Interviews

STARTUP STAGE: Stellar allows consumers to repurpose their unused reservations
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Stellar allows consumers to repurpose their unused reservations
By Mileva Sapic | June 17, 2024
Stellar is a marketplace committed to reselling nonrefundable and noncancellable reservations and tickets across a broad spectrum of experiences, including travel, dining, concerts and sporting events.... Read More
123compare.me – EMEA Travel Innovation Award winner at Phocuswright Europe 2024
Interview / Startups
123compare.me – EMEA Travel Innovation Award winner at Phocuswright Europe 2024
By PhocusWire | June 12, 2024
123Compare.me is a pricing tool that empowers hotel groups to master room distribution by targeting and resolving online price disparities.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Trustr is a private marketplace for vacation rental discovery
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Trustr is a private marketplace for vacation rental discovery
By Mileva Sapic | June 5, 2024
Launching publicly Wednesday, Trustr is a vacation rental marketplace that enables its members to make properties they own available to people they know and capitalize on recommendations for places to stay from people they trust.... Read More
CEO Spotlight: Ariane Gorin of Expedia Group
Interview / Online
CEO Spotlight: Ariane Gorin of Expedia Group
By Mitra Sorrells | May 23, 2024
As Gorin moves into the CEO role at Expedia Group, she shares her thoughts on AI, social commerce, the B2B business, Vrbo and OneKey, as well as opinions on Airbnb and the TikTok ban.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: StretchBill enables STR managers to offer layaway-style payment option
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: StretchBill enables STR managers to offer layaway-style payment option
By Mitra Sorrells | May 16, 2024
Founded in 2023, StretchBill creates a pay-over-time option for short-term rentals, including an option that lets individuals traveling together each take responsibility for specific payments.... Read More
Steve Hafner on 20 years at Kayak: "The innovation isn't over yet"
News / Online
Steve Hafner on 20 years at Kayak: "The innovation isn't over yet"
By D.J. Catron | May 11, 2024
As the metasearch site passes 20 years since its launch, CEO Steve Hafner shares his views on generative AI, Kayak for Business, the future of metasearch and more.  ... Read More
CEO Spotlight - Kurt Ekert of Sabre
Interview / Distribution
CEO Spotlight - Kurt Ekert of Sabre
By Linda Fox | May 7, 2024
Kurt Ekert joined Sabre as president in January 2022 and became CEO in April 2023. Prior to that he had most recently been president and CEO of CWT and chief commercial officer at Travelport.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Levee uses AI and computer vision to provide quality control for hotels
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Levee uses AI and computer vision to provide quality control for hotels
By Mitra Sorrells | May 7, 2024
Levee uses proprietary AI models trained on the hotels’ unique data and quality control requirements to create self-inspection tools for housekeeping staff.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Itair aims to help creators make their content bookable with AI
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Itair aims to help creators make their content bookable with AI
By Morgan Hines | April 30, 2024
Itair, Inc. CEO Priya Agarwal believes "Tiktok/Reels are now the new travel search engine," and she and her partner, CTO Swapnil Thombre, are hoping to help creators monetize their work.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: RoomRite is a resale marketplace for group hotel blocks
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: RoomRite is a resale marketplace for group hotel blocks
By Mitra Sorrells | April 24, 2024
RoomRite CEO Michael Weiss describes the startup as "the StubHub" of room blocks - enabling meeting and event professionals to sell rooms they no longer need or buy rooms when there is limited time or inventory.... Read More
Southwest Airlines' CIO on plans for its $1.7B technology investment
News / Technology
Southwest Airlines' CIO on plans for its $1.7B technology investment
By Linda Fox | April 8, 2024
Southwest Airlines SVP of technology and chief information officer Lauren Woods discusses the carrier's approach to its tech investments, disruption and modernization through cloud and AI.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Biliki AI is a travel planner for eco-friendly itineraries
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Biliki AI is a travel planner for eco-friendly itineraries
By Mitra Sorrells | April 5, 2024
Biliki AI is building a platform that consumers can use to book sustainability-focused trips, with detailed itineraries that include flights, accommodations and experiences.... Read More
Trip.com Group on growth strategies, experiences and generative AI
News / Distribution
Trip.com Group on growth strategies, experiences and generative AI
By Linda Fox | April 2, 2024
Trip.com COO Schubert Lou discusses the current focus for the China-based online travel agency and the outlook for travel in 2024.... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Obvlo helps travel brands provide personalized destination content
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Obvlo helps travel brands provide personalized destination content
By Mitra Sorrells | April 1, 2024
Founded in 2021, Obvlo currently works with hotels that are part of the Hilton, Marriott and IHG brands, and the company is planning to expand its work to destinations and airlines.... Read More
Fritz Demopoulos on new frontiers in travel and beyond
News / Online
Fritz Demopoulos on new frontiers in travel and beyond
By Yeoh Siew Hoon - WiT | March 26, 2024
Fritz Demopolous co-founded Qunar, the first travel metasearch company in China, and has invested in several travel companies including GetYourGuide, TravelPerk and Tourlane.... Read More