Travel Tech Insider
Digging into the people, ideas, trends and opportunities that are driving the travel industry forward. Join hosts Gilad Berenstein and Cara Whitehill for the hot takes, contrarian viewpoints, and fresh perspectives from the most interesting thinkers and doers in the sector.
Episodes
20 episodes
M&A Part 2: The Exit | Founders Perspectives
In part 1 of our exploration of M&A trends in the travel sector, we talked to the bankers and advisors who have a front row seat to the circus that is the M&A process. Given this is their job day-in and day-out, they have a deep underst...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 9
•
1:14:51
What’s Cooking with Food & Beverage Innovation?
Dining out, room service, fine dining, continental breakfasts, a fancy cocktail, and food and drink in general have always been a part of the travel experience and hospitality offering. Today more than ever before Michelin Stars, hidden gems, s...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 8
•
1:15:37
M&A Part 1: Buyers, Sellers and the State of the Market
We’ve spent a lot of time on the pod talking about startups, and now we’re going to shift gears to talk about the finish line, and what the climate is looking like for exits. The IPO market has been virtually non-existent the past couple years,...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 7
•
59:20
The Travelization of Finance with Bilt Rewards and Super.com
The fintech sector has expanded massively beyond its origins as a way to modernize and connect the plumbing across the various segments of the financial services world. The intersection of fintech and travel — the “Financialization” of the trav...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 6
•
55:15
Aviation Innovation: What’s Up in the Air
It might be hard to tell at times, but we’re in the midst of a renaissance when it comes to the air travel experience. Everything from the aircraft we fly to the routes they take to the in-flight experience is getting a major redesign. The pand...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 5
•
54:28
The Future of Travel: Digital Identity & Universal Profiles
We’ve talked a lot on the pod about the mythical Connected Trip concept, and the vision for a unified travel experience across all the different touchpoint throughout the journey. One that is personalized and understands the context of the trip...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 4
•
56:55
The State of VC in Travel: Europe Edition
Last season we took a deep dive into the venture investing scene here in the US, including the different approaches taken by corporate ventures teams and institutional funds, and the growth of new platforms like studios and accelerators.
•
Season 2
•
Episode 3
•
1:09:42
Are Ancillaries Becoming the Main Dish? With Elad Schaffer & Michael Wolf
Ancillaries! It’s such a nebulous term for the travel industry that it’s incredibly hard to figure out exactly how big the market is — but we know it’s massive and getting bigger by the day.In some cases, what we refer to as ancillary p...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 2
•
52:29
Innovation in Corporate Travel with Steve Singh
Corporate travel has been ripe for disruption for quite some time, so why is it taking so long?Road warriors hate the tools they are compelled to use (and frequently bypass), travel managers hate the cat-and-mouse games they have to pla...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 1
•
57:50
Salon: The State of Innovation - VC, Corporate VC and Venture Studios
Following up from our Season 1 episode on the investor perspective in travel tech, we bring you the latest from the front lines of venture capital and corporate innovation.What, if anything, has changed for the ecosystem in the past year...
•
54:32
Season 1 Finale
The season finale is here! Episode 10 wraps up with some special guests to help us check in on the latest goings-on among all the hot topics we covered in Season 1. Cliffhangers abound...What's next with NDC, loyalty program changes, reg...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 10
•
1:19:37
AI: What We Know So Far, Part 2 - The Big Guys
This week we continue our deep dive into what we know so far about AI, and how it’s being used, being disruptive, being overestimated and perhaps underestimated across the travel ecosystem. In our last episode we spoke to two startup founders w...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 9
•
59:10
AI: What We Know So Far, Part 1 - The Startups
It’s been a little over a year now since ChatGPT burst on the scene like a cannonball into a pool, soaking us all. The initial waves have settled down, giving us a chance to see what kind of ideas and applications are making the best use of thi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 8
•
57:43
Social Commerce & the Zillennial Set: A New Paradigm for Travel?
The way we travel has evolved pretty dramatically since the pandemic. The traditional “Dream/Plan/Book/Go/Share/Repeat” lifecycle has essentially been replatformed as a result of macro trends like the shift to remote work, multiple rounds of st...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 7
•
1:07:32
State of Loyalty
The loyalty program as we know it was pioneered by American Airlines over 30 years ago. A lot has changed since then. As travel has become commoditized in many areas, suppliers and retailers have become more innovative and creative about attrac...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
56:04
Emerging Business Models in Travel Tech
To paraphrase Lenin (Vladimir, not John), “there are decades where nothing happens, and then there is NDC”. For those of us who have worked in travel tech for more than a few years, it may feel like decades are suddenly happening in months, if ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 5
•
57:58
What's Next for Luxury Travel?
The luxury travel segment has always been about high-touch service and premium experiences. In a rapidly changing post-pandemic world where AI turns the service model upside down, over-the-top experiences collide with sustainability concerns, a...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 4
•
47:27
Investor Perspective: Why is VC in Travel so Tough?
When it comes to sexy startup ideas, the travel sector usually ranks at the head of the class. Nearly everyone travels, and thus can relate to the pain points that stem from the challenges inherent in an industry driven by legacy tech platforms...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 3
•
51:41
Destination Marketing: Where Are We Headed?
Destination marketing is one of the biggest forces powering the travel industry that we rarely talk about. It’s the Goliath economic influencer hiding in plain sight, using its invisible hand to directly and indirectly guide the way we think ab...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 2
•
56:38
