Tony Carne

📈 Expedia launched "Expedia Travel Shops," with a focus on video-first content, creator collaborations, and social commerce integrations. The initiative, aiming to ease travel planning pain points, involved Jeremy Jauncey from Beautiful Destinations. Videreo provides an alternative to Expedia's influencer storefronts, allowing brands to shine through directly and set their own commission rates. ABTA introduced an AI helpline for legal advice on AI use in businesses, with Data Driven Legal offering 30 minutes of free expert advice to members. At the WiT conference, Chris Hemmeter described AI as a "once in a generation transformation" for the travel industry. Google shelved its AI trip planner initially showcased at the developer conference in May 2024, raising questions about the feasibility of AI in trip planning. Japan leveraged an AI tool, "Sakura AI Camera," for cherry blossom preservation, aiding local governments amidst labor and budget constraints. Adobe reported a 1200% increase in traffic from generative AI sources during the U.S. holiday shopping season, with these consumers showing 8% higher engagement on retail sites. MyTrip.AI offers generative AI services, including a custom AI Sales and Service Assistant for travel companies. Additionally, over half of business bookers are open to letting AI handle their travel arrangements through management companies, indicating growing trust in AI's capabilities.

📈 📈 For years, brands have utilized travel influencers for marketing. Traditional campaigns on platforms like Instagram or TikTok last 3-9 days, focusing on "reach" and "engagement". The aim is to boost brand searches and direct website visits over time, usually assessed through year-over-year (YoY) comparisons. Videreo extends campaign lifespans indefinitely, linking influencer videos to product sales on a searchable map. This allows for measurable Return on Influencer Spend (ROIS). Contiki, G Adventures, & Globus are examples of brands sold through Videreo's method. Kayak predicts AI travel agents by 2030 while OpenAI releases booking agents today. Grindr introduces AI features, including an "AI wingman" for chat summaries, and displays user concentrations in city neighborhoods aiding travel community connections. A 2025 hotel industry survey shows 61% believe AI impact is imminent, with automation and guest preference prediction as key benefits. Privacy concerns emerge as Apple scraps AI summaries after BBC's complaint, and reports suggest Microsoft uses all typed content in Word to train AI models. Yonder, an AI chatbot, offers 24/7 customer service for tourism businesses. Sarawak launches an AI-powered event impact system, a first in legacy management. AI is transforming SEO, with experts like Tahnee Perry and Kevin Indig offering insights. Perry suggests using AI for drafts and details, while Indig provides a master