Attending the Skift Global Forum in New York this year was an exceptional opportunity to observe how the world’s leading travel brands are evaluating the long-term evolution of the customer journey. Representing Holafly alongside my colleague Richard Trinder, my main objective throughout the forum was to listen closely to executive leaders from companies such as Uber, Booking.com, Expedia, and Allianz as they discussed their strategic approaches to solving the most persistent friction points in modern travel today.
Across virtually every keynote and panel discussion, a central narrative emerged: major industry players are no longer satisfied with managing isolated touchpoints, but are actively trying to expand their presence across the entire travel loop. While offering a single, high-quality service was once sufficient to retain customers, brands now recognize that long-term loyalty depends on being present throughout every stage of the trip, which makes the reliability of the underlying digital infrastructure more critical than ever before.
The strategic push to own more of the trip
Throughout the sessions in New York, it became clear that major platforms are deliberately stepping outside their traditional operational boundaries in order to capture a larger share of the overall traveler experience:
- Uber is actively expanding beyond ridesharing: During their session, executives outlined how they are integrating European rail bookings and connecting with hotel loyalty programs to refine the end-to-end airport experience, with the long-term ambition of becoming a comprehensive travel companion from the moment a traveler lands to the moment they check into their accommodation.
- Booking and Expedia are shifting toward proactive problem-solving: Rather than functioning merely as booking platforms, both companies are focusing heavily on managing travel disruptions, building capabilities that automatically help travelers rebook ground transportation, alternative flights, or hotel stays in real time when unexpected cancellations occur.
While the ultimate goal for these platforms is to deliver an uninterrupted customer journey, this expansion exposes a fundamental operational vulnerability: if a traveler steps off a plane in an unfamiliar destination and suddenly loses mobile access, even the most sophisticated super-app becomes completely unusable at the exact moment of highest stress.
Balancing automation with human experience
Another compelling debate at the forum revolved around how different organizations approach customer support and service recovery when travel plans inevitably break down.
While several tech-first platforms are attempting to automate as much of the customer interaction as possible, other established brands are taking a noticeably different approach:
- Accor articulated a clear operational philosophy: “Automate the ordinary, humanize the extraordinary,” reinforcing their commitment to prioritizing genuine human empathy and personal interaction during high-stakes travel moments.
- Allianz Travel offered a realistic perspective on crisis management: They highlighted that while fast digital processes help resolve routine issues, it is authentic human support and reassurance during critical disruptions that ultimately build lasting brand loyalty.
This balance directly aligns with our core philosophy at Holafly, because while technology should seamlessly streamline processes in the background, the ultimate value delivered to the traveler is genuine peace of mind when navigating unfamiliar environments.
Grounding the debate: Richard’s on-stage reality check
This fundamental tension is precisely why Richard Trinder’s presentation on the main stage felt so relevant to the broader discussions taking place throughout the event.
While many panels focused on complex software algorithms, Richard brought the auditorium back to a practical operational reality by reminding everyone that none of these advanced digital services can function if the traveler is unable to get online.
When he asked the audience how many executives in the room had experienced that sudden wave of panic when their smartphone lost network connection abroad, almost every hand in the auditorium went up. It was a powerful demonstration of a universal truth in modern travel tech: whether a customer is trying to request an Uber, view a hotel reservation, or file an emergency claim with Allianz, every single digital service relies on a continuous mobile connection, and when that connection fails, the traveler invariably feels let down by the brand they are trying to use.
Why no single brand can own the Journey alone
My main takeaway as Director of Strategic Partnerships is that no individual travel provider can successfully manage the entire customer journey in isolation.
This reality was underscored throughout the week by several industry leaders:
- Qatar Airways revealed that a third of their overall revenue is generated directly through their global partner network.
- Allianz and Alaska Airlines demonstrated how collaborative partnerships allow brands to share operational responsibility and protect the customer when travel itineraries are disrupted.
The future of travel tech does not lie in expecting consumers to navigate public Wi-Fi networks or buy standalone data packages at local kiosks, but rather in building integrated partnerships that embed background mobile access directly into native brand apps via APIs and SDKs.
This exact principle guided the development of our ‘Always On’ safety net at Holafly, ensuring that even if a traveler’s primary high-speed data plan runs out, essential communication tools such as messaging and navigation remain fully functional throughout their trip.
With Skift Research projecting that international travel departures will double in the coming years, travelers are not looking for increasingly complex apps, but for freedom, ease, and stress-free experiences.
The organizations that win over the next decade will not necessarily be those with the flashiest software features, but the brands that collaborate across the ecosystem to ensure the traveler remains supported and connected every step of the way.
