Travel Tech Insider

Our Season 2 finale is out! We turned the tables on our favorite travel trade media and analyst voices, Sarah Kopit, Michael Coletta, Jay Boehmer and Siew Hoon Yeoh to hear what they're following this year.  What are they most excited to cover? What under-the-radar trends do they think will have an outsized impact on the ways we plan, shop, book and experience travel? And how do they go about their day-to-day jobs in the media world, identifying stories and cultivating their sources to find their unique angles and insights?  We poke into everything from digital identity, social commerce, sustainability, "live" tourism, cryptocurrency, the "connected trip" and (of course!) all things genAI. And we only mention NDC once! Check it out below and chime in with what's on your radar for 2025 👇 #digitalidentity #agenticAI #corporatetravel #sustainability #traveltech https://lnkd.in/dAQyRJeA

Our recent guest Mike Coletta drops some knowledge in his latest Phocuswright report on the rapid convergence between GenAI and Digital Identiy. Like any good agent, these new GenAI agents will have to know who they are in service for in order to be effective. What are my loyalty affiliations? My brand preferences? Am I traveling for work (and get a company discount) or for fun with my family? Two sides of the same coin, deeply intertwined. Who will be leading the way?

Believe it or not, Michael Coletta of Phocuswright believes the implications of AI agents and digital identity have been *under* covered -- and we tend to agree, given the mammoth impact they have already had on every corner of travel. We're just barely scratching the surface. Catcht the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/dAQyRJeA

In our Season 2 finale episode, Sarah Kopit of Skift breaks down the role of journalism in the travel industry, and why it's critical to have those objective voices on the scene. They explain, inform and challenge the people and ideas that are fundamental to pushing our industry forward -- and it's not an easy job. Listen in to the full episode to hear her pull back the curtain on the day-to-day job of the media folks who cover our industry: https://lnkd.in/dAQyRJeA

Jay Boehmer of The Beat covers some of the deepest financial story lines impacting the travel industry, connecting the dots on what the money trail means for the rest of us travelers. In season final pod episode he shares his process for researching stories and the importance of "following the money". Check it out 👉: https://lnkd.in/dAQyRJeA

Siew Hoon Yeoh talks payments as a component of the travel experience. Being able to seamlessly pay in local currency via digital wallets helps reduce friction, bringing travelers closer to the people and culture they are visiting. Hear the full discussion: https://lnkd.in/dAQyRJeA

There is an incredible amount of innovation coming to the air travel experience, touching everything from how we navigate airports to how airlines can more cost-effectively keep their planes flying. From Digital Identity infrastructure to robotics to autonomous vehicles to cybersecurity, the aviation world is evolving more rapidly than ever. Read on from Future Travel Experience on what they see ahead for this dynamic sector of the travel industry. https://lnkd.in/eFUBseAd

Siew Hoon Yeoh has a unique vantage point on the travel tech industry, with the WiT (Web in Travel) footprint spanning APAC, the Middle East and Africa. Many of the trends that emerge across the US and Europe actually get their start in these regions, with their incredibly diverse population base and cultural differences that require creativity and flexiblity in the travel tech that supports them. So what is on deck for 2025? Read on below. https://lnkd.in/gTGyk-DE

As Jay Boehmer shared in our recent pod, the corporate travel sector tends to be the laggard when it comes to tech innovation. But 2025 is looking like the year it finally shakes off that malaise and jumps into the tech fray. See what the Business Travel News has to say below: https://lnkd.in/dMN6fCqA

Phocuswright released its 2025 Trends report with a deep dive into how social media, Gen AI, sustainability and payment tech will impact how we travel in 2025 and beyond. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gps4ZJjD