🌏 Peter Syme 🌍

We keep saying tour operators are drowning in legacy systems. But what if the problem isn’t the systems? I have sat in many rooms (and Zooms) listening to tour operator pain points over the last 12 months, from iconic multi day tour brands, rail operators, cruise operators or a combination of all three. The message is loud and clear These brands are still manually packaging itineraries and experiences They are dealing with fragmented CRM data There is disjointed eCommerce solutions and real time availability gaps Tech stacks so rigid it makes launching new products feel impossible These aren't small players, these are global brands with global portfolios and high value customer journeys. So what's going on? What if the tech stack is working exactly as it was meant to? Built for transactional bookings Optimized for back-office control Structured around the business, not the guest That’s the real issue, the tech stack isn’t broken, it’s just anchored to a world that no longer exists. Today’s travellers don’t think in segments. They think in stories; curated, connected, personalized. But most operators are still trying to deliver those stories…with systems designed for one guest type, one channel and one product. The smartest teams we've spoken to this year aren’t asking “what new features do we need?” they’re asking “what kind of operator do we want to become and what tech would that operator build?” It’s a harder question. But way more powerful. Kaptio has made it easier with our whitepaper digging into this shift. If you are on this journey its worth a read.. link in comments Ragnar Fjölnisson Vidar Svansson Tracy Sharp Jessica Poteet Lindsay Miller Sigrún Magnea Þráinsdóttir Rowan Cain Karen María Unnur Ösp Ásgrímsdóttir Gunnar Sigurðsson Bjarki Georg Ævarsson

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With birth rates falling and life expectancy rising, according to Pew Research, by 2073, the number of people aged 65 and older is expected to surpass those under 15. It's a fundamental shift transforming our world, and the travel industry must prepare. This demographic shift is already affecting us, and getting ready for it is no longer optional. It's one of the main reasons why our latest Mastercard-CrescentRating GMTI 2025 emphasizes Accessible Travel. Although our aging population is a significant factor, the need for genuine accessibility goes beyond that, including a wide range of travelers: >> 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬: A sizable market already seeking comfort, safety, and meaningful journeys. >> 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: A group often traveling with family and friends. >> 𝐍𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬: Traveling with families who value and are willing to pay more for inclusive experiences. However, the research shows a harsh truth: only 9% of international tourism spots have proper accessibility features. In 2024, we introduced the 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 (𝐀𝐓𝐅). To translate this framework into tangible actions, we took an initial step in this year's GMTI by launching the 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 Travel 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐛-𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱. Although comprehensive data to benchmark destinations on this is still limited, it is essential to begin the process now. We cannot wait for everything to be perfect before making progress. The demographic data is undeniable, the moral imperative is clear, and the financial opportunity is significant. Download the GMTI 2025 report for more details. Take a listen to this Audio Summary for a brief overview. #HalalTourism #Crescentrating #AccessibleTravel #InclusiveTourism #GMTI2025

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The £5,000 mistake hiding in a British Airways First Class ticket. Let’s talk about a trap that even frequent flyers and business travellers often fall into. British Airways sells First Class seats under two fare types: F and A. F = full fare (eye-wateringly expensive, re-mortgage your house vibe) A = discounted fare (often cheaper than Business Class) Sounds like a no-brainer, right? You've checked the cost and First Class is cheaper than Business Class. First Class experience, save money, everyone wins. Or do they? Here’s where it can get messy. If your plans change, which, let’s be honest, they often do in business travel, you’re suddenly in for a shock. That discounted A-class fare has likely sold-out, meaning you'll have to rebook into F, which can cost thousands more. Or worse. Downgrade to Business Class… and still pay extra for the privilege. So is it a trap? Not if your plans are locked in. But for most business travellers, flexibility eats restrictions for breakfast.

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Why offering 24 hour conversational support matters for TMCs Last week I shared Grapevine’s Pillar 2, 24 hour conversational AI support, designed to #support travellers as behaviour shifts towards instant, conversational decision making. Today, the same capability through a TMC lens. Most TMCs are facing the same pressure. Traveller expectations keep rising, volumes are up, margins are tight, and experienced agents are hard to find. At the same time, a surprising amount of agent time can be diverted answering repeat questions like: What is my policy? Do I need a visa? Is my flight on time? What terminal am I flying from? What is the best form of transport when I arrive? Are there any good things to do near my hotel? These questions need fast answers, often out of hours, but they do not need a senior consultant. This is where 24 hour conversational support becomes genuinely valuable for TMCs. By putting a #policy aware, itinerary aware assistant in front of the traveller, TMCs can absorb a large volume of low complexity interactions without adding headcount, while freeing agents to focus on the moments where their #expertise actually matters. That has a direct cost benefit, fewer inefficient interactions, less out of hours pressure, and better use of experienced teams. But it also improves service #quality. Travellers get immediate answers. Agents spend more time solving real problems. And the overall experience improves. Just as importantly, this support happens inside the programme. Instead of travellers turning to public tools or off platform sources, questions, decisions, and bookings stay within a secure, branded environment connected to live trip data. That helps TMCs protect #data, reduce #leakage, and #deliver on what their corporate customers are increasingly asking for in an AI driven world. Over time, the model also learns and #personalisation gets better. Each interaction helps build a clearer picture of how travellers actually behave, which channels they prefer, when they need help, and what support looks like in practice. That allows TMCs to offer a more responsive service without adding operational complexity. And none of this requires a rip and replace. Grapevine sits on top of existing systems, OBTs and channels. It works alongside agents, can be activated quickly, and gives TMCs a #differentiated service model that scales with demand rather than headcount. AI is already shaping how travellers ask questions, make decisions, and get support. For TMCs, the question is no longer if this enters the programme, but when and how. If you want to explore what this looks like in practice, and how it can be embedded quickly into your existing programme, we’d love to talk. #Grapevine #TravelManagement #ConversationalAI #BusinessTravel #TravelTechnology #TMC #DutyOfCare

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AI can be "hacked" to cause reputational damage - maybe it's already happened to your travel brand? A recent BBC report exposed a terrifyingly simple reality: It takes them less than 20 minutes to "hack" the world-leading AI models. Not through complex coding, but through twisting the narrative. By writing articles that sound and look authoritative, bad actors can "reprogram" how AI describes a brand, a destination, or a person. In an industry increasingly reliant on AI-generated itineraries and chatbots, this creates a dangerous playground for those wanting to manipulate what is said about a particular brand or place. A competitor can create content to tell AI to steer guests away from your hotel by falsely claiming it is "closed" or "under renovation." Actors can game the system to raise their own profile as a top destination expert without any merit, simply by feeding the AI’s hunger for data with manipulated sources. Trusted sources and verification will be even more important going forward, to make sure AI models present the truthful view. You need to control your narrative through other sources of high quality information and be vigilant of what's being said about you. Do you regularly check how you're talked about on AI platforms? #Deeptravel #AItravel #Travelmarketing #Travel #Futureoftravel

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Just got back from London. Three professional caddies spotted a clear gap in the market: there was no solid system for training and certifying tour and club caddies, nor for setting up structured caddie programs at golf clubs. (very niche solution on a clear problem) https://lnkd.in/eJ5nRjgv With minimal funding, they’ve reached an MRR level many startups only dream of, especially compared to teams that burn through their entire seed round before seeing real traction. More news about this to come soon!

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