Artificial Intelligence

PhocusWire’s in-depth coverage of generative AI including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and other solutions and how they are being used across the travel industry.

Gen AI is transforming the travel industry by enabling new levels of automation, personalization and decision-making. From AI-powered chat interfaces to dynamic content creation and predictive analytics, PhocusWire explores the growing influence of generative and agentic AI in travel—and what it means for suppliers, intermediaries, and travelers alike.

How AI tools are reshaping travel and tourism operations

Our coverage tracks how travel companies are implementing AI across customer service, marketing, product development, and internal workflows. Whether it's conversational commerce, itinerary generation, or fraud detection, generative AI is unlocking new operational efficiencies and guest experiences throughout the industry.

 

Startup Stage: OutReserve wants to make outdoor travel easier to navigate
Interview / Startups
Startup Stage: OutReserve wants to make outdoor travel easier to navigate
By Abby Crotty | September 21, 2026
Founded this year, OutReserve is focused on addressing fragmentation in the outdoor travel space. Read More
Big shifts coming to travel by 2030: Why infrastructure, not AI, decides who wins
Opinion / Technology
Big shifts coming to travel by 2030: Why infrastructure, not AI, decides who wins
By Mathias Lundoe Nielsen - Entravel Group | September 21, 2026
Entravel founder and CEO Mathias Lundoe Nielsen suggests that the systems beneath AI assistants will be the pivotal component in the agentic future. Read More
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Amadeus, Hospitable, Cloudbeds and more...
News / Technology
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Amadeus, Hospitable, Cloudbeds and more...
By PhocusWire | September 18, 2026
Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry. Read More
Trip.com's TripGenie to get booking capabilities through Mastercard partnership
News / Online
Trip.com's TripGenie to get booking capabilities through Mastercard partnership
By Linda Fox | September 17, 2026
Mastercard's Agent Suite for Merchants enables travel brands to offer agentic shopping experiences within their existing ecommerce environment. Read More
Guesty acquires Smily to expand in French STR market
News / Online
Guesty acquires Smily to expand in French STR market
By Abby Crotty | September 17, 2026
The financial terms were not disclosed, but Smily founders and a group of its shareholders are reinvesting in Guesty equity. Read More
European hotels maintain direct distribution lead over OTAs
News / Distribution
European hotels maintain direct distribution lead over OTAs
By Linda Fox | September 17, 2026
HOTREC's hotel distribution study revealed that 51% of bookings are made directly with hotels, while almost 30% are made through OTAs. Read More
Trust at scale: Can Tripadvisor turn review data into action?
News / Online
Trust at scale: Can Tripadvisor turn review data into action?
By Matthew Parsons | September 17, 2026
Following disappointing second-quarter results, a recent C-suite change and lingering discord with activist investor Starboard Value, Tripadvisor's next chapter is unclear. Read More
Qantas opens product innovation center in Adelaide
News / Online
Qantas opens product innovation center in Adelaide
By Abby Crotty | September 16, 2026
Fifty employees have started working from the new offices, and Qantas is currently looking to fill an additional 40 roles. Read More
AI transformation in travel: Andrew Jordan of Travelport
News / Technology
AI transformation in travel: Andrew Jordan of Travelport
By Abby Crotty | September 16, 2026
Travelport CTO Andrew Jordan shares his thoughts on AI innovation in the latest installment of PhocusWire's AI Transformation in Travel series. Read More
Travel marketers look to improve AI visibility and prepare for agentic booking
News / Technology
Travel marketers look to improve AI visibility and prepare for agentic booking
By Mark Frary | September 16, 2026
Executives from Travelier, Skyscanner and Demand-Genius discussed agentic travel booking and the shift from SEO to GEO during a panel at Phocuswright's Travel Marketing AI Summit London. Read More
China's OTAs face a reckoning as growth slows and regulators circle
News / Distribution
China's OTAs face a reckoning as growth slows and regulators circle
By Phocuswright Research | September 15, 2026
What happens when a maturing, over-supplied market collides with regulatory pressure and AI disruption at once? Read More
OTA marketing spend rose again in Q2
News / Finance
OTA marketing spend rose again in Q2
By Abby Crotty | September 15, 2026
The travel industry's largest players are still pouring money into marketing, even as AEO becomes more relevant. Read More
How AI is changing travel companies’ spending habits
News / Technology
How AI is changing travel companies’ spending habits
By Morgan Hines | September 14, 2026
As AI evolves, travel companies are increasingly investing in internal AI rather than external software. Read More
Indian travel platform Travelxp launches agentic AI trip concierge
News / Technology
Indian travel platform Travelxp launches agentic AI trip concierge
By Abby Crotty | September 11, 2026
Travelers can describe a trip and coordinate with the agent, Marco, via WhatsApp, Instagram or on the Travelxp website. Read More
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Klook, Omio, Amadeus and more...
News / Technology
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Klook, Omio, Amadeus and more...
By PhocusWire | September 11, 2026
Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry. Read More