Travel Industry Technology Trends

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of the intersection of travel, tourism and hospitality with technology, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more.

Technology is at the heart of transformation across the travel and tourism sector. From AI and automation to blockchain, biometrics, and cloud infrastructure, PhocusWire covers the key travel industry technology trends driving innovation and disruption across every segment of the travel value chain.

Emerging travel technologies and digital solutions in tourism

Gain insight into how travel companies are adopting cutting-edge tools to optimize operations, personalize customer experiences, and expand their reach. Our reporting highlights the latest product rollouts, platform integrations, and strategic tech investments from startups and established players alike, offering a deep look at the evolution of travel commerce and infrastructure.

Travel marketing's AI identity crisis
News / Technology
Travel marketing's AI identity crisis
By Morgan Hines | April 2, 2026
Industry leaders at Phocuswright’s Travel Marketing AI Summit shared varying perspectives on the... Read More
HBX Group acquires packaging tech specialist PerfectStay
News / Technology
HBX Group acquires packaging tech specialist PerfectStay
By Linda Fox | April 1, 2026
The company initially acquired 25% of Paris‑based PerfectStay in mid 2024.... Read More
South Africa’s $2.5B online travel market attracts new wave of homegrown tech
News / Technology
South Africa’s $2.5B online travel market attracts new wave of homegrown tech
By WIT | April 1, 2026
Web in Travel's Online Travel Tracker traces South Africa startup activity, surfacing homegrown... Read More
Startup Stage: Drifter targets AI discovery gap with visibility platform for destinations
Interview / Technology
Startup Stage: Drifter targets AI discovery gap with visibility platform for destinations
By Cathy Walsh | April 1, 2026
The startup monitors how destinations, hotels and attractions appear across AI platforms and offers... Read More
Don’t ban AI pricing—improve transparency instead
News / Technology
Don’t ban AI pricing—improve transparency instead
By Timothy O'Neil-Dunne - T2Impact | March 31, 2026
Timothy O'Neil-Dunne, principal of tech consultancy T2Impact, argues that proposed AI pricing rules... Read More
Ensuring AI benefits everyone in travel
News / Technology
Ensuring AI benefits everyone in travel
By Linda Fox | March 30, 2026
A session at ITB Berlin focused on how AI-generated direct answers and recommendations bring ethical... Read More
Fliggy launches "flyai" travel skill for AI agent workflows
News / Technology
Fliggy launches "flyai" travel skill for AI agent workflows
By Cathy Walsh | March 27, 2026
The plug-and-play skill enables developers to embed travel booking into AI agents without complex... Read More
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Savanta, Bilt, RMS and more...
News / Technology
PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Savanta, Bilt, RMS and more...
By PhocusWire | March 27, 2026
Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry.... Read More
Experience Columbus pilots AI platform to unify visitor experience across destination
News / Technology
Experience Columbus pilots AI platform to unify visitor experience across destination
By Cathy Walsh | March 27, 2026
By deploying AI agents across local partners, the program aims to surface more accurate, real-time... Read More
Uber continues robotaxi push with Verne, Pony.ai partnership
News / Technology
Uber continues robotaxi push with Verne, Pony.ai partnership
By Morgan Hines | March 26, 2026
Uber has been aggressive in its autonomous ride efforts, announcing partnership after partnership over... Read More
Sponsored Content
From Our Partners
Precision and predictability for travel marketing: Essential visitor intelligence to drive growth
September 9, 2025
Precision and predictability for travel marketing: Essential visitor intelligence to drive growth
 In partnership with Zartico, this video series explores the latest trends and delivers practical... Read More
Get real: The power of combining AI with authentic intelligence
August 19, 2025
Get real: The power of combining AI with authentic intelligence
Chris Hemmeter from Thayer Investment Partners outlines his thoughts on the importance of balancing AI... Read More
Changing traveler patterns, evolving customer needs drive demand for travel insurance
May 6, 2025
Changing traveler patterns, evolving customer needs drive demand for travel insurance
Travel protection is bringing peace of mind for travelers and positive rewards for suppliers.... Read More