Airbnb targets first-half 2027 for AI agent launch

 Airbnb plans to begin rolling out its artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent in the first half of 2027, with an interface co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky likened to “generative UI.”

Expedia Group testing OpenAI ad products as agentic partnership economics take shape

 

Expedia Group is participating in OpenAI's advertising products and is willing to accept the potential of lower returns as it tests them.

3 themes shaping the next phase of AI in travel marketing

Over the past three years, artificial intelligence (AI) has brought dramatic changes to the travel industry. Content generation got dramatically better, AI capabilities expanded from simple conversational responses to long-running agentic operations.

Where are they now? Checking in with the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2026

 

As we prepare to announce the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2027 next week, we've been following up with cohorts of years past.

Personal AI assistants could be re-shopping ‘landmine’ for hotels

 Here we go again. Just as the hotel sector starts to figure out how artificial intelligence (AI) search works, along comes another development: the rise of personal AI assistants.

Expedia Group expands AI features across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo

 

Expedia Group has expanded natural language search capabilities and added other artificial intelligence (AI) features across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo as part of its fall 2026 product release.

Emerging Travel Group and Traveloka Join Forces to Expand Global Accommodation Offering

 

27 October 2026 – Emerging Travel Group, a global travel tech company operating RateHawk, ZenHotels and Roundtrip brands, and travel tech platform Traveloka have launched a strategic partnership to expand their global distribution and broaden their accommodation offerings.

Etraveli Group Opens Its Flight Engine to AI Agents with New Flight MCP

 

Stockholm, Sweden, October 28th, 2026 - Etraveli Group, the Global #1 Flight Platform, today announced the launch of its Flight MCP, an API for AI agents built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The launch adds Business-to-Agent (B2A) access to its established B2B and B2C capabilities.

Emerging Travel Group and Traveloka expand global accommodation distribution

 

Emerging Travel Group and travel technology platform Traveloka have launched a strategic partnership to expand global accommodation distribution. Emerging Travel Group operates the RateHawk, ZenHotels and Roundtrip brands. Through this collaboration, both companies aim to broaden accommodation choice and strengthen their international reach.

Meta's Muse launches in Japan, partners with Klook

 

Meta's Muse has launched in Japan, its first market outside of North America.

The artificial intelligence agent is now available in Japan on iOS, Android and online at muse.ai.

Startup Stage: SkySpot wants to simplify airport arrival planning

 

Atlanta-based SkySpot uses predictive analytics to help travelers determine when to leave for the airport. The startup combines traffic, flight and security data to provide personalized recommendations, with plans to improve accuracy using outcomes from completed trips.

Where are they now? Checking in with the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2025

 

It's been two years since PhocusWire announced the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2025, several of which have logged significant funding as travel becomes further enmeshed in artificial intelligence (AI).

Amadeus Explores Next-Generation Flight Search with NVIDIA

 

Amadeus and NVIDIA have been collaborating to explore how accelerated computing and travel-specific AI could support faster, more scalable and more efficient flight search. Building on this work, the companies have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen their collaboration and accelerate further exploration.

Travzilla™ ➤ Pro Enterprise The complete travel booking platform — all in one place

 

B2B, B2C, corporate, mid-office and distribution, all running on the same inventory and the same commercial rules. It's a ready-to-use product rather than a bespoke build, so you can go online in weeks without first becoming an expert in booking-engine architecture.

BCD advances real-time travel data distribution

 

UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS – BCD Travel has reached a milestone in its work with Amadeus and Sabre to modernize travel data distribution across the corporate travel ecosystem. The company has begun a platform-wide transition from queue-based data collection to cloud-based data streaming. Consequently, the approach aims to provide a faster, more scalable foundation for traveler servicing, operational consistency and automation.

Hotels are using AI to recommend room rates, not set them

 

Over half of hoteliers use artificial intelligence (AI) to generate pricing suggestions, but just one in 10 let the technology make the final call.

CSL Group acquires SIMPL Wireless

 

We’re delighted to share that CSL, the leading global provider of Critical Connectivity®, has acquired SIMPL Wireless, the US-based IoT eSIM connectivity provider.

Based in Georgia, US, SIMPL Wireless is an eSIM-as-a-Service provider that has developed the EverSIM multi-carrier eSIM and Compass platform to make IoT connectivity simple and fast

Hemsworth appointed PR Agency for Revelex

 FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Hemsworth has added travel technology company Revelex to its client portfolio, taking on the role of PR agency-of-record. The appointment comes as Revelex prepares to launch new products and services for its partners.

webhotelier | primalres rebrands as revplus, entering the era of a unified ecosystem

 

One of Europe's largest hospitality technology groups, by properties served, adopts a single identity, reflecting its evolution into a complete e-business ecosystem for hospitality

Emerging Travel Group and Agoda Enter Strategic Partnership

 

15 October 2026 – Emerging Travel Group (ETG), a global travel technology company operating the RateHawk, ZenHotels, and Roundtrip brands, and digital travel platform Agoda have entered into a strategic partnership to expand accommodation supply and distribution across their respective platforms. Under the partnership, the two companies will cross-sell their services, leveraging each other’s extensive inventory and strong customer demand.