Travel Technology

Independent short-term rental software startups have done well during the post-pandemic travel boom, but the market is starting to get tougher, so they would do well to tighten their business plans and expand their assets.

Raising $185 million in hotel tech at all, especially in this economic climate, is an endorsement of the product Mews has built — but more importantly shows the potential investors see in modernizing the market at this precise time.

Business travel recovery trends differ by company size and sector, but regardless of their circumstances, organizations large and small are seeing now as a critical time to reconsider return on investment of business travel, to update their approach to sustainability and traveler well-being, and to digitize and automate the travel and expense process.

Social video is winning out as the preferred way for destinations to connect directly with travelers. But it's not just top of funnel awareness. New technology is making it possible to provide an engaging experience all the way from discovery to booking.

Celebrity Cruises is taking a risk by being the first cruise line to offer a ship tour in the metaverse. It's brave to publicly adopt new technology and adapt based on customer feedback. Being a first mover already makes the company a leader in that category.

The new travel ideas being generated in places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai today could be the bridge to the rest of the Africa continent and the entire world in the not-so-distant future — if the region's innovators absorb the lessons from other tech hubs.

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at travel and artificial intelligence, Air Asia’s new airline, and e-visa roadblocks in Africa.

To get an understanding of why there is so much buzz about generative AI and what this means for the travel industry and travelers, Skift CEO Rafat Ali talked to analyst and author David Mattin.

Hotels are more open to trying new ideas as they recover financially post-pandemic. Enter firms like tech startup ResortPass, which is pitching itself as a new way to juice more revenues.