Friday, July 4, 2025

Mariana Gelardi is a seasoned professional in the travel and hospitality technology sector, currently serving as the Vice President of Sales at RateGain, a leading SaaS company specializing in digital marketing and distribution solutions for the travel industry. Based in Barcelona, Spain, Gelardi brings over a decade of experience to her role, overseeing the sales and customer success teams at RateGain.

Oh, the event is buzzing, just like every other edition we’ve participated in. The world of AI is really well represented here at the event, and what we’re most excited about is learning and understanding how we can incorporate these innovations into our industry. Attending events like this gives us insights on the trends that are shaping our future, and that’s what we are looking forward to.

I think it’s less about the individual innovations at this point, because in the world of AI, there’s always something new being launched, and it’s hard to keep up with every development. But for us, the major shift we’re seeing is that the traditional web search as we know it is kind of dying. The blue links and the AdWords we’re used to seeing are on their way out. We’ll need to adapt as chatbots and AI-driven search functions start to revolutionize the world of marketing. That’s a big change, and it’s something we need to be ready for as an industry.

I think travel agents already have the upper hand because of their brand and how they’re able to create strong associations with keywords. The more specific keywords that align with searches on the web, the stronger their brand presence online, and that’s what feeds AI systems today. So travel agents have an advantage because they are already well-established in the market. However, hoteliers need to keep up with this evolving trend if they want to stay competitive.

Yes, RateGain was founded in India, and we’re proud of our roots. However, we’re now a global company. We’re transitioning to becoming an AI-first company, just like many others in the industry. We move fast and are always bringing new innovations to the market—that’s part of our brand. We have a team here in Barcelona, a small commercial team focused on networking with other professionals and colleagues.

As a company, we have three strong pillars:

Yes, the company was founded 20 years ago in India, and we’ve grown exponentially since then. We have global teams across regions including the U.S., LATAM, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East. Our global footprint has expanded significantly, and we’ve also acquired several companies in different geographies, which has helped us gain more market share worldwide.

Thank you! It’s been a pleasure. See you soon!

Phocuswright Europe 2025, held from June 10–12 at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona, brought together industry leaders to explore the transformative impact of Generative AI on the travel sector. Under the theme “The New Age(nts),” the conference delved into how AI and autonomous technologies are reshaping travel marketing, distribution, and in-destination experiences.

RateGain, a global SaaS company specializing in travel and hospitality technology, participated in the event, highlighting their commitment to AI-driven solutions. Mariana Gelardi, Vice President of Sales at RateGain, shared insights on the company’s AI-first approach and its role in the evolving travel landscape. She emphasized the importance of data in AI applications, noting that AI is nothing without data, and RateGain’s integration of these elements creates a perfect cycle of business.

The conference also featured discussions on the future of travel agents, with experts predicting a shift towards AI-driven personalized itineraries. Gelardi noted that travel agents already have a strong online presence through brand associations with specific keywords, which are increasingly being utilized by AI systems. She highlighted the need for hoteliers to adapt to these changes to remain competitive.

Phocuswright Europe 2025 served as a platform for industry professionals to engage with the latest technological advancements and discuss the future of travel. The event underscored the growing significance of AI in the travel industry and the need for companies to innovate and adapt to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.

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