Latest News

Latest News

Stay up to date with the latest travel technology news, startup updates, and industry developments from across the global travel ecosystem.

The Weather Company, Steller partner for travel discovery on weather.com
News / Technology
The Weather Company, Steller partner for travel discovery on weather.com
By Morgan Hines | May 6, 2026
The collaboration combines Weather Company’s scale and data with Steller’s creator-led travel video.... Read More
Journey acquires experiences platform Epicurate
News / Finance
Journey acquires experiences platform Epicurate
By Cathy Walsh | May 6, 2026
The deal adds dining, wellness and other services to Journey’s loyalty platform for independent hotels and short-term rentals.... 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
Smartness raises €47M Series B for lodging AI growth
News / Finance
Smartness raises €47M Series B for lodging AI growth
By Cathy Walsh | May 5, 2026
The Italy-based lodging technology provider aims to expand across Europe through organic growth and acquisitions.... Read More
Top-level takeaways on the Italy travel market
News / Online
Top-level takeaways on the Italy travel market
By Phocuswright Research | May 5, 2026
Even amid geopolitical uncertainty, Italy’s broad appeal, strong domestic alternatives and ongoing digitalization continue to support long-term growth.... 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
Netcompany takes full ownership of Smarter Airports
News / Finance
Netcompany takes full ownership of Smarter Airports
By Cathy Walsh | May 4, 2026
The acquisition marks a new stage for AIRHART as Netcompany expands the airport operations platform beyond its original deployment at Copenhagen Airport.... Read More
Amex GBT to go private in $6.3B acquisition by Long Lake
News / Finance
Amex GBT to go private in $6.3B acquisition by Long Lake
By Morgan Hines | May 4, 2026
The all-cash transaction, which is backed by General Catalyst, is expected to close in the second half of the year.... Read More
Startup Stage: Altitude AI wants to modernize unmanaged business travel
Interview / Startups
Startup Stage: Altitude AI wants to modernize unmanaged business travel
By Cathy Walsh | May 4, 2026
The startup is building an AI-powered business travel platform designed to help companies without dedicated travel teams book trips and control travel spend.... 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
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Kayak, Roomex, Fareportal and more...
News / Technology
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Kayak, Roomex, Fareportal and more...
By PhocusWire | May 1, 2026
Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry.... Read More
Trifork acquires VION AI to expand airline operations tech
News / Technology
Trifork acquires VION AI to expand airline operations tech
By Cathy Walsh | May 1, 2026
The deal brings VION AI’s turnaround intelligence tools into Trifork’s aviation business as airlines push for tighter operations and fewer delays.... 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 turning operators into system architects.... Read More
Hyatt talks up internal AI uses cases, efficiency
News / Technology
Hyatt talks up internal AI uses cases, efficiency
By Linda Fox | April 30, 2026
Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian discussed the opportunity for AI to make the company more efficient and more effective in Q1 2026 earnings.... Read More
DirectBooker announces hotel partners, ChatGPT app
News / Distribution
DirectBooker announces hotel partners, ChatGPT app
By Linda Fox | April 30, 2026
DirectBooker, a PhocusWire Hot 25 Startup for 2026, has also launched an app in ChatGPT and a connector in Claude.... Read More
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