Innovation

💸 Bhutan, in partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank, becomes the first country to introduce a national-level crypto payment system for tourism. Over 100 merchants across Bhutan, including remote areas, accept payments through Binance Pay, covering airline tickets, visas, accommodations, and more. The system offers low transaction fees with zero gas fees. Travellers can pay using over 100 cryptocurrencies like BNB, BTC, and USDC, enhancing a cashless, seamless, and secure travel experience.

📅 The Advantage Travel Partnership has formed a strategic alliance with corporate travel technology provider Atriis. This collaboration aims to enhance the Partnership's One Stop Business Hub capabilities, allowing TMCs and corporate clients to manage travel programs more effectively through a unified platform. Atriis' technology integrates with existing systems, supports sustainable travel choices, and aligns with environmental objectives. Stephen Baxendale and Omri Amsalem, CEO and co-founder of Atriis Technologies, underscore the partnership's focus on operational simplification, efficiency improvement, and future-ready solutions.

🏨 Travelgenix and global accommodation wholesaler Stuba announce a partnership, making Stuba a premium supplier on the Travelgenix platform. The integration offers users instant access to a global network of hotels, real-time availability, and rich content, aiming to help travel businesses scale effectively. Stuba joins over 1,000 airlines and suppliers already on the Travelgenix platform, enhancing choice for independent agents and growing tour operators. CEO Andy Speight emphasizes the leveling of the playing field for smaller players against big competitors. Michael Wiles of Stuba is excited about the collaboration, focusing on quality hotel content and reliable delivery for travel sellers.

🌍 Sojern reports steady travel demand matching 2024 levels, with a trend towards cooler climates and local getaways. European travelers are shifting towards cooler destinations, with intra-European flights to the UK up 12% and London bookings at 75%. Notable events like Coldplay’s tour and Glastonbury boost UK travel. Flight bookings show increases to Estonia (+32%), Iceland (+17%), Norway (+11%), Portugal (+7%), Spain (+3%), and France (+1%), with Portugal also experiencing a 13% rise in hotel searches. Paris maintains popularity post-Olympics, while Italy's Jubilee Year sees Rome leading. Switzerland's international flights increase by 2% YoY, potentially boosted by UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. UAE sees a 4% rise in flight bookings and a 20% increase in hotel bookings. Southeast Asia reports a 5% YoY flight booking increase for Singapore and a 2% rise for Thailand. East Asian outbound travel favors regional destinations. Australia's travel demand grows by 10%, with significant rises in visitors from New Zealand (+14.6%), China (+12.4%), and the US (+9%).

🎵 Over 90% of children plan to watch Eurovision this year, with 66% of adults saying it influences youth to learn about cultures and visit new places. Spain, Italy, and Switzerland are top 'adopted' countries for British kids. 60% learned about European geography through Eurovision, 55% want to visit countries featured, and 43% are motivated to learn new languages. Italy (36%), Spain (27%), and Switzerland (26%) are most desired travel destinations. Google searches for ‘Bara bada bastu’ soared after KAJ's 2025 song debut. 70% of children became Eurovision fans following UK's Sam Ryder 2022 performance. easyJet, as the Official Airline and largest in Basel, will fly over 47,000 visitors to Eurovision's semi-finals and Grand Final on May 13, 15, and 17, increasing seat capacity by 6,000 from last year.

📱 SOCi's 2025 Consumer Behavior Index reveals 83% of consumers use traditional search engines, while 73% utilize social media, 58% navigation apps, and 19% AI tools and review sites for discovery. Gen Z averages 3.6 platforms before purchase decisions, favoring platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Gartner predicted a 25% search demand drop by 2026, with current trends indicating this decline may hit by the year's end. Brands are advised to adapt to multi-platform search strategies to remain visible.

📈 The 2025 Consumer Behavior Index by SOCi reports a shift in consumer search behavior: 83% use traditional engines, while social media (73%), navigation apps (58%), review sites (19%), and AI tools (19%) also play roles. Search impressions are down by 10% year-over-year. Gen Z uses 3.6 platforms on average before making purchase decisions. Gartner predicted a 25% drop in search demand by 2026, but SOCi's data suggests this decline could be reached by the end of 2025. Brands are advised to adapt their digital strategies to remain visible in this fragmented landscape.

📈 Companies harnessing customer behavior data with Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) see 85% higher sales growth and over 25% increased gross margin compared to peers. CDPs bring together disparate data, offering a 360° view of guests and enabling personalized marketing, hyper-relevant experiences, data-driven decisions, and increased revenue across hotel departments. With CDPs, hotels can achieve higher direct bookings, increased ancillary revenue, and reduced churn, all by leveraging actionable insights from unified guest profiles.

🍳 Saladplate, part of Informa Markets, serves as the official content hub for the Hospitality, Food, and Beverage industry, offering weekly news updates, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine. It grants exclusive access to a directory of over 10,000 brands, companies, and products, alongside registration and updates for over 35 international trade events.

📌 Protect Group aims to protect $7 billion in travel/event bookings by end of 2025. Its Travel, Tours & OTAs vertical saw 54% year-on-year growth. The core product, Refund Protect, offers ticket refunds under unforeseen circumstances. Protect Plus includes services like flight delay compensation and eSIM solutions. AI-driven Pulse platform enhances customer experience. Chief Product & Marketing Officer Jason Walsh emphasizes the balance of customer experience and revenue growth.