Here’s our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
Google Wallet expansions
Google Wallet is expanding its digital ID capabilities, enabling users in the United Kingdom to add passport-based IDs for age verification, including potential use for alcohol purchases, pending government approval. In the United States, digital ID support extends to Arkansas, Montana, Puerto Rico and West Virginia, with Transportation Security Administration acceptance at select airports.
Google is piloting a privacy-centric age verification method, Zero Knowledge Proof, in apps like Bumble, confirming age without revealing personal data. This technology will be open sourced for broader adoption. These initiatives aim to streamline identity verification while enhancing user privacy and security.
SuiteOp, Hostfully
SuiteOp and Hostfully have announced a strategic integration aimed at simplifying hospitality tech stacks. Hostfully users can now tap into SuiteOp’s operations platform to automate tasks like cleanings, guest check-ins, upsells and smart device control without manual input or third-party tools.
The integration bridges reservation data directly into operational workflows, enabling real-time coordination across teams. Both companies aim to eliminate fragmented systems and help property managers scale efficiently while maintaining a seamless guest experience.
RMS, Right Revenue
RMS has partnered with Right Revenue to deliver real-time pricing intelligence to independent hoteliers.
The integration syncs RMS’ live booking data with Right Revenue’s artificial (AI)-driven platform, allowing operators to automate rate strategies, forecast demand accurately and compete with larger chains.
Hoteliers gain access to dynamic pricing suggestions, segment-level forecasting and customizable reports, all within one interface. The collaboration helps properties react faster to market shifts, optimize revenue and free up time for guest-focused tasks.
Jazeera Airways, HTS
Jazeera Airways has partnered with HTS, Hopper’s B2B division, to launch Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) and Disruption Assistance For Any Reason (DAFAR) across its direct booking channels.
The Kuwait-based carrier becomes the first airline in the Middle East to introduce these flexible fintech products, enabling travelers to cancel flights for any reason or rebook disrupted trips with instant refunds or alternatives. The partnership reflects a growing demand for control and confidence in air travel while unlocking new ancillary revenue streams. The launch is set for later this year on Jazeera’s app and desktop platforms.
Plan3 expands commercial team
Plan3, a specialist in passenger disruption technology, has appointed Csaba Vegso to join its commercial team.
Vegso, who joins from Mito Group’s e-commerce solution 815Lab where he was business development director, will lead airline partnerships in Europe for Plan3.
The news comes on the heels of the company announcing a three-year partnership with Estonia-based carrier Marabu Airlines.
“Since the pandemic, passenger expectations during disruptions have risen—they want clear, timely communication and the ability to make informed choices,” said Diana Strauss, customer journey director for Marabu Airlines. “Plan3’s solution addresses both.”
Gray Dawes, Sabre
Gray Dawes Group has named Sabre as its sole global distribution system provider in a multi-year deal aimed at fueling international expansion and operational efficiency.
The partnership leverages Sabre’s AI-driven automation and multi-source content to streamline Gray Dawes’ tech infrastructure while supporting high-touch client service.
The travel management company will access Sabre content via its YourTrip platform, powered by Atriis, and continue developing its in-house Portal solution. With a focus on growth in Europe, North America and Australia, Gray Dawes aims to scale globally through a unified tech stack aligned with its “High Tech, High Content” strategy.
Byrdli, Travel Texas
Byrdli has teamed up with Travel Texas to launch Stay, Play, Texas, a creator-driven campaign spotlighting the Lone Star State through the lens of Australian influencers Tegan Phillipa and Nathan Landers.
Spanning Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Fredericksburg and San Antonio, the campaign brings Texas to life with cinematic content and shoppable itineraries via Byrdli’s platform. The real-time, bookable journey showcases Texas’ culture, cuisine and landscapes to an Australian audience.
Wego, Accor
Wego has entered a strategic distribution partnership with Accor to boost the hospitality group’s visibility and engagement across the Middle East and North Africa. The collaboration will integrate Accor’s 5,600+ properties into Wego’s platform, enabling real-time inventory access, dynamic rates and localized offers. The companies have a focus on high-growth markets like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Hospitable’s dynamic pricing tool
Hospitable has launched a built-in dynamic pricing tool for short-term rental hosts, offering real-time rate suggestions based on market data and booking trends.
The feature is fully integrated into the platform and included at no extra cost, removing the need for third-party pricing tools.
Hosts can adjust strategy settings, apply custom rules and view local demand via a heatmap. The launch follows internal data showing 57% of hosts are missing occupancy goals and nearly 29% struggle with pricing. All users get temporary access to a 24-month pricing preview, part of Hospitable’s broader push to simplify operations for independent hosts.
Etihad’s corporate travel platform
Etihad Airways has rolled out a new corporate travel platform, Etihad for Business, aimed at simplifying travel management for companies of all sizes. Announced at Arabian Travel Market 2025, the program offers tiered benefits such as discounted fares, priority services and dedicated account support, depending on travel volume.
A digital portal enables companies to book, manage and track travel, with tools for performance monitoring and expense reporting. The initiative reflects Etihad’s push to strengthen corporate partnerships and provide more flexible, data-driven travel solutions for business clients.
Travelier, Moovit
Mobility technology specialist Travelier has partnered with Moovit, which provides an app for commuters.
The collaboration enhances intercity bus travel in Brazil through Travelier’s DeÔnibus platform, enabling users to plan and purchase tickets directly in Moovit.
With more than 300 bus operators in Brazil, the integration simplifies the travel experience by offering seamless route selection and ticketing. This partnership marks a step toward transforming global intercity travel, making it more accessible and digital-first. Plans for international expansion are underway.
Sojern, Ascott
Sojern, a hospitality marketing platform, has been named a global marketing partner for The Ascott Limited.
Ascott, with over 980 properties in 230+ cities across 40+ countries, selected Sojern after a six-month Request for Proposal process to streamline its marketing efforts.
The partnership aims to increase direct bookings, enhance traveler engagement through real-time data and position Ascott as a thought leader.
Sojern’s multichannel capabilities will support Ascott’s global marketing strategy and reinforce its commitment to data-driven, return on investment-focused digital marketing.
Rotana, Oracle
Rotana, a hotel operator based in the UAE, is standardizing its 79 global properties on the Oracle Opera Cloud platform to boost efficiency, support growth, and enhance guest experiences.
Thirty hotels are already live, with full rollout expected by 2026. Opera Cloud enables streamlined operations, personalized guest service, mobile-enabled staff interactions and scalable integration via Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform.
The move supports Rotana’s goal of consistent, data-driven hospitality and innovation across its portfolio, serving 6 million guests annually with improved agility and service intelligence.
Emburse enhances mobile app
Emburse has launched its most advanced mobile app yet for Emburse Enterprise, aiming to enhance global travel and expense management with Emburse AI.
The app offers precise receipt capture, multilingual support and automated data extraction, streamlining reporting and accelerating reimbursements, the company said.
Key features include smart receipt tools, personalized dashboards, partial report approvals and enterprise-grade security. Designed to support a global workforce, the new mobile app is available at no additional cost to Emburse Enterprise customers.
Choice, Mews
Choice Hotels International is introducing Mews as a property management system (PMS) for its international franchisees.
The partnership integrates Mews’ cloud-native PMS with Choice Hotels’ proprietary tools like choiceEDGE, enabling real-time rate updates and seamless guest interactions.
The system enhances operational efficiency with automation, provides full data visibility for strategic decision-making and supports scalable growth. The goal is to improve guest experiences and empower franchisees with a flexible, data-driven platform that meets regional needs while maintaining service consistency across Choice Hotels’ global portfolio.
Datalex unveils payment platform
Datalex, an airline e-commerce provider, has launched DLX Pay, a new payment platform designed to optimize transaction processing for airlines.
The platform connects airlines to an ecosystem of payment providers, addressing industry complexities and improving customer experience. Datalex’s launch customer, Air Transat, will go live with DLX Pay later this year.
The product is set to enhance payment conversion, offer greater flexibility and meet growing demand for better payment journeys in the airline industry, which could unlock $14 billion in value by 2030, according to McKinsey.
Volantio, Navitaire
Volantio, which offers revenue optimization technology for airlines, has partnered with Navitaire, an Amadeus company, to offer its platform to Navitaire’s low-cost and hybrid airline customers.
The collaboration aims to reduce operating costs, speed up implementation, and increase revenue by up to 5% on peak flights, the companies said. The partnership also includes joint go-to-market efforts, accelerating growth and innovation for airlines worldwide.
Airalo’s sustainability solutions
ESim provider Airalo has reached a milestone of 20 million users, marking a shift towards sustainable connectivity solutions.
The technology eliminates the need for plastic-heavy SIM cards, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 46% over their lifecycle.
By offering a fully digital solution, Airalo reduces telecom’s environmental footprint while providing travelers with flexible, efficient connectivity across multiple countries without physical cards, the company said.
Dertour, Hubby
Dertour Group is partnering with Hubby eSIM to offer travelers mobile data when booking holiday packages with Exim Tours and Fischer in the Czech Republic, with plans for expansion into Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.
The initiative aims to enhance the travel experience and will be rolled out across Central Europe in the coming months.
Technoheaven markup tech
Travel technology specialist Technoheaven has unveiled its Smart Markup module.
Powered by AI, the module uses predictive pricing to optimize markups on inventory, analyzing factors like booking history, search behavior and seasonal trends.
Travel businesses can control margins and set custom rules for pricing based on global data.
Frontier Airlines, Amadeus
Frontier Airlines has expanded its partnership with Amadeus to distribute New Distribution Capability (NDC) content through a global distribution system.
The deal enables travel sellers to access personalized offers, premium products such as seat selection and improved fare visibility. Traditional EDIFACT distribution will continue alongside the new NDC-based system.
Expedia Group, Beautiful Destinations
Expedia Group has partnered with travel content agency Beautiful Destinations to offer advertising partners scalable social media content that is meant to drive bookings.
The collaboration combines Beautiful Destinations’ creator network and more than 50 million social followers with Expedia’s in-house creative team, media capabilities and shoppable technology. As social media becomes travelers’ top source of inspiration, this partnership enables brands to deliver short-form, conversion-focused content efficiently, the companies said. Content will range from TikToks to Instagram reels.
Affirm, UATP
Affirm has partnered with UATP to bring pay-over-time options to UATP’s network of airlines, rail carriers and travel agencies. The deal gives UATP merchants in the U.S., U.K. and Canada access to Affirm’s short-term, interest-free and longer-term installment plans.
The partnership targets rising demand for flexible payments in the global travel market. UATP merchants offering Affirm may see higher order values and reduced cart abandonment. Affirm says its model avoids hidden fees and boosts repeat usage, with 90% of transactions from returning customers.
Kayak names CTO
Kayak has named Yaron Zeidman as its first external chief technology officer in 20 years. Zeidman, who brings 29 years of experience, most recently led product and engineering at job&talent, an AI-driven staffing platform.
His initial focus is set to be overseeing the beta launch of Kayak.ai, a new AI-first travel search lab blending conversational search and personalization. Zeidman will lead Kayak’s 400+ global product and engineering team.
Amex GBT, Delta Air Lines
American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) and Delta Air Lines have extended their long-term strategic partnership to enhance corporate travel offerings. The multi-year deal is meant to strengthen the two companies’ alignment, providing seamless travel experiences and advanced NDC solutions for corporate customers.
The partnership includes Delta’s content and that of its joint venture partners: Aeromexico, LATAM Airlines, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, Air France and KLM. Amex GBT’s marketplace is set to feature Delta’s branded fares and integrate NDC for improved shopping and servicing.
*This roundup was created with the help of ChatGPT.
Source: https://www.phocuswire.com/travel-tech-news-briefs-may-2-2025.
