Travel Weekly Group Ltd

✈️ Air and hospitality tech provider Duffel teams up with software platform Rippling to launch Rippling Travel. Available in Rippling's Spend Management suite, it enables businesses to manage travel expenses alongside payroll and corporate cards in one place. Employees can book flights and hotels while finance teams track trips in real time. Duffel CEO Steve Domin highlights the integration's efficiency for managing travel expenses.

🌐 Accenture's Consumer Pulse Survey 2025 reveals that generative AI has become the top channel for travel discovery, surpassing social media and OTAs among active gen AI users. 80% of travelers use gen AI tools, and they are 1.3x more engaged and 1.7x more likely to accept higher prices for emotionally engaging experiences. Travel providers must ensure their data is machine-readable for AI-driven platforms to be discoverable. Integrating AI into travel can deepen relationships and boost revenue.

🛫 Travelport expands its network by integrating four European travel tech firms—CEE Travel Systems, NPF with Abreu, TTS, and Vibe—into Travelport+. They utilize Travelport's JSON-based NDC APIs for richer airline content. This partnership, announced by Travelport's chief commercial officer Jason Toothman, enhances travel retailing with better connectivity and choice. Vibe's Danny Girling emphasized delivering scalable, modern retail experiences. These efforts advance Travelport’s mission to modernize travel retailing through efficient, dynamic solutions.

📈 Accenture’s 2025 Consumer Pulse survey of 18,000 people across 14 countries shows that 57% participate in hotel loyalty schemes, yet 50% believe these programmes lack value. Active generative AI users among loyalty members stand at 43%, compared to 16% for non-members. Younger generations are 19% more likely to join loyalty programmes but are quick to shift if dissatisfied. Notably, 89% of loyalty members want to choose their rewards, and 92% recommend their favorite hotel brand.

📲 eviivo, an all-in-one property management system, launched an integration of WhatsApp and SMS into its AI-powered Guest Manager. This feature allows hoteliers to manage communications from one platform. WhatsApp is popular in Europe, SMS in the US, with SMS having a 98% open rate. Michele Fitzpatrick, CEO of eviivo, notes this update helps connect with guests on preferred platforms, enhancing guest satisfaction and communication across properties.