In Phocus

Travel selling is evolving fast and new players are redefining how trips are discovered and booked.

This episode features Jake Peters, co-founder and chief product and technology officer at Fora, and Maarten van Pijpen, chief growth officer at Unravel, in conversation with PhocusWire senior reporter Morgan Hines. The discussion explores how AI, social media and c...

Gen AI is gaining real traction in corporate travel and this time, it’s more than experimentation. In this episode of In Phocus, Marilyn Markham, VP of AI and automation strategy at American Express Global Business Travel, and Mat Orrego, CEO and co-founder of Cornerstone Information Systems, explore how AI is reshaping the sector.

While early chatbots left...

Skyscanner CEO Bryan Batista is nearly a year into the job, and he’s already uncovered a few surprises about what it really takes to lead one of travel’s biggest metasearch platforms.

Recorded live from the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference, Batista joins PhocusWire’s Linda Fox to talk about Skyscanner’s traveler-first mindset...

What happens when the CEO of one of the world’s largest travel companies spends her weekends experimenting with ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity?

You get a front-row view into how Expedia Group is thinking about the next era of travel.

In this episode, Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin si...

The definition of luxury travel fluctuates across demographics, and how technology plays into that is also changing with evolving needs and tools like artificial intelligence (AI).

“Luxury audiences ... they vary greatly depending on level of maturity of that wealth, where they're hailing from across the planet, whether or not they're a solo traveler or traveling in a group, [if they are] multi-generational and where they sit...

Travel startup funding remained tough throughout 2025, with Phocuswright data signaling the year would likely fall below $5 billion after a modest recovery to $5.8 billion in 2024. A few headline rounds stood out, including Perk’s $200 million Series E, Klook’s $100 million and later raises from companies like Ramp, Airalo and Peek, but big checks were otherwise scarce and investors cons...

Co-founded by CEO John Lyotier and chairman of the board Chris Jensen in 2013, Vancouver-based TravelAI now operates more than 475 consumer-facing brands.

The company generated over $268 million in gross booking value in 2024, and the CEO expects that figure to be be closer to $500 million in 2025.

TravelAI is actively pursuing its goal of creating the “web of one,” working towards improved personali...

During its its third quarter earnings call in early November, Airbnb shared some early results of its experiences and services launches.

At the time, the company said almost half of those booked were not related to an accommodation booking. Meanwhile, 10% of those who booked a service—think massages and private chefs—were totally new to the platform. 

Airbnb is “super encouraged&...

Connecting the dots of the traveler journey is priority in the ground transportation sector, but tangible examples of connected trip in action are still somewhat “rare.”

Travelers can book a full trip in Sweden, including a train, taxi and a bus, which is working well, but there aren’t many models beyond that, according to SilverRail chief commercial officer Cameron Jones.

D...

The “connected trip” has become a bit of a tired buzzword, but the ability to bundle different trip elements is not less coveted in the travel space.

During an interview in the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference last month, Manuel Hilty, CEO and co-founder of Nezasa, and Andrew Boch, CEO of Mobi.AI, discussed the end-to-end traveler...

While artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting travel marketing, the best use cases are still being determined.

AI-supported digital travel marketing can work—as long as it still has a human touch, according to Rob Torres, SVP of media solutions and retail partnerships for Expedia Group.

In October, Expedia Group released research that examined what content is driving traveler choice. The company showed p...

After 26 years with the company and 10 as CEO, Priceline recently announced that Brett Keller would hand over the reins to Brigit Zimmerman in January.

In an interview in the PhocusWire studio, Keller reflected on his time at the OTA, where he has held several roles including CMO and COO.

His best advice for his successor was to surround herself with the best possible team and be sure to retain them, pointing to the longe...

Within the vacation rental industry, opportunity abounds as operators lean into consolidation and professionalization.

During an interview in the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference last week, Sharad Sunderesan, founder and CEO of Homescreen, and Eric Goldreyer, CEO of Savvy, shared their thoughts on these trends.

“You’ll see consolidation bri...

Cryptocurrency is carving out a role in travel—from B2C bookings to B2B settlements—through stablecoin-powered payments and crypto-savvy consumers making high-value transactions. Although cryptocurrency still represents a small portion of global travel spending, industry leaders believe change is coming quickly.

“Travel is an emotional and high-value purchase,” said Damien Cramer, senior vice president of gl...

Saudi Arabia-based OTA Almosafer, which means “traveler” in Arabic, is making headway in the Middle East. Now head of the company, Muzzammil Ahussain has risen the ranks from COO to EVP to CEO—a role he’s held since January 2023.

In an interview with PhocusWire, Ahussain said Almosafer sets itself apart from global OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia through “local understanding and local knowh...

You could be forgiven for thinking that travel companies might shy away from taking companies public via special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Many will have seen industry peers have a rough ride back in 2022 and question what has changed.

For Chris Hemmeter, managing director of Thayer Investment Partners, the travel industry is in a very different place now. In an interview with PhocusWire, he said there is already a resurg...

While ancillaries are often discussed as a way to boost profit, not every travel company has introduced these revenue streams. But what's holding them back?

Mark McLaughlin, CEO of Coras, and Inigo Valenzuela, CEO of Smartvel, opened up about the hesitancy they encounter in the pitching process to travel suppliers.

Mclaughlin identified technology as a roadblock. As an API provider for tickets and events, he said he&rsquo...

As the short-term rental (STR) industry continues to evolve, it’s become clear that vacation rentals can be more than just a place to rest one’s head—and Airbnb has tapped into this opportunity with its recent launch of Services.

But what benefit do ancillaries really pose to STR providers? Industry leaders shared their thoughts in a panel-style interview in the PhocusWire studio at Phocus...

The travel industry has had pretty much everything thrown at it in the first six months of 2025. It has faced ongoing global conflict, economic instability, political uncertainty and challenges related to climate change.

The second quarter earnings of online travel agencies, hotel groups and airlines reflected some of this turmoil. Airlines blamed macroeconomic factors for revenue losses and demand uncertainty, while the CEO...