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Top Travel Tech Weekly News

Expedia Group is investing in AI that doesn't convert yet
News / Finance
Expedia Group is investing in AI that doesn't convert yet
By Linda Fox | August 5, 2026
Expedia Group upped its 2026 guidance on the back of its Q2 results and discussed where AI is having the greatest impact. Read More
Booking Holdings: AI visibility is up, but referrals stay under 1% of room nights
News / Finance
Booking Holdings: AI visibility is up, but referrals stay under 1% of room nights
By Abby Crotty | August 4, 2026
Traffic from LLMs accounts for less than 1% of Booking Holdings' room nights, CFO Ewout Steenbergen said during the company's second-quarter earnings call. Read More
Navigating the future of OBTs in an AI-driven travel industry
News / Technology
Navigating the future of OBTs in an AI-driven travel industry
By Mark Frary | August 4, 2026
Business travel has reached an "inflexion point" on the use of AI, with companies determining how to best incorporate the technology. Read More
Meeting travel agents where they are: Why conversational chat decides agentic AI adoption
News / Technology
Meeting travel agents where they are: Why conversational chat decides agentic AI adoption
By Ami Goldenberg - Oversee | August 3, 2026
Oversee CTO and co-founder Ami Goldenberg argues that agentic AI in travel operations succeeds or fails on adoption—and what decides adoption is the interface agents touch every day. Read More
Beyond chatbots, is AI working in travel?
News / Technology
Beyond chatbots, is AI working in travel?
By Linda Fox | July 31, 2026
Travel industry leaders debated the impact of AI so far, where startups stand and the challenges we're not discussing enough during a session at Phocuswright Europe 2026. Read More
CEO Spotlight: Filip Filipov of OAG
News / Technology
CEO Spotlight: Filip Filipov of OAG
By Abby Crotty | July 30, 2026
Filip Filipov reflected on his first six months as CEO of OAG during an interview at Phocuswright Europe. Read More
How hoteliers can adapt to survive the AI discovery shift
News / Technology
How hoteliers can adapt to survive the AI discovery shift
By Morgan Hines | July 29, 2026
As travelers swap traditional search for generative engines, hospitality brands must restructure data layers and content. Read More
The travel startup funding deals and acquisitions that stood out in Q2
News / Finance
The travel startup funding deals and acquisitions that stood out in Q2
By Linda Fox | July 28, 2026
The appetite for travel startup funding was limited in Q2, with more activity in mergers and acquisitions. Read More
Hospitality executives on foundations before AI, industry readiness
News / Online
Hospitality executives on foundations before AI, industry readiness
By Linda Fox | July 27, 2026
Executives from Cendyn HomeToGo and Penta Hotels discussed the impact of AI on hospitality marketing at Phocuswright Europe 2026. Read More
Google fined €890M by European regulator in DMA breaches
News / Online
Google fined €890M by European regulator in DMA breaches
By Linda Fox | July 23, 2026
In its decision, the commission said the search giant gives its own services more prominence in search by using, for example, “enhanced visuals and filters.” Read More
Digital IDs in air travel move beyond government tests at the last mile
News / Technology
Digital IDs in air travel move beyond government tests at the last mile
By Marisa Garcia | July 23, 2026
The technical foundations for seamless travel are largely in place, and focus is shifting toward interoperability, government policy and international coordination. Read More
AI's success in travel hinges on human involvement
News / Technology
AI's success in travel hinges on human involvement
By Morgan Hines | July 22, 2026
Behavioral science plays into how travelers and travel company teams take to AI, and a human touch is necessary for success. Read More
Booking Holdings' 'connected trip' vision never materialized, and AI is the latest threat
Opinion / Online
Booking Holdings' 'connected trip' vision never materialized, and AI is the latest threat
By Mario Gavira | July 21, 2026
According to Mario Gavira, the AI wave is increasing pressure on the OTA to deliver the connected trip. Read More
EU digital ID initiatives gather momentum, user familiarity lags
News / Technology
EU digital ID initiatives gather momentum, user familiarity lags
By Linda Fox | July 20, 2026
By the end of 2026, countries in Europe must provide an EUDI Wallet to citizens. Are consumers and the travel industry ready? Read More
AI risk to OTAs is margin squeeze, not disintermediation
News / Online
AI risk to OTAs is margin squeeze, not disintermediation
By Linda Fox | July 17, 2026
The risk of OTAs being disintermediated by AI might have been exaggerated as pressure on margin is perhaps the more likely outcome, according to investment bank BTIG. Read More
The Phocuswright Conference 2026