Sarah · May 20, 2026 · 2 min read
Airbnb data for summer 2026 shows one in four European travelers staying domestic, Sweden's median booking distance down 26% since 2023, and rural properties outperforming urban across Germany and France.
KAYAK has launched Ask AI, a conversational search tool that lets travelers plan trips through natural-language questions across flights, hotels, and car rentals. It is available to all users in the US, UK, and Canada.
MakeMyTrip's upgraded AI assistant now supports voice-driven bookings in eight languages, built-in payments, and passport OCR — handling entire trips without leaving the chat.
Expedia Group will webcast the opening session of its annual Explore 26 partner conference on May 19, featuring CEO Ariane Gorin and newly promoted B2B President Alfonso Paredes.
Airbnb will serve as the Official Lodging Partner for five NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports racetracks during the 2027 season, with listings surfaced directly on participating track websites.
Airbnb's anti-party technology is reactivated for Memorial Day weekend, automatically screening out short last-minute bookings flagged as higher risk for disruptive gatherings — for the fourth consecutive year.
Expedia is merging its B2B and supply teams under Alfonso Paredes to streamline operations and boost its platform and partner business.
Expedia spent $279 million acquiring Tiqets to strengthen its experiences market position, while Airbnb gained $70 million from the deal.
Agoda and the Macao Government Tourism Office are expanding their partnership for 2026, promoting boutique hotels in Macao's Outer Harbour District to new markets including Brazil, Vietnam, and Central Asia, with Middle East searches up 247%.
Airbnb's summer 2026 trends report highlights playcations (activity-centred trips), rural retreats, and value-seeking behaviour. A third of travellers are staying closer to home, while Gen Z is heading to Thailand and off-the-beaten-path Greek islands.
Expedia Group posted its best-ever Q1 profit margin, with 13% gross bookings growth and an 83% jump in adjusted EBITDA, as the B2B segment outpaced consumer brands by a wide margin.
BC Premier David Eby publicly rejected Airbnb's FIFA World Cup exemption request, while Mexico City reviews its STR law and a Valencia court voided the city's tourist housing moratorium. What each means for operators.