🔮 What will travel look like in 2040?

Hi there,

These days, stepping into our office, you can feel the excitement building as the big day approaches. Boxes filled with event materials are arriving, the pitch competition prize check is ready to meet it’s winner, and there’s a team full of energy behind the scenes, putting together the final touches.

With every detail coming together, it’s hitting us: the FutureTravel Summit is almost here! 🎉

We’re getting ready to welcome you on November 28th for a day focused on what’s next in travel. The agenda is live, and we’re excited to announce Scalapay as our last event sponsor.

In just a few days, the networking app will be available to all attendees, so everyone can start setting up meetings and making connections ahead of time.

Until then, here’s our weekly roundup of key stories in innovation, trends and startups.

Google’s 2040 forecast for travel. Ok, are you ready for some good insights for your business strategy? According to Travel 2040, the latest study by Google and Deloitte, the travel industry is set to experience a major boom, with 2.4 billion international trips expected by 2040. Driven by emerging markets like India and tech-savvy travelers, new destinations and experiences are set to thrive. Seems like brands looking to capture this future market must adapt to evolving expectations and tap into localized, personalized travel trends.

No more chaos in MICE. Mews makes its first French acquisition, bringing Quotelo into its hospitality cloud to enhance event management for hotels. Quotelo's platform streamlines booking for MICE events, cutting down on emails and simplifying complex logistics. With this acquisition, Mews aims to help hoteliers boost revenue and deliver smoother, customer-focused event experiences. Also: loved hearing Richard’s take on the acquisition - always interesting from a co-founder’s angle.

ChatGPT's travel test drive. Last week, ChatGPT announced a new search feature. The internet went wild with possibilities (especially for travel), so Skift put it to test for trip planning. This upgrade combines real-time info with its usual insights, offering fresh ways to search flights, hotels, and hotspots. While it's helpful for exploring options, there are still gaps in accuracy like pricing and availability. In short: it’s a solid start, but still a way to go before it's travel-ready.

Triple upgrade. Juniper Group expanded its travel tech portfolio with the acquisition of Dome, Hotetec, and Traveltek. This triple acquisition means smarter, smoother tools for tour operators, hotels, and travel agencies everywhere. The takeaway? Bigger, bolder tech that makes travel planning easier, more connected, and way more global. Not bad.

Cashew paving the way. I love when travel also looks beyond software for innovation. Frankfurt Airport is trialing a sustainable, cashew-based asphalt on a 200-meter stretch. This eco-friendly material aims to reduce carbon emissions and boost durability. If successful, this new blend might be used in other areas of the airport, reducing its environmental footprint.

Campsites and Cabins. California-based Hipcamp has acquired BookOutdoors, adding hundreds of new campgrounds, RV parks, and glamping spots to its platform. This is in response to the growing demand for more camping options, creating a single (and trusted!) destination for outdoor stays and connecting millions of campers with non-obvious experiences.

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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