World Tourism Day 2025: Skills, Equity, and Innovation Shaping Travel

Sergiu, Managing Director of Roundtrip

In my personal journey within the TravelTech industry, two pivotal factors played a crucial role in my growth: invaluable mentorship and the inspiring guidance of esteemed industry leaders. These two elements fostered my expansion of professional networks, the acquisition of specialized expertise, and my unwavering commitment to staying abreast of industry trends. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to learn from remarkable individuals who have consistently empowered, trusted, and inspired me throughout my career.

Victoria, Interim Managing Director of the Wholesaler Business Unit

I don’t have a formal background in tourism. My education is in Finance Management with a specialization in Statistics. That gave me a strong analytical foundation, which later became very useful in management and strategy. Another thing that helped me a lot was my English: having strong language skills opened doors to an international environment and allowed me to connect and grow faster.

My entry into tourism happened almost by chance. I started working in a hotel because my brother was already there, but what kept me in the industry was my passion for travel. Moving into online bookings felt natural — it brings together technology, global perspective, and constant transformation. In fact, what I love most is that our industry never stands still. Every year feels like being in a completely new company, with new challenges and opportunities to learn. That dynamic environment has been one of the biggest drivers of my professional growth.

Equally important were the people I met along the way — mentors, colleagues, and partners who shared their knowledge and experience. I’ve always believed that learning from others is one of the fastest ways to develop.

As for women in leadership, I’ve never seen it as something unusual in our company. There are many women in senior positions, and it has always felt natural. For me, this inclusiveness is simply part of our culture, and it makes the environment even stronger.

Astrid, Managing Director of RateHawk

I studied tourism and then a bachelor’s in travel management. I started working very early and was lucky to learn by doing, to be thrown in at the deep end, and to have very supportive leaders along the way. Over time, you build a network and a reputation that helps you build strong relationships. The industry is small, and I have many close friendships that have been built over time, and keeping a constant open mind and wishing to learn is key to continuous growthin this constantly changing business.

Simone, Head of Direct Supply

In my experience, the strongest client relationships are built on consistency and transparency. Reliability earns trust, honesty earns respect, and when you align your goals with the client’s, you move from being a supplier to being a partner. It’s also the small things that matter, listening carefully, tailoring solutions to their real needs, and recognizing achievements along the way. Strong partnerships are rarely about grand gestures; they are about everyday demonstrations that you value the relationship.

Sergiu, Managing Director of Roundtrip

Agility and reactivity! Stay ahead of others, anticipate needs, build solutions that nobody thinks of, and go the extra mile for your clients. They’ll appreciate it and never go away.

Erik, Interim Regional Director APAC, RateHawk

Listening first — every market and country in APAC is unique. I focus the team on understanding partners’ business models, needs, priorities, demand, and challenges before offering solutions. This builds trust from the very beginning. Proactive and fast communication — regular and fast updates and transparency about challenges and opportunities help position us as a reliable partner, not just a supplier. Empowering the client relationship – I encourage a “be your own CEO” mindset internally, so that my team members take ownership of client needs and deliver with speed and accountability. Clients see and appreciate this responsiveness. Long-term mindset — in APAC, especially, relationships are built step by step. I make sure we celebrate small wins, invest in face-to-face meetings, business lunches, and dinners to establish proper communication.

Laura: “I’m a strong believer that people buy people and that you should always bring your true, authentic self to the table.”

Laura, Strategic Business Development Manager, RateHawk

I believe it shows when you are passionate about your job and the products you sell. People can sense your love and commitment. I’m a strong believer that people buy people and that you should always bring your true, authentic self to the table.

Irina, Head of International Business Development, Roundtrip

For me, building strong client relationships always starts with listening carefully and understanding what really matters to them. At Roundtrip, we use structured methods like our Sales Playbook and the MEDDIC framework to keep this process consistent, but in the end, it’s all about being open, reliable, and creating value step by step.

In business travel, clients expect much more than just a booking tool. They look for proactive support, flexibility, and confidence that we’ll handle things when plans change. That’s why we put a lot of effort into combining personal account management with smart digital tools — so our clients feel both supported and in control.

Erik: “Proactive and fast communication — regular and fast updates and transparency about challenges and opportunities help position us as a reliable partner.”

Victoria, Interim Managing Director of the Wholesaler Business Unit

Recently, I had the chance to experience this first-hand during a training session with our management board team. We spent three days exploring AI through vibe coding, where we actually built simple applications and agents ourselves. It was eye-opening to see how quickly ideas turned into working tools, and it made the future of human–AI collaboration feel much closer and more real.

In our company, we already use automation in many operational processes, and it has shown how much time and energy can be saved when AI takes over routine tasks. What excites me is the idea of bringing this further into other teams — including my own Wholesaler Business Unit — where AI could help us work faster and make better decisions.

One of our big dreams is to create a kind of “co-pilot” in our Extranet for hoteliers. Imagine a smart assistant that helps partners navigate the system, optimize their content, and even suggest actions to increase their sales. I truly see this as one of the most promising directions for the future, where technology doesn’t replace people but empowers them to do more and focus on what really matters.

Sergiu, Managing Director of Roundtrip

There are plenty of technologies linked to human-AI collaboration that are emerging. Maybe I could highlight a couple of them that I follow in particular. That’s ultra-personalization of the service, leveraging big data to offer curated experiences or products (accommodation, transportation, etc.) based on unique individual preferences, travel history, or real-time context.

Another topic that is becoming popular is predictive analytics used for disruption management and anticipation algorithms, alerting travelers and offering alternatives before problems arise.

Victoria: “Imagine a smart assistant that helps partners navigate the system, optimize their content, and even suggest actions to increase their sales. I truly see this as one of the most promising directions for the future.”

Christopher, Team Lead Sales Germany, RateHawk

One innovative technology that stands out is AI-powered chatbots hat work alongside human agents, handling simple queries and freeing up time for agents to focus on more complex or personalized requests. Another emerging tool is intelligent data analytics platforms that help agents anticipate client needs and personalize travel experiences based on past behavior and preferences. Voice recognition and multilingual AI assistants improve communication and accessibility, making it easier to support clients from diverse backgrounds. Finally, virtual and augmented reality are giving agents new ways to showcase destinations or hotels to clients, which helps make the booking process more interactive and engaging. These technologies, when combined with human expertise, can greatly enhance both efficiency and the overall client experience in the travel industry.

Betul, Country Manager Turkey, RateHawk

I believe AI can greatly support travel agents in areas like data analysis, instant information, and automating simple processes. However, there are specific areas where the human touch remains irreplaceable. When a client wants a tailor-made journey with multiple destinations, unique preferences, and special interests, the creativity and experience of a human agent is unmatched. Travel is highly personal, and clients often need empathy, reassurance, and someone they can trust when making big decisions — especially for honeymoons, family holidays, or once-in-a-lifetime trips.

Flight cancellations, unexpected health issues, or sudden political changes require immediate judgment and negotiation skills that go beyond algorithms. AI can suggest destinations, but it cannot fully understand cultural nuances, personal tastes, or the small insider tips that make trips truly memorable.

In short, AI is a powerful tool, but the role of a travel agent is to provide human connection, empathy, and creativity — qualities that no technology can fully replicate.

Erik, Interim Regional Director APAC, RateHawk

In short, my career in travel taught me to treat uncertainty as normal, to see opportunities in every disruption, and to lead teams and partners with resilience and trust.

Irina, Head of International Business Development, Roundtrip

Working in the travel industry has taught me that nothing ever stays the same for long. Rules change, client needs shift, and sometimes unexpected global events can turn everything upside down. At first glance, these moments look like challenges, but in reality, they push us to adapt, think creatively, and find new solutions.

At Roundtrip, this mindset is part of our daily work. We don’t just focus on solving today’s issues — we also look ahead and prepare for what clients will need tomorrow. Whether it’s offering more sustainable travel choices, ensuring flexibility, or using technology to make travel management easier, we see every challenge as an opportunity to get better and deliver more value.

Irina: “We don’t just focus on solving today’s issues — we also look ahead and prepare for what clients will need tomorrow.”