A tiny Denmark-shaped lesson from IBTM

from a sea of business cards...

November 21, 2025

Hi there,

I spent a few hours at IBTM this week and left with a strange feeling…

IBTM is, of course, a trading show: it’s built for meetings, deals, and destination pitches. But even knowing that, I kept looking for a bit more storytelling on the floor. I know so many destinations are doing great work… and not much of that really showed up with the teams that were there.

At one booth someone even told me innovation and tech were “a waste of time,” which was… surprising to hear in 2025. 🥸

And then… there was Denmark.

Their stand was packed every time I walked by. They brought startup teams, hosted innovation talks, and even kicked off each morning with a 9AM sing-along (!!). I mean… only the Danes! 🇩🇰

So nice to see a DMO bring personality into a space that’s usually just business cards and meetings. 🎉

A few things we thought were worth having on your radar this week.

At the FutureTravel Summit, Trengo brought a calm space to the networking lounge and showed how travel brands are turning inbox chaos into seamless guest experiences.

WhatsApp, email, chat, and social, all unified in one calm, AI-powered inbox. Your team responds faster. Your guests get instant, personalized service. And support finally feels manageable again. 😌

Missed them (and the massage session!) at the event?

FROM OUR RADAR 📡

🇩🇰 MAIC raised €1M to keep expanding its AI-powered travel assistant, helping travelers plan and book in natural language.

🇧🇪 Rookoo secured €900k to help event organisers escape admin chaos with automation and collaborative tools.

🇮🇱 Localbird raised $7.4M to scale its AI concierge platform, giving STR hosts tools to automate guest requests, bookings, and local experiences.

🇮🇳 Tribe Stays landed a $2.8M seed round to scale its co-living and social living model across India. Their thesis: community + design-led spaces + affordability.

🌎 Cloudbeds x HTS announced a partnership that brings booking demand and on-property tools closer together. Being very practical, this can remove (a lot of) friction. We like it :)

INSIGHT

I fell into McKinsey’s new “The State of Fashion” report and suddenly realised how much of it could’ve been written about travel.

A few broad brushstrokes I wanted to share: they say consumers are spending more carefully, looking for value, and saying no to things that don’t feel meaningful. Feels less like a fashion thing and more like a people thing, honestly.

The report talks a lot about wellness, emotional connection, authenticity. We’re seeing the same energy in travel: more nature, more purpose, more trips that feel like they “fit” who we are.

And of course: tech. Fashion says AI is becoming essential for discovery and purchase. Sounds a lot like AI trip planners, dynamic packaging, and smarter guest service.

I love wrapping my head around how these dots connect across industries… and sometimes hinting of where things are heading next. 🔮

Before checking out

Not funding rounds. Not product launches. Not deals. Just things we saw this week that made us think twice…

💤 Goodnight, bro
Far from me to endorse the “bro culture” but this viral trend made me smile and feels like a small mental-health boost.

🔍 2 travel brands in the Top 100
Interbrand released its Best Global Brands ranking, and travel is barely there; just 2 global brands made the list.

See you next week,
Ana

Thank you for reading until the end.

The content of this newsletter is curated and published by Ana Metz, an innovation expert, passionate about technology and excited about the future of travel.

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