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Role of AI and Data Intelligence In Shaping The Future Of Travel
On the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, Mabrian Technologies and the Almawave Group co-hosted a roundtable focused on the transformative role of data intelligence, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Generative AI (GenAI) in the travel and tourism sector. The session created by the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council brought together 20 senior executives and thought leaders from across the public and private sectors for an invitation-only dialogue on the future of intelligent travel solutions. Moderated under the theme “Successful Market Strategies With AI and Data Intelligence” covered insights and strategies for impact through harnessing AI and Data Intelligence for smarter tourism. The 90-minute roundtable explored how data-driven insights and cutting-edge technologies are already reshaping destination management, travel planning, and strategic execution across the industry. Participants agreed that while technology is rapidly advancing, the real differentiator lies in leadership, vision, and the ability to operationalize insights across departments and decision-making layers. “The purpose of this roundtable underscored the importance of building bridges between innovation and implementation, as well as the need for sector-wide collaboration to maximize the value of data and AI in travel,” shared Laurie Myers, Global Strategist for the Resilience Council. “It has been great to see the growing interest in travel intelligence here in the Middle East,” highlights Mario Pucciarelli, Director of Sales & Business Development at Almawave in Dubai. “What we are building with Mabrian, together with the broader Almawave, is not only resonating with travel industry, but also is a key part of our wider AI vision — bringing real, actionable insights to destinations and industry players,” he says. “With our regional offices in place, weare here to stay and fully committed to working alongside local partners to grow a meaningful and long-term data ecosystem that benefits travel & tourism in the Middle East.” Carlos Cendra, Partner and CMO at Mabrian Technologies stated, ”We wanted to run this Roundtable so we could have a cross sector honest, thought-provoking discussion with these destination experts to understand how we can provide better solutions for our partners. We were also eager to show the extent to what data-driven insights can enhance travel and tourism strategies and development and contribute to address key issues that destinations and companies are facing around the world”. Representatives from key tourism bodies and projects—such as Visit Oman, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Authority, and NEOM—as well as global travel organisations like the Pacific Asia Travel Association and the Egyptian Hotel Association, joined renowned consultancy firms including McKinsey & Co., BCG, and Roland Berger to share their vision on how technology and data-driven insights are shaping strategic developments across the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector. Key discussion topics included: The evolution of destination management strategies over the past decade through the integration of data-driven insights based in AI, and whether GenAI represents the next major paradigm shift. Real-world examples of how public and private organizations are using data intelligence to address operational challenges, seize market opportunities, and sharpen their competitive edge. The internal and structural hurdles many organizations face when adopting data-driven approaches and AI-based solutions—ranging from staff upskilling and technical readiness to cost and cultural resistance. Collaborative models between DMOs, travel providers, tech firms, and analytics companies, and how to foster more integrated, insight-led ecosystems in tourism.
CWT turbocharges its business intelligence and reporting solution with new AI-powered features
Representative Image CWT has added new artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled capabilities, powered by ThoughtSpot, to its Analytics business intelligence and reporting solution, making it easier and quicker to search, visualize, and analyze travel data and make insightful decisions. Users can now enter search queries in natural language, instead of keyword-based phrases. For example: “What were the average CO2 emissions for international flights taken by travelers in Germany last year?” “How has the online adoption rate in India changed from 2022-2024? Use a bar chart.” “Show me a list of travelers who are currently in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.” Analytics can interpret these requests, uncover insights in near real-time from booking data, and present clear, easy-to-digest answers. Users can even customize the search results by asking it to visualize the data in a particular format such as a table, graph or chart. In addition to surfacing relevant search results, Analytics can quickly analyze user-created Liveboards1 to provide a summary of any expected and unexpected changes in the data – for example, a drop in online adoption rates or an increase in carbon emissions. The AI-generated summary includes possible causes of the change and the overall impact on KPIs, so the user can take swift action. Users can also provide instant feedback on search results, which trains the AI model to better understand their intent and provide more accurate and personalized responses with each use. “Integrating these enhanced AI capabilities into our Analytics reporting solution revolutionizes how our customers interact with their travel data,” said Erica Antony, CWT’s Chief Product Officer. “By enabling natural language queries, we simplify the process of uncovering critical insights, allowing businesses to make informed decisions swiftly and confidently. This enhancement underscores our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive value for our clients.” CWT has been deploying advanced AI capabilities across its suite of products and services to create a better user experience for its customers. This includes recent upgrades to its messaging support channel and airfare optimization service.
Data Appeal and Mabrian join forces to lead the Travel Intelligence market in Europe
The Italian company, a part of the Almawave Group, has signed a contractual agreement for the procurement of the 70% of the Spanish company Mabrian Technologies, in a move that will result in the largest data intelligence company specializing in tourism in Europe. Both companies, leaders in data analytics and the use of Artificial Intelligence in their segments, will leverage their complementarity and synergies to offer the market an unprecedented differential added value. This agreement comes at a time of significant expansion in the global Travel Intelligence market, where Data Appeal Company, with a strong presence in Europe, aims to play a leading role alongside Mabrian, which already has a presence in over 40 countries. Together, the two companies will have 160 data sources, covering more than 200 countries and a great team of analysts specialized in tourism and destination management. Their analytical scope ranges from traveler sentiment, mobility, demand, tourist spending, and accommodation to sustainability and tourism inclusivity. The acquisition operation has benefited from the expert guidance of the consulting firm Bluebull, an investment banking firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions for technology companies, and the specialized law firm Cuatrecasas. Valeria Sandei, Almawave Chief Executive Officer and The Data Appeal Company Chairperson:“This acquisition underlines Almawave’s ability to execute upon its strategies, which centers on international growth and the use of artificial intelligence technologies in specific vertical sectors. Bringing The Data Appeal and Mabrian together creates one of the European’s leading companies in advanced analytics for Tourism, an industry that is increasingly data-driven.” Mirko Lalli, Chief Executive Officer of The Data Appeal Company: “This transaction will allow us to improve synergies at all levels, further strengthening our positioning and accelerating our growth in the Tourism sector, where operators are increasingly investing in data as a strategic lever to generate a competitive advantage.” Santi Camps, Chief Executive Officer of Mabrian: "For us, joining The Data Appeal Company is a strategic decision with the goal to lead the market globally. A great team has brought Mabrian to where it is today, but now it is time to become part of a solid technology group as Almawave to take advantage of synergies and share know-how. This will allow us to continue helping the Tourism industry to solve real problems with the most advanced technology but at a faster rate."
SITA Intelligence and Targeting provides real-time risk assessment
SITA has unveiled its most advanced intelligence and targeting offering yet, providing the backbone for dynamic and integrated border management, helping governments identify and manage risks long before they reach their land, sea, and air borders. Today governments face the arduous task of balancing the benefits of surging international travel that is close to pre-pandemic levels with increased security and health threats. A key challenge is having the correct information well in advance of travel to make informed decisions on who can cross their border before they pose a threat. SITA Intelligence and Targeting uses advanced risk assessment methods and artificial intelligence to significantly reduce the time needed to extract strategic risk analysis and operational situational awareness across multiple data streams, providing valuable intelligence to act before high-risk individuals arrive in the country. SITA’s solution is designed around a four-phase intelligence methodology – acquire, augment, analyze, action – that maps directly to government customers’ operational environments. The methodology is founded on the premise that intelligence must be actionable while frontline operations must be able to report on outcomes, improve data quality, and update intelligence sources to deliver greater accuracy in future operations. Jeremy Springall, SVP, SITA AT BORDERS, said: “One of the most valuable lessons we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic was the importance of border agencies having the right tools to reconfigure policy rules to address ever-changing threats quickly. These threats change on a daily, sometimes even hourly, basis. As a result, government agencies need far greater flexibility and control. This is exactly what we have delivered with the vastly enhanced SITA Intelligence and Targeting, creating a pre-screening capability to support our government customers’ direct targeting operations and drive down risk as early and as far from the border as possible.” Using Intelligence and Targeting, border agencies can dynamically reconfigure rules and profiles to incorporate new intelligence and respond to new – and constantly changing – threats. Governments can now identify and respond to threats far more quickly, and pre-clear travelers in real time. Over the past 25 years, SITA has invested in building a specialist business unit to support the unique and complex challenges of its 70+ government customers responsible for their country’s border security.
ETOA members to benefit from travel intelligence insights from Mabrian
Mabrian, a leading provider of travel intelligence solutions, is thrilled to announce its partnership with ETOA (European Tourism Association), the foremost trade association promoting the tourism industry in Europe. The purpose of this partnership is to leverage Mabrian's expertise and knowledge in travel intelligence to support European Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) at all levels that are members of ETOA, in achieving more efficient and sustainable tourism management through data-driven insights. As part of the partnership, Mabrian will contribute its research on emerging trends, changes in the tourism industry, and traveller behaviour to the association's website. Additionally, Mabrian will actively participate in ETOA-sponsored webinars. Mabrian's cutting-edge technology leverages the power of big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to provide actionable insights for destination management. By partnering with ETOA, Mabrian aims to enhance the decision-making capabilities of European DMOs, enabling them navigate the dynamic tourism landscape and make informed decisions that benefit both their destinations and travelers. "We are delighted to join forces with ETOA and collaborate in advancing the European tourism industry," said Anna Borduzha, VP of BD & Strategic partnerships at Mabrian. "This partnership reinforces our commitment to empowering DMOs with accurate and timely information, enabling them to better understand and respond to the evolving needs of travellers. By leveraging Mabrian's expertise and data-driven insights, ETOA members can optimise their strategies, improve visitor experiences, and contribute to the sustainable growth of the European tourism sector." As a trusted partner, Mabrian remains dedicated to providing innovative solutions that enable destination managers to adapt to market trends, optimise resource allocation, and promote sustainable tourism practises. The partnership with ETOA is a significant step towards realising this vision and ensuring a prosperous future for European tourism.
Sabre introduces Retail Intelligence for airlines to grow revenue opportunities
Sabre has announced the release of the first two products in the company’s Retail Intelligence suite: Sabre Air Price IQ™ and Sabre Ancillary IQ™ for the dynamic pricing of airfare and ancillaries, respectively. Sabre Retail Intelligence is an innovative product suite that enables airlines to deliver more personalized travel offers in both traditional and NDC channels. Powered by Sabre Travel AI™ – an innovative capability that integrates Sabre technology with Google Cloud’s state-of-the-art AI technology and advanced machine-learning services – Retail Intelligence will allow airlines to dynamically provide offers to travellers based on preferences, marketplace insights and purchase probability, creating a more personalized and better traveller experience. “We are facing a rapidly changing world and the travel ecosystem looks very different than it did just 18 months ago,” said Wade Jones, chief product officer, Sabre Travel Solutions. “Traveller expectations for relevant and personalized offers are growing, and airlines are more focused than ever on becoming sophisticated retailers. Relying on traditional strategies based on historical data patterns isn’t enough – airlines need intelligent solutions driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning. This is what we are offering with Sabre’s Retail Intelligence suite of products.” Sabre Air Price IQ increases airlines’ pricing agility and precision by allowing airlines to adapt quickly to changing marketplace conditions. Considering traveller segment and trip intent from the shopping request, the product supports an airline’s efforts to maximize revenue opportunities while providing a seamless experience to travellers. Sabre Ancillary IQ uses machine learning to present ancillary offers based on multiple factors, including real-time shopping data and purchase probability to increase incremental revenue opportunities and traveller satisfaction. As a result, airlines can deliver increased value and more choice to their travellers. Both products can help airlines increase revenue opportunity by adapting quickly to changing marketplace conditions while enhancing customer satisfaction by offering travellers the personalized offers that are just right for them. The products are expected to deliver airlines an uplift in incremental revenue of up to 3% when combined with upcoming products being added to the Retail Intelligence suite in 2022. “As travel retailing becomes more complex to meet increasingly sophisticated consumer expectations, the rules-based technology in use across the industry today will no longer deliver satisfactory results,” said Sundar Narasimhan, president, Sabre Labs and Product Strategy. “To truly modernize travel retailing, the industry requires intelligent systems that allow for continuous learning and scaling at speed. At Sabre, we are focused on equipping our customers with those AI-based solutions that will modernize the way we shop, book and experience travel, delivering incremental value for our customers and the travellers they serve.” Sabre’s strategic partnership with Google established the Sabre + Google Innovation Framework, pairing Sabre’s travel industry experience with Google Cloud’s advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, creating Sabre Travel AI. Utilizing this industry-first capability, Sabre will enable its current products with advanced machine-learning and artificial intelligence to power the retailing experience of the future in travel. The two companies are working to co-develop innovative new technology to bring customers modern, data-driven, omni-channel solutions that enable highly personalized traveller experiences.
TDM x Vikram Malhi: How tech hesitancy slows AI gains in hospitality
Travel Daily Media recently sat down with Vikram Malhi, co-founder of Singaporean hospitality tech start-up ZUZU Hospitality Solutions to talk about why tech hesitancy has led to the slow adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality sector. According to Malhi, AI will help level the playing field for smaller independent hotels, enabling them to compete with the global industry's bigger players. As he puts it: "They need AI to be able to do a lot of the heavy lifting that big chains are doing by hiring hundreds of people. The way for them to compete against the big chains chains is by adopting the technologies that will help them to automate a lot of their tasks and make their teams far more efficient than the competition's."
Accenture: Travellers look to generative AI when planning their trips
Accenture just released the results of its most recent Consumer Pulse Survey which reveals that a growing number of travellers are opting for generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) over social media to help them plan their trips. In the report titled Me, My Brand, and AI: The New World of Consumer Engagement, findings show that gen AI is already the number one go-to-channel for travel discovery ahead of social media and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), for active Gen AI users, defined as people using gen AI tools at least weekly for personal and/or professional reasons. This is an interesting development, given how in last year’s Consumer Pulse Survey travellers griped about how booking hotels was harder than buying a car and that choosing a flight was almost as hard as choosing a mortgage. Indeed, around 73 percent of consumers surveyed at the time complained that they faced information overload due to the sheer number of choices, messages, ads and claims presented to them online. This resulted in up to 73 percent of them veering away from booking both flights and hotel stays through digital platforms. Now, however, both gen AI and agentic AI are helping travel companies resolve the matter by empowering travelers to discover and purchase the right experiences with confidence tailored to their individual needs. In light of recent developments, Accenture’s global travel lead Emily Weiss remarked: “In the space of a year, we are already seeing AI start to solve for the problem of choice and decision overload, with a real opportunity to bring enjoyment back to the arduous process of discovering and purchasing memorable travel experiences." How gen AI is changing things up in global travel Gen AI provides an opportunity for the travel industry to reimagine the discovery and purchasing process for travelers. Key findings regarding how the use of contemporary technology is changing the game are as follows: 80 percent of travellers in the sample across airlines, hotel stays, and travel platforms are now using gen AI tools. Brands can no longer treat gen AI users as early adopters. They are the new mainstream; 86 percent of travellers now want to shape their own experiences, with 93 percent of active gen AI saying this is important to the personal connection they feel with the brand; 93 percent of those actively using OTAs have used or would use gen AI to help support purchasing decisions; 78 percent of travellers are open to using a trusted AI-powered personal shopping assistant that understands their needs and goals; 57 percent of travellers seek an AI assistant that can work across multiple brands and services to autonomously solve for their needs; Travellers are 1.3x as engaged, and 1.7x as likely to accept a higher price from a travel provider that delivers emotionally engaging experiences; and 79 percent want a travel brand that makes them feel special by remembering them personally. As Weiss explains it: “For the travel industry, the AI opportunity goes beyond securing bookings. Consider that instead of being overwhelmed by countless options and conflicting reviews, gen AI can act as a personal travel concierge, providing bespoke recommendations based on preferences, budget and location. It can consider factors such as a person’s previous travel history, loyalty program status and even real-time data on local events and attractions.” What else do travellers want? The report also showed that 81 percent of travellers seek immersive experiences at the research and discovery stage of purchasing. Indeed, around 42 percent opined that they would switch to a brand that could proactively suggest solutions to improve their experience in real-time. Also, more than three-quarters of those surveyed declared that they want a brand that makes them feel special by remembering them personally.
Arabian Travel Market to gather global AI experts to explore new frontiers in travel
The transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be under the spotlight at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which takes place from 28 April to 1 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The international travel event will gather experts and thought leaders in AI from around the world to explore how AI is changing the landscape of leisure and business travel, streamlining operations and improving the customer journey. According to recent research by Statista, AI and machine learning have accounted for approximately two-thirds of global technology investment deals by travel and mobility companies since 2020. Across the travel industry, AI is being embraced at every level, from customers using AI-powered tools to plan their journeys to tourism providers leveraging AI to improve resource management and deliver more personalised guest services. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “At ATM 2025, we are thrilled to announce an exciting lineup of visionary speakers. Attendees can expect engaging discussions that delve into the latest technological advancements, ethical considerations, and real-world applications. In addition, we will showcase groundbreaking developments across the exhibition, from sophisticated booking solutions to data analysis tools that empower organisations to make informed decisions. This is an unparalleled opportunity for travel industry professionals to be at the forefront of AI and gain actionable insights that can drive business success.” On the opening day of ATM, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr and a globally renowned speaker in AI, will lead an insightful session on “AI adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy”, where she will outline how companies in the travel industry can identify genuine opportunities to improve their businesses. Kozyrkov will delve into why organisations struggle, uncover the biggest threats in the field and discuss what AI means for the future. Best known for founding the field of ‘Decision Intelligence’ and serving as Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist, where she spearheaded the tech giant’s AI-first transformation, Kozyrkov is a sought-after AI advisor and speaker who has transformed how organisations such as Gucci, NASA, Spotify, Meta and GSK approach AI strategy. She has presented on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including the United Nations (UN), and the World Economic Forum and is set to inspire and empower audiences at ATM on how to navigate the future with confidence and innovation. Speaking ahead of the event, Kozyrkov said: “I am delighted to be attending Arabian Travel Market 2025. There is a lot of hype around AI, but it can sometimes be difficult to separate the fact from the fiction. My session will help attendees see the opportunities to apply AI to their business, while also improving their lives and the lives of those around them. “AI has so much potential to unlock a better world. I hope I will be able to inspire attendees and show practical ways to harness the power and the beauty of data for automation.” Elsewhere at ATM, Futurist and travel expert John Duffield will share fascinating insights on how AI and smart systems are reshaping the industry by enabling hyper-personalised experiences, seamless connectivity and innovations. During his presentation, Duffield will also discuss how travel providers can act now to prepare for these technologies, while addressing challenges such as data privacy and resistance to change. As technology continues to evolve, travel companies are identifying innovative ways to use human-centric technologies to connect with their customers. On 30 April, a panel of thought leaders, including Robin Lawther, VP Expedia TAAP, Expedia Group, will examine how the travel industry can use human-centric technology, addressing the ethical considerations surrounding AI, privacy and the importance of maintaining the human touch in an increasingly automated world. Dorothee Anjos, General Manager, Middle East at Multilem, will also touch on the importance of the human element in a thought-provoking discussion on the relationship between human connection and AI in the events industry. During this session, she will explore how integrating both is revolutionising the planning, execution, and experience of events, as well as addressing the challenges posed by the rise of AI. On 30 April, Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports will provide a comprehensive overview of what’s next for aviation in the age of transformation and global disruption, touching on how AI, among several other factors, is reshaping the future of flight. The session will discuss the role of artificial intelligence in optimising operations, predictive maintenance and passenger experience. Finally, Graham Pope, Vice President, Sales Supplier and Venue Solutions at Cvent will host a session titled Future-proofing 2025: Trends, AI and shifts in business and MICE travel, exploring how business event organisers can measure the impact of their events using a blend of strategic planning, effective data collection and robust analysis, of which AI plays a key role.
BizAway announces its acquisition of Aervio
Travel management scaleup firm, BizAway announced its acquisition of Spanish artificial intelligence (AI) solutions provider Aervio. With this acquisition, BizAway further boosts its innovation process, thereby strengthening its technological assets via the travel-centric artificial intelligence solutions offered by Aervio. BizAway also announced that it will be absorbing most of Aervio’s team, with team members joining the former’s offices in Spain. Founded in April 2016 in Barcelona, Aervio has established itself in the market for developing AI-based tools that can optimize travel planning. Specifically, the company has created an intelligent platform that uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to fulfill requests in minutes, reducing search, booking and billing time by 90 percent. The acquisition will enable BizAway to further enhance its proprietary platform, thus ensuring an even more efficient, personalized and proactive service. Time to grow The announcement comes after a period of intense growth for BizAway. Since 2015, BizAway has raised over 50 million euros in funding, with a recent round of 35 million secured in September 2024 by Mayfair Equity Partners, backed by the likes of MundiVentures, Azimut Digitech Fund, FNDX, GELLIFY, EXOR Seeds, and illimity. Co-founder and chief executive Luca Carlucci said: “This acquisition marks an important step in our growth and innovation strategy. In an ever-changing industry like business travel, artificial intelligence represents a key opportunity. However, we strongly believe that technology must go hand in hand with the centrality of the human factor, especially in the area of customer assistance: this is why we will continue to invest in order to offer the best service with empathetic and competent support that is close to the real needs of companies and travelers.” Aervio CEO Santiago Montero de Quadras added: “I am very happy about the successful operation we’ve just closed with BizAway. I truly believe in BizAway’s vision of delivering the future of travel, and I’m proud that Aervio’s technology, team and expertise can contribute to that journey.”
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AIME 2026: 9–11 February 2026 | Melbourne, Australia
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December 2024 – GXT 2024, Guest Xperience Tech Summit & Expo
The program for the Guest Experience Tech Summit & Expo explores how technology transforms customer experiences across sectors. Through keynote sessions, panels, and workshops, attendees discover topics such as AI, automation, sustainability, and analytics. From reshaping guest interactions with AI and IoT to driving operational efficiency and sustainability, participants gain actionable insights to innovate in guest experiences.