71: Travel in the Age of AI: Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel on the Connected Trip

Generative AI is fundamentally reshaping global travel by enabling a "Connected Trip" model that functions as a personalized digital travel agent. This technology automates complex planning, real-time itinerary adjustments, and customer service, significantly reducing friction for travelers. Booking Holdings, led by CEO Glenn Fogel, utilizes its massive scale—processing $186 billion in annual transactions—to navigate intricate global payment infrastructures and diverse regulatory landscapes that remain prohibitive for smaller entities. While horizontal AI platforms are emerging, the operational complexity of travel, including merchant-of-record responsibilities and cross-border tax compliance, creates a high barrier to entry. The industry must now balance rapid technological integration with the urgent need for consistent, cross-jurisdictional regulation to ensure fair competition and address the long-term societal impacts of these powerful new tools.