At the Skift Data + AI Summit in New York City in June 2025, leaders across the travel, tech, and marketing sectors explored the state of AI with nuance and clarity. The conversation wasn’t about hype or hysteria, but about what’s real, what’s next, and how the industry can navigate the middle ground between inflated expectations and genuine opportunity.

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While AI continues to inspire both excitement and skepticism, the summit highlighted the growing number of practical applications already shaping how travel companies operate, engage, and innovate. Speakers took a high-level view of AI’s strategic potential, then zoomed in on the tools, experiments, and use cases that are already delivering impact on the ground.

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This Executive Focus Report, produced in partnership with Phunware, captures the key insights, sharp perspectives, and forward-thinking ideas that emerged from the event — offering a clear look at where AI in travel is headed, and how companies can move from curiosity to implementation.

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In this report:

• How can hospitality brands use AI to power better loyalty experiences? How do consumer-facing and internal business applications of AI differ? How much does AI implementation actually cost in the travel space?
• How are data and AI making the hospitality real estate sector more effective?
• What tools can travel advertisers use to balance creativity and technology?
• How is AI shaping travel search and discovery platforms?
• What is the impact of AI on the battle between Google and metasearch? Should travel brands be using AI-generated visuals right now?
• How can organizations inspire institutional change from AI-curious to AI-native?
• How are AI tools spearheading evolution at DMOs?
• What does the promise of agentic AI mean for human hospitality professionals?
• What should AI travel startups know about pitching to potential investors?

• Beyond the Booking: Using Data to Build Guest Loyalty
• The Evolution of Corporate Travel From Agents to Algorithms
• Data-Driven Insights and AI’s Impact on Hospitality Real Estate
• The Next Creative Leap in Travel AI
• Smarter Search and Personalisation: Shaping the Future of Travel Journeys
• Authenticity Meets Innovation in Travel Imagery
• Building AI Momentum in Travel: From AI-Curious to AI-Native
• The AI Advantage: How Destination Marketing Must Evolve
• How AI is Transforming Hotel Efficiency From Within
• Ask Me Anything: Travel Investment Outlook