Latest news with #TravelTechnology
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
60% of UAE travellers use AI for trip planning: ATM report
Travel technology is transforming the industry globally, changing how travellers plan, book, and experience their journeys. 60 per cent of travellers in the UAE trust Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manage every aspect of their trips, compared to 48 per cent of travellers in other countries. This figure is predicted to rise as technology becomes more integrated into consumer habits, according to a recent report by Tourism Economics on behalf of Arabian Travel Market (ATM). According to the report, AI is becoming a key tool for travellers planning trips to the Middle East. Nearly six in ten have used AI for travel planning, with 21 per cent using it before their most recent trip. As AI adoption grows, it is expected to play an increasing role in delivering personalised recommendations and booking experiences for tech-savvy travellers. The research also confirmed that travel firms are harnessing AI to enhance customer service and drive economic impact. In line with the digital transformation within travel and tourism, ATM 2025 provided a platform for experts across the technology, hospitality and events industries to discuss the implications for human connection as AI-powered tools, personalised service platforms, and data-led design become more prevalent. Speaking during the event, Amy Read, VP Innovation at Sabre Hospitality, said: 'It is important to recognise that human connection is at the core of hospitality. When we think about innovation within hospitality, we try to find ways that amplify those key moments, rather than replace them. We want to free up staff time so that they can engage in more meaningful interactions.' Read acknowledged that it is vital for the industry to recognise that technology has changed guests' expectations of hospitality providers as they now seek instant gratification and swift responses. This has led to the development of innovative solutions such as SynXis Concierge AI, which uses generative AI to transform customer service for hoteliers, providing immediate, detailed, and accurate responses to specific queries, reducing the reliance on individual staff knowledge and ensuring consistent, high-quality service around the clock. Other examples include Miral's AI concierge, Majd Al, which is utilised at attractions such as Yas Bay Waterfront and Ferrari World Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The service offers tailored suggestions based on individual preferences, helping visitors maximise their experience. Fellow panellists agreed that human-centric innovation begins with understanding consumer behaviour, with organisations like Almosafer adopting a co-creation approach, developing tools based on customer pain points. Similarly, travel agent platform Expedia TAAP builds technology informed by insights from travel agents themselves, ensuring that its tools are aligned with customer needs and are usable. Meanwhile, the rise of AI in the business events (MICE) sector is delivering significant gains in efficiency and insight. With the global meetings and events industry set to reach $945 billion in 2025 and projected to exceed $2.3 trillion by 2032, the need for scalable, intelligent tools has never been greater. Data-led personalisation is now critical to driving attendee engagement and loyalty, with AI helping to automate sourcing, translate content in real time, and generate tailored event experiences. However, speakers were united in warning against over-reliance on technology at the expense of authenticity. As AI becomes central to personalising travel experiences and improving operational efficiency, it does not replace human roles but rather reshapes them, encouraging organisations to realign talent towards more meaningful, guest-focused interactions. Ultimately, as event planners and travel providers aim to create experiences that resonate, the consensus remains that human connection must stay central to every digital advancement. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, commented: 'When it comes to travel and tourism innovations, the most effective technologies are those that amplify human interactions, improve efficiency and respond directly to customer needs. The industry has a shared commitment to responsible innovation by placing people at the centre of every technology solution.' Copyright 2025 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Al Bawaba
7 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
As 60% of UAE travellers rely on AI to plan trips, human connection remains vital
Travel technology is transforming the industry globally, changing the way travellers plan, book, and experience their journeys. According to a recent report by Tourism Economics on behalf of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), 60% of travellers in the UAE trust Artificial Intelligence (AI) to plan every aspect of their trips, compared to 48% of travellers in other countries, with this figure predicted to rise as technology becomes more embedded into consumer to the report, AI is becoming a key tool for travellers planning trips to the Middle East. Nearly six in ten have used AI for travel planning, with 21% using it before their most recent trip. As AI adoption grows, it is expected to play an increasing role in delivering personalised recommendations and booking experiences for tech-savvy travellers. The research also confirmed that travel firms are harnessing AI to enhance customer service and drive economic line with the digital transformation within travel and tourism, ATM 2025 provided a platform for experts across the technology, hospitality and events industries to discuss the implications for human connection as AI-powered tools, personalised service platforms, and data-led design become more during the event, Amy Read, VP Innovation at Sabre Hospitality, said: 'It is important to recognise that human connection is at the core of hospitality. When we think about innovation within hospitality, we try to find ways that amplify those key moments, rather than replace them. We want to free up staff time so that they can engage in more meaningful interactions.'Read acknowledged that it is vital for the industry to recognise that technology has changed guests' expectations of hospitality providers as they now seek instant gratification and swift responses. This has led to the development of innovative solutions such as SynXis Concierge AI, which uses generative AI to transform customer service for hoteliers, providing immediate, detailed, and accurate responses to specific queries, reducing the reliance on individual staff knowledge and ensuring consistent, high-quality service around the examples include Miral's AI concierge, Majd Al, which is utilised at attractions such as Yas Bay Waterfront and Ferrari World Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The service offers tailored suggestions based on individual preferences, helping visitors maximise their panellists agreed that human-centric innovation begins with understanding consumer behaviour, with organisations like Almosafer adopting a co-creation approach, developing tools based on customer pain points. Similarly, travel agent platform Expedia TAAP builds technology informed by insights from travel agents themselves, ensuring that its tools are aligned with customer needs and are the rise of AI in the business events (MICE) sector is delivering significant gains in efficiency and insight. With the global meetings and events industry set to reach USD 945 billion in 2025 and projected to exceed USD 2.3 trillion by 2032, the need for scalable, intelligent tools has never been greater. Data-led personalisation is now critical to driving attendee engagement and loyalty, with AI helping to automate sourcing, translate content in real time, and generate tailored event speakers were united in warning against over-reliance on technology at the expense of authenticity. As AI becomes central to personalising travel experiences and improving operational efficiency, it does not replace human roles but rather reshapes them, encouraging organisations to realign talent towards more meaningful, guest-focused interactions. Ultimately, as event planners and travel providers aim to create experiences that resonate, the consensus remains that human connection must stay central to every digital Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, commented: 'When it comes to travel and tourism innovations, the most effective technologies are those that amplify human interactions, improve efficiency and respond directly to customer needs. The industry has a shared commitment to responsible innovation by placing people at the centre of every technology solution.' Reflecting the travel industry's total convergence with technology and innovation, ATM Travel Tech was larger than ever at the 2025 edition, with an increase of over 26% in the number of products showcased. ATM 2026, which takes place from 4-7 May, will build further on this innovation focus, showcasing the latest technologies that are shaping the future of travel.
Skift
01-08-2025
- Business
- Skift
From Concur to Spotnana: Steve Singh on How AI Could Fix Corporate Travel
Corporate travel is still a nightmare of fragmented systems, which means that rebooking canceled flights can be headache-inducing. Yet Concur co-founder Steve Singh believes new tech could bring the dawn of "the pefect trip." Steve Singh spent two decades building Concur into the dominant travel-and-expense management platform before selling it to SAP for $8.3 billion in 2014. A year ago he became CEO of Spotnana, a startup that aims to solve the industry's lingering problems. The travel technology sector has struggled for years with fragmented systems that force companies to cobble together bookings from multiple sources while maintaining adequate customer service. These back-end issues have delayed the arrival of what Singh called 'The Perfect Trip' in an interview with Skift in 2014. Now Singh argues that today's cloud-native computing and machine learning can solve problems that proved intractable when he first tackled them at Concur more than 40 years ago. 'I haven't been this excited about how tech can improve the corporate travel experience since mobile phones became widespread,' Singh said in an interview at Global Business Travel Association conference in Denver last month. Steve Singh, CEO of Spotnana, seated in white shirt at the company's recent conference. Singh works with key executives like Sarosh Waghmar at Spotnana, Naveen Singh at Center, Dennis Vilovic at Troop, and Christal Bemont at Direct Travel. Source: Spotnana Automating Services Spotnana's approach centers on automating routine travel services like rebookings and refunds. For corporate customers buying the travel, Spotnana will offer business intelligence tools and analytical services to let executives more clearly understand what their employees are spending on travel. 'Instead of a 15% cut across the board, which is indiscriminate, what if an AI agent could say, 'I'll get you the 15% savings by reducing travel spend by 40% for people that are not revenue producing while not reducing it at all for others, thanks to the intel I know on the clients they're visiting and the productivity of those employees on the road,'' Singh said. Singh claimed Spotnana could reduce travel management companies' operational costs by roughly half. The tech vendor said it doesn't accept global distribution system incentives and doesn't hide or bias content to reach supplier volume targets. Singh said Spotnana expects to deploy its AI agent capabilities within the next two to three years. He described plans for 'an AI agent that was trained on, say, your top 10% of your corporate travel agents' that could provide consistent, scalable service while understanding individual traveler preferences and company policies. 'Imagine an AI agent that not only knows me and my corporate policies and my personal preferences, but then it can also be an expert in every city I want to go for work or for leisure,' Singh said. 'That starts to deliver a client experience that is no different than the world's best executive assistant.' Singh said that AI may also help with either predicting and responding in the moments when trips are disrupted by cancellations. Automated reactions are key, he said: 'If my flight is delayed, I shouldn't have to pick up my phone and call somebody to change flights. Why can't there be a recommendation pushed right into my app, saying here are the three options within your company's travel policy, here are the three options outside your policy. Which one would you like?' Frenemies Spotnana, which has disclosed raising over $100 million in funding, faces established competitors with services that overlap. While Spotnana is not a travel management company, its technology and full-content approach are similar to travel management companies like Navan (which has raised over $1.2 billion in funding) and TravelPerk (over $700 million). Yet some industry observers remain skeptical about whether new technology can overcome the travel sector's entrenched interests and complex commercial relationships. The American Airlines' ill-fated effort to change how corporations and travel management companies book business travel suggests the challenges facing any attempt to change distribution. But Singh said cloud computing costs are 'one-tenth' of what they were 15 to 20 years ago. Key corporate travel systems are now cloud-native and use modern APIs, or data exchange methods. More importantly, suppliers, buyers, and travel management companies have greater incentives to change the status quo, he said. Spotnana offers its tech to Direct Travel, a company Singh also backs, and other travel management companies, such as Solutions Travel. It works with corporate buyers via connections with their preferred travel management companies. Yet Spotnana is also a tool for the suppliers themselves. 'We think there's multiple tiers of opportunity with our supplier partners,' Singh said. 'One is the content distribution to travel management companies. But the other is that most of our supplier partners also want us to build other services for them.' Spotnana's effort to be all things to all people could get dicey if travel management companies come to fear it as potentially siphoning off their business by competing on fees and services to woo buyers. Singh said he sees Spotnana's opportunity with suppliers as being in providing services that travel management companies typically don't, such as by giving suppliers deeper insights into their customers. A case in point: Spotnana has partnered with Marriott to power the hotel chain's small business portal, Business Access, handling both content distribution and booking management. 'We're taking advantage of the biggest transformation I've seen in travel since we moved from paper based tickets to digital,' Singh said. What am I looking at? The performance of travel tech stocks within the ST 200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including both online travel booking companies and B2B travel tech companies. The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more travel tech financial sector performance. Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.
Zawya
01-08-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Kanoo Travel partners with QuadLabs to launch 'eo' Corporate Travel Solution
Kanoo Travel, a leading travel management company in the Middle East, has partnered with QuadLabs, a global travel technology leader, to launch their own Corporate Travel Solution – 'eo'. This strategic collaboration aims to enhance corporate travel management by leveraging advanced technology to offer seamless, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for businesses across the region. This partnership signifies a major milestone in corporate travel, combining Kanoo Travel's deep market expertise with QuadLabs' innovative technology. The eo Corporate Platform is specifically designed to meet the evolving needs of modern businesses, streamlining the travel booking and management process while ensuring compliance with corporate policies. Built on QuadLabs' next-generation platform, "Travog," the eo Corporate Platform provides a comprehensive set of features tailored for corporate clients. It enables businesses to efficiently manage their entire travel itinerary through an integrated and user-friendly interface. Key functionalities include real-time booking, policy enforcement, expense tracking, and seamless approvals, ensuring that corporate travel remains cost-effective and hassle-free. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Harvey Lines, Acting CEO of Kanoo Travel, said: 'We are committed to delivering innovative travel solutions to our corporate clients. Partnering with QuadLabs allows us to offer an advanced platform that simplifies corporate travel while enhancing cost savings, efficiency, and compliance.' Mr. Gaurav Chiripal, CEO of QuadLabs, added: 'We are thrilled to collaborate with Kanoo Travel to introduce the eo Corporate Platform. Our goal is to empower corporate travel managers with cutting-edge tools that optimize the travel experience, making it more seamless, transparent, and policy compliant.' The eo Corporate Platform is expected to transform corporate travel management in the Middle East, reinforcing Kanoo Travel's position as a leader in business travel solutions. About Kanoo Travel Kanoo Travel is one of the largest travel management companies in the Middle East, providing comprehensive travel solutions for businesses and individuals. With a legacy of excellence and innovation, Kanoo Travel continues to lead the market with cutting-edge travel management services. For more information, please visit About QuadLabs QuadLabs is a global leader in travel technology and expense solutions, offering a wide range of products designed to streamline corporate travel management. With over two decades of expertise, QuadLabs delivers advanced solutions that enhance efficiency and user experience in the travel sector. Press Release – QuadLabs7/2025 For more information, please visit Team QuadLabs Innovation One Building, Second Floor, DIFC, Dubai, UAE O (IN): +91 124 663 6999, (US): +1 646 518 9528, (UK): +44 203 821 6814 (AUS): +6 125 104 2801
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FITUR 2026 expands its technological dimension with the introduction of the Knowledge Hub
The International Tourism Trade Fair, taking place from 21 to 25 January at IFEMA MADRID, reinforces its leadership with Hall 12 as the epicentre of tourism innovation. Over the course of the professional days, the Knowledge Hub will be hosting the Travel Technology area, which has grown by more than 35%; FITUR Know-How & Export; FITUR Sports; FITUR Talent; FITUR TechY, and the FITURNEXT Observatory. MADRID, July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FITUR, the International Tourism Trade Fair, which is taking place from 21 to 25 January 2026 at IFEMA MADRID, reinforces its technological dimension as a key backbone for the development of tourism with the introduction of the Knowledge Hub. Located in Hall 12, it will be occupied by forward-thinking companies from around the world that are benchmarks in the digital ecosystem, and will bring together high-impact, topical content that is defining the future of the industry. During the professional days - Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 and Friday 23 January - international experts will meet in Hall 12 at hundreds of sessions to exchange experiences and share the best practices that are defining trends in the tourism sector. In this way, FITUR reinforces its commitment to the dissemination of knowledge and technology, facilitating its access to companies, destinations and professionals. The Knowledge Hub, epicentre of Travel Technology, which has grown by more than 35%. The Knowledge Hub will be hosting the Travel Technology area, which has grown by more than 35% compared to last year, with more than 100 companies from 20 countries, underlining the key role of technology in the transformation of the tourism sector. In addition, this space will be the setting for FITUR TechY, organised in collaboration with the Spanish Hotel Technology Institute (ITH). Thus, FITUR announces that Hall 12 will be gathering together leading companies from the technology sector such as Amadeus, Travelgate, BeonX, Duetto, Ratehawk and Mirai, among others, consolidating its role as one of the major new features at the International Tourism Trade Fair. In addition, the Knowledge Hub will enhance the congress offer and centralise the most topical and interesting content of FITUR Know-How & Export, FITUR Sports, FITUR Talent and the FITURNEXT Sustainability Observatory. Hall 12, main access to FITUR from the south-east of the venue The Knowledge Hub is strategically located in the southeast of the Trade Fair Centre, where there will be a direct entrance to FITUR, creating a new circulation aisle linking Halls 4 and 12, which will facilitate and redistribute the flow of professional visitors. This privileged connection reinforces the role of the Knowledge Hub as one of the main features at the trade fair, guaranteeing an accessible and dynamic space that will enhance the visibility and impact of all the activities and exhibitors gathered there, with the focus on professional visitors. In this way, this trade fair configuration allows for the creation of a specialised, attractive and exclusive environment for professionals in the tourism sector, opening only on working days and focusing the offer for the general public over the weekend in the other eight halls. FITUR 2026, nine halls at the service of tourism development with a positive impact The 46th edition of FITUR will occupy a total of 9 Halls -3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12- where the most pioneering global offer of the entire tourism value chain of public and private institutions linked to destinations, accommodation, agencies and tour operators, technology companies, means of transport and other services in the sector will be presented. Hall 3 will be occupied by the Americas; Hall 4 will be hosting Europe and FITUR Cruises; Halls 5, 7 and 9, Spain together with FITUR LGTB+ in Hall9; Hall 6, the Middle East and Africa; Hall 8, Asia-Pacific and Global Business; Hall 10, Global Business and FITUR 4all, FITUR Lingua, FITUR Screen and FITUR Woman; and the Knowledge Hub, Hall 12, FITUR TechY, FITUR Know-How & Export, FITUR Sports, FITUR Talent, the FITURNEXT Observatory and the Travel Technology companies area. FITUR 2026 is taking place from 21 to 25 January at IFEMA MADRID. Media Contact: Elena Valera, evalera@ SOURCE FITUR/IFEMA MADRID Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
