Here's our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
This roundup was created with the assistance of ChatGPT.
Amex GBT, Shell Aviation, Google
American Express Global Business Travel, Shell Aviation and Google have extended an agreement to source sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) environmental attribute information through Avelia.
Aveila is a blockchain-based SAF book-and-claim registry that is working to scale SAF, shortening the life cycle of aviation emissions and improving participation in the segment’s decarbonization efforts. Avelia connects airlines and corporations to SAF benefits even when the fuel is not available at a traveler’s departure airport using a registry to track and allocate environmental attributes.
HTS, RBC
Royal Bank of Canada and Hopper Technology Solutions have announced a long-term partnership to upgrade the travel experience for Avion Rewards members.
The enhanced Avion Rewards Travel platform will let members use points across flights, hotels, car rentals, activities and packages within the broader rewards ecosystem. New features will include flexible booking options and flight price insights based on historical and predictive data. Avion cardholders will keep access to fixed-points pricing with no blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Agoda opens Bangkok hub
Agoda has opened a new office in Bangkok as part of its long-term investment in Asia’s technology hubs. Located in One Bangkok, the seven-floor space brings nearly 4,000 employees together in a purpose-built workplace designed to support collaboration, innovation and technical operations. Agoda said the move reflects its regional roots and continued focus on growing its travel platform.
SqaaS launches ShellBot
SqaaS, an artificial intelligence (AI) company backed by ixigo, has launched ShellBot, a managed platform for hosting autonomous AI agents for individuals and businesses.
Built on the open-source OpenClaw framework, the product lets users deploy private cloud-based agents that can handle tasks such as email, scheduling, research and coding across channels including WhatsApp, Slack and Microsoft Teams. SqaaS said ShellBot emphasizes privacy, control and safety, with features such as permissions, action confirmations and activity visibility.
Capital A names deputy CEO
Capital A has appointed Effendy Shahul Hamid deputy CEO effective April 6 as the company sharpens its focus on non-aviation businesses after the January 2026 disposal of its aviation assets to AirAsia X. Capital A is focused on driving growth across units including Teleport, AirAsia MOVE, Asia Digital Engineering, AirAsia Next and Santan.
Effendy brings more than two decades of leadership experience from CIMB Group, where he held senior roles across retail banking, digital transformation and partnerships.
NextTrip adds agentic tools
NextTrip said it will roll out new consumer engagement tools across its JOURNY streaming network and digital platforms, including an agentic AI assistant designed to help viewers move from travel inspiration to booking.
The company’s updated JOURNYGO platform combines video content, interactive overlays, dynamic packaging and live travel support to let users build and book trips within the same experience.
PriceLabs boosts revenue tech
PriceLabs has launched Revenue Accelerator, evolving its platform from dynamic pricing into a full revenue growth solution for property managers.
The upgrade adds AI-assisted pricing support, forecasting and performance reporting to optimize the entire revenue lifecycle—from base pricing and risk simulation to visibility and booking conversion. New tools enhance decision-making, improve search ranking insights and unlock incremental revenue opportunities. The release also strengthens owner reporting and forecasting, enabling more proactive, data-driven portfolio management and business growth.
Hostaway's website solution
Vacation rental software provider Hostaway has launched Booking Website Pro, an enhanced website solution designed to help property managers increase direct bookings and reduce reliance on third-party channels.
The platform combines advanced customization, an embedded booking engine and seamless integration with Hostaway’s PMS, enabling operators to control brand presentation and improve conversion rates. AI-driven search engine optimization and marketing tools—including content generation, performance analytics and targeted campaigns—aim to boost visibility and drive organic traffic, supporting operators in building stronger, independent brands amid rising distribution costs.
Tourism Tasmania appoints UK market manager
Tourism Tasmania has appointed Deborah Pearce as U.K. market manager to drive growth in a key long-haul market.
Based in the U.K., Pearce will lead trade engagement, partnerships and conversion strategies to strengthen the path from awareness to bookings for Tasmania. The move reflects rising U.K. demand for experiential, nature-led travel and aims to enhance distribution and market positioning through closer collaboration with operators, agents, airlines and Tourism Australia.
PCL Construction, Navan
PCL Construction has selected Navan as its global travel and expense technology provider, replacing fragmented, manual processes with a unified, AI-driven platform.
The move consolidates multiple systems, including SAP Concur, delivering real-time visibility, automated reconciliation and improved employee experience via a consumer-grade app. PCL expects significant productivity gains, cost savings and enhanced operational control, positioning the company to scale efficiently while supporting its workforce across more than 30 global locations.
JTB Business Travel targets unmanaged travelers
JTB Business Travel has launched Teal Essential, a turnkey version of its Teal platform, powered by Spotnana, targeting organizations with unmanaged or self-booked travel.
The solution offers rapid onboarding, self-service booking across full travel inventory and access to global support and analytics—without complex implementation. It enables companies to modernise travel program while maintaining visibility and control. Designed for speed and simplicity, Teal Essential addresses the large share of business travel booked outside a formal program, combining consumer-grade UX with managed travel capabilities at scale.
CityBlue Hotels, Inntelo
Africa-based CityBlue Hotels has partnered with U.K. platform Inntelo to deploy AI-native concierge agents across its portfolio.
The rollout embeds AI into operations to streamline guest interactions, improve response times and enhance service consistency at scale while freeing staff for higher-value engagement. Spanning multiple African markets with further expansion planned, the initiative aligns with rising regional tourism demand and includes a training program to accelerate AI adoption and skills development across the sector.