RateHawk, a B2B platform for booking hotels, flights, and transfers, recently hosted the RateHawk Futurecast, an online event where executives from RateHawk, TikTok, Lufthansa City Centre, Travelport, and MakeMyTrip discussed the evolving landscape of the travel industry.

The event focused on technological advancements, shifting consumer expectations, and market uncertainties.

Astrid Kastberg, Managing Director of RateHawk, opened the event by noting the rapid pace of change in the industry, which presents both opportunities and challenges for travel businesses. A key topic was the influence of Gen Z travellers, who prefer authentic content over traditional advertising. Siiri Palisaar from Lufthansa City Centre emphasised the importance of social media in reaching these digital natives, stating, "Travel agents should advertise and create content on social media and digital platforms themselves because it’s where their audience is."

The discussion also highlighted the role of APIs in transforming travel distribution and automation. Sinead Reilly from Travelport remarked, "We're only at the beginning of what APIs will enable in terms of personalisation and connectivity." Ilya Kravtsov, Chief Commercial Officer at Emerging Travel Group, added that demand for travel APIs will increase as businesses seek to streamline operations and focus on customer service.

Felix Shpilman, CEO of Emerging Travel Group, encouraged early adoption of AI technologies, whilst Kravtsov stressed the enduring value of human interaction in providing empathetic service. Kastberg concluded by asserting that success will come to those who embrace change confidently.

The Futurecast event was part of RateHawk’s 10th anniversary celebrations and included a joint study with Phocuswright on future industry trends

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