The pace of travel is accelerating in unexpected ways. Consumer expectations shift almost daily, new technologies scale quickly, and global events continue to reshape demand without warning. In this environment, travel leaders are expected to interpret emerging signals early and act with clarity and purpose.
At the same time, airlines, hospitality groups, and other travel brands now operate without a true off-season. Guest engagement, operations, and service delivery constantly evolve, and the organizations that succeed are the ones that anticipate change, experiment, and stay ahead of traveler needs.
This report, created in collaboration with PwC’s industry specialists, is designed to help brands meet that challenge. It highlights four key insights that are shaping travel in 2025 and beyond and offers practical ways to build resilience, reimagine offerings, and capitalize on new opportunities.
In this report:
- How premium is being redefined, with brands delivering value through anticipation, personalization, and friction-free service.
- Why loyalty is evolving into a living ecosystem, rewarding context as much as transactions, and reshaping how airlines and hotels earn traveler preference.
- How to orchestrate technology and human touch, using AI agents, frontline augmentation, and intelligent system design to create seamless, emotionally resonant journeys.
- What true operational resilience looks like, with frameworks for preparing for disruption, strengthening responsiveness, and converting volatility into strategic advantage.
- Why modernizing the core matters, and how travel brands can simplify tech stacks, unify data, and unlock speed, clarity, and cross-channel consistency.
- How agentic commerce is reshaping discovery and decision-making, and what travel brands must do to show up — and stand out — in AI-powered planning moments.
- Practical playbooks and quick wins from PwC and industry leaders on personalization, forecasting, orchestration, and building intelligence into every layer of the organization.