Meili CEO discusses loyalty, OTA tensions and AI booking

On November 13, 2026, Meili co-founder and CEO Mike McGearty said in a Web in Travel report that loyalty programs can significantly improve conversion rates and reduce cancellations and no-shows, and that promotions tied to loyalty profiles perform noticeably better than ordinary promotions. He mentioned that large OTAs continue to increase their B2B push, prompting airlines and hotel groups to begin worrying about "how my data is used," and he views this tension as Meili's opportunity over the next five years. He also noted that although more people search for travel using AI, only a small number of users are willing to complete bookings through AI.