Tech debt in the travel industry: Why airlines are still trying to fly with fossils
Welcome to the airline industry’s secret shame: Tech Debt. Decades of patchwork systems, outdated booking platforms, and clunky old databases that might as well be fossilized – if these systems were any older, archaeologists would be studying them. Airlines have essentially been strapping roller [...]
Virtuoso’s Upchurch talks tech enhancement, longevity revolution and diversity of luxury travel
It’s a question he gets all the time, will technology replace the travel agent, and probably more so now with the acceleration of Generative AI and its implications on the full travel value chain. But Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, the world’s leading global network of agencies specialising [...]
Traveloka vs scammers. Looking for loyalty in Saudi. Tourism operators seek best in class. More.
Saudi hotels turn to tech for loyalty
Global hotel technology specialist SHR has teamed up with Saudico Electronic Systems, one of Saudi Arabia’s top Oracle Hospitality providers, to elevate customer loyalty programmes across the kingdom's hotel sector, where hotel loyalty programmes are not wide [...]
OTAs have to stay agile amid breakneck pace of change
Adrienne Enggist: “We’re constantly riding this edge of risk, protecting customers takes the number one priority”
With things “moving at such an enormously breakneck pace”, OTAs, big and small, have to stay agile, leveraging advances in processing power and AI to keep up with customer exp [...]
The New Face of Hospitality: Different models emerge to meet post-pandemic demand
From apartment-style hotels to longevity retreats and high-end private villas, travellers are seeking new experiences
The world of travel has changed dramatically since the pandemic, bringing with it a wave of innovation in hospitality. While traditional hotel stays are still in demand, the hospita [...]
Business travel industry reflects on 2024, sets optimistic plans for growth, technology and sustainability in 2025
New GBTA research highlights strong global optimism, increased budgets and shifting travel patterns across regions as companies navigate the future
As 2024 draws to a close, there is strong sentiment from the global business travel industry that the year outperformed expectations, paving the way fo [...]
How startups, entrepreneurs and investors can avoid a genAI car crash
As an experienced investor in early-stage travel tech companies, I am as excited as anyone that the travel industry value chain is on the verge of a truly seismic reinvention, driven by generative AI (genAI). The intelligence revolution we’re going through is happening at a pace that makes the ind [...]
Ixigo’s “Love Train” To Success: Cracking The Code in the Indian Travel Market
A 20-year “overnight success” story
In the song “Love Train”, The O’Jays called on “people all over the world, everybody, join hands, start a love train, love train”.
Well, if Aloke Bajpai, Chairman, Managing Director and Group CEO, ixigo, had his way, he’d want all of us to ge [...]
Trip.com’s roadmap for harnessing AI and local insights for continuous innovation
How do you make travel planning feel as intuitive as scrolling through your favorite app?
According to Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets, and Amy Wei, Senior Product Director, Trip.com Group, the answer lies in blending technology with an in-depth underst [...]
Travel industry urged: “Don’t just take us places, make us feel better”
“We travel to know we’re not alone”, says actor, entrepreneur, traveller, Power Ranger Jason Chan
Editor's note: If you want to be rich, make good memories and there’s no better place than travel to make good memories. Yet, are we in the industry doing enough to create those emotional [...]
