Your Daily Dose of Travel Gossip

The only passport offering access to 190+ destinations in latest Henley index — Full list inside | - The Times of India

In global travel rankings, crossing the 190-destination mark is rare. According to the latest Henley Passport Index, only one passport currently offer.

I sat on a 65-million-year-old fossil, and why I’d do it again: It almost felt like… | - The Times of India

A solo traveler's unplanned detour led to the discovery of Ghughwa Fossil National Park in Madhya Pradesh. This park showcases plant and animal fossils dating back 40 to 150 million years, offering a unique glimpse into Earth's ancient history a

Mexican OTA Daypass.com lands $2M for international expansion | PhocusWire

The startup, founded in 2023 in Mexico City, said it plans to expand operations to 26 countries this year.

Google testing ad formats for travel in AI Mode | PhocusWire

Google is testing ad formats in retail and said similar tests were happening in other industries such as travel.

Ixigo eyes global expansion, acquires majority stake in Trenes | PhocusWire

Ixigo expects “meaningful synergies” from the investment by combining Trenes' customer base and integrations with the Indian OTA’s product innovation and technological expertise.

Multimodal travel, AI and the changing definition of access | PhocusWire

As traveler values shift and sustainability, accessibility and resilience move higher on the agenda, mobility itself is becoming a defining part of the travel experience.  

Beyond the software: Why support defines success in vacation rentals | PhocusWire

Software providers support property managers to streamline workflows and reduce manual errors, allowing managers to focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences and maintaining impeccable owner relations.

Inside Latin America’s digital shift in tours, activities and experiences | PhocusWire

With travelers increasingly booking online and prioritizing memorable activities over traditional products, Latin America presents both enormous opportunity and unique complexity. 

Why data quality is becoming the foundation of travel innovation | PhocusWire

Yanolja's Changemaker session at The Phocuswright Conference explored how low-quality data remains one of the biggest barriers to innovation in hospitality and how cloud-based platforms are changing the way suppliers, intermediaries and travelers inte

Why payments are becoming a strategic driver in travel | PhocusWire

As financial services and travel technology continue to converge, the ability to reduce friction across regions, channels and payment methods is emerging as a competitive advantage for the industry.  

How travel insurance is evolving to support modern journeys | PhocusWire

Travel disruption has become a defining feature of leisure and business trips as delays, cancellations and unexpected events increasingly shape traveler behavior.

Rethinking availability, risk and conversion in hotel distribution | PhocusWire

Learn more about the concept of 'invisible loss' in travel and how availability gaps and limited rate flexibility can prevent demand and supply from connecting—even when both clearly exist.

Key travel trends shaping destinations, experiences and stays | PhocusWire

From pop culture-inspired travel and sports tourism to growing interest in flexible stays and multi-property trips, the signals point to a more intentional and experience-led approach to travel in the year ahead.

Why seamless arrivals are critical to the connected trip | PhocusWire

Flights, accommodation and ground transportation still operate in silos, leaving travelers to navigate delays, missed connections and inconsistent service.

Travel tech at ITB Berlin 2026: Key tracks and voices shaping the future of travel | PhocusWire

New this year at ITB Berlin is the Travel Tech Track, connecting traditional travel distribution systems with modern technologies.

Expedia Group sees double-digit growth in revenue, gross bookings as AI push continues | PhocusWire

Revenue was up 11% year over year to $3.5 billion, while total gross bookings were up 11% to $27 billion in Q4 2025.

Phocuswright Europe 2026 | PhocusWire

Barcelona

Travel Marketing AI Summit | PhocusWire

New York City

OTAs gain share of experiences bookings as direct declines | PhocusWire

According to the State of Experiences report from Arival, 37% of bookings were attributed to OTAs in 2025.

Naboo secures $70M to expand beyond events, scale in US | PhocusWire

Naboo said the additional capital will be used to expand beyond events to become a “global ‘tail-spend’ procurement platform.”

61% of travel brands are testing or scaling agentic AI | PhocusWire

After developments in 2025, agentic AI use is likely to increase for travelers and businesses.

Calling all travel startups: Global Startup Pitch returns in 2026 | PhocusWire

The Grand Finals will be held at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona this summer.

Startup Stage: Altek AI wants to use AI to improve hotel guest communications | PhocusWire

Founded in 2024, Norwegian startup Altek AI recently raised $500,000 to build an AI platform for hotels focused on guest communication.

Marriott shares details of AI projects, partnerships | PhocusWire

Marriott plans to deploy natural language search across Marriott.com and the Bonvoy mobile app in the first half of 2026.

DirectBooking, DeepYou partner to build AI-native hotel booking platform | PhocusWire

The companies aim to have the platform cover 100,000 hotels in the next three years.

CEO Spotlight: Bryan Batista of Skyscanner | PhocusWire

Skycanner CEO Bryan Batista talks about travel's uncomfortable truths and what needs to be started from scratch in the industry.

Using cloud to power innovation in travel | PhocusWire

AWS' Tedd Evers discusses current cloud use cases and how it will impact travel innovation moving forward.

New rules for ‘good’ listings: How guests, algorithms are raising the bar for STRs | PhocusWire

PriceLabs co-founder Richie Khandelwal describes what makes a "bad" STR listing and why hosts and property managers need to set clear expectations.

Amadeus to shut down self-service APIs portal for developers | PhocusWire

Access for enterprise customers will remain in place, a decision that's prompted ample discussion among industry stakeholders.

Airlines' tentative approach to AI | PhocusWire

An Accenture study suggested only 12% of carriers link AI directly to revenue, compared with other consumer industries that have adopted it more fully.

Tripadvisor pleased with experiences revenue contribution, early AI MVP tests | PhocusWire

The experiences business reported revenue of $204 million in the quarter, up from $186 million during the same period in 2024. Full-year revenue rose 10% to $924 million.

Presenting the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2026 | PhocusWire

PhocusWire presents the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2026—our annual list of new companies in travel, hospitality and tourism.

Indicio launches tech allowing AI agents to verify digital passports | PhocusWire

The software overseeing the interactions also verifies that the chatbot actually belongs to the airline or travel company, “creating trust in both directions.”

Sabre, Mindtrip, PayPal partner to launch agentic AI assistant for travel | PhocusWire

The product is set to launch in the second quarter and will live on the Mindtrip platform.

Airbnb confirms hotels expansion plans amid 'strong' early momentum | PhocusWire

Airbnb reported solid Q4 and full-year results and shared updates on its progress in the hotel vertical.

PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: Airbnb, Datalex, SITA and more... | PhocusWire

Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry.

Earnings roundup: Yatra, TUI Group, HomeToGo, Grab | PhocusWire

Check out highlights from the latest financial updates from companies across the global travel industry.

Schwab transitions to chairman role at Casago | PhocusWire

Casago president Joe Riley, who took up the role in September 2024, will take over as CEO in October.

Healing petals: Why spring flower season in Europe is the natural therapy you didn’t know you needed | Euronews

Studies have revealed that time spent in nature can reduce stress, anxiety and blood pressure.

Yes, you can still visit Barcelona. Here’s how to do it more responsibly | Euronews

Groups across Europe are calling for a day of anti-tourism protests in June, foreshadowing another summer of unrest.

Where to see the white smoke: What to know about visiting Rome for the conclave | Euronews

Tens of thousands of travellers have descended on the city for the funeral of Pope Francis and the election of a new pontiff.

Limestone pinnacles, cypress trees and white cliffs: 4 European beaches among the best in the world | Euronews

Two European beaches made the global top 10 for their stunning unspoilt nature.

Canary Islands are experiencing ‘record-breaking’ tourist numbers despite resident protests | Euronews

On Tenerife, authorities have also announced that a new eco-tax will be introduced next year to protect a popular national park.

Vietnam is introducing a 10-year golden visa. Here’s what we know so far | Euronews

Vietnam is experiencing an economic boom, making it increasingly attractive as a destination for high-net-worth foreigners.

Mountain hikes, canyoning and diving: Why Madeira could be your next adventure holiday destination | Euronews

Visit in shoulder season when the island is at its quietest and its natural landscapes are in their prime.

UN Tourism and Macao University of Tourism Drive Digital Transformation in Asia-Pacific’s Meetings and Events Industry

UN Tourism and Macao University of Tourism Drive Digital Transformation in Asia-Pacific’s Meetings and Events Industry

UN Tourism and Macao University of Tourism Drive Digital Transformation in Asia-Pacific’s Meetings and Events Industry