Monday, July 14, 2025

In an exclusive interview with Travel and Tour World, Veronica Diquattro, President of B2C & Supply Europe at Omio, painted a vivid picture of how technology is poised to revolutionize the travel industry in the next decade. From AI-driven planning to emotionally intelligent journeys, the traditional search-and-book routine may soon be a relic of the past.

At the heart of this shift is “Book as you Binge,” where watching a cinematic series could seamlessly transform into booking your next adventure. Instead of juggling tabs and filters, travelers will act on emotion, spurred by immersive, personalized storytelling. AI will make trips not just inspirational but instantly bookable—a radical departure from how people plan journeys today.

Meanwhile, Emotional Goal Engines are set to usher in a new era of hyper-personalization. Travel platforms will go beyond generic recommendations, identifying deeper human motivations like connection, renewal, or adventure. Diquattro described a future where algorithms suggest tranquil coastal retreats after stressful work periods or energetic group hikes to lift one’s spirits.

Equally transformative is the rise of AI-ttentive Journey Agents—digital companions able to foresee disruptions before travelers are even aware. These systems will analyze real-time data, rebook flights, suggest alternative routes, and keep travelers informed, turning potential chaos into a seamless experience.

Yet as No-prep Journeys promise hyper-convenience, Diquattro emphasized that privacy cannot be sacrificed. The future of travel, she believes, will balance technological ease with transparent data control, letting users decide precisely what to share and when.

Omio’s own innovations reflect this vision. Available in 45 countries and 30 languages, Omio is already leading the charge by integrating trains, buses, ferries, and flights into a single platform. Diquattro shared that Omio is designing a world where the system understands traveler preferences—whether that’s scenic routes, fewer connections, or sustainable choices—before they even begin planning.

Generation Alpha will drive further change, demanding physical experiences inspired by digital worlds. Diquattro predicts travel planning will become gamified, social, and immersive, allowing young travelers to step into the very worlds they admire online.

However, Diquattro acknowledged the ethical stakes. AI-driven personalization must avoid bias and protect sustainability goals. The industry must ensure innovation goes hand in hand with fairness, climate responsibility, and respect for travelers’ trust.

As Diquattro sees it, the future of travel isn’t just digital—it’s deeply human.

As Emotional Goal Engines grow in popularity, travel platforms will shift from offering generic recommendations to designing journeys that reflect a traveler’s deeper motivations, like a need for connection, restoration, or personal growth. By leveraging customer data, AI and algorithms analyzing behavior patterns and personal preferences, platforms will begin to highlight trips that align with emotional and rational needs. Think quiet coastal retreat trips after a demanding work period or a group hiking trip to reenergize the soul…

In the near future, AI-ttentive Journey Agents will rely on real-time data integration, predictive analytics, and intuitive interfaces to manage disruptions before they even reach the traveler. Advances in technology will allow AI companions to monitor everything from delays to strikes, then intuitively rebook tickets, suggest alternative routes, or offer nearby experiences. 

The idea of No-prep Journeys, where everything from your transport to accommodations and local experiences is automatically arranged, offers a glimpse into a future where travel could be completely effortless. If this concept becomes reality, it will only work if travelers have full visibility and control over their data. Privacy can never be an afterthought—it has to be built into the foundation. We envision a platform where travelers opt in on their own terms, decide exactly what data is shared, and can easily adjust settings at any time.

Today’s travel landscape is fragmented with disconnected systems and outdated infrastructure, making it difficult to easily plan and book trips. This is where Omio comes in, we’ve been bridging the gap since 2013 by enabling travelers to compare and book trains, buses, ferries and flights in one place. Integrating live updates, mobile tickets and more empowers users to navigate complex journeys confidently and effortlessly, making it a smoother experience. 

At Omio, we’re currently reimagining the travel experience to be as effortless and intuitive as possible. 

As the leading multi-modal travel booking platform, Omio helps travelers search, compare and book trains, buses, flights and ferries all in one place. Unlike platforms that focus solely on flights, accommodation, or a single mode of transport, Omio empowers users to plan journeys based on what matters most: price, time, convenience, or preferred mode, whether that’s a scenic train ride on a budget-friendly bus trip.

Available in 45 countries and supporting over 30 languages and currencies, our app and website simplify complex, cross-border travel by unifying thousands of transportation providers across Europe, the U.S., and Southeast Asia into one seamless experience. Omio is the only booking platform offering multi-modality at scale, moving a traveler every second of the day.

We’re building toward a world where the platform understands your needs before you even start the booking process. Maybe it understands you seek out slow travel options, a window seat with a view,  or direct travel, with no stopovers. It’s not just about booking a ticket—it’s about anticipating what is needed in the moment and making journeys radically simple.

And if something changes, such as a delay or, a sudden plan shift, travelers will be rerouted, with tickets rebooked accordingly, without having to lift a finger. Travel should feel seamless, even spontaneous, and we’re getting closer to that every day.

This next generation is unlike any before; they’re digital natives, and they deeply value real experiences. They want to step into the worlds they’ve discovered via streaming platforms, virtual subcultures and social feeds. Young travelers will increasingly expect seamless travel and sustainable travel, with an expectation for multi-modal travel to be the norm by 2030.

Travel companies are already preparing for this shift. According to our Future Journeys report, 70% of adults traveling with children are choosing destinations and experiences inspired by their kids’ digital interests. That trend will only accelerate as Gen Alpha comes of age. Planning tools will become more gamified, itineraries more shareable and customizable, and the trips themselves more immersive. 

The more we personalize via AI, the more we need to be thoughtful about fairness, algorithmic bias, and sustainability, requiring the implementation of data privacy standards and safeguards. AI-optinised personalization can actively support sustainability across the industry by redirecting demand away from over-visited destinations and highlighting lower-impact choices. Travel platforms can further reduce their environmental footprint by adopting energy-efficient AI models and data centers, as well as deploying carbon-aware computing—ensuring that innovation remains in step with climate goals.

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