapping into that energy. I’m looking forward to deepening our connection with our younger Movers through new engagement initiatives. We want them to get involved to help shape the platform, ensuring we aren’t just an app they use, but a community they feel a part of.
What’s the biggest question you are asking yourself as a leader?
In the travel tech world, the questions and answers change often. But the one thing I constantly ask myself and the team is: “Are we making travel simpler, or are we just adding to the noise?” I need to know if we are truly removing pain points – such as price, complexity, and payment friction – for our Movers (travellers of AirAsia MOVE). That is what keeps me grounded and focused on the ultimate goal: making everyone travel more for less.
What’s the one key thing you’ll be doing over the next six months to prepare your business for whatever lies ahead?
I’m doubling down on customer centricity. It sounds simple, but it requires discipline. If we all consistently wear the customer hat, we cut through the noise and solve the real problems that cause friction for our Movers. Over the next six months, we are bridging the gap between data and reality. We have the numbers, but now we are focusing on the sentiment and emotions behind those numbers. Truly listening to our Movers’ experiences allows us to build a more intuitive, empathetic ecosystem that actually works for them.
What is the biggest opportunity for your business in 2026?
The opportunity is twofold: growth and belonging. First, we plan to attract a new wave of travellers into our platform by proving the value of our offerings – winning them over with better deals and smoother experiences.
Second, we are building a community. We want our platform to be a place where travellers feel at home. By leveraging our partner network to unlock more savings and working hard to remove every pain point, we ensure that once a Mover joins us, they have every reason to stay.
What’s the biggest problem you want to solve for the traveller?
Today, the biggest problem isn’t a lack of options; it is cognitive overload. When they are looking for flights or hotels in a specific destination, they don’t feel freedom – they feel overwhelmed. That is decision fatigue, and it kills the joy of travel before the trip even starts. My goal is for our technology to do that heavy lifting in the background. We should process those 2,000 options and present you with just the top three that actually matter to you.
One important trend that no one is talking about yet
The trend no one is talking about is the ‘Glow Up’ of the Budget Sector. For decades, the travel industry operated on a binary: you either paid a premium for quality, or you saved money and compromised on quality. Gen Z has broken that binary. They are the first generation to demand ‘Five-star experiences on a two-star budget. And the fascinating thing is – the market is actually listening. We are observing that the budget segment is a race to the top on design and vibe. Gen Z travellers will happily book low-cost carrier and budget stay, as long as they are providing value by being Instagrammable, social and community driven. They are driving the standard of budget inventory up.
What’s the trip you want to make in 2026 to add to your memory bank?
I am a massive foodie, so 2026 will be a year of culinary discovery for me. I’m on a mission to taste the most authentic, diverse flavours across ASEAN. I need to try Hinava, the amazing native dish from Sabah, and hunt down the best bowl of Cao lầu chewy noodles in Vietnam. Nothing beats tasting these dishes in their home country.
What’s the most interesting thing you read or watched in 2025?
I read about a concept on the power of silliness, and it really stuck with me. The premise is basically to inject a level of silliness into our daily lives to unlock creativity. We often self-edit because we’re afraid of looking foolish. But by embracing a bit of silliness, we lower our guard and open our minds to divergent thinking. I want to bring more of that into MOVE. If I stop taking myself so seriously, others will follow and we will create a safe space where the wildest – and often best – ideas can surface without fear of judgment.
Mike McGearty, CEO & Co-founder, Meili
Looking back – one word to describe 2025
Transformative
One word you wish would disappear from the vocabulary
Intermediary
On a scale of 1–10, rate how optimistic (10 being most) you feel about 2026. Briefly, explain why.
8 – There’s a lot of change happening across travel, and it creates opportunity. We’re seeing the market shift towards direct partnerships, a focus on the need for transparency and tech-led traveller experiences – all of which plays directly to our strengths.
Looking forward – one word to describe 2026
Breakthrough
What are you most looking forward to?
Adding more customers to our platform, expanding direct partnerships globally and launching new products that strengthen performance, loyalty and transparency. We’re building a world leading ancillary revenue platform, and 2026 is when that ambition really scales.
What’s the biggest question you are asking yourself as a leader?
How do we help our partners and customers align more closely so they can move faster towards their strategic ambitions? For us, that means removing barriers, strengthening partnership networks and continually improving the product so travellers get a truly friction-free experience.
What’s the one key thing you’ll be doing over the next six months to prepare your business for whatever lies ahead?
Scaling the business. As AI and new discovery channels reshape the market, complexity is rising for our partners. Our focus is on supporting volume growth at pace, and delivering scalable, cost-effective solutions without compromising performance or the traveller experience.
What is the biggest opportunity for your business in 2026?
Continued growth in direct partnerships, and a clear appetite to extend across more products. Travel brands and suppliers want more control and more meaningful revenue, and that momentum isn’t slowing.
What’s the biggest problem you want to solve for the traveller?
Making sure travellers can find the right product easily, even as discovery and booking keep changing. Wherever they choose to book, the experience should just work.
One important trend that no one is talking about yet?
Discovery is changing in a big way. The question is whether that hurts direct service providers again, or finally works in their favour and becomes their opportunity to take back control through better technology, transparency and loyalty.
What’s the trip you want to make in 2026 to add to your memory bank?
Japan, to experience the cherry blossom season.
What’s the most interesting thing you read or watched in 2025?
Who Knew – Barry Diller
Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO Minor International
Looking back – one word to describe 2025
Unexpected.
One word you wish would disappear from the vocabulary
Uncertainty.
On a scale of 1-10, rate how optimistic (10 being most) do you feel about 2026? Briefly, explain why
9 – As we found in our inaugural Minor Hotels Travel Trend Report, 94% of respondents expect to travel as much or more in the coming year.
Looking forward – one word to describe 2026.
Confidence.
What are you most looking forward to?
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Anantara Hotels & Resorts brand, the first hotel brand Minor Hotels built from scratch. Anantara has grown from a single resort in Hua Hin, Thailand to a global brand with over 50 properties.
What’s the biggest question you are asking yourself as a leader?
How do we balance rapid growth with long-term sustainability while staying true to our core values? Our growth must be strategic, not just about scale, and innovation and cultural immersion should remain central to the company’s identity.
What’s the one key thing you’ll be doing over the next six months to prepare your business for whatever lies ahead?
Strengthening the resilience and adaptability of our teams. Building a workforce that is agile and future-ready is essential for navigating 2026 while continuing to deliver exceptional experiences for our guests.
What is the biggest opportunity for your business in 2026?
Successfully launch the first properties under The Wolseley Hotels, Minor Reserve Collection, Colbert Collection, and iStay Hotels, new-created brands we announced earlier this year.
What’s the biggest problem you want to solve for the traveller?
Fulfil travellers’ desire for connection, evolving from service providers to experience curators.
One important trend that no one is talking about yet.
The nature of travel is changing from escapism to an active search for meaning. Rather than using travel to check out of their routines, guests are embracing it as a catalyst for healthier, more fulfilling lives when they return.
What’s the trip you want to make in 2026 to add to your memory bank?
Going on a game drive and bird watching in Kafue National Park, Zambia’s largest and oldest reserve, where we will open the first-ever tented camp by Anantara.
What’s the most interesting thing you read or watched in 2025?
Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus’, which featured three Anantara properties in Thailand and the Four Seasons Koh Samui, also owned by Minor.
Stephen Joyce, Global Strategy Lead, Travel & Tours, Protect Group
Looking back – one word to describe 2025
Connection
One word you wish would disappear from the vocabulary
AI-powered
On a scale of 1-10, rate how optimistic (10 being most) do you feel about 2026? Briefly, explain why
6 – I am generally optimistic about the industry in general, but I think the socio-economic instability coming out of the global west is going to have a ripple effect on the rest of the world’s economies which could have a negative impact on travel. When people perceive that times will be tough, discretionary travel spend is often the first to be reduced.
Looking forward – one word to describe 2026
Hopeful
What are you most looking forward to?
All the new travel planning apps that will flood the start-up stage. Just kidding, I’m mostly looking forward to seeing the focus shift to improving the lives of travellers by streamlining cumbersome logistical processes and finally being able to provide a seamless booking and travel experience. That’s not to say that we will see this happen in 2026, but we will start to prioritize differently and that’s the key.
What’s the biggest question you are asking yourself as a leader?
How can I, as an empathetic leader, use AI in a way that improves the lives of my team rather than using as a tool to replace or displace people.
What’s the one key thing you’ll be doing over the next six months to prepare your business for whatever lies ahead?
I’m a big believer in research and understanding the market. Instead of just blindly following trends, I like to understand the root causes for behaviour shifts. This gives me an ability to better predict what behaviours may result from different global conditions. Given that our products are specifically focused on providing peace of mind for travellers, a big focus will be on understanding what causes travellers to be anxious before and during their travels and how we can best position our products to alleviate that anxiety.
What is the biggest opportunity for your business in 2026?
We have recently released our Agent Platform, which is a tool that allows traditional travel agencies and advisors to sell refund protection to their customers during the booking process. The tool is simple to use, easy to access, and offers very generous commissions. I’m excited to see the tool roll out across the globe, especially in Asia where traditional agencies still account for a large proportion of bookings.
What’s the biggest problem you want to solve for the traveller?
In today’s uncertain climate, I want to try and alleviate as much anxiety for the traveller as possible, both before and during their trips. I believe that in doing so, we increase the likelihood that a person will travel more frequently. If a person knows that they are protected both before their trip and during their trip, they will invest the time and money in planning and booking. The more people that travel, the better off the industry.
One important trend that no one is talking about yet
Everyone is talking about loyalty, but no seems to be noticing that younger travellers are not buying into traditional loyalty programmes. I think loyalty programmes are going to have to rethink their strategies moving forward when it comes to newer traveling demographics, especially in APAC.
What’s the trip you want to make in 2026 to add to your memory bank?
I have not spent time in South America. I would love to experience that this year.
What’s the most interesting thing you read or watched in 2025?
I am a big electronic music fan and I recently watched a documentary about the birth of house music. It reminded me that some of the most creative and innovative ideas have come from marginalized people, in this case queer people of colour. What we now take for granted as a popular music genre was once considered subversive because it was played at events that where frequented by young marginalized counter culture people who were looking for community and togetherness in a world that refused to see them. It was a lesson to me that everyone brings something unique and valuable to the table and the more diverse perspectives we support in our communities and places of work, the more creative, innovative, and supportive the solutions we create together.
