“Ecosystem” is a word most associated with the environment, but it’s also synonymous with HBX Group’s total customer solutions. With the theme of this year’s MarketHub Americas set at “Unlocked,” the ecosystem is undoubtedly being underscored by the introduction of A.I. at most touchpoints in the travel industry.
Travel is poised to be one of the globe’s largest contributors to the economy, and HBX sees A.I. as the tool that will elevate players in the market.
HBX Group CEO Nicolas Huss (Photo Credit: Kathy Buckworth/TravelPulse Canada)
“It’s a significant moment of change,” said HBX Group CEO Nicolas Huss, to an audience of 600 at the Hard Rock Casino & Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. “Travel is 10 percent of the global GDP. This is the industry that is going to create the most jobs by 2030. We are working together on an ecosystem and making things happen.”
Huss described the current technology being used in the travel business as “Frankenstein-like,” as legacy systems fight with new programs. He feels that A.I. will be a universal translator for technology in the travel sector.
In terms of how he sees A.I. working together with people, he sees only upside.
“Personalization is expected. A.I. enables it. Humans make it meaningful,” he said. “This is really about people. They grapple with uncertainty, with the pace of change. If we work together, we will be so much stronger.”
David Amsellen, the Chief Distribution Officer for HBX Group, spoke about how the three travel steps of search, compare and book have been collapsed into one activity through A.I.
“56 percent of U.S. leisure travellers use A.I. to book a trip,” he said, “and less than two months ago that number was less than 25 percent. Eighty percent of them finalize their booking at the end of the process.”
Rebecca Brett, the Managing Director of bedsonline, which is part of the HBX Group, talked about how she sees A.I. reducing the friction for travel advisors, and noted that their research shows that 75 percent of travel advisors are already using A.I.
The traveller themself is changing as well, according to a survey by Travel Trends, with 39 percent of their respondents agreeing that leisure trips are a priority, even in today’s economy.
Zeina Gedeon, COO of Trevello World Holdings, and CEO of Trevello Canada (Photo Credit: Kathy Buckworth/TravelPulse Canada)
“Travel is not a recovery story any more”, said Zeina Gedeon, COO of Trevello World Holdings, and CEO of Trevello Canada, “it’s a momentum story.”
Gedeon also spoke to new travel trends and how travel advisors need to embrace change. “Travel advisors are making a big mistake if they think that today’s travellers look like yesterday’s travellers,” she said. “Wellness is mainstream, and meaningful travel is the new luxury.”
“A.I. will change everything except why people travel,” she continued. “How can A.I. make travel more human? It can’t. We can. Travel advisors can. Information is free. Confidence is priceless.”
Travel advisors can give their clients confidence. “The rarest commodity is not access. It’s trust,” said Gedeon. “The future isn’t A.I. versus advisors, it’s A.I. powered advisors.”
Founder of QueerDestinations.com Oriol Pamies took part in the “Perspectives on the Future of Travel” forum to shine a light on the importance of the LGBTQ+ market. Ten percent of the overall population identifies as LGBTQ+, with Gen Z at 23 percent. This demographic has an 18 percent higher spend on experiences. However, Pamies pointed out that unfortunately they no longer take safety for granted when they travel, as LGBTQ+ rights are being lost in the U.S., Argentina and Italy, as examples.
“Let’s create a world where we only support those who support each other back,” he said, explaining QueerDesintations.com philosophy. They are currently in 38 cities in 15 countries, including Spain, Greece, Mexico and Brazil.
“It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” he said. “The future of travel has to be inclusive.”
In a media roundtable, HBX CEO Nicholas Huss stated that the “Canadian community is loved by the hotel community,” and again reiterated that travel advisors who use A.I. will have a secret sauce. “It’s not magic, it’s the quality of the data,” adding, “Using A.I. is an enabler, not something that can be replaced.”
Marta Ruiz, Product Director, Distribution, HBX group reviewed the three signals on the HBX road map to success. “First is simplicity. You can’t pass the complexity on to the customer. Second is confidence, in providing relevant options, and the third is ‘speed of value’, thanks to A.I. solutions.” She again reinforced that HBX is using A.I. to help “reduce the friction” for travel advisors.
Patricio Rabbione of Oracle shared statistics that show 55 percent of Millennials and Gen Z prefer to use A.I. for travel recommendations than making their own decisions.
Olivier Ponti from Amadeus reviewed statistics that show that 49 percent of Canadian stays are from 1-5 days, 42 percent are from 6-13 days, and only 10 percent are more than two weeks. The Canadian hotel occupancy rate is rising right now, and our average daily rate sits at $221.
Morgan Hines from Phocuswright (owned by TravelPulse Canada parent company Northstar), presented research findings revealing that generative A.I. is the number one technology investment being made across the globe. ChatGPT is still the market leader with a 68 percent share, Google at 23 percent, Microsoft Co-Pilot at six percent, with Claude moving up. The top use for A.I. is researching things to do, followed by where to stay, then where to go. More than 90 percent of respondents found A.I. helpful in their travel search, and 41 percent will make a decision based on A.I. But fully half of travellers who used A.I. still click through to the source website for more information.
HBX MarketHub Americas 2026 (Photo Credit: Kathy Buckworth/TravelPulse Canada)
While the dominant conversation from the stage and on the floor was around A.I., the conference attendees found the opportunity to connect on a human level throughout the trade show and at evening events which took place at the Hard Rock Casino & Resort Punta Cana, the Live Aqua Hotel Punta Cana, and the Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana.
Key sponsors of the event included: Accor, MINOR Hotels, Disney Destinations, Hilton, Mexican Caribbean, Clermont Hotel Group, Visit Panama, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and PAM Hotels. Conference attendees stayed at the newly completed Moon Palace Punta Cana, and the conference took place at the Hard Rock Casino & Resort, Punta Cana.
Details for MarketHub Americas 2027 have not yet been released.
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