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Skift Take Sessions
Skift Take Sessions episodes
- When AI Books the Trip, Who Owns the Customer?
At Skift’s Data + AI Summit, Wil Slickers sits down with Rob Drotar, Industry Principal at Thoughtworks, to unpack one of the next major shifts facing travel: the rise of AI agents as a new customer interface.
The conversation moves beyond chatbots and automation to the bigger commercial question: what happens to customer ownership when an AI agent starts discovering, comparing, recommending, and potentially booking travel on behalf of the traveler?
Rob explains why business-to-agent matters, how OTAs and suppliers may approach the shift differently, and why direct booking strategies could face new pressure. The discussion also covers digital twins, data orchestration, legacy modernization, and what travel companies need to make their products agent-ready.More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today.
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event. Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you.
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.Episode Chapters:
- 0:00 — Intro / Episode overview
- 0:20 — Interview begins with Rob Drotar
- 1:47 — What is Business-to-Agent (B2A)?
- 3:00 — Which travel sectors are leading the shift?
- 5:17 — Digital twins explained
- 9:30 — How to get agent-ready (3 buckets)
- 11:51 — Data orchestration challenges
- 13:49 — Legacy systems & the build vs. buy shift
- 17:32 — What travel leaders will regret
21 min - Aven Hospitality CEO on Building AI First from Day One
Recorded at Skift's third annual Data and AI Summit in New York City, David Peller sits down with Teresa Mackintosh, CEO of Aven Hospitality, to talk about what it actually looks like to build an AI-first company from the ground up.
Just 11 months after being carved out of Sabre, Aven Hospitality is already seeing tangible results from its proprietary AI-powered Unified Hospitality Engineering Execution Platform, CodeNova, including a 30% increase in development capacity and over 50% improvement in code quality. Teresa also breaks down the build vs buy decision, why change management is the hardest part of any AI rollout, and how she is thinking about modernizing a legacy platform without losing its market-leading position.More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today.
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event. Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you.
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.00:00 Summit Setup
00:12 AI Tools Pick00:36 Change Management01:15 Build Or Buy01:48 Adoption Wins02:34 Modernizing Legacy Stack03:43 From Bartender To CEO04:55 Career Pivot Point05:53 Comfort And Risk06:35 Closing Thanks9 min - Intrepid Travel’s Secret: Purpose, Profits, and Why Small-Group Tours Are Booming
Intrepid Travel is proving that you can build a mission-driven travel company and still be more profitable than ever.
In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers tees up a Skift Global Forum conversation moderated by Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit with Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton.Thornton breaks down how Intrepid uses a balanced stakeholder model and its B Corp framework to keep value in local communities while delivering an outstanding customer experience. He explains what is powering growth right now, from baby boomers chasing immersive experiences to younger travelers prioritizing trips over traditional milestones, and why the American market is the next big unlock through shorter, more flexible adventures.The conversation also hits a refreshingly honest moment on AI, where Thornton admits the industry is still figuring out “what on earth are we going to do,” while Intrepid tries to protect what makes its product work: human connection.More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today.
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event. Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you.
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.31 min - Destination Marketing Is Now AI Marketing: Brand USA and Spain’s Playbook for 2026
Destination marketing is changing fast, and this session makes it obvious why.
In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift tourism reporter Bailey Schulz to unpack the biggest takeaways from Skift Global Forum, where Skift CEO Rafat Ali speaks with Fred Dixon, CEO of Brand USA, and Miguel Sanz, President of the European Travel Commission and Director-General of Turespaña.Wil and Bailey break down the three shifts that matter most right now: why the next battleground is influencing how AI models recommend destinations, not just buying ads; why airlift and new point-to-point routes are unlocking secondary cities and changing visitor flows; and why overtourism has become as much a perception and management challenge as it is a marketing one.Then you’ll hear the full on-stage conversation, including Fred’s view on how Brand USA is rebuilding its global platform and Miguel’s argument that destinations need more marketing, not less, if they want demand to spread beyond the usual hotspots.More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today.
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event. Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you.
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.38 min - Sierra AI CEO Bret Taylor on Agents, Loyalty, and Distribution
AI is becoming the new front door to travel, and consumer behavior is moving faster than most companies can keep up.
In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift Head of Research Seth Borko to break down what matters most from Rafat Ali’s Skift Global Forum conversation with Sierra AI CEO Bret Taylor, who also chairs the OpenAI board.
Wil and Seth unpack why distribution is the first battleground, why travel brands need to start building and cleaning up their data now, and why the real upside is not just cost-cutting but loyalty and revenue growth through personalized service at scale.
More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today.
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event. Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you.
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.42 min - Prism’s Motel 6 Bet: Ritesh Agarwal’s IPO Setup and the Budget Hotel Comeback
OYO is now Prism, and the strategy is bigger than a name change.
In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift hospitality reporter Sean O’Neill to break down what Prism CEO Ritesh Agarwal is really building after years of pivots: a business that is now essentially split between India and the U.S., anchored by the Motel 6 acquisition and a push to modernize the budget experience with a tech rebuild.
Wil and Sean unpack why “iconic” matters for Motel 6 despite its baggage, what a real turnaround would require (digital, standards, and property churn), and why Prism is doubling down on economy and extended stay through Studio 6 while much of the industry chases upscale. They also dig into the IPO signal, with Ritesh framing the board’s active evaluation of an India listing and why India’s travel market momentum is part of the timing.
More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today.
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event. Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you.
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.38 min - IHG CEO: “Growth Is Moving East” + The Ruby Bet and the Next Wave of Hotel Conversions
In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift hospitality reporter Sean O’Neill for a quick, high-signal setup on what mattered most from IHG CEO Elie Maalouf’s Skift Global Forum appearance.
Wil and Sean break down three big themes listeners should be paying attention to: why IHG believes the center of gravity in travel is moving east and what that means in real numbers, the playbook differences in Japan versus India, and why IHG’s Ruby acquisition is a strategic bet on conversion-friendly, design-led urban hotels.More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today!
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event! Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you!
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.32 min - Alaska Airlines Under Pressure: IT Outages, Hawaiian Integration, and the Seattle Global Push
Alaska Airlines is in one of the most important transition moments in its modern history, and it is happening under real operational pressure.
In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers opens with a quick setup conversation with Skift Airlines reporter Meghna Maharishi before rolling into the on-stage session with Alaska Airlines COO Jason Berry from the Skift Aviation Forum.Meghna and Wil break down what matters most: why Alaska’s recent IT failures became a leadership-level issue, what it actually takes to build resilience (not just prevention), and how the Hawaiian integration is reshaping Alaska’s ambitions through Seattle, including the long-haul roadmap and what “going global” really means for the airline.More from Skift Takes Sessions:Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today!
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event! Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in person with other industry leaders just like you!
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.30 min - JetBlue’s Reality Check: Joanna Geraghty on Disruptions, Decisions, and the Comeback Plan
This episode starts with a quick setup conversation between Wil Slickers and Skift’s airlines editor Gordon Smith, teeing up why this JetBlue session hits differently: it opens with a real-time operational disruption and a leadership test you cannot spin your way around.
Then we roll into Gordon’s on-stage conversation from Skift Aviation Forum with JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty, covering what happened, what JetBlue learned, and how the airline thinks about making high-stakes calls when customers only remember the day something breaks.
More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today!
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event! Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in-person with other industry leaders just like you!
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.31 min - Is ChatGPT the New Travel Gatekeeper? Glenn Fogel on Booking’s AI Strategy
If AI becomes the front door to travel, who wins and who pays?
Wil Slickers sits down with Dennis Schaal for a sharp, no-fluff breakdown of the biggest takeaways from Skift Global Forum, including the question everyone is asking: Is ChatGPT a paid marketing channel yet, or just the start of a new distribution shift?
Dennis and Wil unpack what matters for the future of travel discovery, how monetization pressure could reshape the funnel, and what it means for platforms like Booking when the interface changes.
More from Skift Takes Sessions:
Want to access the full video of these sessions? Become a Skift Pro Subscriber today!
We'd love to see you at our next Live Skift event! Learn more here to see where and when you can see these sessions in-person with other industry leaders just like you!
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.35 min
About Skift Take Sessions
From the publisher's feed
Skift Take Sessions is a weekly podcast built from the most important conversations shaping the global travel industry.
Each episode features candid, journalist-led interviews with CEOs and senior leaders across airlines, hotels, travel platforms, and experiences.
Recorded live at Skift events, these conversations go beyond headlines to explore how decisions are made, how companies compete, and how the industry is evolving.
Hosted by Wil Slickers, Skift Take Sessions adds the context that matters — why each conversation is relevant now and what we learned.
You’ll hear directly from leaders at companies like Hilton, Expedia Group, Booking Holdings, Airbnb, JetBlue, and more.
If you want a clearer view into where travel is headed next, Skift Take Sessions delivers insight from the people shaping it.
New episodes every week. Available wherever you get your podcasts and at Skift.com.