News

BeyondBrain tests artificial intelligence travel agent Lumi
News / Startups
BeyondBrain tests artificial intelligence travel agent Lumi
By Morgan Hines | December 10, 2024
Currently in beta, the voice-activated travel assistant can be used to book hotel reservations around the globe and table reservations at certain restaurants in both Japan and in Thailand..... Read More
Vacasa founder launches new vacation rental management company
News / Startups
Vacasa founder launches new vacation rental management company
By Morgan Hines | December 10, 2024
After a few quiet years, Vacasa founder Eric Breon is launching a new property management company, Fairly, with a mission to fix what he calls the "broken" vacation rental management model.... Read More
Steve Singh on evolution from archaic systems to perfect trip
News / Technology
Steve Singh on evolution from archaic systems to perfect trip
By Linda Fox | December 10, 2024
Steve Singh, an investor in Center, Otto, Troop and Spotnana, discusses how AI, cloud technology and open architecture will modernize business travel booking and why he feels "energized" by emerging tech.... Read More
Much Better Adventures lands £5M for technology and new destinations
News / Online
Much Better Adventures lands £5M for technology and new destinations
By Linda Fox | December 9, 2024
The adventure trip specialist will use the investment to boost its international presence and add more experiences and destinations.... Read More
How a Turkish online travel agency is tackling expansion challenges and AI strategy
News / Online
How a Turkish online travel agency is tackling expansion challenges and AI strategy
By Linda Fox | December 9, 2024
Online travel agency Wingie Enuygun has been expanding in the Middle East since the end of the pandemic. CEO Caglar Erol sees further potential for it to grow in the region and beyond.... Read More
Camping platform Acamp merges with competitor Campio
News / Online
Camping platform Acamp merges with competitor Campio
By Mileva Sapic | December 6, 2024
The companies said hosts using Acamp and Campio will now benefit from increased exposure to a larger audience and new tools to help manage listings as a result of merger.... Read More
Reservation technology company Kaptio receives $2.5M for expansion
News / Technology
Reservation technology company Kaptio receives $2.5M for expansion
By Morgan Hines | December 6, 2024
Growth equity fund VEX now has a 70% stake in the Iceland-based company, the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Plus, the company raised an additional $2.5 million.... Read More
PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: SITA, Sabre, Amadeus and more
News / Technology
PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: SITA, Sabre, Amadeus and more
By PhocusWire | December 6, 2024
Keep up with all the latest people, product and partner news from around the global travel industry in PhocusWire's weekly roundup.... Read More
How emerging technologies are helping destinations appeal to travelers
News / Technology
How emerging technologies are helping destinations appeal to travelers
By Linda Fox | December 6, 2024
Gregory Yap of the Singapore Exhibition and Conventions Bureau and Jared Alster of Dune7 discuss emerging tech in destination marketing and the importance of having a test and learn environment.... Read More
Airbnb on striving for personalization and reimagining discovery
News / Online
Airbnb on striving for personalization and reimagining discovery
By Linda Fox | December 5, 2024
Dave Stephenson, Airbnb's chief business officer, shares how the company is thinking about AI, early work with ChatGPT and its plan to use customer data to drive personalization.... Read More
Travel experiences platform KKday plots expansion following $70M injection
News / Online
Travel experiences platform KKday plots expansion following $70M injection
By Mileva Sapic | December 4, 2024
KKday plans to enhance its market position, invest in artificial intelligence and deepen its presence across the Asia-Pacific region with its latest investment.... Read More
Air France-KLM partners with Google Cloud to boost data capabilities
News / Technology
Air France-KLM partners with Google Cloud to boost data capabilities
By Linda Fox | December 4, 2024
The partnership also enables Air France-KLM to take advantage of Google Cloud generative AI expertise as the airlines build a “common, joint and unique data lakehouse.”... Read More
Garner on the continuing evolution of airline distribution
News / Distribution
Garner on the continuing evolution of airline distribution
By Morgan Hines | December 4, 2024
In a keynote at The Beat Live, Cory Garner explained why airlines' interest in customer loyalty will help to boost their efforts to grow distribution through direct channels.  ... Read More
Google talks generative AI, voice and the future of search
News / Technology
Google talks generative AI, voice and the future of search
By Mark Frary | December 3, 2024
Julie Farago, Google’s vice president of engineering for travel and local search, leads a team of 700 engineers who handle two billion searches every day – 15% of which Google has never been asked before.... Read More
Southeast Asia's travel tech sector at pivotal moment for value creation
News / Online
Southeast Asia's travel tech sector at pivotal moment for value creation
By Yeoh Siew Hoon - WebinTravel | December 2, 2024
Southeast Asia’s early-stage investment ecosystem is also helping to create a robust pipeline of potential growth-stage travel tech companies, a factor that makes the region particularly attractive for firms like Asia Partners.... Read More