Fliggy, part of Alibaba Group, has launched FlyAI, a developer platform connecting real-time inventory for building and commercializing AI travel applications. It offers a centralized development environment, experience module, and affiliate program, with a limited-time offer of 5,000 free API calls. This aims to move travel AI from concept to commercial deployment.
Ctrip Corporate Travel officially launched its AI Open Platform, modularizing and standardizing AI capabilities through an MCP open system for customers and partners. The platform offers three-tier open architecture (standard, advanced, custom) covering information queries, resource recommendations, itinerary planning. Claimed improvements: booking efficiency +85%, compliance accuracy 90%, cost reduction 15%.
Expedia Group is shutting down Lastminute.com.au, an Australian OTA. The site closes on June 2. Existing bookings are unaffected, and bookings remain open until May 15 for travel within nine months. After May 15, bookings only for travel by Nov. 1. From June, users redirected to Expedia.
This week's travel tech briefs cover: Amex GBT enhances Egencia with AI and Concur Expense integration; Mews launches business intelligence tool; Spotnana integrates with Premier Inn; Atriis appoints sales director; Curator Hotels partners with EHVA; Klarna partners with Aven Hospitality; FreedomPay and Agilysys expand partnership; BYRDLI launches Utah Unfolded; Omio launches ChatGPT app; HBX Group launches Agent Radar; RMS integrates GoCardless; Immfly and Volotea test LEO connectivity; ARC, Navan, and others join NDC FastTrack.
Hong Kong-based startup Roameo offers an AI-powered travel planning platform with a 'swipe-to-match' interface, integrating discovery, group coordination, and itinerary building. The platform gamifies group planning and captures high-intent behavioral insights for partners. Monetization includes B2C and B2B models: transaction revenue, freemium, and enterprise SaaS.
Saudi Arabia-based Almosafer has launched a ChatGPT app offering AI-powered conversational travel planning. Travelers can access the OTA's inventory of over 1.5 million hotels, with the app supporting Arabic and English, allowing users to search properties, receive personalized recommendations, and build itineraries. The CEO says the move aims to simplify travel through innovation.
This week's travel tech news includes: Loveholidays names Sarah Helppi VP of land; eDreams expands Prime in South Africa; Key Data appoints Dustin Downing as president; Lumo partners with BizTrip AI; Smartvel launches TravelAble; Nuitée partners with Globe Thrivers; Track completes Expedia Group integration; Dida partners with Tsinghua x-lab; Traveloris AI booking engine goes live; Navan launches audit engine; TProfile partners with Nomupay; HI USA selects Cloudbeds; NextTrip partners with QSTAK; Repayd appoints Erik Crouch.
Grab launched 13 AI experiences at its annual product showcase GrabX, with four focused on travel. These include 'Personalized Travel Experience,' hotel booking service GrabStays in partnership with Nuitée, culinary guide 'Discovered by Grab,' and GrabPay for Travel allowing payments with home-issued cards. Grab also partnered with WeRide to bring AV taxis to Singapore.
FCM built its own AI platform, Mosaic, using Anthropic's LLM, with guardrails and skills playbooks to control AI outputs for enterprise clients. Its AI assistant Sam is in use, and the company emphasizes AI as a capability rather than a separate roadmap.
Almosafer, Saudi Arabia's leading travel company, has launched on the ChatGPT platform, becoming the first Saudi app to offer consumer services through OpenAI's global AI interface. Users can access over 1.5 million hotels via Arabic or English dialogue, receive personalized recommendations, and build multi-city itineraries. This move transforms travel planning from manual search to natural conversation, supporting Saudi Vision 2030's digital transformation.
Kayak's new CEO Peer Bueller and CPO Matthias Keller discuss AI transformation. Kayak AI usage is still single-digit, but users are more likely to search without a destination. They emphasize that agentic booking is more likely in corporate travel, while leisure will take time.
This week's travel tech news: Amex GBT, Shell Aviation, and Google extend SAF partnership; HTS partners with Hopper to upgrade Avion Rewards; Agoda opens Bangkok office; SqaaS launches ShellBot; Capital A names deputy CEO; NextTrip adds agentic tools; PriceLabs launches Revenue Accelerator; Hostaway launches website solution; PCL Construction selects Navan; JTB launches Teal Essential; CityBlue Hotels partners with Inntelo.
Acai Travel has partnered with Lumo to integrate predictive disruption technology into its AI service platform. The integration helps travel companies identify at-risk trips earlier and manage delays and cancellations efficiently. It ranks cases by risk, surfaces rebooking options, and can initiate outreach before travelers contact support.
HBX Group has completed the full acquisition of Paris-based dynamic packaging technology company PerfectStay for an undisclosed amount. HBX initially acquired 25% of PerfectStay in mid-2024, and the transaction is based on a long-term, performance-based deal related to EBITDA until 2030. HBX said the acquisition reflects a shared belief in the long-term potential of holiday packaging as a strategic growth opportunity in B2B2C travel. PerfectStay will continue to operate from its Paris headquarters, supported by HBX Group's technology, product, and sourcing teams.
Dreamlines CEO Nishank Gopalkrishnan, six months into the role, plans to expand through packaging travel services alongside cruise, forging B2B partnerships, and driving efficiency using AI. He views the cruise sector as only 4-5% of the global tourism market and in need of digitalization, with significant innovation opportunities. The company is rebuilding parts of its technology stack to enable AI-driven cruise packaging and highlights AI's role in personalizing loyalty programs.
Booking Holdings has announced the appointment of Kurt Sievers, former CEO of NXP Semiconductors, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Sievers brings extensive experience in technology, mobility, and global consumer markets, having led major initiatives including the NXP-Freescale merger. Director Lynn Radakovich will retire after the annual meeting in June.
Almosafer, Saudi Arabia's leading travel company, has announced a strategic collaboration with Accor's Makkah hotel cluster (including Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel) to enhance inventory access and distribution efficiency, supporting Saudi Vision 2030. The partnership leverages Almosafer's Hajj and Umrah businesses and global network.
Booking Holdings announced it will hold a conference call to discuss Q1 2026 financial results on April 28, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Results will be posted on the IR website at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET, and the call audio will be available for replay for seven days.
Uber has agreed to acquire Blacklane, a premium chauffeur service, to expand into luxury and executive travel. Terms were not disclosed, and the deal is subject to regulatory approval, expected to close by end of 2026. Blacklane, founded in 2011, operates in over 500 cities across 60+ countries and has raised over $150 million. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said premium travel is a fast-growing segment, and the acquisition will broaden options for riders.
Fliggy, part of Alibaba Group, has launched 'flyai,' a developer-facing travel skill now live on ClawHub and GitHub. Built on Fliggy's Model Context Protocol (MCP) standard, it supports the full travel journey from inspiration to booking, spanning flights, hotels, attractions, ground transport, and more. Fliggy says the tool is plug-and-play, enabling developers to build applications including themed travel products and corporate travel management agents. It is being integrated into the skill stores of major Chinese smartphone manufacturers including Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Honor.
Navan reported Q4 and full-year fiscal 2026 earnings with revenue of $702 million, up 31% YoY. Q4 revenue rose 35% to $178 million. The company turned free cash flow positive for the first time and gross booking volume increased 42% to $2.3 billion in Q4. Navan also launched Navan Edge, an AI travel assistant targeting the $56 billion unmanaged travel market.
Layla.ai founder Saad Saeed shares his entrepreneurial journey. Founded in 2023, Layla.ai aims to simplify travel planning using AI and creator content. The company has processed over $1 billion in planned trip value and has around 30,000 paying subscribers. It recently secured a seven-figure investment round from investors including United Airlines Ventures and Baidu Capital. Saeed believes three shifts—data availability, social media inspiration, and AI technology—make travel planning finally solvable.
Swiss group booking specialist Lobby raised $2.2 million in funding from Founderful, with GetYourGuide co-founder Pascal Mathis joining the board. Founded in 2025, the company plans to expand into meetings, experiences, cruises, and airlines. Its AI platform helps hotels automate group booking requests, reduce manual processes, and increase conversion rates.
Tongcheng Travel announced 2025 annual results with revenue up 11.9% YoY to RMB 19.396 billion, and adjusted net profit up 22.2% to RMB 3.403 billion. Core OTA business grew 16%, with transportation ticketing revenue up 9.6% and accommodation reservation revenue up 16.8%. Monthly paying users reached a record high of 45.5 million.
Tongcheng Travel announced Q4 and full-year 2025 results. Q4 revenue grew 14.2% YoY to RMB 4.84 billion, with adjusted net profit up 18.1%. Full-year revenue increased 11.9% to RMB 19.396 billion, and adjusted net profit grew 22.2%. Core OTA business grew 16%, with accommodation reservation revenue up 16.8%.
Tripadvisor has reached an agreement with shareholder Starboard Value to add four new directors. This follows a letter from Starboard calling for a sale of the company and new director appointments. Starboard owns more than 9% of the company. Dhiren Fonseca and Andrew Cates have been appointed immediately, and Starboard will recommend two more at the annual meeting. The move aims to support value creation.
MakeMyTrip (MMT) has partnered with Mastercard to launch an AI-powered travel and lifestyle concierge called Lifestyle Navigator. The service combines MMT's travel marketplace and trip planning assistant Myra with Mastercard's AI capabilities to offer personalized experiences, including destination insights and payment product recommendations. MMT is the first OTA partner for Mastercard in this initiative, and it will be deployed first in India, available on MMT's platform later this year.
Startup Go With Rosie launched this month offering a free platform that recommends destinations and properties for families. The platform scores venues from 0 to 100 for family-friendliness and provides itinerary tools that account for nap times. The company makes money from hotel bookings. Founder Tyler Heilberger says the beta generated $30,879 in bookings with zero marketing spend.
Alibaba reported quarterly results for the period ended Dec 31, 2025: revenue of RMB 284.843 billion, up 2% YoY (9% on a like-for-like basis); adjusted EBITA down 57% to RMB 23.397 billion, mainly due to increased investments in instant retail, user experience, and technology. Cloud Intelligence Group revenue was RMB 43.284 billion, up 36% YoY, with AI-related product revenue growing triple digits for the tenth consecutive quarter. Qwen app MAU exceeded 300 million.
Trip.com Group expects to deliver approximately $5 billion in gross merchandise volume from destination services, driven by strong APAC demand. The company introduced a multilingual ticketing machine solution supporting 15 languages, deployed in over 7 countries and regions, serving over 300 attractions. AI plays a key role in personalization and customer service, with tools like Trip.Planner using over 20 million points of interest to generate personalized itineraries.
Capital One has launched a standalone travel app, allowing cardholders to book travel, redeem rewards, and track trips in real time, including airport lounge capacity and waitlist updates. The app brings technology in-house from Hopper, enabling deeper personalization and a seamless experience. Capital One does not plan to acquire Hopper but remains an investor.
India-based OTA MakeMyTrip is considering a listing in India to unlock additional capital for growth. The company recently completed an internal restructure bringing brands under a single entity. It also acquired tour operator Flamingo Transworld and invested in visa processing company Atlys. Revenue increased 11% to $296 million in Q3 FY2026.
Spend management platform Ramp has acquired guest travel startup Juno, planning to operate it independently while supporting its own travel offerings. Juno, founded by Pana's founders, launched last year and raised $6 million. Juno will retain its brand and team, and continue partnerships with TMCs like Altour, Direct Travel, and BCD Travel. Ramp plans to expand into Europe.
Expedia Group has partnered with PredictHQ to bring contextual data about global events to its hotel partners via Expedia Partner Center. The integration aims to provide hotels with demand insights to boost revenue strategies. The pilot began last year, with a full launch in late 2025. Chief commercial officer Greg Schulze highlighted that such events like the World Cup create demand spurts, and the tools help hotels optimize before, during, and after events for sustainable revenue.
This week's travel tech news briefs include: Key Data launches Dex AI; Airbnb names former Uber executive Gus Fuldner as global head of operations; RateGain partners with Juspay for embedded payments; Amadeus' Outpayce partners with UnionPay International; Navigator and Kargo collaborate on AI travel media; Dolphin Dynamics launches AI data entry tool; Eviivo upgrades owner management; HBX Group launches AI-powered Bedsonline; Lighthouse launches Review Agent; Red Roof partners with Milestone for AI transformation; HotelREZ appoints new VP.
Airbnb co-founder and chief strategy officer Nathan Blecharczyk said at ITB Berlin that Airbnb is actively pursuing its hotels vertical, starting with cities like New York and San Francisco, adding hotel-specific features like room type selection. He discussed AI use in customer support and future personal travel agents, and expressed confidence against disintermediation due to strong supply-side relationships. He also noted 60% of Airbnb's business in Europe is outside cities and announced a $1 million fund with the German Tourism Association to promote non-urban travel.
At SAP Concur Fusion 2026, SAP Concur showcased AI-driven innovations including Joule integration with Microsoft 365, new Expense Automation and Pre-Submit Audit Agents, and deepened partnerships with Amex and Visa. Concur Travel expanded to India, and TripIt Pro added new risk alerts.
The article explores how the strategic alliance between SAP Concur and Amex GBT is redefining business travel through the Complete solution. Both companies emphasize co-development, a unified data layer, and AI at the core to deliver seamless travel and expense experiences. It also discusses NDC complexity, data advantages, and questions for CXOs.
OpenAI is moving its Instant Checkout feature in ChatGPT to apps, tempering the idea that AI could render travel intermediaries obsolete. Industry experts note that travel transactions involve complex layers like pricing volatility and fare rules, making intermediaries hard to bypass. Following the news, stocks of OTAs like Expedia and Booking rose.
CMF Capital, an investor in Booking Holdings, sent a letter to the board criticizing its aggressive share buyback program for increasing financial risk. CMF noted that the company's equity ratio declined from about 39% in 2019 to 11% by end of 2022 and has since turned negative. The investor urges suspending buybacks and using cash flow to reduce debt and rebuild equity. Booking Holdings has not responded.