Editors Pick

Top Travel Tech Weekly News

Expedia Group expands Meta partnership amid push to connect social, booking
News / Technology
Expedia Group expands Meta partnership amid push to connect social, booking
By Morgan Hines | May 19, 2026
 The expanded collaboration follows the recent news that Expedia is a partner with TikTok for its new in-app booking, a sign of the OTA's focus on growing its B2B distribution strategy. Read More
I almost deleted the email—the travel industry can't afford to
News / Technology
I almost deleted the email—the travel industry can't afford to
By Timothy O'Neil-Dunne - T2 Impact | May 19, 2026
Timothy O'Neil-Dunne, principal of tech consultancy T2Impact, explains what suppliers, OTAs and intermediaries need to know about OpenAI's April privacy update. Read More
European Commission proposes rail ticketing overhaul with new passenger protections
News / Distribution
European Commission proposes rail ticketing overhaul with new passenger protections
By Mark Frary | May 18, 2026
The proposed Passenger Package would open online rail ticketing services to other operators, strengthen protections for multi-operator journeys and establish new rules for ticketing agreements. Read More
Gharage Ventures on why it's a good time to launch a fund
Interview / Startups
Gharage Ventures on why it's a good time to launch a fund
By Linda Fox | May 15, 2026
Gharage Ventures founding partner Lennard Niemann and general partner Darren Soh discuss their thesis-driven approach and ideal investment. Read More
Reframing travel plumbing: NDC, MCP as tech stack allies
News / Technology
Reframing travel plumbing: NDC, MCP as tech stack allies
By Morgan Hines | May 14, 2026
MCP has the potential to bolster NDC’s impact, enhancing access to content and streamlining integration, according to industry stakeholders. Read More
Airline retailing realities in 2026
News / Technology
Airline retailing realities in 2026
By Linda Fox | May 13, 2026
Interaction between systems and seamless integration with passenger service systems are top challenges for airlines trying to become better retailers. Read More
TikTok formalizes in-app travel bookings with Booking.com, Expedia, Trip.com among partners
News / Technology
TikTok formalizes in-app travel bookings with Booking.com, Expedia, Trip.com among partners
By Morgan Hines | May 12, 2026
TikTok GO brings in-app travel booking to 200 million U.S. users, compressing the path from video discovery to reservation. Read More
Agentic commerce in travel: Who wins, who loses and what to do about it
Opinion / Technology
Agentic commerce in travel: Who wins, who loses and what to do about it
By Mario Gavira | May 11, 2026
Mario Gavira argues that travel companies face sharply different levels of exposure to agentic AI disruption, with loyalty, unique inventory and human expertise emerging as key defenses. Read More
Expedia Group hits record Q1 profitability amid AI overhaul
News / Finance
Expedia Group hits record Q1 profitability amid AI overhaul
By Morgan Hines | May 7, 2026
CEO Ariane Gorin shared concrete examples of how AI has driven performance across the business. Read More
CEO Spotlight: Gonzalo Estebarena of Despegar
Interview / Online
CEO Spotlight: Gonzalo Estebarena of Despegar
By Linda Fox | May 6, 2026
Despegar's CEO Gonzalo Estebarena discusses the Prosus acquisition, internal and external AI developments and growth plans. Read More
How travel companies are approaching agentic AI
News / Technology
How travel companies are approaching agentic AI
By Mark Frary | May 5, 2026
Travel companies are exploring how AI agents can support internal workflows and operational tasks, while setting limits on autonomy for customer-facing tools. Read More
DMOs shift toward destination-as-a-service model in AI era
News / Technology
DMOs shift toward destination-as-a-service model in AI era
By Morgan Hines | May 4, 2026
As travelers lean into AI travel planning, how can DMOs maintain and gain visibility? Read More
Vibe coding in STR tech: Hype vs. reality
Opinion / Technology
Vibe coding in STR tech: Hype vs. reality
By Shahar Goldboim - Boom | May 1, 2026
Shahar Goldboim, CEO and founder of Boom, argues that while vibe coding gives short-term rental operators more flexibility, the real opportunity lies in AI systems that can execute reliably without... Read More
Uber adds hotels, leans on loyalty to drive bookings
News / Technology
Uber adds hotels, leans on loyalty to drive bookings
By Morgan Hines | April 29, 2026
Uber is pushing to become a super app as it expands to offer hotels, voice booking and more. Read More
Booking Holdings’ play to keep travelers in ecosystem with AI
News / Finance
Booking Holdings’ play to keep travelers in ecosystem with AI
By Morgan Hines | April 28, 2026
The company shared strong Q1 results, AI updates and its outlook on the conflict in the Middle East. Read More
The Phocuswright Conference 2026