The big forecasts and the little bets

Funding Spotlight

Vienna-based Chatlyn just raised €8 million to scale what they describe as “the AI brain for hotels”. Or let’s say it’s a messaging platform designed to centralize guest communications and support teams across front desk, reservations, and marketing.

The company is going after a familiar pain: missed messages at 2AM, slow replies across channels, and teams stuck juggling 10+ disconnected tools. Chatlyn brings those conversations into one place, and uses AI to respond in real time, in 35+ languages, and in the hotel’s own tone of voice.

💬 “Hotels are missing revenue because a guest inquiry comes in at 2am and gets lost,” said CEO Nicolas Vorsteher. “We want to bring back meaningful conversations and free up staff’s time for what really matters.”

Their solution It plugs into 20+ major PMS platforms and is already active in over 1,000 properties. Chatlyn is rebuilding the communication layer so hotels can move faster, serve better, and convert more.

Also on our radar:

🇬🇧 Zeelo raises €19.8M Series B to scale its smart bus platform for commuters and students.

🇫🇷 Winalist secures €1M to expand its curated wine tourism platform across Southern Europe.

🇦🇺 TWAI acquires Travello, adding a youth-focused travel app to its growing portfolio.

Pitch Competition

Yes, this is the final call: applications for this year’s Pitch Competition close this Sunday!

We’re looking for:
🌱 early stage startups
🗺️ global (from anywhere)
🧳 travel, tourism & hospitality
🐣 not older than 3 years

10 finalists will be selected to pitch on stage in Barcelona at the FutureTravel Summit. And the winner takes home a prize package worth over €350k 🏆

You’ve still got time… but not much. Let’s go!

The latest report from BCG puts a big number on the table: $15 trillion in global leisure travel by 2040. From my pov what’s more useful is how it breaks down the trends shaping that growth: from multigen trips to Gen Z demand and regional shifts.

If you’re short on time, here are 6 takeaways we think are worth bringing to your next team meeting:

1. Domestic travel will dominate.
   While international travel gets the headlines, most of the future growth is coming from domestic and regional trips—especially in emerging markets. That’s where the bulk of the $10T+ increase will come from.
   

2. Younger travelers are reshaping demand.
   Gen Z and millennial travelers (especially in markets like India, China, and Vietnam) are planning more trips, spending more money, and prioritizing travel as part of their lifestyle. We can all expect more digital-first, purpose-led behaviors.
   

3. Blended and multigen travel is on the rise.
   Whether it’s bleisure, solo escapes, or three-generation family trips, people are mixing reasons for travel more than ever. In some countries, multigen trips already represent 10%+ of the total market.
   

4. Food, wellness, and culture are strong motivators.
   Relaxation still ranks high, but it’s no longer the only driver. Cultural and culinary travel are on the rise (especially in Asia) and wellness, spiritual, and nature-based trips are carving out strong demand pockets.
   

5. Emerging markets = major opportunity.
   Markets like Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Vietnam are not only traveling more but spending more too. If you’re planning global expansion, this is where new volume (and new expectations) are being shaped.
   

6. AI will shape the winners.
   BCG names GenAI as a key enabler for this next era of travel, from personalizing experiences to scaling operations. The tools are here, what’s missing is bold execution.

You can read the full report here. And I’m curious: which of these are more relevant for your strategy right now?

Before checking out

Not funding rounds. Not product launches. Not deals. Just things we saw this week that made us think about what’s shifting under the surface…

🧭 The long game at GetYourGuide
This one humbled me. There’s so much more to GetYourGuide’s journey than what most people see: building a category-defining brand, navigating the post-pandemic recovery, and scaling from Europe. Great interview & serious respect for the long game.

🏨 The Social Hub way of building community
Charlie MacGregor welcomed historian Rutger Bregman (!) to promote his new book, and to spark the kind of conversation we need more of in this industry. Definitely not your typical hospitality talk. But founders who use their platform to go beyond the obvious? Always inspiring. Bravo.