A new report has identified 10 key trends that travel professionals should keep in mind to stay competitive and succeed by 2036.
The research was compiled by RateHawk, a B2B online platform for booking hotels, flights and transfers, and PhocusWright, a leading tourism market research think tank.
“We created this report as a practical guide to help travel businesses navigate the industry’s fast-changing environment,” said Astrid Kastberg, Managing Director of RateHawk.
“It is designed to help travel professionals identify the most important actions needed to stay competitive over the next decade.”
Changing customer behaviour remains one of the most significant drivers of transformation in the travel industry.
Both seasoned travellers and next-generation digital natives are seeking more personalised experiences, resulting in increasingly fragmented demand patterns.
In addition, travel decision-making is becoming more heavily influenced by social media and digital platforms.
As a result, travel professionals need to adapt by diversifying their offerings and exploring new channels to reach new potential customers and meet their authentic requests.
Another major driver of transformation is growing industry volatility, fuelled by geopolitical tensions, economic instability and other global dynamics.
This uncertainty is influencing traveller behaviour, leading to greater price sensitivity and more spontaneous decision-making.
Eventually, it is pushing travel professionals to diversify risk through a more resilient supply mix, while increasing demand for all-in-one solutions that simplify booking and trip management.
The role of reliable API connections that allow them to react fast to any changes also becomes crucial.
Finally, the key factor set to transform workflows and the broader industry infrastructure is the ongoing AI revolution.
With the rapid advancement of innovation, travel professionals are increasingly expected to adopt agentic workflows that free up capacity for customer-focused activities.
The study finds that 57% of global travel professionals surveyed by RateHawk in 2026 hold a positive view of AI in their work, though trust levels vary depending on the task.
The adoption of AI agents will also require greater focus on data quality, as well as the consolidation of databases into standardised formats that are accessible to autonomous systems.
As infrastructure becomes more complex and risk management grows in importance, the accurate technological stack and partnerships also ensure business resilience.
“Amid rapid industry transformation and the many challenges ahead, one thing remains constant: travel professionals need powerful, intelligent tools to stay ahead,” added Ms Kastberg.
