Similar to recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) was a predominant theme in 2025—and that’s reflected in our top 10 news stories. In addition to larger trend stories about the AI wave, several of our most popular reads covered AI deployments and innovations across the travel space.
Other noteworthy topics included loyalty and updates from travel giants like Expedia Group and Booking Holdings.
Below, we’ve rounded up the top-performing news stories, ranked in descending order.
10. Travel industry leaders' predictions for 2025
In 10th place was our annual piece with predictions from travel industry leaders. In 2025, many predicted AI changes, specifically agentic forms, more integrated traveler journeys and a surge in mergers and acquisitions. Relationships with consumers were also highlighted.
Keep an eye out for 2026 predictions, which will be published on PhocusWire in the new year.
9. Perplexity partners with Selfbook, Tripadvisor to offer hotel booking
Marking a stride in agentic AI booking, Perplexity launched the ability to book hotels natively via a collaboration with Selfbook and Tripadvisor in March.
“We are introducing answer modes in Perplexity to make the core search product even better for verticals: travel, shopping, places, images, videos, jobs,” Perplexity co-founder and CEO Aravind Srinivas wrote on LinkedIn.
“The next step is to get super precise [so] that you don't have to press on these tabs.”
8. Expedia Group to restructure parts of organization
Expedia Group confirmed in April that it would be reorganizing parts of its organization.
The company called the decision “difficult but necessary” as it sharpened its focus on “strategic priorities.” The move followed an unknown number of layoffs that Expedia Group made just a month prior.
7. Delta encouraged by early results of AI pricing with Fetcherr
In July, news from Delta Air Line’s second quarter earnings call turned heads. While speaking with analysts, the company announced plans to deploy revenue management technology from Fetcherr across 20% of its domestic network.
The airline had already been working with Fetcherr, a PhocusWire Hot 25 Travel Startup for 2023, and said it was encouraged by the results of a testing phase.
“We like what we see. We like it a lot, and we're continuing to roll it out, but we're going to take our time and make sure that the rollout is successful as opposed to trying to rush it and risk that there are unwanted answers in there,” Delta president Glen Hauenstein said on the call.
6. Have TikTok and Booking.com just ‘nuked’ the travel funnel?
In August, TikTok and Booking.com leaned into a social media conversion opportunity, forming a partnership to allow for in-app hotel bookings. An overarching piece outlined the industry’s response amid social media’s increasing role in travel inspiration.
At the time, Lucy Kemmitz, global senior director of social media for Marriott Bonvoy and hotel brands for Marriott International, said the initiative emphasized how discovery is changing in travel.
“It’s no longer just about where people want to go but how they’re inspired and how seamless the path is from content to conversion,” Kemmitz said. “What matters here is the frictionless experience, removing steps between inspiration and action.”
5. Moving beyond points: The state of hotel loyalty programs
A piece discussing hotel loyalty programs stressed the need for those in hospitality to evolve or risk becoming irrelevant.
Industry players commented on the shifting value of points, specifically among younger demographics, and guests’ desire for more immediate, personalized benefits.
Others also said that technology, and AI specifically, are valuable tools, but hotels’ fragmented tech stacks continue to pose a threat.
4. OpenAI debuts 'Operator' agent that can book travel
In January, OpenAI unveiled its “Operator” agent, an AI-powered tool that can interact with websites and type, click and scroll. It’s also able to search for and complete purchases for varying purposes.
At its launch, OpenAI posed travel as a use case, illustrating Operator taking steps to “find and book me the highest rated one-day tour of Rome on Tripadvisor” via screenshots.
Rahul Todkar, head of data and AI for Tripadvisor, called the partnership a “pivotal step” as the industry works toward an agentic AI future with workflows to support innovation.
3. Booking.com and hotels increasingly go their separate ways
In August, a lawsuit filed against Booking.com by 10,000 European hotels highlighted a growing divide between online travel agencies (OTAs) and hotels.
A larger piece focused on the key drivers of the dip in OTA bookings, including hotels’ marketing push and Booking’s designation as a “gatekeeper” under the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) in May 2024.
2. Presenting the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2026
Our annual Hot 25 Travel Startups piece was the second-most-read story this year.
The piece formally announced our 2026 roster, including about 10 companies built using AI. The combined Phocuswright-PhocusWire team has been spotlighting our Hot 25 Travel Startups since 2019.
1. ChatGPT brings apps into chat, starting with Expedia and Booking.com
Our most-read story was published in October, covering OpenAI’s move to turn ChatGPT into a platform by launching apps.
Big-name travel brands, including Expedia and Booking.com, were announced as inaugural partners, allowing users to compare hotel and flight options with real-time pricing directly within ChatGPT.
“By bridging the gap between planning in ChatGPT conversations and booking on Expedia, we see enormous potential to create seamless traveler experiences,” Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin said at the time.