Innovation

🗺️ Sabre, PayPal, and Mindtrip announced their partnership to create an agentic AI travel booking system, where AI completes bookings autonomously. This system connects Sabre’s vast inventory of airlines and hotels, with PayPal for payments and Mindtrip for AI planning. This innovation allows booking through AI without multiple platforms, challenging Big Tech's dominance in travel distribution. The AI can autonomously book and manage trips, prompting travel companies to rethink strategies for staying relevant.

🌎 Expedia's stock fell 6.7%, Booking.com 17%, Airbnb 24%, and TripAdvisor trades at $9. AI agents, including OpenAI’s Operator, are transforming travel booking by negotiating reservations via chat. Apple's Siri can book through Expedia without user interaction. OTAs might become obsolete as AI handles bookings. The EU regulates Google, but AI assistants like ChatGPT lack similar rules, risking exclusive deals with hotel chains. Operators must adapt for visibility in AI-driven travel searches.

🏨 OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel joined GHA DISCOVERY, integrating with OUTRIGGER's global portfolio. In 2025, GHA DISCOVERY achieved record loyalty revenue. The 443-room hotel, formerly Princess Ka‘iulani’s ʻĀinahau estate, offers flexible accommodations for events and sports teams. It features Art + Flea markets and dining venues. The 2024 reimagination was influenced by local artists. GHA DISCOVERY connects 45 hotel brands, enhancing global competition while retaining brand identity.

💻 Ryan Mann of McKinsey & Company spoke at ALIS in January 2026 about AI's pivotal role in hospitality, emphasizing its transition from experimentation to executive priority. He highlighted three key areas: internal automation, operational efficiency, and search/booking disruption. The focus is on AI adoption challenges, data readiness, and trust. Leaders are encouraged to adopt scenario-based thinking as OTAs, suppliers, and systems vie for booking control. This episode outlines actions for navigating the evolving distribution landscape.

🏠 Hostaway, a vacation rental software provider, announced a partnership with Plum Guide on 18 February in Finland. This collaboration allows Hostaway users to list properties on Plum Guide, a platform known for high-quality, design-led stays across Europe and the UK. The integration offers real-time access to availability, pricing, and listing details, streamlining operations through Hostaway's system. This move enhances property managers' reach and optimizes booking values.

💰 New York, NY, 18 February 2026 – BookingsCloud launched Opportunity Score, a predictive metric for short-term rental operators. The score ranges from 0 to 100 and identifies listings worth marketing to optimize booking potential. It automatically activates marketing campaigns, reducing reliance on OTAs. Opportunity Score evaluates market-specific booking windows, availability, and revenue potential. Amber Knight emphasizes its ability to automate decision-making. Supported by Advance, BookingsCloud reports increasing direct bookings annually while OTA bookings decline.

🛩️ Sabre, PayPal, and Mindtrip announced plans for an end-to-end agentic AI travel experience, revolutionizing the industry with seamless, personalized planning. Travelers desire effortless journeys, not fragmented steps, expecting one intuitive flow from inspiration to payment. This shift requires travel organizations to enhance customer experiences, focusing on conversational, responsive service. The future of travel is digital, contextual, and intelligent, demanding adaptation to new traveler habits.