Skift IDEA Awards 2025: Meet the Winners

Skift

4 hours ago

After an unprecedented 420 entries – and 247 finalists advancing to the final round – the 2025 Skift IDEA Award winners have been revealed.
Celebrating bold, mission-driven achievements, Skift IDEA Awards spotlight the brands, agencies, and innovators shaping the next chapter of travel across seven distinct categories:
Industry Innovators: Forward-thinking projects that drive a sector forward and make an impact with consumers.
Forward-thinking projects that drive a sector forward and make an impact with consumers. Change Makers: Organizations elevating the Travel Industry's role as a force for good by affecting meaningful change.
Organizations elevating the Travel Industry's role as a force for good by affecting meaningful change. Creative Thinkers: Marketing, strategy and technology that inspires and pushes the industry forward.
Marketing, strategy and technology that inspires and pushes the industry forward. Problem Solvers: Service providers who offer solutions, address business challenges, or use technology to guide the industry.
Service providers who offer solutions, address business challenges, or use technology to guide the industry. Travel Technology: Technology providers offering innovative technological solutions that are guiding the industry forward.
Technology providers offering innovative technological solutions that are guiding the industry forward. Short-Term Rentals: Recognizing the individuals and organizations that are shaping the future of the short-term rental industry.
Recognizing the individuals and organizations that are shaping the future of the short-term rental industry. Meetings & Events: Presented by Skift Meetings. Celebrating the business events industry's most respected and innovative suppliers.
Following a review by an independent panel of expert judges, selected for their leadership and perspective across key sectors of the industry, the 2025 winners have now been chosen.
Explore the full list of 2025 Skift IDEA Awards winners below:
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Activities & Attractions
Intrepid Tours India Private Limited | Holy City Rickshaw: Driven By Women, Powered by Intrepid
The Holy City Rickshaw is a unique innovative initiative by The Intrepid Foundation (TIF), Intrepid's non-profit in partnership with ACCESS Development and aims to provide long-term aspirational employment opportunities to 50 women from low-income households in Varanasi. Skilled in plying custom-designed e-rickshaws, these women proudly own and manage a social enterprise.
Holy City Rickshaw follows a triple-bottom-line approach- social empowerment of women, providing dignified economic opportunities, and contributing to reducing vehicular pollution in Varanasi. The Holy City Rickshaw Project, supported by Intrepid, is more than a sustainable transport – it's a movement empowering women, preserving heritage, and strengthening communities. By providing electric rickshaws to women from low-income backgrounds, the initiative offers skills, stable employment, and confidence.
These women become storytellers and changemakers, driving their communities toward a greener, more inclusive future. Each curated journey connects travelers with local artisans, businesses, and cultural hubs, ensuring traditional crafts thrive while supporting livelihoods passed down through generations. Project Website
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Airlines & Airports
AirportLabs Limited | Airport Community App: Elevating Airport Operations Through Efficiency, Community and Wellbeing
The Airport Community App is a purpose-built, cloud-based workforce communication and collaboration mobile platform designed to optimise both operational performance and employee wellbeing in airport environments.
In an industry where every second matters and human decisions keep operations safe and efficient, this mobile-first solution centralises task management, communication, incident reporting, and live operational insights, placing the tools that matter directly in the hands of every airport professional.
Addressing one of aviation's most pressing challenges – fragmented communication and disconnected teams – the Airport Community App unifies workflows across all operational areas, from airside to landside, empowering teams to act faster, collaborate seamlessly, and maintain resilience in the face of disruption. Real-time notifications, live flight dashboards, and incident management tools help teams stay ahead of daily demands while improving their ability to manage unexpected events.
Trusted by over 60 international airports and more than 400,000 active users worldwide, the platform not only drives workforce efficiency and productivity but enhances staff wellbeing, boosting confidence and making operational roles more manageable and connected. Now in its 10th year, the Airport Community App continues to transform how airport teams work, communicate, and support one another in an increasingly dynamic industry. Project Website
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Business Travel
Global Rescue | GRID: The Global Rescue Intelligence Delivery System for Business Travelers
Developed by Global Rescue, the world's leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services, GRID is a groundbreaking system that protects business travelers on the move.
The Global Rescue mission is to minimize business traveler risk and GRID is the latest release of the Global Rescue Medical and Security Mobile App, a service product specifically designed to improve business traveler safety. GRID distributes timely, targeted notifications to individuals who may be affected by emerging or active crises, including: Civil unrest, disease-related developments, natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanic activity, transportation disruptions, communications blackouts and security-related incidents.
GRID is more than just a notification tool. It's the world's only integrated mobile app for medical and security risk intelligence, asset tracking, and crisis response. In 2024 alone, GRID delivered more than half a million targeted alerts related to nearly 10,000 global events, helping users stay safe and informed. GRID, Global Rescue Intelligence Delivery system, is the world's only integrated app for medical and security intelligence, tracking and crisis response. The GIRD system is transforming how businesses respond to emergencies threatening their traveling employees.
Project Website
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Hospitality
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group | The Guest Experience Programme
The Guest Experience Programme (GXP) is Mandarin Oriental's bold, brand-defining initiative to reimagine luxury hospitality for the digital age, without losing the warmth, care, and personal service the brand is known for. More than two years in development, GXP forms the core of the company's guest-centric strategy to turn customers into lifelong fans.
GXP connects the entire guest journey, from online discovery to offline experience, while simplifying colleague operations and unlocking new revenue opportunities. Built around the vision to Recognise, Understand, and Engage, the programme delivers enhancements in digital experience, loyalty, CRM, operations, and data. At the heart of the guest-facing experience is the reimagined Fans of M.O. recognition programme, fully integrated with a custom-built App that supports real-time, personalised engagement. For colleagues, a mirror App provides live guest insights to enable effortless, high-touch service.
Behind the scenes, a cloud-based customer data platform unifies previously siloed systems to power seamless, insight-driven hospitality. Launched in phases throughout 2025, GXP brings together eight in-house product teams and six tech partners under one strategic blueprint. Early results show strong progress against its three goals: lifting guest satisfaction, growing direct revenue, and simplifying operations across the brand's global portfolio. Project Website
Highly Commended | CityHub Reykjavik: Redefining the city stay for a new generation
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Tour Operators
Butterfield & Robinson | Around The World in 60 Days
To celebrate six decades of transformative travel, Butterfield & Robinson launched Around the World in 60 Days, a multi-leg journey spanning six culturally rich regions: Mexico, Vietnam, Rajasthan, Morocco, Türkiye, and France's Burgundy.
Designed to be experienced individually or as a continuous 60-day adventure, the collection reflects B&R's core values: deep local immersion, authentic connection, and creative logistics. Each leg is rooted in local expertise and meaningful engagement, whether sharing a home-cooked meal in Oaxaca, staying in a 300-year-old palace in India, or gaining behind-the-scenes access into B&R's own story in Burgundy. Sustainability is embedded throughout every journey, from partnerships with conservation-focused lodges to visits with communities supported by B&R's Slow Fund.
A seamless itinerary across five continents was made possible through a curated flow of accommodations to ensure a continuity of experience, comfort and care. The result is a purposeful, low-impact travel experience that redefines what's possible in multi-day journeys. More than a celebration, Around the World in 60 Days is a forward-looking blueprint, designed to resonate with today's conscious traveller and set a new standard for responsible, immersive, and human-centred travel experiences. Project Website
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Tourism
GOTOKU LLC | Kagoshima Unearthed: Unfiltered Local Life and Cuisine Shaped by Volcanoes and Ocean Currents
'Kagoshima Unearthed' is a three-night, four-day gastronomy tour product that immerses travellers in Kagoshima's unfiltered local life and cuisine shaped by volcanic landscapes and the Kuroshio Current, which flows up the eastern coast of Japan. The tour's core concept is to explore how active volcanoes and sea currents have forged Kagoshima's food, culture, and communities, creating a 'diamond in the rough' culinary destination, off Japan's typical tourist path.
Key features of the experience include meeting master artisans and food producers – from katsuobushi (bonito flake) craftsmen and traditional sea-salt makers to shochu distillers and organic farmers – and participating in hands-on activities like foraging, farm visits, and volcano-side cycling. Throughout the journey, authentic human connection is paramount. Travellers share meals and stories with fishermen, farmers, and chefs, gaining intimate insight into daily life in this volcanic region.
The project's objective was not only to create a compelling luxury tour but to package Kagoshima's untapped gastronomic and cultural riches into a market-ready product for global luxury travellers. In doing so, 'Kagoshima Unearthed' aims to raise Kagoshima's profile as a must-visit culinary destination while maintaining a down-to-earth, community-centric feel. Project Website
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Category: Visionary 2030
Boundless Life | Redefining Family Travel
Boundless Life is the first integrated program designed to support families who want to embrace a location-independent lifestyle while maintaining structure, continuity, and growth across education, work and daily living. The program blends fully furnished homes, co-working spaces, and progressive education centers with curated cultural experiences – providing a turnkey solution for families with children aged 1.5 to 14.
With programs ranging from three-week stays to nine-month immersive journeys, Boundless Life caters to a wide spectrum of needs – from sabbaticals and culturally rich vacations to full lifestyle transitions. In each destination, children learn through a Montessori-inspired curriculum enriched by local culture and exploration, while parents work in professional co-working hubs, engage in community events, and invest in personal wellness and development.
The company continues to expand with intentionality – launching its newest location in La Barra, Uruguay, in April 2025 and with plans to debut in Japan in 2026. The team prioritizes destinations that are safe, inspiring and rich in cultural relevance. With more than 1,000 families having participated and over 40 percent returning for additional cohorts, Boundless Life is proving that the future of family life isn't fixed to one location – but rooted in freedom, connection and global exploration. Project Website
CHANGE MAKERS
Category: Leadership
Shannon Guihan | Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of TreadRight Foundation, The Travel Corporation
Shannon Guihan is the Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of the TreadRight Foundation at The Travel Corporation (TTC), a global portfolio of 18 exceptional, award-winning travel brands. In this role, Shannon leads the development and implementation of the group's sustainability strategy and its annual impact reporting, including the group's ambition of reaching net zero by 2050.
Sharon oversees the TreadRight Foundation, TTC's not-for-profit, dedicated to supporting projects focused on three pillars: Planet, People, and Wildlife. In 2022, under Shannon's leadership, The Travel Corporation became the first global tour operator with near-term, long-term, and net zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, and to support its journey to net zero, TreadRight shifted its focus to supporting nature-based solutions and conservation efforts that protect biodiversity and restore the planet.
Shannon has over 20 years of international experience in various aspects of tourism development and delivery. She has worked with both global and specialist tour operators, as well as destinations, serving as a tourism development strategist. Project Website
CHANGE MAKERS
Category: People & Community
Destination Toronto | Relax, Recharge, Renew Program
The Relax, Recharge, Renew (RRR) program is Destination Toronto's signature social responsibility initiative, offering much-needed respite to local parents and primary caregivers of children with complex special needs.
Since its inception in 2008, RRR has supported caregivers – whose emotional, physical, and financial well-being is often overlooked – by providing them with a restorative weekend experience in their own city. Caregivers are gifted a thoughtfully curated package that allows them to pause their caregiving responsibilities and prioritize their own renewal. Meanwhile, the child is cared for at one of Destination Toronto's partnering respite centres.
Each RRR experience includes limousine transportation, a two-night stay at a participating hotel, meals at local restaurants, and access to top attractions such as museums, galleries, and performances. These experiences are made possible through generous contributions from Toronto's tourism community, including hotels, restaurants, cultural institutions, and service providers.
The program reflects Destination Toronto's broader commitment to inclusive, community-focused tourism and demonstrates how the visitor economy can contribute meaningfully to local well-being. By spotlighting the essential but often invisible work of caregiving, RRR not only provides relief but also affirms the value of these individuals and the importance of rest in sustaining their roles. Project Website
CHANGE MAKERS
Category: Sustainability
Urban Villages | Populus: The Country's First Carbon-Positive Hotel
Populus Denver, which opened in October 2024, is a 13-story, 130,000 square foot urban hotel that blends nature-inspired design with environmentally conscious hospitality to put the health of the planet first. Intentionally designed to reconnect guests to nature, it features 265 modern guest rooms, a ground floor restaurant, flexible event spaces, coffee bar, a signature rooftop bar and restaurant and an iconic Aspen tree-inspired design by AD100 architecture firm, Studio Gang.
Each detail within Populus Denver, from its construction to its interior design, is intentionally designed with sustainability at the forefront to leave the planet in a better place. The project was concepted and developed by Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward who understood that consumers are seeking more sustainable hotel options.
Urban Villages has responded to this need with the construction and opening of Populus Denver – the country's first carbon positive hotel – which is offsetting both its embodied and operational carbon footprint through reforestation and local silviculture efforts, using 100% renewable electricity, the purchase of certified nature-based carbon credits, and turning all food waste into compost, amongst other initiatives. Project Website
CHANGE MAKERS
Category: Rising Star
Justine Palefsky and Tasneem Amina | Co-Founders, Kindred
Justine Palefsky and Tasneem Amina are the co-founders of Kindred, the global homeswapping community redefining what modern travel looks like. Before they built the fastest-growing home exchange platform in the U.S., they were two former colleagues at Opendoor, each dreaming of building something more meaningful. During the pandemic, they reconnected with a shared vision: what if travel could feel more human again? They retreated to a cabin in Calistoga, California with a whiteboard and that single question that would shape Kindred's future.
Their lived experiences shaped the product: Justine was raised in a San Francisco home that always welcomed guests. Tasneem grew up in a large, multi-generational family in India, where home was a feeling, not a fixed location. These early influences laid the foundation for Kindred's people-first design.
Together, they have built a global movement, with 100,000+ members across 150+ cities, with 8x year-over-year revenue growth ('23-'24), 50% QoQ revenue growth (Q1 '24-'25) and reaching 150,000+ total nights booked in 2025 – clear proof of demand for a model built on trust, reciprocity, and shared values.As emerging leaders, they've not only launched a new category – they've inspired a new, more intentional way to experience the world. Project Website
CHANGE MAKERS
Category: DEI Champion
Booking.com | We Filter Places, Not People
Booking.com's Travel Proud programme is a global initiative designed to make travel more inclusive and welcoming for LGBTQ+ travelers. Based on commissioned research, which found that more than half of LGBTQ+ people have experienced discrimination while traveling, Booking.com launched Travel Proud to address these challenges and foster a more positive travel experience for everyone, regardless of identity or who they love The programme offers free, expert-led training for accommodation providers.
Developed in partnership with inclusive travel consultancy HospitableMe, this comprehensive, 75-minute free training provides insights into the specific needs and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ travelers and equips property staff with practical guidance on delivering inclusive hospitality. Upon completion, their listings feature a Travel Proud badge on the Booking.com website, signaling to guests a commitment to safety, respect, and inclusivity. Ultimately, Travel Proud aims to help every traveler feel comfortable being themselves, no matter where they go.
Project Website
CREATIVE THINKERS
Category: Content
Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi | Saadiyat Cultural District : Neural Murals – A Disruptive Fusion of Art + Neuroscience
Museums have long been seen as keepers of history. But in the digital age, the challenge is how they stay part of the present. Neural Murals tackled this issue by turning the artist's mind into engaging content. The output was real-time, evolving, and impossible to ignore.
Using EEG technology, the campaign visualized the brainwaves of 75 global creatives, translating them into generative digital murals. From Paris to London to Abu Dhabi, the campaign wasn't just exhibited, it was talked about, across social media, news outlets, and cultural forums. It made museums feel alive again, proving that cultural spaces aren't just about looking back, they can be about creating the future.
Neural Murals redefined preservation, not as a passive act, but as a dynamic process where culture is not only safeguarded but actively shaped by those who engage with it. It did not just showcase art, it made audiences part of its creation, giving cultural institutions a blueprint for immersive storytelling in the digital age. It was a seismic shift in how audiences experience the creative journey. By focusing on the artistic journey rather than just the final product, Neural Murals set a new precedent for museum engagement worldwide.
Project Website
CREATIVE THINKERS
Category: Marketing
Travel Alberta x C&B Advertising | Alberta's Least Liked
Like many DMOs, sustainable tourism is a key focus for Travel Alberta. Driven in part by social media posts and algorithms that focus on the same small group of places, overtourism at iconic attractions and locations in Alberta was becoming an issue – taxing the land, overwhelming communities, stressing amenities and infrastructure, and leaving visitors with disappointing experiences.
Alberta needed to find ways to move visitors across the province, promote less-famous attractions and showcase the many wonderful places that may be 'under the radar' but always over-deliver. As part of their sustainable tourism strategy, Travel Alberta designated regions across the province that would receive resources for the development and funding for promotion.
Alberta's Least Liked was a marketing concept aimed at shining a light on these underdeveloped regions and attractions, playfully using the same social media tools that are so responsible for fuelling overtourism the world over. The goals of the project were to introduce new Alberta attractions to travellers, generate buzz on social media and ultimately drive interest and visitation to these locations – moving travellers away from overcrowded attractions. Project Website
CREATIVE THINKERS
Category: Physical Experiences
Rajasthan Studio | Curated Experiences for Every Traveler
The core concept of Rajasthan Studio centers on offering personalized art workshops where travelers engage directly with master artisans, learning traditional crafts and making their own souvenirs. This hands-on approach immerses travelers in the region's rich artistic heritage, fostering deep cultural connections.
All the experiences are curated at the artist's home or studio space which makes it even more special as the travellers can experience the beauty of the traditional homes of Rajasthan. The company's key objectives are: 1) Bridging Artisans and Travelers: Connecting visitors with expert local artisans to preserve and promote Rajasthan's artistic traditions. 2) Unique Experiences: Curating offbeat, immersive travel opportunities tailored for creative travelers and art enthusiasts, beyond typical tourism. 3) Personalization and Exclusivity: Providing high-quality, tailored workshops with award-winning artisans for authentic, memorable experiences. 4) Cultural Preservation: Supporting the sustainability of traditional crafts, benefiting local artisans and their communities.
Rajasthan Studio delivers a distinctive, curated experience focused on cultural immersion and hands-on learning, appealing to niche travelers seeking authentic, high-quality cultural encounters. Project Website
CREATIVE THINKERS
Category: Creative Design
Tennessee Tourism | Sound Sites: Where Accessibility Meets Artistry in Tourism
Sound Sites is a groundbreaking initiative by VML and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development that redefines image alt-text descriptions by replacing generic text with poetic song lyrics crafted by award-winning Tennessee songwriters. This innovative approach transforms accessibility in tourism, enabling blind and visually impaired travelers to experience the emotional essence of Tennessee's landscapes and culture through evocative storytelling.
Traditional alt-text like 'image of a mountain' fails to capture the beauty and spirit of destinations, excluding millions of visually impaired individuals from meaningful travel experiences. By integrating Tennessee's rich musical heritage into functional accessibility tools, Sound Sites bridges this gap, creating an inclusive travel experience that resonates emotionally with all users.
Through collaboration with celebrated songwriters like Dolly Parton and Kix Brooks, over 500 lyrical descriptions have been created for TNVacation.com, with plans to expand further. Blending artistry with functionality, Sound Sites sets a new standard for accessibility in tourism, proving that creativity and collaboration can drive profound change while fostering a more inclusive internet for future generations.
Project Website
PROBLEM SOLVERS
Category: Business Outcomes
CarTrawler | Connect Platform: Powering Unparalleled Performance for the Biggest Brands in Travel
CarTrawler powers car rental and mobility for the world's leading travel brands through proprietary, market-leading technology; the Connect Platform. A B2B solution, the Connect Platform delivers superior performance, partner revenue growth, and an exceptional end-to-end customer experience.
The Connect Platform is made up of four key components:
Connect Content: The world's largest global supply network – 2,200+ suppliers across 50,000+ locations in 150+ countries – covering car rental, mobility, and car rental insurance.
Connect Technology: Partner-branded solutions, including booking engine, cross-sell, CRM, and customer portal, designed for seamless integration, scale, and performance from day one.
Connect Enhance: Combining market-leading revenue management and data science expertise, unique cross-functional Trading Squads, and world-class loyalty capabilities, that deliver exceptional commercial outcomes for our partners.
Connect Experience: Delivers award-winning, AI-enabled customer service, market-leading payment choice, and customer advocacy that drives loyalty and repeat business. With low-effort integration and a relentless focus on results, CarTrawler does the heavy lifting so partners can stay focussed on their core business. Project Website
PROBLEM SOLVERS
Category: Communications
Abode Worldwide | From Visibility to Value: PR That Grows B2B Hospitality and Property Tech Brands
Abode exists to solve a core challenge: hospitality tech brands often struggle to cut through the noise in a crowded, jargon-heavy B2B space. Abode closes this gap with strategic communications that build a positive reputation, driving long-term commercial success.
From early-stage startups to global category leaders, Abode help clients gain credibility and influence. Whether it's raising investment, expanding to new markets, or growing their share of voice, Abode design each public-facing engagement to build long-term standing, not just short-term buzz.
The mission is to turn complexity into clarity, by crafting sharp narratives, establishing topical authority, positioning leaders on credible stages, and generating media momentum – ensuring clients remain constantly visible. Their work blends strategic PR campaigns, data-led storytelling, customer success stories, and thought leadership that are amplified across multiple channels.
Abode clients have earned visibility in prestigious industry publications like Skift, as well as top-tier international outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Boston Globe, EuroNews and The Guardian. Using their proven 360° methodology across earned, owned, paid and social media, Abode co-create a holistic PR program with our clients that covers a messaging architecture, stakeholder outreach strategy and content development aligned to key industry events. Project Website
PROBLEM SOLVERS
Category: Data Provider
IDeaS Revenue Solutions | IDeaS Spotlight: Transforming Hotel Marketing with Valuable, New Demand Insights
Recognizing the need for a more integrated, data-driven commercial organization, IDeaS leveraged its unique position as the source of truth for future demand and advanced analytics to develop a solution that aligns marketing efforts with revenue goals to deliver the highest performance returns. Project Website
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
Category: Operational Streamlining
Mews | Revolutionizing Revenue At Every Touchpoint
Mews is a fully cloud-native hotel Property Management System (PMS) used by over 12,500 properties across 85 countries. It unites front desk, housekeeping, payments, revenue management and guest engagement in one powerful platform fueled by automation.
Instead of simply focusing on filling rooms, Mews believe the role of a modern PMS should go further. In an industry with 73.8% staff turnover rate*, today's hoteliers are facing more pressure than ever before. They're busy balancing staff shortages, ever-increasing guest expectations and even higher profitability targets. Luckily for Mews hoteliers, they know more revenue doesn't always come from more heads in beds.
Mews help hoteliers diversify their revenue streams through hourly and daily space bookings, events, tailored upsells, AI-driven guest insights and embedded payments that reduce friction and improve conversions. By helping hotels move beyond a room-only mindset, Mews is driving a shift toward smarter, more profitable revenue strategies.
*Source: 2023 Deloitte Quantified Organization research Project Website
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
Category: Traveler Journey
Banff & Lake Louise Tourism | Banff & Lake Louise Tourism's Trip Builder – Helping Visitors Plan for Joy, Not Disappointment
'You must plan your trip to Banff in advance… Banff is unfortunately not a place you can show up and 'wing it.''
The Holistic Backpacker BLLT's Trip Builder is a free, personalized digital planning tool, available on the organization's website, fully accessible on desktop and mobile. Created ground-up to improve visitor experience during the summer peak – and to inspire visitation year-round – it helps travelers plan ahead with confidence.
Informed by local experts, it has become a valuable tool for the complex, high-demand destination, connecting visitors to local businesses and promoting sustainable tourism practices. Since launching in 2021, it has helped users build more than 190,000 custom itineraries. Users can explore pre-built Trip Ideas – such as car-free adventures or family-friendly getaways – or build their itinerary from scratch.
Trips can be tailored by date, budget, season, interests, or activity type, from guided tours and hikes to events, restaurants, and accommodations. Experiences can be added to a day-by-day plan, viewed on an interactive map, and saved or shared via a private link. Trip Builder seamlessly integrates with the rest of the BLLT site and is actively used by Visitor Centre staff to co-create plans in person – from early dreaming to in-destination discovery. Project Website
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
Category: Best Use of AI
Matador Network | GuideGeek: Custom AI for Travel Brands
After launching custom AI tools with more than 45 travel brands, GuideGeek has progressed beyond simply being a chatbot provider to enabling travel brands to harness the power of AI to supercharge top-priority campaigns and business objectives.
Every custom AI tool GuideGeek builds for its travel brand partners, draw on the destination's wealth of data, as well as GuideGeek's 1,000-plus sources of travel information. Users are instantly able to plan full custom itineraries, or get quick answers to any travel or tourism question.
Often integrated with the destination's social media accounts, GuideGeek gives destinations a direct connection with visitors in real time 24/7 – including during their stay. In addition, GuideGeek provides valuable data insights for destinations and travel brands about key topics of interest, concerns and who is visiting their destination and why. Project Website
MEETINGS & EVENTS
Category: Hotels
Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort
Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort is Hawai'i's largest single-structure hotel and is a leading convention facility in the heart of Waikiki. In 2021, Sheraton Waikiki completed a $200 million renovation of its 1,636 rooms and suites. The transformation included aesthetic and functional upgrades to guest rooms, suites, and public areas, with reconfigured amenities for improved organization and comfort.
As a premier convention facility, Sheraton Waikiki features 16 contemporary meeting rooms with 41,000 square feet of meeting and function space, including Waikiki's largest indoor ballroom with 26,000 square feet of unobstructed space. The outside perimeter of the convention floor has 11 conference rooms, most with ocean views, featuring state-of-the art audiovisual technology. There is also an on-site business center to help with the needs of groups of all sizes.
Whether it's a corporate summit, incentive retreat, product launch or hybrid gathering, the resort is equipped to pivot with ease. Each space is modular and outfitted with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems, allowing for seamless transitions between presentations, workshops, and receptions. The hotel's expert event services team works closely with planners to customize floor plans, seating arrangements, and tech integrations for each group's unique goals. From multi-language interpretation booths to high-speed connectivity for livestreaming, the resort's capabilities are as robust as they are reliable. Project Website
MEETINGS & EVENTS
Category: Destination Marketing Organizations
Destination Canada
Destination Canada's International Convention Attraction Fund (ICAF) empowers Canadian Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of the country's business events industry. By providing up to $1 million per event in financial support for major international conference bids, the ICAF enables DMOs to attract high-value business travellers while prioritizing sustainable event practices and long-term community benefits.
From the time the program was launched in March 2024 until May 31, 2025, the ICAF has helped secure 45 confirmed major international conferences in cities across Canada, which could draw over 143,600 delegates and over $348 million in direct economic impact. The fund not only supports immediate economic gains but also encourages DMOs to incorporate sustainability measures – such as responsible venue selection, reduced environmental footprints, and inclusive community engagement – into their event planning and execution.
With robust interest from DMOs nationwide and a growing pipeline of sustainable event bids, the ICAF is driving a more resilient business events sector that balances economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. This holistic approach ensures that the business events industry in Canada is better positioned to thrive in a changing global landscape, making a lasting positive impact on both host communities and the environment. Project Website
MEETINGS & EVENTS
Category: Convention Centers & Other Venues
The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC)
The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) is a premier meetings and events destination that combines state-of-the-art infrastructure with a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity.
Following a transformative $640 million renovation completed in 2020, the MBCC now features over 500,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 60,000-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom, 84 breakout rooms, and a variety of flexible, tech-enabled spaces designed for events of all sizes.
Located in the heart of Miami Beach, the MBCC enhances the attendee experience with on-site culinary venues like Rum Room and Venu, while seamlessly integrating indoor and outdoor event environments.
The MBCC's core objective is to provide a dynamic, accessible, and future-ready venue that supports economic development, fosters community engagement, and attracts world-class events to Miami Beach. Project Website
MEETINGS & EVENTS
Category: Event Technology
Snapsight | World's First AI-based Real Time Event Content Summarisation
Snapsight is an award-winning advanced AI-powered event content intelligence platform that revolutionizes how audiences engage with live and recorded sessions through real-time content processing and intelligent post-event analysis. Snapsight continues to set industry standards by building on its proven foundation of Key Takeaways and Idea Cloud features, now delivering live transcription and translation across 86 languages, Custom Vocabulary integration for specialized events, and on-demand content processing for comprehensive session coverage.
The platform's evolution includes Snapsight Premium, which transforms event data into strategic business intelligence through advanced opportunity detection, trend analysis, sentiment tracking, competitive intelligence, and personalized insights at scale. Snapsight leverages cutting-edge language models and sophisticated NLP engines enhanced with user-defined glossaries to generate precise summaries and visual concept representations, enabling attendees to absorb complex information effortlessly regardless of language barriers or technical terminology.
The platform's Event-Level Idea Cloud dynamically tracks themes and trends across entire conferences in real-time, while the redesigned Admin Dashboard provides organizers with unprecedented customization and control capabilities. Through QR code access, attendees can instantly retrieve session insights, follow live captions, upload missed content for processing, and engage with event-wide conversation patterns. Snapsight's integration ecosystem and multilingual accessibility ensure that every participant can maximize their experience.
Project Website
Highly Commended | hivr.ai: Leading the AI Revolution in Meetings & Events
SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Category: Property Management
Sentral | Tech + Luxe Lifestyle = STR success
When it was founded in 2019, Sentral introduced a flexible, 'any length of stay' model that pulls inspiration and expertise from both the multifamily and hospitality industries. This unique model provides unparalleled service and amenities to residents and guests; it also helps building owners maximize revenue by optimizing the mix of long- and short-term rentals based on each location's regulations and demand.
Over the last year, Sentral has aggressively grown its short-term presence. Since May of 2024, Sentral added 12 communities to its portfolio, including new projects in Las Vegas and San Diego that focus on short-term stays. Travelers can book directly on Sentral.com or via most OTAs. Residents of Sentral apartments receive exclusive discounts on short-term bookings across the portfolio–and know they'll experience the same standard of excellence at Sentral properties away from home.
At nearly every touchpoint, guests will encounter Sentral's unique blend of five-star service and cutting-edge technology. Check-in can be done with a dedicated concierge or via touch-screen kiosk. Each guest receives a comprehensive, mobile-friendly building and city guide–including check-in and check-out procedures, in-room dining, wi-fi access and information about special events and fitness classes available during their stay. Project Website
SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Category: Guest Experience
Extenteam | Tailwind by Extenteam: Transforming Guest Experience with Human + AI Synergy
Tailwind by Extenteam is a shared services, unified-inbox solution designed to manage guest communication for hospitality businesses. Combining hospitality-trained remote agents with AI tools, Tailwind delivers fast, consistent, and high-quality responses across channels like SMS, email, OTA, voice and more — available 24/7 or during specified off-hours.
Tailwind also integrates securely with property management systems (PMS) and booking platforms, providing centralized management and real-time coordination with on-site teams. Tailwind's core mission is to reduce the communication and availability burden on internal teams while maintaining speed, accuracy, and excellent guest service. Using a unified inbox and a customizable Knowledge Center, Tailwind agents resolve guest issues in real time, following each property's unique policies and escalation rules.
AI-powered tools like X10 Chat help agents pull precise, property-specific answers instantly, ensuring guests receive helpful, on-brand replies every time. Key benefits of Tailwind include reducing team overload, improving response relevance for complex queries, enhancing guest satisfaction, and offering scalable, flexible support.
By taking over day-to-day and urgent guest communication, Tailwind allows hospitality operators — from vacation rental managers to boutique hotels — to focus on growth and operations, knowing their guests are cared for professionally and consistently. Project Website
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