Here's our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
This roundup was created with the help of ChatGPT.
Vietravel renews Sabre partnership
Vietravel Airlines has renewed its passenger service system agreement with Sabre for
another five years. The carrier will continue using Sabre’s Radixx platform, including tools for passenger services, digital retailing, airport operations and analytics.
The deal comes as Vietravel Airlines, now backed by strategic investor T&T Group, aims to scale its passenger and cargo operations. The renewed agreement includes
integration of Sabre’s payment gateway and potential access to new markets through Global Distribution System (GDS) and interline partnerships, supporting both growth and customer experience improvements.
First Hotels, HotelREZ
First Hotels franchise has joined HotelREZ to expand its global distribution and drive direct,
GDS and corporate bookings. The move adds 20 franchise-branded properties across Sweden, Norway and Denmark to the HotelREZ portfolio.
As part of the deal, the properties will use HotelREZ’s booking engine, marketing support and metasearch coverage to increase visibility and reduce distribution costs. The franchise also joins niche programs including World Rainbow Hotels and Best Loved
Hotels. The expanded partnership builds on an existing relationship between HotelREZ and the First Hotels Collection, established in 2023.
Pkfare, Archipelago
Pkfare has formed a strategic partnership with Archipelago, a privately owned hotel group in Southeast Asia, to expand global distribution and strengthen direct-contract inventory.
The agreement gives Archipelago access to Pkfare’s 2,000+ distribution partners, including online travel agencies, wholesalers and travel platforms, while boosting Pkfare’s hotel supply across key regions. The move supports Archipelago’s international
growth and aligns with Pkfare's strategy to deepen hotel partnerships following similar deals with Chroma Hospitality, Ormond Group and others.
VacationPort, Brendan Vacations
VacationPort has partnered with Brendan Vacations to expand access to personalized
Ireland and Scotland itineraries for travel advisors across the United States and Canada. Advisors using VacationPort can now promote Brendan’s range of Celtic travel styles, including guided tours, private chauffeur journeys and self-drive options.
The partnership supports Brendan’s goal of reaching more North American travelers while enhancing VacationPort’s offering of customizable, high-quality travel content.
Nomadix’s energy management solution
Nomadix has launched a new energy management solution aimed at helping hotels, student housing, senior living and military housing reduce operational expenses
and meet sustainability goals.
The cloud-native platform eliminates the need for on-premises servers and proprietary networks, offering a lower cost of ownership and quick return on investment. It integrates with existing Wi-Fi and property management systems to deliver real-time control, analytics and remote updates. Smart thermostats and HVAC controllers allow for efficient room-level energy use, while centralized management reduces complexity for staff. The solution debuts at industry events in Las Vegas and Indianapolis this month.
Amex GBT’s expansion, global brand campaign
American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has expanded its Virtual Payment Expert (VPE) solution to Hong Kong, Singapore
and Thailand. Powered by Conferma, VPE enables secure, automated hotel bookings and payments via single-use virtual cards—ideal for employees without corporate cards or booking outside preferred vendors.
The tool streamlines payment and reconciliation, enhances expense visibility and strengthens fraud protection. Now available in 30 countries, VPE integrates with travel and finance systems, offering real-time spend analytics and a seamless traveler experience
through digital wallets and 24/7 support.
Amex GBT also launched its first global brand campaign called Great Ideas Travel. Created with Droga5 London, the campaign highlights the unique value of in-person business travel in sparking innovation and connections.
The campaign aims to shift how companies view business travel, emphasizing moments that can’t happen remotely. It will run across TV, social media and digital channels and support Amex GBT’s 18,000 employees worldwide.
UrVenue, OpenTable expansion
UrVenue has expanded its partnership with OpenTable to give hotel guests priority access to high-demand
restaurant reservations and experiences directly through UrVenue’s itinerary builder. The integration allows hotels to offer premium OpenTable bookings to in-house and upcoming guests as part of the pre-arrival journey. Staff can also manage dining
experiences through UrVenue’s Experience Center.
The integration, available via the OpenTable for Restaurants Integrations Marketplace, enables self-guided setup and activation.
Dublin’s AI tour guide
As part of its role as the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024, Dublin introduces Brendan, an artificial intelligence (AI) tour guide. Created through a partnership between Smart Dublin and CityMe AI, Brendan uses geolocation and AI audio to narrate 500+ historical and cultural spots in Dublin with signature charm and wit.
Available on the CityMe App, this pilot project offers real-time, location-based storytelling and will soon expand to include Spanish and Irish.
SITA’s MIFI
SITA has launched mobile Wi-Fi (MIFI), a portable wireless solution designed to keep airports,
airlines and ground handlers connected across remote or high-traffic areas. MIFI combines routers, SIM/eSIMs, satellite options and Secure Service Edge technologies into a managed service that supports 4G/5G and LEO satellite coverage.
With built-in security features and 24/7 support, MIFI provides reliable connectivity on the tarmac, in cargo zones or during emergencies—helping airport operations
stay efficient, secure and flexible, SITA said.
Trevolution Group’s flight alerts
Trevolution Group has launched a real-time flight alerts feature
in its Dreampass travel membership app, developed in partnership with aviation analytics company Cirium.
The tool delivers live updates—such as delays, gate changes and cancellations—directly to users’ phones, helping travelers navigate disruptions with ease. Available at no extra cost to Dreampass members, the feature complements existing perks like international
eSIM data, travel credit and emergency medical protection.
NextTrip’s travel agent booking platform
NextTrip has launched a beta version of its next-gen travel agent booking platform. Designed to replace outdated systems, the company said the platform streamlines booking workflows,
reduces manual tasks and empowers agents to focus on sales and client service.
Key features include a powerful booking engine, customizable point-of-sale pages and innovative group booking tools that let travelers book individually within shared itineraries. As travel agents see renewed growth, NextTrip aims to equip them with flexible,
digital-first tools to scale their business. More features, including marketing automation, are on the way.
Revenue Analytics’ AI commercial suite
Revenue Analytics has unveiled the N2Pricing Commercial
Suite, expanding its hospitality revenue management system with AI-driven tools that streamline performance tracking and reporting.
The suite debuts with an AI report generator that automates insight extraction from key data sets, enabling revenue managers to create tailored, actionable reports quickly. New features also include its Health Scorecard for monitoring system adoption
and Extended Stay Rate Management to optimize pricing for long-stay guests. CEO Bill Brewster emphasized the suite’s role in enhancing strategic influence and communication for revenue teams, with more innovations planned through 2025.
Travelex’s retail director
Travelex has appointed Asokan Sathurayar as retail director for Australia and New Zealand to lead regional retail expansion.
Sathurayar brings over 20 years of experience, including senior roles at Luxottica and Dusk Australasia. He will manage Travelex’s network of 125 stores and 70 ATMs, overseeing foreign currency services and prepaid travel money solutions. Sathurayar will
also focus on growing Travelex’s omnichannel retail strategy, including home delivery and click-and-collect options.
The appointment comes as Travelex recently reopened its Chadstone Shopping Centre store and renewed a partnership with Australia Post, extending services to 3,200 post offices.
Azul, Accelya
Azul Brazilian Airlines has partnered with Accelya to implement its BIDT Audit
solution aimed at improving control over GDS bookings. The tool provides near real-time monitoring to identify booking violations that cause inflated GDS costs and operational inefficiencies.
Azul expects the system to help reduce booking abuse, recover lost revenue and strengthen travel agency partnerships. Accelya’s solution offers automated detection, policy enforcement and actionable insights to minimize financial losses linked to distribution
misuse in the airline’s booking processes.
TPConnects’ reseller program
TPConnects Technologies has launched its International Reseller Program to expand global distribution of its travel technology solutions. The program enables
travel organizations to offer TPConnects’ Iris platform for travel sellers and Astra API gateway for airlines in their local markets.
Iris aggregates airline content, including New Distribution Capability, Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport and low-cost carriers, in a single interface, while Astra provides airlines control over distribution and
access for travel agencies. After initial reseller partnerships in Pakistan, Oman and Bangladesh, TPConnects is now seeking global partners to widen market reach and accelerate sales growth.
Cloudbeds, STR
Cloudbeds has partnered with STR to automate data exchange, giving hoteliers direct access to STR’s benchmarking
metrics like occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room within their dashboard.
This API integration enables real-time market insights, helping users track trends and make informed operational and pricing decisions. The collaboration aims to enhance hoteliers’ ability to optimize revenue strategies and stay competitive. The integration
is now available to mutual customers, with ongoing support planned to maximize data use.
Destination NSW’s CEO
Karen Jones has been appointed CEO of Destination NSW, the state’s tourism and major events agency, after serving as acting CEO since January.
Jones brings over 27 years of government leadership experience, previously heading the Office of Sport. New South Wales Minister for Tourism Steve Kamper praised her leadership ahead of the revised
Visitor Economy Strategy and the opening of Western Sydney International Airport. Jones said she looks forward to growing NSW’s visitor economy and promoting its vibrant culture.
Civitatis, Smiles
Civitatis and Smiles have formed a strategic alliance. Members of Smiles, a loyalty program with over 24 million
users in Argentina and Brazil, can now earn 25 miles per dollar spent booking from Civitatis’ catalog of 90,000+ tours and activities worldwide.
Bookings through a co-branded site currently earn miles, with plans to allow mile redemptions for experiences in the future. These miles can be used for flights on more than 50 partner airlines. The partnership aims to offer a seamless travel experience
from planning to enjoying destinations.
The Travel Foundation’s trustees
The Travel Foundation has appointed three new trustees to strengthen its leadership: Shannon Guihan, chief sustainability officer at the Travel
Corporation; Charlotte Lamp Davies, founder of travel tech consultancy A Bright Approach; and policy expert Natasha Mytton-Mills. It also welcomed Claire Whitely as its first accommodations and hospitality advisor, offering pro-bono sustainability
expertise from her hospitality industry background.
CEO Jeremy Sampson said the new appointments will help accelerate the foundation’s mission to drive systemic change toward balanced tourism. Leadership roles also shifted, with Jane Ashton becoming vice-chair. The foundation focuses on climate, inequity
and industry impact partnerships.
Ireckonu’s U.S. leadership
Amsterdam-based hospitality tech firm Ireckonu is deepening its foothold in the Americas by growing its United States team and appointing Robert Dawson as chief strategy and product officer. Dawson, who
joined in January, brings extensive experience from Sabre, Cendyn and Choice Hotels. The move follows Ireckonu’s earlier expansion in Asia Pacific with a new Singapore office.
The U.S. operations now include strategy, sales, customer service and support teams, complementing global 24/7 service from Amsterdam and Singapore.
Reed & Mackay’s CEO
Navan has appointed Nina Herold as CEO of Reed & Mackay, effective Oct. 1, 2025, succeeding Fred Stratford, who is retiring after 13 years. To ensure a smooth transition, Herold will join the company in August.
Since acquiring Reed & Mackay in 2021, Navan has invested in its high-touch travel and events services. CEO Ariel Cohen expressed confidence in Herold's leadership, while Stratford praised the company's legacy and future direction. Ofer Ben-David will
continue as Navan's chief operating officer. Cohen also emphasized that the leadership team is positioned to drive growth and innovation as the company moves into its next chapter.