In Phocus

Just weeks into his new role as CEO of Despegar, Gonzalo Estebarena is outlining an ambitious vision for the Latin America-based OTA as it enters its next phase under Prosus ownership. Having previously served as Despegar’s CTO and chief commercial officer, Estebarena said the company has maintained its “startup soul” while gaining the scale and resources of a global technology c...

In this episode, the CEOs of CityUnscripted and Context Travel unpack how distribution in tours and activities is evolving as major platforms like Tripadvisor and Airbnb expand their presence. Nick Whitfield of CityUnscripted argues that while the landscape may appear increasingly commoditized, the reality is more nuanced. Overwhelming choice and sameness across listings create friction for consum...

The conversation around sustainability in tourism may feel more advanced than ever, but real change isn’t keeping pace. Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation, argues that growing consensus on tourism’s environmental and social impact has created a misleading sense of progress. While awareness has increased, the system itself hasn’t evolved quickly enough to match the accel...

Hotels are actively exploring AI as a strategic investment, with a strong focus on improving guest engagement and operational efficiency. James Bishop of SiteMinder emphasizes that the real opportunity lies in automation, not workforce reduction, but enabling staff to work more productively. Chris Clayton of Scenic Hotel Group reinforces that AI is not a plug-and-play solution, warning against ove...

Multimodal travel is quickly becoming central to how people plan and experience trips, according to Rome2Rio CEO Wendy Olson Killion. Speaking at The Phocuswright Conference, Killion emphasized that multimodal transportation—combining flights, trains, buses and more—is no longer a niche behavior but a core part of travel. This shift is reflected in Rome2Rio’s data, where 50% of s...

Nishank Gopalkrishnan, six months into his role as CEO of Dreamlines, is focused on understanding both the cruise industry and how the company can stand out in a relatively under-digitized segment of travel. Drawing on experience across startups and major players like TUI and MakeMyTrip, he sees cruises as a fragmented market with significant room for innovation. Despite representing only a small...

Travel companies are entering a far more regulated era as governments in Europe and the U.K. expand consumer protections to reflect how travel is now bought and sold. Historically, regulations like the Package Travel Directive focused on bundled trips, but new rules extend coverage to services purchased within a 24-hour window, even if booked separately across a single platform. According to Rhys...

The airline distribution landscape is entering a new phase as New Distribution Capability (NDC) adoption accelerates and the industry moves toward modern offer and order models. In this episode, Jeremy Jameson, VP of the Americas at Mystifly, and Jesus Monzo Faubel, senior director of flights (west) at PKFARE, discuss how improved servicing and post-ticketing functionality are beginning to drive r...

Migrating to the cloud is transforming how travel companies operate, innovate and serve travelers. In this episode, Tedd Evers, Global Partner Leader of Travel and Hospitality at Amazon Web Services (AWS), explains why cloud adoption is about more than cost savings. While moving away from traditional data centers can reduce expenses and increase operational efficiency, the real advantage lies in t...

Aven Hospitality may be a new name, but CEO Teresa Mackintosh is already deep into the company’s next chapter. Following its 2025 acquisition by TPG and separation from former owner Sabre, Mackintosh has spent the past six months preparing Aven to stand on its own. In this episode, she shares how the company is shifting from long-term strategic planning to rapid, three- to six-month executio...

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 changing consumer behavior are resha...

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 many travelers frustrated and eage...

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, why the company sometimes turns...

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 sits down with Mitra Sorrells, SVP of content at Phocuswright/PhocusWire , to unpack how a long-standing test-an...

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] mu...

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 co...

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,” wor...

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....

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...

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  Mo...

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 driv...

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...

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...

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...

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 &ld...