Blog

WTM London 2025 was the largest edition in the event’s history. More than 46,500 attendees, 5,500 qualified buyers and record commercial activity. (CIMunity and WTM Global Travel Report 2025)But the real insight from London was not scale. It was exposure. WTM revealed which businesses adapted in 2025 and which ones are moving into 2026 with outdated structures, slow execution and declining competitiveness.Travel demand is strong and forecast to outpace global GDP through 2035. (WTM Global Travel Report)The market is not your problem. Your organisation’s readiness is.<h3>What WTM Discussed Publicly: AI, Sustainability and Regeneration</h3>WTM London 2025 placed heavy emphasis on AI, data, sustainability and regenerative travel. Panels focused on climate-aligned tourism, community impact and how AI will reshape planning and operations. These themes dominated the public agenda. But none of them will deliver results if organisations still struggle with slow quoting, weak masterdata and outdated product structures. The gap between vision and execution was the real story.<h3>1. 2025 Was A Test. 2026 Will Be The Consequence. </h3>Travellers in 2025 shifted clearly toward authentic, intentional and experience-driven journeys. (Euronews Business)They rejected fast, checklist-style itineraries. They prioritised value, clarity and operational reliability. They rewarded suppliers who delivered depth and precision.If your 2025 offering looked similar to your 2019 offerings, you already lost ground this year. In 2026, that gap will widen.<h3>2. The Segments That Defined 2025 And Will Shape 2026</h3>MICE and bleisure The most commercially stable segment. Corporate clients expect seamless coordination and dependable delivery. Many suppliers still cannot meet that standard.Slow and immersive FIT Travellers want narrative, culture and rhythm, not speed or quantity.Adventure and nature Strongest growth from Southeast Asia, Korea, GCC and Millennial travellers. Operators avoiding this category are walking away from high-margin demand.Luxury Shifted toward private, curated and meaningful experiences. Hotels alone do not define luxury anymore.Secondary and climate-safe destinations Nordics, rural Europe, Balkans and Caucasus regions benefited from climate-conscious choices. Many DMCs are still not adjusting product strategy fast enough.These are not trends. They are new baselines.&nbsp;Sustainability and climate expectations are rising across these segments, and most suppliers are not yet adjusting their product architecture fast enough to support regenerative or climate-aligned travel.<h3>3. WTM Confirmed What Buyers Have Been Saying All Year: Speed Wins. Slow Loses.</h3>The most common frustration expressed in London was slow quoting. When responses take too long, buyers simply move on to faster suppliers.This is not about product quality. It is about operational structure, data discipline and internal processes.AI cannot fix slow quoting or disorganised data. It will only automate the inconsistency unless foundations are cleaned first.Most agents think they need better marketing. Most DMCs think they need more leads.In reality they need: • organised masterdata • integrated systems • clear processes • faster, structured executionThis is where the competitive advantage now sits.<h3>4. What Agents And DMCs Must Fix Before Q1 2026</h3>For outbound agents in Asia and the GCC • Rebuild product libraries with depth, culture and clarity. • Strengthen contracting and unify rate structures. • Implement CRM and masterdata foundations to accelerate quoting. • Retire outdated itineraries that weaken your positioning.For inbound DMCs across Europe and Türkiye • Redesign itineraries around climate shifts, seasonality and cultural access. • Integrate enquiry, operations and accounting workflows. • Structure your rate and product data for instant retrieval. • Train teams in accuracy, communication and operational discipline.For both • Stop waiting for a “more stable market.” This is the market. • Lead your clients with stronger insights and better product direction. • Treat speed and data clarity as core commercial assets.AI, sustainability reporting and climate-aligned product development all require structured data, reliable systems and consistent operational execution. Without that, none of the larger industry themes translate into commercial value.<h3>5. The Real Message From WTM London 2025</h3>This year’s event was not a celebration of the industry’s strength. It was a clear signal of what must change before the next cycle.Travel demand is growing. Travellers are evolving. Competitors are improving. Operational gaps are widening.2026 will reward the organisations that act now. Those who wait will spend the year losing margin, clients and relevance.WTM did not just highlight AI, data and sustainability. It exposed how few organisations are structurally ready to deliver them. If you want to close these gaps before 2026, <a data-mce-href="https://bgsadvisory.com/contact-us" href="https://bgsadvisory.com/contact-us" title="BGS contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contact BGS today.﻿</a>

WTM London 2025: The Unfiltered Reality Check The Travel Industry Needed Before 2026

What changed: AI personalization is replacing static rate parity, shifting control from OTAs to hotels.Why it matters: Hotels regain pricing freedom, own guest data, and strengthen direct relationships.<h3>1. From Price Parity to Digital Dependency</h3>In the early 2000s, hotels introduced rate parity to stop the chaos of inconsistent prices across online channels. The rule worked: every platform showed the same rate. But over time, parity turned from a solution into a constraint. OTAs used it to control visibility and limit flexibility, while hotels lost their ability to innovate or tailor offers.That system lasted almost twenty years. AI now changes everything.&nbsp;<h3>2. The Market Shift Underway</h3>Recent data shows the balance is shifting fast.<ul><li>Skift Research (2024): OTA bookings reached 266 billion USD; direct channels were close behind at 262 billion USD.</li><li>By 2030, direct bookings are forecast to hit 400 billion USD, surpassing OTAs at 333 billion USD.</li><li>D-EDGE (2025): Direct booking costs average 3.5 percent, compared to OTA commissions of 12 to 28 percent.</li><li>Lodging Magazine (2025): 37 percent of US travelers plan to book direct in 2025, compared with a global average of 27 percent.</li></ul>Hotels are regaining leverage. The question is how quickly they can turn data and personalization into advantage.<h3>3. AI and the End of Public Rate Visibility</h3>Rate parity depends on public rates that can be monitored. AI-powered booking assistants work differently. They generate private, one-to-one offers based on each traveler’s history, loyalty profile, and preferences.These personalized offers are invisible to OTAs. Enforcement of parity becomes almost impossible.RateGain (2024) found that 72 percent of hotels struggle to maintain parity manually and 67 percent want automation for ARI updates. AI tools now manage rate adjustments instantly while enabling hotels to test targeted offers. D-EDGE (2024) reported that hotels using private or closed-user rates achieved average distribution costs of 5.2 percent, well below traditional OTA-linked costs.AI does not just change pricing. It changes visibility, control, and power.<h3>4. What This Means Beyond Hotels </h3>This transformation will affect entire destinations. AI assistants will soon build full itineraries in real time, hotels, transfers, attractions, and meals, and each priced dynamically.Destinations and DMCs will need interconnected data ecosystems that allow dynamic packaging instead of static rate contracts. Tourism boards investing in shared data frameworks will gain visibility inside AI-powered booking platforms.BGS clients already see this as the next phase of destination competitiveness.<h3>5. How to Act Now</h3>Start small but act early.<ol><li>Review system readiness: Ensure PMS, CRS, and CRM can integrate AI-driven pricing and automation.</li><li>Experiment with personalization: Test private offers for loyalty or high-value segments.</li><li>Automate where possible: Adopt AI tools for rate and inventory synchronization.</li><li>Collaborate across the chain: Connect hotels, DMCs, and destination partners through shared content and pricing data. </li></ol>The goal is not just to use AI but to structure it strategically.<h3>6. Ethics and Regulation</h3>Personalized pricing must stay transparent and fair. European regulators have already limited wide parity clauses, allowing flexibility but expecting clarity. BGS recommends three principles:<ul><li>Fairness based on objective, consented data</li><li>Clarity about why an offer is personalized</li><li>Accountability through trackable data trails </li></ul>Trust will be the new currency of direct bookings.<h3>7. The Road Ahead</h3><ul><li>2025–2026: Pilot phase for AI-native booking and rate automation.</li><li>2027: Major hotel brands integrate AI-driven chat and recommendation tools.</li><li>2028 onward: Public parity loses relevance as AI becomes the primary booking interface. </li></ul>Early movers will see lower acquisition costs and stronger guest loyalty.<h3>8. The BGS Perspective </h3>BGS sees this not as a technology trend but as a structural reset in tourism economics. We help partners:<ul><li>Audit readiness for AI integration</li><li>Design and test AI-driven pricing frameworks</li><li>Build cross-sector partnerships linking hotels, DMCs, and destinations </li></ul>The opportunity is not only efficiency. It is differentiation and long-term ownership of guest relationships.<h3>9. Takeaways</h3>Hotels, DMCs, and destination leaders should:<ul><li>Launch pilot programs for AI-driven pricing and distribution</li><li>Align data strategy with personalization goals</li><li>Partner with BGS to design a roadmap for AI-enabled growth</li></ul>

Beyond Rate Parity: How AI Is Rewriting Hotel and Destination Economics

System investments in the travel industry are gaining attention - particularly for Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and inbound tour operators navigating complex, multi-market environments. Platforms like quoting engines, booking systems, and supplier CRMs are attractive. But these tools often fail to deliver the expected returns.The problem isn’t choosing the right software - it’s the lack of internal clarity, defined roles, and long-term accountability that causes systems to underdeliver.This follow-up to our previous article ("<a data-mce-href="https://bgsadvisory.com/blog/avoid-these-7-pitfalls-when-building-dmc-it-systems-that-actually-scale" href="https://bgsadvisory.com/blog/avoid-these-7-pitfalls-when-building-dmc-it-systems-that-actually-scale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Avoid These 7 Pitfalls When Building DMC IT Systems That Actually Scale</a>") shifts the lens: from operational pain points to the strategic decisions investors must make to scale systems sustainably and with measurable ROI.<h3>The Hidden Cost of Fragmented Investment</h3>Many travel businesses still pursue tech adoption reactively. A sales slowdown? Launch a CRM. Team burnout? Add automation. But without understanding how systems interact across departments, these moves often create more confusion and friction.The result is high spending, disconnected workflows, and inconsistent system use across teams. Implementation fatigue sets in. Morale drops. And investors lose visibility on how, or if, the investment will pay off.Real digital maturity isn't tool count, it's system clarity.This is particularly true for DMCs managing:<ul><li>Multi-country pricing rules</li><li>Dynamic supplier inventories</li><li>Multi-currency invoicing and reconciliation</li><li>Legal and tax variations by destination</li></ul>System investment must follow a logic of integration, not isolation.<h3>Key Investment Multipliers Beyond the Tech Stack</h3>Returns depend less on features, more on structure, key people, and process. Focus on:<ul><li>Process Scalability - Can growth happen without matching staff increases?</li><li>Governance Clarity - Is system logic owned and managed with long-term consistency?</li><li>Data Continuity - Are there reliable sources for rates, contracts, and KPIs</li><li>Adoption Resilience - Are teams trained, onboarded, and using the system as intended? </li></ul>These multipliers are where ROI is truly made or lost, not in the feature list of the platform chosen.<h3>From Fragmented Ops to AI-Ready Growth: The Three Phases of ROI</h3>Successful system investment, especially in DMCs, follows a clear three-step progression. AI can drive exponential gains, but only once the underlying structure is in place. Below is a simplified framework to understand the three key phases. These benchmarks are drawn from industry case studies and BGS internal observations. While exact outcomes vary by market and execution quality, they reflect realistic patterns seen across structured digital transformation efforts in travel and related sectors.1. The Actual (Unwanted) Situation<ul><li>Quoting takes 2–3 days and varies across teams</li><li>Conversion is stuck below 10%</li><li>Supplier errors or payment gaps recur weekly</li><li>No central owner or accountability for systems</li></ul>2. Structured System Gains (With Foundational Improvements)<ul><li>Quoting reduced to &lt; 1 day</li><li>Conversion increases to 12–14%</li><li>Manual hours and errors drop by 40–60%</li><li>Data and workflows become consistent across teams</li><li>ROI multiples reach 2.5x to 3.5x within a year</li></ul>3. AI-Enhanced Potential (After Foundation is Set)<ul><li>Quoting in under 30 minutes, even for complex itineraries</li><li>Conversion jumps to 16–18%</li><li>Daily quote volume per operator doubles</li><li>Predictive tools reduce supplier and margin issues</li><li>ROI surpasses 4x and scales faster with adoption</li></ul>These projections reflect realistic potential, not inflated info. But they depend on sustained execution, cross-team alignment, and a solid base before AI is applied.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AI is not a shortcut - it’s an amplifier. Without structure, it accelerates chaos, not results.<h3>The Real Path to AI-Ready Growth: What Investors Must Back First</h3>AI is revolutionizing travel operations, especially in quoting, pricing, itinerary creation, and inquiry handling. But it’s not plug-and-play. Without the right internal foundation, AI tools won’t scale, they’ll stall.If investors want to deploy capital toward fast, measurable growth, here’s the realistic sequence:<ol><li>Organizational Setup Align team roles, workflows, accountability layers, and governance across departments. This avoids confusion and fragmentation when systems scale.</li><li>Core System + Data Foundations Standardize processes, clean up supplier and client masterdata, map reconciliation flows, and stabilize the tech stack. This ensures future tools — AI or not — have reliable inputs.</li><li>Targeted AI Layering Apply AI in specific, high-impact areas like dynamic quoting, itinerary personalization, lead scoring, or supplier benchmarking. But only once structure is clear and workflows are owned internally. </li></ol>AI is not the starting line, it’s the multiplier. Investors who want sustainable, scalable growth must fund the foundation first.<h3>Why a Neutral System Audit Matters More Than You Think</h3>Smart investors go beyond asking what system a DMC uses. They focus on how it’s used, who governs it, and whether the surrounding structure enables scale. This combination drives long-term value. &nbsp;This is where a short, neutral operational audit creates significant value:<ul><li>It reveals friction points and overlaps that internal teams may miss</li><li>It benchmarks readiness against peer businesses and current standards</li><li>It allows for staged investment planning, with risk mitigation</li><li>It supports smoother implementation and allows the organization to adapt through steady change management</li></ul>Comparable real-world cases:<ul><li>PwC (2022) used external input to realign its travel risk framework, reinforcing the value of an outsider’s view even in mature organizations.</li><li>AirAsia X (2023) launched a digital overhaul by first aligning process accountability and decision flow across regions, a model for scaling complex multi-market operations.</li><li>Amadeus (2023) supported the Oasis platform in reducing manual booking workload by integrating flight data via APIs. The actual impact came from how the organization adapted, retraining staff and aligning operations around the new system.</li></ul><h3>A Strategic Framework for Scaling Systems</h3>To ensure structure and system investment are aligned, consider this staged framework:1. Operational Audit and Roadmap Design<ul><li>Internal interviews, friction mapping, tech stack review</li></ul>2. MVP System Layer<ul><li>One quoting module, sourcing dashboard, or API-connected supplier catalog</li></ul>3. Cross-Function Expansion<ul><li>Finance automation, reporting layers, compliance triggers, CRM integration </li></ul>4. Performance Loop and Training<ul><li>Real usage metrics, staff feedback cycles, KPI tracking, quarterly improvement sprints </li></ul>Each stage protects budget, validates need, and builds confidence across internal and external stakeholders.<h3>Final Word: System ROI is Built on Structure, Not Software </h3>In today’s fragmented travel ecosystem, technology is essential, but not sufficient. The businesses that thrive are those who treat system investment as an organizational decision, not just a software one.If you are evaluating a travel business or funding operational scale, look first at structure. The tools will follow.Every successful tech investment begins with clarity. <a data-mce-href="https://bgsadvisory.com/contact-us" href="https://bgsadvisory.com/contact-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reach out</a> for a structured system review before your next move. For foundational risks to avoid before investing, revisit Part 1: 🔗 Read: <a data-mce-href="https://bgsadvisory.com/blog/avoid-these-7-pitfalls-when-building-dmc-it-systems-that-actually-scale" href="https://bgsadvisory.com/blog/avoid-these-7-pitfalls-when-building-dmc-it-systems-that-actually-scale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Avoid These 7 Pitfalls When Building DMC IT Systems That Actually Scale</a>

Why Smart Investors Prioritize Structure Before Systems in Travel Tech

The hospitality and tourism sectors are facing a pivotal moment. Rising operating costs, persistent staffing shortages, and heightened guest expectations are pushing industry leaders to rethink how they balance technology and human resources. The key isn't choosing one over the other, but rather integrating both to deliver consistent, high-quality service.Here’s what the latest data tells us, what successful hotels and operators are doing, and how others can replicate those gains.<h3>The Operational Challenge: Technology Overload, Talent Shortage</h3>Recent research shows:<ul><li>Nearly 70% of hoteliers struggle to connect modern tech tools with outdated systems still running core operations (Bottle Rocket Studios, 2025).</li><li>Over half admit they don't have the in-house capability to manage or maintain these technologies effectively (Bottle Rocket Studios, 2025).</li><li>Simultaneously, workforce shortages continue across front desk, housekeeping, and service teams, especially in high-volume or seasonal destinations (Revfine, 2024).</li></ul>These problems aren’t isolated. The lack of integration and staffing doesn't just affect operations. It slows revenue, reduces personalization, limits efficiency, and degrades guest satisfaction.<h3>What Strong Operators Are Doing Differently</h3>Forward-thinking hospitality brands are finding practical ways to pair automation and AI with frontline teams. The goal is to automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks while enabling staff to focus on high-value guest service.Some operators, for example, have significantly reduced rate loading times, from several days to just a few, by adopting automated tools that eliminate manual data entry ( ZS, 2024 ). This shift frees up staff to focus on pricing strategy and guest-facing roles.Hotels introducing AI-powered chatbots or mobile check-in services have also reported large reductions in guest service call volumes and faster check-in experiences ( Canary Technologies, 2024 ). These changes not only ease operational pressures but also allow staff to spend more time on personalized service, improving guest satisfaction and opportunities for upselling.In addition, smart staff scheduling platforms have helped some properties streamline shift planning, reduce burnout, and improve overall team satisfaction (SuperAGI, 2024). These tools allow managers to align staffing levels more closely with real-time demand, leading to better service quality without overworking teams.<h3>Choosing a Strategy That Fits</h3>Each hospitality business needs to define its own path. Here are four strategies in plain terms:<ul><li>Invest in staff training and upskilling – Builds in-house capability, supports retention, and ensures smoother tech adoption. The downside: it's time-intensive and there's a risk of turnover after training.</li><li>Partner with tech vendors – Offers fast rollout and specialist access without hiring internally. The risk? Less control, and service quality depends on vendor fit.</li><li>Phase in automation with quick wins – Start small with low-risk tasks to prove ROI and build confidence internally. But beware of fragmented tools that don't integrate.</li><li>Blend tech and human roles – Let machines handle the repetitive tasks so staff can focus on service. This model demands a clear shift in roles and good internal communication.</li></ul><h3>Measuring Impact: Metrics That Matter</h3>How can you tell if your approach is working? Focus on a few core metrics:<ul><li>Time saved on repetitive tasks (e.g. rate loading, check-in)</li><li>Staff workload reduction and improved morale</li><li>Lower turnover and higher satisfaction among employees</li><li>Guest experience indicators: survey scores, reviews, NPS</li><li>Cost reduction relative to technology investment</li></ul>Fewer complaints linked to operational delays or errors<h3>How to Get Started</h3><ul><li>For hotels, resorts, DMCs, or travel operators in BGS's key markets, here’s a practical way to begin:</li></ul><ol><li>Map out your operational bottlenecks, whether tech-related or staffing-based.</li><li>Choose 1-2 pain points that could benefit from automation or AI.</li><li>Pilot the solution. Measure performance and impact on guest and team experience.</li><li>Use insights to scale carefully, ensuring alignment with your service model.</li></ol><h3>Looking Ahead</h3>Technology in hospitality isn't about replacing people. It's about enabling teams to focus on what matters most: delivering authentic, memorable guest experiences.Leaders who balance smart automation with human-first service design will be best positioned to thrive in the next decade.If you want to explore a roadmap tailored to your region or operation, let's connect.

Addressing the Tech & Workforce Gap in Hospitality: Automation, AI, and Staff Satisfaction

<h3>Here's your Q3/25 update on the AI tools reshaping how the travel industry books, personalizes, and sells.</h3>Travel’s usability just leveled up. These AI tools are no longer prototypes. They are actively reshaping how trips are searched, booked, visualized, and rebooked. If you're in DMC, OTA, or tour operations, these shifts are already in play.This isn’t about future potential. It’s about competitive models being redefined now across the entire trip lifecycle.Below is a BGS-curated list of five strategic AI rollouts from Q3 2025 that are driving immediate impact.<h3>1. Google Flights: Natural Language Search</h3>Launch: August 2025 Travelers now use everyday prompts like “3-night warm getaway under $600 in October” and receive curated flight and destination results.Why it matters<ul><li>Removes complexity from early-stage planning</li><li>Encourages discovery beyond typical destinations</li><li>Shifts the UX model for OTAs and metasearch </li></ul>Core benefit: Smarter inspiration with minimal friction.<h3>2. Agoda: AI-Curated Property Visuals</h3>Launch: August 2025 Agoda now upgrades over 450 million property images using AI. It enhances clarity, removes duplicates, improves load time, and ranks the most relevant visuals.Why it matters<ul><li>Users spend more time on listings and explore more room types</li><li>Improves mobile performance and visual confidence</li><li>Reduces manual work for property partners </li></ul>Core benefit: Visual trust delivered at scale, driving higher conversion.<h3>3. Booking Holdings: Connected Trip via GenAI</h3>Rollout: Ongoing since mid-2025 Booking is building a unified AI layer that connects flights, stays, transport, and activities into one personalized journey.Why it matters<ul><li>Transforms personalization from single-point to journey-wide</li><li>Increases upsell and loyalty through seamless integration</li><li>Moves from transaction platform to ecosystem control</li></ul>Core benefit: End-to-end relevance across every traveler touchpoint.<h3>4. Virgin Atlantic x TCS: AI-Driven Airline Infrastructure</h3>Launch: June 2025 Virgin has embedded AI platforms like Cognix and WisdomNext into its core infrastructure for real-time ops, customer comms, and analytics.Why it matters<ul><li>Improves forecasting and disruption management</li><li>Enhances personalization beyond front-end features</li><li>Strengthens operational resilience for airlines</li></ul>Core benefit: AI becomes foundational, not just a customer-facing tool.<h3>5. OneAir Elite: Automated Price Drop Rebooking</h3>Launch: August 2025 OneAir tracks hotel and flight prices after booking. If prices fall, the system rebooks automatically at the lower rate with no user input.Why it matters<ul><li>Average savings range between $50 and $150 per trip</li><li>Increases perceived traveler value post-purchase</li><li>Disrupts loyalty by offering tangible ROI</li></ul>Core benefit: Passive value gain. Loyalty through automation.<h3>BGS Perspective</h3>The edge no longer lies in simply using AI. It lies in how quickly operators embed it into real-world workflows. These tools reduce friction, boost trust, and collapse the decision cycle-all in real time.For DMCs, agents, and regional operators, the opportunity is clear: either plug into these intelligent systems or design leaner models that can respond just as fast.At BGS, we're actively mapping AI use cases against direct contracting, itinerary logic, and supply chain visibility.What This Means for You<ul><li>DMCs: Prioritize clean and structured content. AI-curated platforms will favor clarity.</li><li>Agents: Travelers expect personalization and price agility, even post-booking.</li><li>Tour Operators: Consider GenAI pilots for itinerary generation, pricing logic, and response workflows. &nbsp; Need support evaluating your AI options or competitive position? Let’s talk.</li></ul>

Travel Tech Just Leveled Up

<h3>- The New Normal for Travel Business -</h3>What if your company posted record profits and still reduced staff?That is exactly what Booking.com is doing in 2025. The company is growing, but it is also restructuring, because the way travel businesses operate is changing fast. Artificial intelligence is no longer a support tool. It is becoming the core of how operations, content, and communication are handled.This shift is already underway across the largest travel platforms. The real question is whether smaller companies are prepared to adapt safely and strategically.<h3>Booking.com Is Profitable, Yet Reducing Roles</h3>n the first quarter of 2025, Booking Holdings reported strong financial performance. Revenue reached 4.76 billion USD, up 8% compared to the same period in 2024. Adjusted EBITDA grew 21%, totaling 1.1 billion USD. (Source: PhocusWire, Reuters)Despite this success, the company announced a global restructuring that may impact up to 1,000 employees. The goal is to reduce operational costs and increase long-term efficiency. (Source: Skift, Hospitality Today)Booking also shared plans to save between 400 and 450 million USD per year by 2028. Much of this is tied to the integration of AI, restructuring internal teams, and shifting operations to new tech-driven hubs.<h3>AI Is Replacing Workflows, Not Just Assisting Them </h3>Booking.com has expanded its AI operations in Romania, India, and Israel. These new hubs are taking over tasks that were once handled in offices like Amsterdam.&nbsp;AI is now used across:<ul><li>Travel itinerary planning</li><li>Customer support responses</li><li>Translation and localization</li><li>Real-time pricing</li><li>Dynamic content generation&nbsp;</li></ul> This is more than automation. It is a rethinking of how the company is structured.<h3>Expedia, Airbnb and Tripadvisor Are Making Similar Moves </h3>Expedia Group announced a reorganization in early 2025 that affected approximately 500 roles, which is about 3% of its workforce. Teams in product, editorial, and marketing were most impacted. AI tools have since been adopted across Hotels.com and Vrbo. (Source: PhocusWire, TechStory)Airbnb is testing AI for translation and support tasks. One internal AI migration project converted over 3,000 test files in just six weeks using LLMs, a process that used to take 18 months. While large-scale job cuts are not confirmed, the shift toward automation is well underway. (Source: Analytics India Magazine)Tripadvisor laid off 75 employees and 90 contractors in early 2025. Analysts expect more content and communications work to shift toward automation in the coming year. (Source: Skift, TechCrunch)Other platforms like GetYourGuide and Despegar are also exploring centralized automation strategies, although few have made public statements.<h3>What This Means for Smaller Travel Companies </h3>At BGS, we support small and mid-sized travel businesses. Many of these companies still believe automation is only relevant to large OTAs or tech-driven platforms. That belief is shifting quickly. Here's what we are seeing across the industry:<ul><li>Companies are evaluating roles based on how easily they can be automated, not just how well they perform</li><li>Functions such as customer support, translation, content creation, and admin are the most at risk</li><li>Teams are becoming more distributed, moving from centralized offices to cost-efficient, tech-enabled hubs</li></ul> Even if your company is not reducing headcount, the structure of your team will likely need to evolve soon.<h3>What to Expect in the Next 12 to 24 Months </h3>We expect the following trends as automation becomes more common:<ul><li>New roles will emerge in AI supervision, data validation, and quality control</li><li>Customer service, translation, and content teams will shrink or shift to hybrid formats</li><li>Legal frameworks may begin including automation clauses, especially in Europe</li><li>Companies that automate without planning risk damaging team trust and brand reputation&nbsp;</li></ul>This is no longer a future trend. It is becoming a standard business move.<h3>BGS Guidance for Smart Preparation </h3>We advise travel operators to take a structured and gradual approach to automation. Based on our client work, here are four starting points:1. Identify automatable tasks - Focus on workflows that are repetitive, rule-based, or time-consuming.2. Redesign how work gets done - Start with hybrid models, use AI where it adds value, but keep human oversight.3. Train your team - Equip your current staff with the skills to work with AI tools and manage hybrid processes.4. Communicate openly - People are less afraid of AI than of being left out of decisions. Clear communication builds trust and reduces resistance.You don’t need to automate everything, but you do need to start with a plan, before the pressure forces action.<h3>Final Insight from BGS </h3>This transformation will reach every travel company. It is only a matter of time, and it has already begun with the big platforms.Companies like Booking.com and Expedia can move quickly because they have structure, systems, and financial stability. For smaller firms, rushing into automation without a solid foundation, such as reliable IT infrastructure, clear organizational structure, and well-managed operations, can turn a potential advantage into a major risk.At BGS, we help companies navigate this transition step by step. We start with a practical company assessment and guide each next phase with a clear, scalable plan. Our focus is long-term value, stable teams, and smart growth.<h3>Let’s Take This Further </h3>Are your current workflows starting to feel inefficient or outdated? Do you have a roadmap for how automation might affect your sales, support, or content teams?We help travel businesses evaluate their current state, map out risks and opportunities, and redesign for the next phase.Send us a message if you'd like to benchmark your current structure. Or follow BGS for monthly insights into travel operations, automation strategy, and building resilient teams.

Insights

WTM London 2025: The Unfiltered Reality Check The Travel ...

Beyond Rate Parity: How AI Is Rewriting Hotel and Destina...

Why Smart Investors Prioritize Structure Before Systems i...

Addressing the Tech & Workforce Gap in Hospitality: Autom...

Travel Tech Just Leveled Up

Booking.com is Growing - So Why is it Cutting Jobs?