In Phocus
Episodes
CEO Spotlight: Gonzalo Estebarena of Despegar
06 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Just weeks into his new role as CEO of Despegar, Gonzalo Estebarena is outlining an ambitious vision for the Latin America-based OTA as it enters its ...
Rethinking tours and activities distribution with CityUnscripted and Context Travel
30 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, the CEOs of CityUnscripted and Context Travel unpack how distribution in tours and activities is evolving as major platforms like Tri...
CEO Spotlight: Jeremy Sampson of The Travel Foundation
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The conversation around sustainability in tourism may feel more advanced than ever, but real change isn’t keeping pace. Jeremy Sampson, CEO of T...
Hotel stack readiness for AI with SiteMinder and Scenic Hotel Group
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hotels are actively exploring AI as a strategic investment, with a strong focus on improving guest engagement and operational efficiency. James Bishop...
CEO Spotlight: Wendy Olson Killion of Rome2Rio
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Multimodal travel is quickly becoming central to how people plan and experience trips, according to Rome2Rio CEO Wendy Olson Killion. Speaking at The ...
CEO Spotlight: John Lyotier of TravelAI
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
TravelAI is advancing its vision of the “web of one,” aiming to redefine how travelers experience the internet through deeply personalized...
CEO Spotlight: Nishank Gopalkrishnan of Dreamlines
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nishank Gopalkrishnan, six months into his role as CEO of Dreamlines, is focused on understanding both the cruise industry and how the company can sta...
Travel platforms face cost and compliance impact of changing regulations
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Travel companies are entering a far more regulated era as governments in Europe and the U.K. expand consumer protections to reflect how travel is now ...
Ancillaries, AI and agentic: Where is airline distribution heading with Mystifly and PKFARE
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The airline distribution landscape is entering a new phase as New Distribution Capability (NDC) adoption accelerates and the industry moves toward mod...
Travel in the cloud with Tedd Evers of AWS
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Migrating to the cloud is transforming how travel companies operate, innovate and serve travelers. In this episode, Tedd Evers, Global Partner Leader ...
CEO Spotlight: Teresa Mackintosh of Aven Hospitality
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Aven Hospitality may be a new name, but CEO Teresa Mackintosh is already deep into the company’s next chapter. Following its 2025 acquisition by...
A new age of travel selling: AI, personalization and human touch with Fora and Unravel
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Travel selling is evolving fast and new players are redefining how trips are discovered and booked. This episode features Jake Peters, co-founder and ...
Data and AI evolution in corporate travel
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Gen AI is gaining real traction in corporate travel and this time, it’s more than experimentation. In this episode of In Phocus, Marilyn Markham...
CEO Spotlight: Bryan Batista of Skyscanner
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Skyscanner CEO Bryan Batista is nearly a year into the job, and he’s already uncovered a few surprises about what it really takes to lead one of...
Expedia's Ariane Gorin on AI visibility, traveler experience and activities growth
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when the CEO of one of the world’s largest travel companies spends her weekends experimenting with ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity? ...
What technology brings to the luxury travel market with Loews Hotels and Skylark
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The definition of luxury travel fluctuates across demographics, and how technology plays into that is also changing with evolving needs and tools like...
The travel investment landscape: funding, M&A and IPOs with Oppenheimer and F-Prime Capital
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Travel startup funding remained tough throughout 2025, with Phocuswright data signaling the year would likely fall below $5 billion after a modest rec...
CEO Spotlight: John Lyotier of TravelAI
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Co-founded by CEO John Lyotier and chairman of the board Chris Jensen in 2013, Vancouver-based TravelAI now operates more than 475 consumer-facing bra...
Airbnb as an everything platform
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
During its its third quarter earnings call in early November, Airbnb shared some early results of its experiences and se...
Addressing current challenges and looming change in ground transportation with SilverRail and Mozio
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Connecting the dots of the traveler journey is priority in the ground transportation sector, but tangible examples of connected trip in...
Evolution in trip planning and personalization with Nezasa and Mobi.ai
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The “connected trip” has become a bit of a tired buzzword, but the ability to bundle different trip elements is not le...
How Expedia Group believes AI can improve digital travel marketing
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting travel marketing, the best use cases are still being determined. AI-supported digital travel mark...
Priceline CEO Brett Keller reflects on 26 years at the OTA and industry evolution
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After 26 years with the company and 10 as CEO, Priceline recently announced that Brett Keller would hand over the reins to Brigit Zimmerman ...
This is the last corner of travel that really hasn't been digitized according to BoomPop, Travel Innovator of the Year
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At The Phocuswright Conference 2025, BoomPop co-founder and CEO Healey Cypher presented the startup as a solution for corporate group travel and ...
Vacation rentals in a spin: Outlining trends, changes and the future of short-term rentals
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Within the vacation rental industry, opportunity abounds as operators lean into consolidation and professionalization. During an interview in&nbs...
Digital wallets, crypto and payment developments in travel
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cryptocurrency is carving out a role in travel—from B2C bookings to B2B settlements—through stablecoin-powered payments and crypto-savvy c...
CEO Spotlight: Muzzammil Ahussain of Almosafer
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Saudi Arabia-based OTA Almosafer, which means “traveler” in Arabic, is making headway in the Middle East. Now head of the compan...
Thayer Investment Partners' Chris Hemmeter on SPAC comeback and space for a new travel brand
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You could be forgiven for thinking that travel companies might shy away from taking companies public via special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). M...
Are travel companies hesitant to sell ancillaries?
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While ancillaries are often discussed as a way to boost profit, not every travel company has introduced these revenue streams. But what's holding them...
Short-term rental experts from Safely and Interhome weigh in on the ancillaries opportunity
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the short-term rental (STR) industry continues to evolve, it’s become clear that vacation rentals can be more than just a place to rest one&r...
Travel in turbulent times with Go City and Dohop
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The travel industry has had pretty much everything thrown at it in the first six months of 2025. It has faced ongoing global conflict, economic instab...
The changing face of loyalty in travel with the CEOs of Loyalty Status Co. and MeProtocol
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Loyalty has long helped brands drive engagement but not everything is plain sailing in the travel loyalty world. The landscape is shifting w...
Tours and activities trends in 2025: Younger travelers, later bookings, AI
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Travel’s tours and activities sector has been growing in recent years, and the space is continuing to evolve in 2025. Industry leaders open...
CEO Spotlight: Peter O'Donovan of CarTrawler
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter O’Donovan's career has included several leadership roles, and he now sits as the CEO of CarTrawler. O'Donovan was appointed to the ro...
Specialist travel brands on being agile and building trust amid volatility with CheckYeti and WingBuddy
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The travel industry is known for being susceptible to just about everything, from financial downturns and global conflict to rapid technological devel...
Travel investor sentiment with Velocity Ventures' Nick Cocks
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If the first quarter of 2025 proved lackluster for travel startup funding with only about $1 billion going into newcomers in the space, the secon...
Fixing the plumbing of travel with Trava's founder & CEO Maxim Sevastianov
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During an interview at the PhocusWire studio at Phocuswright Europe, Maxim Sevastianov, founder and CEO of Trava, said he defines API connec...
A case study in AI trip planning with Stena Line Travel and Retail Group
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As travel came to a screeching halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jari Virtanen, CEO of Stena Line Travel and Retail Group, was faced with a blan...
CEO Spotlight: Uli Pillau of Apaleo
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
API-first property management system (PMS) Apaleo aims to help hoteliers scale business. And according to founder and CEO Uli Pillau, the pl...
SEO has left the party: How travel marketing could change in an AI world
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), search engine optimization—or at least SEO as we know it—has been effectively kicked out of...
The promise of digital IDs with Condatis and Neoke
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In an executive interview, Gillian Jones, senior business development manager of Condatis, and Vikas Bhola, CEO of Neoke, suggested that a shift ...
B2B AI trip planning with Speakspots
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Speakspots, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered WhatsApp hotel chatbot, has entered the B2B space with a white-label AI agent for hotels. The...
The social commerce opportunity with Travis Pittman of TourRadar
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Multiday adventure and experiences platform TourRadar has unveiled TourRadar Moments in its app. The social commerce initiative enables travelers...
CEO Spotlight: Alex Mans of Flyr
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The road to modern retailing in the airline world is long and very complex. Implementing the International Air Transport Association's New Distributio...
How data-driven personalization transforms loyalty programs with Snowflake's Whitnee Hawthorne
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Founded in 2012, Snowflake is a cloud-based data storage company that works across a variety of verticals including travel and hospitality. ...
The dream of a one-stop travel shop with the CEO of Oojo
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Flight specialist Oojo is a relative newcomer to the online travel world. The company launched four years ago and is part of Trevolutio...
Airline tech experts on retailing and distribution trends
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Airline distribution developments such as new commercial approaches and the move to offer-order have been the topic for many debates in 2024. Discussi...
How Turkish OTA Wingie is tackling expansion challenges and AI strategy
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Turkey with its East meets West location, high internet penetration and relatively young population is well-positioned to further strengthen its prese...
Troop founder on travel tech disruption and group travel growth
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Group travel in particular seems to be flourishing with an uptick in internal meetings and further growth predicted for 2025. Research from American E...
Fast forward in ground transportation with Meili and Mozio
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When travelers are on the move, ground transportation can be considered in isolation or in combination with another travel element — a traveler ...
CEO Spotlight: Alberto Gutiérrez of Civitatis
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alberto Gutiérrez, the founder and CEO of tours and activities marketplace Civitatis, had no business plan when he set out to build the co...
How travel brands stay ahead on social media with @Hotel and HolidayPirates
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Travel is all over social media — and it’s continuing to play a big role in travelers’ decisions while planning and bookin...
Hotel experts on speed to market and the role of data with Sonesta and Cloudbeds
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Advances in hotel revenue management technology mean hotels are able to react more quickly and tap into local trends. The idea is that if there’...
Opportunity rising in tours, activities as interest in experiences continues with Luuc Elzinga and Christian Watts
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tours, activities and attractions — in short experiences — have been a hot topic in the travel industry over the past few years. And with ...
CEO Spotlight: Lisa Chen of ToursByLocals
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A little more than a year into her tenure as president and CEO of ToursByLocals, Lisa Chen is excited to be leading the company as the tours...
Distribution crystal ball with Amadeus' Decius Valmorbida
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Travel planning and booking at the touch of a button. It’s an idea that’s been talked about in the context of artificial intelligence ...
AI hype and efficiency gains in corporate travel with execs from AmexGBT and Otto
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Knowing where to start in terms of applying artificial intelligence to a travel business is difficult. Some companies bring in a chief AI officer, oth...
The importance of using data to empower travelers with Filip Filipov of OAG
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many who have left the travel industry often end up back in the industry because they love its ever-changing nature, the people and the dynamics.Filip...
Travel M&A activity heating up as experts from TSI and Cambon Partners see readiness in buyers, sellers
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Investors Matt Zito and Min Liu have sat front row as travel merger and acquisition activity has warmed up over the last couple of years, with pl...
Mega deal potential, AI fatigue and technical deficit with Lorraine Sileo, Timothy O’Neil-Dunne and Aaron Gowell
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Will there be a mega merger or acquisition in travel in 2025? Will AI fatigue take hold? And, will travel companies address not just technical debt bu...
Phocuswright turns 30: Industry veterans Bob Diener, Melissa Maher and Rod Cuthbert look back and ahead
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Internet boom. 9/11. The financial crisis. The COVID pandemic. ChatGPT. The list goes on. The last 30 years have been full of course-ch...
How emerging technologies are helping destinations appeal to travelers
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Artificial intelligence is touching every segment of the travel industry with destination marketing being no exception.Tourist boards are exploring ho...
Acai Travel helps Hopper boost customer service with AI tools
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Acai Travel, a startup using artificial intelligence to drive efficiency for agency and call center environments, has signed Hopper as its latest par...
Scanning the future of search with Skyscanner CEO John Mangelaars
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
PhocusWire's executive editor Linda Fox conducts an interview with Skyscanner CEO John Mangelaars at WiT Singapore. All episodes: https://www.phocusw...
The power of data and AI for effective distribution and digital marketing in hospitality with Cloudbeds and Mirai
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The fact that many hoteliers have an ambivalent relationship with online travel agencies is nothing new. The push and pull of appreciating the OTAs fo...
Experience industry leaders still see room to grow in changing landscape
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The growing importance of experiences in the travel industry has been an ongoing discussion since the fallout from COVID-19. And while there have be...
CEO Spotlight: Jeff Kim of Yanolja Cloud
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The CEO of Yanolja Cloud joins Mitra Sorrells to talk about the opportunities in growing the cloud business, how additional acquisitions can boost fut...
CEO Spotlight: Steve Singh of Spotnana
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Singh wears many hats. He was announced as CEO of Spotnana in June, adding to his existing roles of executive chairman of Direct Travel, Troop, ...
CEO Spotlight: David Woolenberg of Duetto
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The hospitality industry is in the midst of a transition from legacy, on-property technology to cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and person...
Latin America super app Rappi on using its travel products to drive loyalty with Guido Becher
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been nearly a year since Latin America super app Rappi kicked off its partnership with Marriott in Mexico, enabling loyalty members of both ...
Winners, wipeouts and travel tech bets: M&A in travel
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Merger and acquisition activity has been increasing in the travel technology world. Recent headlines bear out the trend and the figures back it up...
The importance of small wins in developing a long-term AI strategy
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Now more than 18 months since the launch of ChatGPT, early excitement about generative artificial intelligence has shifted to the more challenging wor...
Rand Fishkin of SparkToro on Google and digital marketing strategies
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Figuring out the most effective ways to use Google to drive traffic and conversions is a fundamental task for anyone working in digital marketing. And...
How verifiable credentials and digital identity will transform travel with Indicio and Travlr ID
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For those working to develop verifiable credentials, digital identity wallets and the rules and systems to support these products, there is little dou...
The startup scene with TravelTech.vc, Curated Planet and Legends
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are plenty of important factors to consider while starting a company. And while having a plan, raising money and honing in on a mission and clea...
CEO Spotlight: Nadia Omer of AirAsia MOVE
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
AirAsia MOVE is an online travel agency launched in 2020 as a subsidiary of AirAsia, now known as Capital A. Based in Southeast Asia, the online trave...
Finding a balance between airlines’ NDC plans and corporate travel needs
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
By the time of last month’s Phocuswright Europe conference in Barcelona, the need for a balance between a more modern approach that would meet cus...
Investment trends with F Prime Capital and Lufthansa Innovation Hub
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gaurav Tuli, partner at F Prime Capital and Anna Schneider, senior research and intelligence analyst at the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, talk to PhocusWi...
Sustainability sensibilities with Travalyst and Weeva
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As companies seek to help travelers determine how to identify sustainable options and help businesses understand how to operate, certification has bec...
CEO Spotlight: Steve Hafner of KAYAK
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"The innovation isn't over yet." It's been 20 years since Steve Hafner and Paul English co-founded Kayak, and two decades later it's hard to say which...
CEO Spotlight: Kurt Ekert of Sabre
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
During the company’s recent call to report its Q1 2024 financial figures, Ekert said the results “exceeded expectations,” with quarterly revenue...
Travel Tech Association CEO Laura Chadwick on issues and strategy for policy advocacy
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For nearly 25 years, the Travel Technology Association has represented the interests of companies such as global distribution systems, online travel ...
The effective use of data in travel marketing
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
While personalization of data for travel marketing has been talked about “forever,” it had always felt out of reach. For the most part, the best d...
The elevation of experiences with Luuc Elzinga of Tiqets and Stephen Oddo of Walks
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There's a massive opportunity for experiences in the $1 trillion dollar travel market. A potential $100 billion opportunity doesn't have to only be ...
Accor's Maud Bailly on how AI can enhance the luxury hotel experience
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Maud Bailly joined Accor in 2017 as chief digital officer, in charge of the French hospitality company’s information systems, hotel and guest syst...
Data, AI and driving efficiency for hotels
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hoteliers have a lot on their plates when it comes to technology. Sorting hype from reality in GenAI is just one challenge on a list that includes add...
Sabre's hotel technology developments and the 2024 to-do list
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chinmai Sharma, Sabre Travel Solutions' global head of lodging, land and sea, whose appointment was announced in November last year, joins Linda Fox i...
Hotels.com founder Bob Diener talks exits and opportunities
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After several successful exits in both offline and online hotel distribution, you could say Bob Diener, president and co-founder of Travel Funders Ne...
How travel brands are finding a voice on TikTok
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Travel brands have been encouraged to try TikTok in recent years as a means to engage with younger generations and get a feel for what resonates with ...
CEO Spotlight: Paul Abbott of American Express Global Business Travel
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology development was high on the priority list when Paul Abbott joined Amex GBT as CEO four years ago. He felt that while the company was strong...
CEO Spotlight: Peter Kern of Expedia Group
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In April Peter Kern will mark four years in the role of CEO of Expedia Group, although his involvement as a board member dates back to 2005. Kern took...
Travel investors on the funding dynamics in 2024
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With funding for travel startups hitting an eight-year low in 2023, it won’t take much for 2024 to be better. Some travel companies feel more optimi...