Travel's 'plumbers' on the evolving definition of connectivity success

Connectivity within the travel industry has come a long way in the last half-decade, according to Yahya Fetchati, head of supply for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Nuitée. And what success looks like for connectivity providers is once again evolving.

“The travel connectivity landscape in general has seen a tremendous and significant improvement,” Fetchati told PhocusWire, referencing the resolution of issues such as stale content and integration time.

As the technology has advanced, Fetchati said his definition of success when it comes to connectivity has changed.

Initially, connecting and providing content was the aim. Now, the focus is on full integration and involves “creating an ecosystem where connectivity fuels the business growth,” as opposed to just fixing operational issues.

During an interview at the PhocusWire studio at Phocuswright Europe, Maxim Sevastianov, founder and CEO of Trava, said he defines API connectivity success in the course of a long game.

“You define that there is a certain need in the market for that particular application, right?” he said. “Then you develop and you talk to the customers, of course, and they say there is a need for that.”

However, it's unlikely that success will be immediate.

“I would say three to six months later, that's when I would say whether it's successful when you look at the numbers,” Sevastianov said. “It's not gonna happen a week or two, or whatever it takes a few months.” 

But with new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) advancing at a rapid pace, the definition of success for connectivity providers could be shifting, too.

“For us, things are changing so quickly. They are changing a lot,” Sevastianov said, adding that AI has changed almost monthly.

Fetchati said that over the next half decade, he anticipates successful connectivity providers will shift from acting as “passive pipes to active, intelligent layers” in the distribution ecosystem. 

“They’ll differentiate not just by moving data but by enriching it, using AI to improve rate accuracy, detect issues in real time, predict demand shifts and streamline onboarding and integration,” he said. “The winners will be those who simplify complexity for both hotels and distributors, combining deep technical reliability with smart, proactive tools that help partners make better decisions faster.” 

But Sevastianov cautioned against getting caught up in trends.

“Some trends are just temporary,” Sevastianov said. “So that's also a bit of a challenge not to get blinded by some trendy new movements and try to follow everything.”

He continued, pointing to AI as an example: “You see the changes. So whatever we may start working on today, maybe once we're done, it's not really relevant anymore. Maybe it becomes obsolete before we have finished the work. So, the challenge is to actually see a little bit of what will come up, what will be relevant in the future.”

Fetchati said that for the players in the industry who are considering how they might adapt, the important thing is to look at how AI investments can solve real problems. He also suggested integrating as opposed to building everything internally. 

“Above all, businesses should stay close to their partners’ evolving needs and build tools that are not just powerful but trustworthy and easy to use,” Fetchati said. 

Sevastianov’s conversation with senior reporter Morgan Hines touched on additional topics, including AI as a threat and an opportunity, where automation makes sense, industry mindset around technology and the future of Trava.

Watch or listen to their full discussion below: