At the TDM Global Summit Bangkok 2026, a fireside chat between Kevin Khor, Marketing Director MEAPAC at DiDi Global (DiDA) and Travel Daily Media editor Marga Manlapig offered a sharp look at how technology, shifting traveller behaviour and social commerce are reshaping global travel distribution.
Framed around Engaging and Connecting the Travel Trade Globally, the discussion moved from China’s evolving outbound market to the growing role of generative AI in hotel bookings, with a clear message for travel sellers: distribution is no longer just about inventory, but about influence, intelligence and discovery.
China remains a strategic growth engine
The conversation opened with DiDA’s recent strategic partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to support the “Trust in Thailand” programme in China — a collaboration Kevin Khor described as a strong example of how B2B channels can complement destination marketing.
While much tourism promotion has traditionally focused on consumer-facing campaigns, Khor noted that China’s vast network of traditional travel agencies — particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities — continues to play a powerful role in driving demand.
For Thailand, where China remains a critical source market, that makes trade partnerships increasingly strategic.
But the flow is not one way. Khor also pointed to growing outbound interest into China itself, supported by digital discovery platforms that are helping international travellers navigate language, culture and destination planning in more intuitive ways.
AI is changing how travel is discovered — and sold
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the discussion was the speed at which AI is reshaping booking behaviour. According to Khor, AI-powered travel bookings surged dramatically during Lunar New Year, with significant momentum driven through major digital ecosystems.
But perhaps the bigger shift is not simply in volume — it is in how travellers search. Rather than typing destination-based keywords, travellers are increasingly using conversational, command-based prompts such as asking for three-day wellness itineraries or personalised trip ideas. And increasingly, those platforms are not only suggesting options, but fulfilling the booking journey as well.
That shift, Khor argued, changes the rules for travel sellers. “Last year the focus was on being discovered by AI,” he suggested. “Now the conversation is shifting to being recommended by AI.” For hotels and distributors, that distinction matters.
In the era of generative AI, visibility alone may no longer be enough. Recommendation is becoming the new shelf space.
Social commerce emerges as the next booking frontier
If AI is transforming search, social commerce is redefining inspiration. Khor highlighted how platforms across China — and increasingly Southeast Asia — are influencing travel decisions long before consumers begin actively planning trips.
Travellers, particularly younger audiences, are often deciding on the experiences they want weeks in advance, shaped less by traditional search and more by social content. That has implications for tourism boards, hotels and intermediaries alike.
Marketing, he suggested, is shifting upstream — from conversion-led campaigns toward earlier engagement, storytelling and education. And while traditional package travel will remain relevant, the centre of gravity is moving toward more personalised, experience-led travel choices influenced heavily by social ecosystems.
Experience is the new currency
The fireside chat also touched on how technology is supporting the rise of premium and luxury travel. For Khor, technology’s role is increasingly about precision — better matching supply and demand, leveraging AI to interpret social sentiment, and helping travel providers surface the right experiences to the right traveller.
That becomes particularly powerful in luxury, where discovery often begins on social media. Platforms like TikTok and Meta’s social ecosystems are not just marketing channels, he argued — they are aspirational engines shaping demand.
Luxury travel, in many ways, is increasingly driven by shareable experiences, status signalling and what Khor described as the desire to be “the second first” — the traveller eager to discover, experience and showcase what comes next. Call it aspiration, or simply FOMO, but it is influencing purchase decisions.
What the travel trade should watch next
For hoteliers, travel agencies and C-suite leaders in the room, the discussion carried a broader takeaway: travel distribution is entering a new phase. It is no longer just about online booking infrastructure.
It is about how AI recommends, how social platforms inspire, how data personalises, and how suppliers position themselves within those ecosystems. For the travel trade, that means adapting not just to new tools, but to a new consumer decision journey.
And increasingly, that journey begins long before a booking is made.
Beyond transactions, toward connected travel
If there was a common thread through the fireside chat, it was that the future of travel commerce will be less transactional and more interconnected. AI, social commerce and precision-driven personalisation are converging to create a travel marketplace where inspiration, discovery and booking happen in one fluid ecosystem.
For distributors like DiDA — and for the wider travel industry — the opportunity lies in helping the trade navigate that shift. Because as this session made clear, the future of hotel booking may not be defined by who owns the inventory, but by who influences the decision.
