Matthew Parsons
- Head of Content and Communications, AltoVita
Paris, Smith Reynolds Airport
Head of Content & Comms at corporate hospitality platform AltoVita @AltoVitaHomes / Ex Editor @skift + @BTNEurope / Brit living in Paris 🇫🇷
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Articles by Matthew Parsons
The silent booking signal: How bed bug safety reshapes hotel choice
Pest safety is already shaping hotel booking decisions, whether the industry acknowledges it or not. Travelers across the United States, United Kingdom and France rank pests such as bed bugs and roaches as a top concern when choosing a hotel, ahead of cleanliness and staff friendliness. Yet most of this concern remains invisible to operators because guests rarely raise the issue directly.
Supercharging travel: 10 Trends that will shape the industry over the next decade
Travel professionals have spent the past decade proving the skeptics wrong. Despite predictions that agents would disappear, the sector has not only endured, it has adapted through digital transformation, pandemic disruption, shifting traveler expectations and rising demand for more complex, personalized trips. Now the next 10 years will bring another wave of change.
Hotels face speed problem as video platforms reshape the booking journey
Last week was a watershed moment for the entertainment sector, with the revelation that YouTube has overtaken Netflix in average daily viewing among users around the world.
Are hotel CEOs overestimating their AI edge?
Major hotel group CEOs were all reading from the same script during their first-quarter earnings calls in recent weeks. Most described their use of artificial intelligence as a “competitive advantage,” but just how valid are these statements when everyone else is using AI? Across the board, hotel groups called out technology investments, ancillary sales or better customer service.
Amadeus, Accenture partner on new agentic advertising platform
Amadeus is expanding further into the advertising sector with the launch of Amadeus Travel Advertising Platform. Developed with long-standing partner Accenture, the platform was launched this week during its inaugural Advertising Summit, held at its offices in Antibes, France. It replaces Amadeus Media Solutions.
3 key takeaways from Google I/O 2026
Google’s I/O developer conference this week delivered some of the most significant overhauls in the event’s almost two-decade history. The headline news is Google is completely redesigning the iconic search bar, representing its biggest change in more than 25 years.
The short-term rental platforms rolling out alternative business models
For many hosts and property managers in the short-term rental (STR) sector, platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo have become essential distribution channels. But they come at a price, thanks in part to shifting commission fees. Limited ownership of customer details is also causing frustration, leading to a wider direct-booking push. The opportunity to adopt a different business model looks increasingly appealing. “Distribution costs are high,” said Amirali Mohajer, CEO of direct booking platform HostAI.
The AI cost trap: Why travel's big bet is getting expensive
Speaking at an aviation event recently, Riccardo Vittoria raised an issue that has long been simmering within the travel industry: the hidden costs of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is being sold to the travel industry as a near-universal solution to lower costs, improve efficiency and delight customers. But as more companies move beyond tests and pilots into deployment, a murkier picture is emerging.
AI pulls travel brands deeper into commerce media
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly shrinking the digital advertising funnel, and travel brands are turning to commerce media to reclaim control. Commerce media enables companies to monetize traffic by allowing brand advertisers to tap into their first-party customer data and serve up targeted advertising. Online travel agencies (OTAs) were early adopters.
Short-term rental sector bets on AI search to drive direct bookings
The short-term rental (STR) sector is on the cusp of a big shift in how people search for stays. But collectively the key players are scratching their heads. The problem is, no one knows to what extent artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search and (eventually) distribution will disrupt traditional booking patterns, or more importantly, which large language models (LLMs) will ultimately dominate.
‘Something out of nothing’: How hotel ancillary tech is transforming the stay experience
Specialist ancillary platforms are morphing into a Swiss Army Knife. On top of boosting the bottom line, hotels are discovering a multitude of other purposes, such as alternative ways to increase guest loyalty, improve reviews and even reposition for new markets. The most common ancillary is a room upgrade, and there’s a reason for that: It’s high margin and low friction.
Making the case for hotels to enable AI 'crawlability' Original
Leading technology advisors are urging hoteliers to open up to artificial intelligence (AI) search platforms by giving greater access to their crawlers and bots. Hoteliers should be adding new types of unique content too, as large language models (LLMs) accelerate as a source of direct bookings. Hospitality companies are in a favorable position in the new “zero-click” environment—where results appear in generative AI summaries on Google or an LLM search such as ChatGPT.
Hotels push live ChatGPT integrations as AI search goes bookable
But following OpenAI’s launch of “ChatGPT apps,” experts are predicting AI search platforms will soon be able to display real-time availability and rates. Once live, a dramatic shift in booking behaviors and patterns is expected, representing a real gamechanger for the accommodation sector.
Hotels push live ChatGPT integrations as AI search goes bookable
NATIONAL REPORT – Eyeing an opportunity to grow direct bookings, hotels are pushing their technology partners to integrate live availability and pricing data into artificial intelligence (AI)-search platforms. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and others have become popular tools for vacation research, but to date, results have been limited to hotel descriptions and links.
Hotels push live ChatGPT integrations as AI search goes bookable Original
Eyeing an opportunity to grow direct bookings, hotels are pushing their technology partners to integrate live availability and pricing data into artificial intelligence (AI)-search platforms. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and others have become popular tools for vacation research, but to date, results have been limited to hotel descriptions and links.
How gen AI is reinventing voice technology in travel
Generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) is breathing new life into voice technology, prompting a frenetic exploration of use cases and applications across the travel industry. From voice assistants to a revamped Amazon Alexa, they vary wildly, covering customer service and business operations through to real-time translation and conversational booking.
From SEO to GEO, hotels confront the future of digital discovery
Move beyond the next best action for an AI-powered next best experience To survive in today’s market, enterprises must deliver experiences that feel instant and intelligent. Customers expect brands to anticipate their needs and guide them through interactions that are seamless and personal. It’s the …
From SEO to GEO, hotels confront the future of digital discovery
Having restructured and centralized his team at L+R Hotels, group chief commercial officer Joe Pettigrew is ready for the next challenge: transitioning from SEO to GEO. GEO, short for generative engine optimization, is the business of ensuring a brand is picked up by large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity. These generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used by people to find information.
From SEO to GEO, hotels confront the future of digital discovery
Having restructured and centralized his team at L+R Hotels, group chief commercial officer Joe Pettigrew is ready for the next challenge: transitioning from SEO to GEO. GEO, short for generative engine optimization, is the business of ensuring a brand is picked up by large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity. These generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used by people to find information.
How brand marketers can adapt to travelers’ evolving mindsets
When exploring digital advertising, how people watch, listen, read and shop online has become more fluid in recent years, with ongoing channel fragmentation. Fortunately, no matter how niche customers’ interests, there are ways to adapt to changing tastes and behaviors. With smarter tools and data-driven insights, businesses stand to develop advertising strategies that deliver results.
In pursuit of clean data for an agentic travel future
Data is in the limelight—again. Similar to the “big data” phenomenon that gripped the travel industry a decade or so ago ("one of the fastest growing and most talked about technology trends,” observed Phocuswright analyst Bob Offutt back in 2012), today the wealth of artificial intelligence (AI) applications has brought it back into focus. But this time around it’s all about cleaning and standardizing this abundance of data, as the travel industry shifts towards the use of AI agents.
Booking.com and hotels increasingly go their separate ways
Hotels are reporting a significant recent drop-off in sales from online travel agencies (OTAs), particularly Booking.com, after “leaning” away from them in recent years, alongside other broader industry trends. The relationship with Booking.com has especially soured in Europe as the embattled OTA faces a lawsuit from 10,000 hotels seeking compensation after its parity clauses were found to have breached EU competition law.
Generative AI platform personalization: At what cost? Original
Travel companies have been queuing up in recent years to launch collaborations with generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms. Integrations, most notably with OpenAI, cover everything from trip planning tools and itinerary generators to chatbots and assistants, all turbocharged by powerful large language models (LLMs) that process and produce natural language text. So, it was surprising to hear the head of one of the world’s largest hotel brands urge caution.
Hotels grapple with ‘secondary OTAs’ for pricing control Original
Call them secondary online travel agencies (OTAs), non-major OTAs, fourth-party channels—whatever the label—they have one thing in common: They’re a headache for many hotels that are increasingly seeing their rates being undercut across the internet. Hotels have many channels to choose from when selling their rooms online. Originally, the focus was through major OTAs, such as Expedia and Booking.com, then hotels were encouraged to focus on direct sales, made possible via better software.
Mary Meeker AI Trends Report: 7 takeaways for the travel industry Original
Deciphering the AI Trends Report from Mary Meeker is no mean feat—especially considering it's 339 pages long. Yet there are several key takeaways for the travel industry buried within the opus. Meeker is founder and general partner at BOND, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm. She’s been dubbed the “Queen of the internet,” owing to her previous annual publications that take the pulse of technology trends.
How AI is quietly transforming the vacation rental industry
Infrastructure and architecture are two words that frequently come up when discussing artificial intelligence (AI) in the vacation rental sector. That’s because while most companies have been optimizing operations with AI, their number one preoccupation is futureproofing, keeping up with numerous product releases from the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic.
Travel’s persistent cybersecurity problem, and why it could get worse
Andersen Cheng sees cyber threats everywhere. Whenever he books his travel, he always types in a website address manually, doesn’t click on Google links and never saves his card’s details. As the CEO of cybersecurity company Post-Quantum it’s in Cheng's nature to be careful, but even for the general public these sorts of precautions are increasingly being prescribed as the travel industry faces a growing number of attacks.
Report-Seamless Payments: Elevating travel experiences from start to finish
Successful travel companies are in the business of making memories, creating experiences that last a lifetime. And the customer’s journey begins long before they leave for the airport. That’s because consumers invest a lot of time in researching their dream vacation.
How content creators help travel brands recruit new hires Original
A cyclist meanders along a sun-kissed pathway towards the beach. In the background, there's a turquoise sea and swaying palm trees. At first glance it looks like a standard tourism marketing video, but, in fact, it’s one of the latest videos from the Club Med Jobs TikTok account—which has amassed 34,000 followers. And the hospitality brand is just one of many focusing on social media and influencers to recruit more people.
Why attribute-based selling is gaining momentum
A while ago, Hotel Edelweiss in Zürs, Austria, was struggling to sell two of its smaller rooms. The solution? It bundled them together and marketed it as the “Snorer room”—giving the noisier guest their own space for the night. Thanks to advancements in attribute-based selling platforms, more hotels like the Edelweiss are boosting revenue by selling rooms in a similarly creative fashion.
New phase for digital nomad hospitality amid back to work mandates
GLOBAL REPORT – As the chapter closes on Selina following its rebrand to Socialtel, a question arises: What's next for hospitality brands that have a similar focus on digital nomads and remote workers? The phase out of the storied brand comes amid a worldwide backtrack on remote work policies. But many hospitality brands remain positive on the opportunity, pointing towards a new normal.
The evolving nature of the relationship between hotels and their tech partners
Partnering with the right technology systems for growth is front of mind for Hjörtur Valgeirsson, the group’s chief operations officer. He believes openness to ideas and direct lines of communications are key as new technology solutions flood the hospitality sector. For example, when Íslandshótel integrated housekeeping and maintenance app Sweeply, the hotel had already been testing it for three months. Once it saw the benefits, it rolled it out across the whole chain.
Hostelworld Breaks Records in Central America, Helped by a New Social Network
Bookings to Costa Rica surged in 2022. Ana Shuda / Unsplash Online travel agent Hostelworld is seeing demand soar for bookings across Central America, as it reports an uptick in bookings coming through its new app. Backpacker-favorites like Costa Rica and Panama reached 150 percent of 2019 volumes during 2022, as the rest of the world trails behind. Costa Rica also launched its digital nomad visa in July which may have helped.
Verizon Refocuses Its Virtual Meetings Platform on In-Person Events
U.S. telecoms conglomerate Verizon is ramping up efforts to gain a foothold in the meetings and events sector. The company is better known for its mobile network, but it also operates a video-conferencing and virtual meetings platform called BlueJeans. That division is now delving deeper into the meetings and events sector as corporate travel recovers.
India's Tata Is Bucking Trends for Consulting Firms on Travel Spending
After Pee Gate, Air India Lands In Soup Again As Passenger Finds Stone In In-Flight Meal; Twitter Has Had Enough ‘It is a treasure hunt and you are the winner’ - Twitterati Mercury is in retrograde for Air India. After peegate now the airline’s apparent lack of food hygiene has caused a stir. Passenger Dr Sarvapriya Sangwan, BBC’s head for YouTube content in India found a stone in the inflight meal served on …
Tourism Leaders Bemoan a Flawed Travel Recovery Without Chinese Tourists
Chinese tourists in Budapest in August 2016.
American Airlines CEO on Tackling the New Travel Patterns
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom speaking on stage at Skift Aviation Forum in Dallas, TX, November 2022. Skift The world’s biggest airline is ready for Thanksgiving, having already battled through several hurricanes in recent months. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom played down any potential pressure points that could emerge during the upcoming vacation. In the longer term the challenge may be identifying new flying habits as corporate travel blurs even further with leisure.
Expedia Not Backing Away From Costly Pursuit of a More Loyal Customer
Expedia Group CEO Peter Kern at Skift Global Forum on September 21, 2022 in Manhattan. Expedia will continue to invest in gaining long-term value customers despite the risk of losing bookings to its competitors, as it focuses on brand awareness, paid app downloads and its loyalty program. Expedia is prioritizing these customers in its marketing, shifting towards longer-term channels, including app downloads and other methods to capture traveler intent outside of classic performance channels.
Google Is Reviving Price Guarantee Program for Flights
Inicia sesión para añadir a la lista de seguimiento Iniciar sesión Richard Holden, vice president, product management, Google, speaking with Dennis Schaal, Skift's executive editor and founding editor, at Skift Global Forum in New York on Sept. 20.
JetBlue’s Long Game Involves More International Flights
Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer, speaking to Skift Airline Weekly editor Edward Russell at Skift Global Forum in New York on Sept. 19. Neil van Niekerk / Skift Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer, said while its planned acquisition would give it more scope to fly to the Midwest in the U.S. and several states it traditionally flies over, not into, there was scope to expand internationally.
AV Marketers
I'm Martina López, Marketing Analyst at @Newtech. Thanks for the space! I hope we can generate an exchange of ideas and continue to learn about our industry. I'm Camila Ceal, Marketing Analyst at @Newtech.
Southwest Removes Flight Credit Expiration Dates to Boost Business Travel Recovery
Skift Take A surprise move from the airline, and costly too, with a "one-time hit" of up to $300 million already set to impact its third quarter results. But it's a clever strategy to win more corporate business, as companies won't fret so much about rushing to use up their vouchers in the future. If there was one lesson that airlines learned from the pandemic, it was the need to be flexible.
3 Ways to Effectively Market to Remote Workers
As summer heats up, so does the marketing, with Google reporting that searches for destinations to visit doubled in the second quarter. Unlike previous years, more travel companies will now be competing for digital nomads and remote workers as well as traditional tourists in the coming months. It's a demographic on the rise, as borders reopen and growing numbers of businesses go remote or begin offering employees the chance to work abroad for one month a year.
Hertz Struggles in Corporate Travel But Is Encouraged by 'Short-Burst' Trip Trend
Skift Take The impact of the strict and extended inbound Covid testing policy in the U.S. shouldn't be underestimated, especially when it comes to larger business customers. The ripple effect is evident in Hertz's latest results. The relatively late removal of the Covid test requirement for U.S. arrivals in mid-June dented car rental giant Hertz's business travel bookings.
JetBlue to Buy Spirit Airlines for $3.8 Billion
Skift Take It's taken JetBlue four attempts to buy Spirit. Now it's crossed the line in a deal that's worth $3.8 billion, as long as it doesn't raise any antitrust red flags in Washington, D.C. It's the end of the saga, as JetBlue Airways has now finalized a deal to buy Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion, just hours after the airline pulled the plug on a merger agreement with Frontier Airlines. It first made a counterbid on April 5.
Wizz Air Aiming for Profitable Summer as Demand Lifts Airfares
Skift Take The airline's fares are already 10 percent higher than in 2019, and long may it continue, hopes CEO Jozsef Varadi, because airport disruption and rising fuel costs aren't going anywhere. Wizz Air said demand for travel was underpinning higher ticket prices, one positive in first-quarter results that revealed the impact of high fuel prices and disruption at airports across Europe on the low-cost carrier.
Startup Spotnana to Use $75 Million in New Funding to Continue Unraveling Business Travel's Complexities
Skift Take The company, which is backed by Concur co-founder Steve Singh, is still on its mission to quietly dismantle the underlying technology and commercial kickbacks that the corporate travel industry was built on. That costs a lot of money. New York startup Spotnana has tapped investors for more money as it continues its mission to unravel the complexities of corporate travel.
Alaska Airlines Warns of an Uneven Corporate Travel Recovery
Skift Take Most businesses reopened their offices during the past few months, or held their first company retreats in years, leading to a surge in travel. But where do you go from there? Airline execs should be worried because things could be about to tail off. After a big rebound in the first quarter, Alaska Airlines is less confident about business travel's future.
Remote Work Tech Startups Offer Quick Fix for Travel's Labor Crisis
Platforms designed to help companies employ remote workers around the world at the flick of a switch are helping governments fast-track migrants into their countries to fill jobs. Global payroll and onboarding startup Deel claims it pioneered the model, after partnering with the United Arab Emirates government last month. Deel is helping speed up worker relocation, by assisting with visas, flights and accommodation.
European Union Removes Sanctions on Syria's Cham Wings
Skift Take The lifting of sanctions, which came about over claims of smuggling, means the airline can now look to operate beyond the Middle East region. The European Union has lifted sanctions on Syrian airline Cham Wings, representatives for the EU and the airline said on Wednesday, after the privately owned company was blacklisted over accusations it was helping smuggle migrants into the bloc.
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