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.
HBX Group, Amadeus’ Outpayce
HBX Group partnered with Outpayce from Amadeus to expand HBX’s fintech capabilities and automate travel payments. HBX said it will use Outpayce’s cloud-native platform to launch a payment program that streamlines how agencies pay hotels, airlines, aggregators and destination service providers.
The companies said the program will include virtual cards issued by Outpayce, integration with Outpayce B2B Wallet and a wallet portal for reporting and settlement, plus travel-focused reconciliation and cybersecurity features. The partners plan to add pay-in flows later.
Hospitable launches Tasks
Hospitable launched Hospitable Tasks, adding in-platform communication, task tracking and payouts for cleaners and other service teams.
The tool lets hosts and property managers coordinate recurring or one-off providers, including maintenance and inspections, with time-stamped messaging, reminders and real-time job status updates. Tasks include checklists and photo uploads for proof of completion. Hospitable also added automated payouts with a 24-hour review window. Payment features are currently available in the U.S.
Stasher, Victoria Coach Station
Stasher has partnered with London’s Victoria Coach Station as the terminal’s official online luggage storage booking provider, adding prebooking via Stasher’s website and app for the station’s on-site facility. The London hub serves about 20 million passengers a year and the storage option is positioned for tourists exploring the local area as well as travelers through the U.K. and Europe.
Sabre names managing director
Sabre appointed Todd Arthur as managing director of EMEA Agency Solutions, based in London. Arthur will lead Sabre’s agency business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and help drive regional growth for Sabre Mosaic Travel Marketplace, including multi-source shopping, booking and servicing in a single cloud workflow.
Arthur’s role will support agencies navigating content fragmentation and rising operational complexity. He previously served in senior Sabre leadership positions in agency commercial strategy and global corporate solution. He has more than two decades in corporate travel and travel technology and also held roles at BCD Travel, Finnair and Malaysia Airlines.
GetYourGuide names CPO
Experiences platform GetYourGuide named Rob Rekrutiak chief product officer, based in Berlin, as it targets growth in the experiences category and steps up artificial intelligence (AI)-led product development. Rekrutiak previously held senior product roles at Google, Lyft and Gojek. GetYourGuide said he will focus on making the platform more useful for trip planning, in-destination booking and supplier tools for guides and operators.
Google, SITA
SITA has integrated Google’s Find Hub share item location feature into WorldTracer, the baggage tracking system used by airlines to recover delayed and mishandled bags. The update lets airline staff view a passenger-shared location link inside WorldTracer, adding another data point beyond airport scans and airline data exchanges. SITA said passengers control the sharing, which can be stopped at any time, expires automatically and uses encrypted location data.
Initial airline partners supporting Google Find Hub “share item location” links include AJet, Air India, China Airlines, Saudia, Scandinavian Airlines, Turkish Airlines and the Lufthansa Group.
GO7’s virtual interlining product
GO7 has launched Orchestrated Virtual Interlining, a product it says lets airlines sell multi-carrier trips that feel like interlining without formal interline agreements. The product gives airlines rules-based control over partner selection, routes and bundled ancillaries, with the airline as merchant of record. It also includes GO7’s ThruBag baggage transfer, an optional missed-connection guarantee called ConnectProtect and settlement options including International Air Transport Association Clearing House.
Journey, SiteMinder
Journey has partnered with SiteMinder to let hotels feed real-time rates and availability into Journey’s booking engine via SiteMinder, with reservations written back into the hotel’s existing systems. The companies said the integration works across SiteMinder’s network of 450-plus property management system connections and supports selling rooms alongside spa, dining and other on-property experiences in a single transaction.
WeSki’s AI trip planner
WeSki has launched Weski.ai, a beta conversational trip planner that lets skiers plan and book packages by chatting about dates, budget, group size and resort preferences. The company said the tool searches itinerary combinations across resorts and stays in real time, then returns curated, bookable options. WeSki said the system can dynamically bundle flights, transfers, lodging and ski extras and uses “memory” and context to refine recommendations.
TUI Airline, Airxelerate
TUI Airline has signed a long-term deal with Berlin-based Airxelerate to update its B2B distribution for tour operators across its markets. The carrier will use Airxelerate’s cloud products Calisto Air and Calisto Ancillary to manage allotments and dynamic availability, support pooling and real-time pricing and integrate seat selection and other ancillaries into tour operator bookings, agency sales and post-booking flows.
The companies said the setup will automate capacity management, improve inventory control and expand ancillary revenue options.
Omio Business launches
Omio has launched Omio Business, a work travel booking platform aimed at small businesses, sole traders and freelancers. The product is now live in the U.K. following a February beta and combines trains, buses, flights and hotels in one place.
Omio said there is no contract, monthly fee or minimum spend and the platform includes features such as VAT-compliant invoicing, centralized booking history and cost tracking, plus payment by personal or company cards. Omio Business is expected to expand to additional markets in the coming months.
Intuitive expands iVector platform
Intuitive said it has spent the past year since its acquisition by Banyan Software shoring up the iVector reservation platform while expanding flexibility for tour operators, online travel agencies and wholesalers. The U.K.-based travel tech company said iVector is moving to a more open, extensible architecture to speed integrations, workflow automation and AI-driven features while maintaining platform stability.
Intuitive also said it plans to add cruise capability to iVector, bringing cruise content, pricing and group allocation management into the platform for quoting and booking alongside other trip components.