Innovation

🛫 Amadeus, Sabre Corporation, and Travelport are the "Big Three" global distribution systems navigating major shifts in 2025. Amadeus leads with ~40% market share, a 12.9% revenue increase in 2024, and strong airline partnerships. Sabre faces a ~$256M loss and a 40% stock drop, controlling ~30% market share. Travelport holds a 15-20% share, sustained by a $200M capital infusion. A potential Sabre-Travelport merger could challenge Amadeus's dominance.

✈️ Dennis Schaal at Skift reveals key shifts in online travel. Expedia, with 70,000+ partners, leads B2B, expanding into cars, insurance, and ads. Booking Holdings plans a B2B consolidation in 2026, while Hopper innovates with fintech partnerships. Airbnb targets independent hotels, aiming for a complete trip ecosystem. B2B offers stable margins, while B2C faces volatility. The future OTA must balance B2B reach, independent hotel supply, and tech innovation for success.

🏨 In 2025, a hotel visit highlighted the rise of self check-in, with no receptionist, manager, porter, or concierge present. A fellow guest and I managed check-in without tech issues, taking just five minutes to access our rooms. While efficient, the absence of human interaction felt unusual, akin to entering a friend's home unaccompanied. This system benefits tech-savvy travelers, but could pose challenges for older guests, potentially being seen as a service downgrade.

💻 "Ben Wolff highlights a pivotal shift in the hospitality industry: traditional booking funnels are obsolete. With 15 years in teaching, 20 in digital marketing, and 26 in hospitality, the realization is clear. Platforms like TikTok Go and AI tools such as ChatGPT transform social platforms into booking engines, merging discovery and booking into one seamless process. As this 'anti-funnel' becomes norm, previous models and systems become outdated, needing urgent updates and adaptations.

💻 In hospitality, AI Agents such as TrustYou’s enhance guest experiences across five stages: Pre-arrival, Arrival, Stay, Departure, and Post-Stay. They offer 24/7 booking support, reduce website drop-offs (typically 98%), and personalize recommendations. AI minimizes friction during check-in, improves service through digital concierges, and facilitates check-out with automated processes. Post-stay, AI encourages reviews and loyalty engagement. The result: increased conversions, reduced costs, and a stronger reputation, crucial for thriving in a competitive market.

🏨 Google Travel's hotel search allocates only about 8% of the page to organic listings, questioning user awareness of sponsored content. With 54 options—1 direct, 53 OTAs, resellers, and affiliates—Google creates 'auction pressure'. An AI agent would narrow choices to 3-5: favorite brand, direct hotel option, and cheapest. Remaining options, including 50 OTAs, might disappear if they don't add value, challenging their sustainability.

🚀 Just 10% of travel buyers currently trust AI for booking support, with only 10% using AI for dynamic pricing insights, and 30% planning to adopt it within 12 months. 25% want AI to automate tasks, while 23% seek real-time travel updates. Steve Clagg emphasizes AI's role in reducing manual work and improving efficiency. The inaugural Business Travel Show America is set for 15-16 October at Javits Center, New York, featuring over 100 exhibitors.

📱 London’s The Ned saw a 16% revenue boost in Q1 after launching a new IRIS mobile ordering app. Set in the former Midlands Bank building, the app allows guests to order room service via QR codes, cutting wait times by up to 10 minutes and improving order accuracy to nearly 100%. Orders are primarily app-based, easing pressure on staff. The venue, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1924, features 12 restaurants, 17 bars, and 250 rooms.

🏨 Alix Boulnois, Chief Commercial, Digital, and Tech Officer at Accor, oversees a robust digital strategy for 45+ brands. Since joining in 2020, Boulnois emphasizes personalization, with the ALL Accor loyalty program exceeding 100 million members. Accor leverages AI to enhance guest and employee experiences and plans major tech developments, including API platforms. As traditional search declines by 25% by 2026, Accor focuses on AI-driven booking experiences, balancing partnerships with OTAs to boost direct bookings.