Here’s our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
This roundup was created with the assistance of ChatGPT.
SiteMinder’s AI exec
SiteMinder has appointed Samantha Lawson as an independent non-executive director, effective December 1.
Lawson is an artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation specialist who previously served as Optus’ VP of AI and digital and has also held roles at Oxford VR, Silicon Quantum Computing, Commonwealth Bank, Faethm and BCG. SiteMinder says her expertise will support its push to build data-driven revenue tools and advance its “smart platform” strategy for hotel commerce.
AirAsia, Arrivia
AirAsia rewards, the loyalty program of Capital A, has partnered with travel loyalty and booking firm Arrivia to launch a cruise platform powered by iCruise. Members can book sailings on major lines such as Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and others through the AirAsia MOVE app or a dedicated site. Bookings earn four AirAsia points per $1 spent on cruise fares, rising to five points per $1 for cruises booked between October 29 and November 30, 2025.
United Airlines, Travelport
United Airlines and Travelport have signed a multiyear strategic agreement that gives the global distribution system provider early access to United’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) roadmap and prioritizes joint development of new retailing tools for agencies and corporate buyers.
The deal centers on Travelport+, with dedicated tech teams from both companies working on faster deployment of United content and servicing features. United will also bring its portfolio of online booking tool extras into Travelport’s Deem platform, including pooled unused credits, MileagePlus enrollment and use of Jetstream amenity funds as payment.
GCash, Klook
Klook and GCash have partnered to launch the GCash Klook Travel Card, a prepaid Visa card linked to users’ GCash wallets for payments in more than 200 countries.
Cardholders get an airport transfer voucher, a Klook eSIM voucher at activation, an annual hotel voucher and 5% off Klook bookings up to five times a year. Users are automatically upgraded to Klook’s gold tier.
Travelsoft partnership, AI platform
Travelsoft has struck a strategic partnership with Gekko Group to plug the hotel inventories of Teldar Travel and Infinite into Travelsoft platforms Travelgate and Travel Compositor.
The deal gives agencies, tour operators and distributors real-time access to a wider global hotel offering, including more than 2 million accommodations via Teldar Travel with 24/7 multilingual support and pre-arrival checks. Infinite adds a portfolio of directly contracted hotels with major groups such as Accor, Hilton, Jumeirah, Louvre Hotels, Shangri-La, Best Western and Fairmont.
Travelsoft also launched AI search for tourism, an AI platform to help travel companies adapt to shifts from traditional SEO to search generative experiences. The offer lets travel brands make their content accessible via real-time AI queries and build custom AI-powered tools on top of their existing systems.
Visit’s capabilities
Visit has linked its BookVisit booking engine with its iTicket ticketing system so hotels can sell rooms and attraction tickets in a single online flow. Guests can book accommodation and prepaid tickets together with no vouchers or manual steps, while hotels can build stay-and-experience packages, sell tickets as add-ons and sync availability and changes in real time.
The move gives attractions a new distribution channel through local hotels and fits Visit’s push to position BookVisit as a central hub connecting property management systemes, channel managers, revenue systems and other tools.
Corporate Traveler’s trip proposals
Corporate Traveler has added a trip proposals feature to its Melon platform, giving travel arrangers a simpler way to build and share trip options with employees. Executive assistants and office managers can select flights and hotels, then email a summary so travelers can review plans without logging in. Once approved, arrangers book directly from the saved proposal, cutting duplicate data entry.
The tool is designed to speed up planning, support small group bookings online instead of via agents and reduce overall travel management time.
Riskline, Travelogix
Riskline partnered with Travelogix to enhance Geo, Travelogix’s duty of care platform for travel management companies.
Geo now integrates Riskline’s real-time risk intelligence, improving incident mapping and traveler safety insights while helping Travelogix scale new features. Upcoming upgrades include polygon drawing, pre-trip risk alerts and stronger on-trip communications. The deal comes as business travel spend continues to recover and corporate clients demand more accessible, accurate safety information alongside trip reporting and analytics.
Deck2 acquires Auto Europe
Deck2, the family office of Cover Genius co-founder Chris Bayley, acquired Auto Europe via a restructuring support agreement as the first move in its insurance distributors roll-up strategy.
Deck2 plans to modernize legacy, profitable mid-market online travel agencies with AI and higher-margin insurance, targeting $400 million in enterprise value within two and a half years. Auto Europe, which logged more than 1.5 million bookings in the past 12 months, will tap Deck2’s operating partner Cove for technology and growth support.
Ethiopian Airlines, Accelya
Ethiopian Airlines adopted Accelya’s FLX Select NDC service to cut distribution costs, open new revenue streams and improve offer personalization.
The deal gives travel sellers richer fare and ancillary content while supporting the carrier’s move toward offer-order retailing. FLX Select is part of Accelya’s FLX ONE platform, powered by Amazon Web Services, which aims to help airlines modernize offers and orders through modular architecture.
Forge Holiday Group, Guesty
Forge Holiday Group, parent of Sykes Holiday Cottages and Forest Holidays, formed a strategic partnership with Guesty to expand distribution for its U.K. cottages, holiday parks and lodges.
Forge will tap Guesty’s platform and 60-plus additional booking channels for real-time updates, synced calendars and consistent content, aiming to boost occupancy and returns for property owners while reaching more domestic and international guests.
HTS, Azerbaijan Airlines
Azerbaijan Airlines is partnering with Hopper Technology Solutions (HTS) to add disruption protection to its website and app via Hopper’s disruption assistance for any reason (DAFAR) product. For an extra fee, customers can add DAFAR during booking.
If a flight is delayed by at least two hours or canceled on the day of travel, passengers are notified and can rebook on any airline within a set price cap at no additional cost. If they are not satisfied with the options, they can receive a full refund instead, positioning the offer as a new revenue stream and loyalty play in Eurasia.
BCD Travel expansion
BCD Travel is expanding its guest travel capabilities by adding emPath and Juno to the BCD Marketplace, targeting non-profiled and non-employee travelers such as event attendees, recruits and production crews. The integrations sit alongside BCD Invite, the travel management company’s own guest travel tool, to help clients manage complex programs while keeping policies and duty of care in place.
EmPath, a Google-built AI platform, and Juno, a guest travel and expense specialist, both focus on end-to-end workflows including booking, payments and reconciliation that plug into existing corporate travel ecosystems.
TAP Air Portugal, Amadeus
TAP Air Portugal has expanded its agreement with Amadeus, making the carrier’s NDC content available through the Amadeus Travel Platform.
Travel sellers and corporate buyers worldwide will gain access to TAP’s enhanced fares, bundles and dynamic offers. The deal builds on a longstanding partnership and supports both companies’ push to modernize distribution, improve efficiency and deliver more tailored shopping experiences across the travel ecosystem.
InnKey, Marriott International
InnKey partnered with Marriott International to power the new Series by Marriott brand across India.
The cloud-native InnKey property management system will support 84 operating hotels and 31 pipeline properties in a phased rollout, integrating with Marriott Bonvoy, the central reservation system and other brand platforms. InnKey’s platform will provide real-time data connectivity, operational agility and chain-level intelligence.
