Setting up camp

Holacamp, a Spanish platform for booking camping and glamping experiences, just raised €10 million. The funding will help Holacamp expand other European markets, and betting on digital tools, including AI-powered pricing, to modernize campsite management.

Outdoor travel is growing in demand, but without the right tools, managing reservations can get messy. Holacamp is working to fix that by making it easy to book a campsite. For the camps, this kind of tech helps keep things organized and boosts bookings.

Shark-inspired aviation

Lufthansa is borrowing a trick from nature: sharkskin. A new coating on its planes reduces friction with the air, making flights more efficient. Less drag means less fuel burned, which helps cut emissions. It’s a small fix, but Lufthansa says it could save thousands of tons of CO₂ a year. Airlines need all the small (and big) efficiency boosts they can get while still working on bigger changes, like SAF. Here’s how it works.

I take this as a nice reminder that not all innovation comes from lines of code or high-tech labs. Sometimes nature already figured it out and in this case, sharks knows best: they have been gliding through water with almost no resistance for millions of years. I love biomimetic innovation because it shows that the best ideas aren’t always new, just newly understood. And well, nature is always a great source of inspiration for solving complex problems.

Mainstream sustainable travel

We've reached the point where sustainability should be a given - I hope we can all agree. EasyJet Holidays is moving in that direction by teaming up with hotels that cut waste, recycle more, and use renewable energy.

The easier it is for travelers to choose green options, the more the industry will have to adapt. When big brands push for change, others tend to follow. 👀

Inclusive airport experience

Traveling through an airport can be overwhelming, especially for blind and low-vision passengers. Aeroporti di Roma is teaming up with Be My Eyes to help. The service connects travelers with sighted volunteers via video call to assist with check-in, finding gates, and other steps along the way.

More airports and hotels are focusing on accessibility, and those that do it well will build stronger connections with more travelers.

Digital nomad’s wishlist

It’s true that not every travel brand is chasing digital nomads, but for those who can’t ignore them: bunq asked thousands of digital nomads across Europe what it’s really like to live and work anywhere - and put together a report about it.

Here’s what matters most for them: fast wifi, healthcare access, and financial stability. Around 10-12% pick destinations based on internet access, 12-13% on healthcare, and 14% spend more than planned. Work-life balance is tricky (15%), and 63% miss key life events.

So yes, digital nomads need more than a place to stay, they need visa-friendly housing, reliable banking, and a sense of belonging.

Traveling beyond Earth

Barcelona-based Pangea Aerospace just landed €23 million to develop a smarter rocket engine. Unlike standard engines, aerospike engines adjust to altitude, using fuel more efficiently. That means cheaper, more sustainable launches.

With space tourism and satellite tech expanding fast, better rockets could help turn commercial space travel into an actual industry, not just a billionaire’s playground.