Margot Ladiray

🏅 Paris 2024 Olympics served as a catalyst for urban mobility innovation; travelers and operators reported positive experiences. RATP Group improved information screens, AI-based real-time translation, and digital accessibility. Air France created a mini hub in the Olympic Village for passenger check-ins and enhanced mobility-impaired services. Post-Olympics, Air France plans to expand accessibility for the disabled to 80% of its network by year-end. Despite 18,000 accredited individuals from 150 countries transported by Air France, the event's "flying taxis" by Volocopter failed to take off due to lack of certification.

💸 TravelPerk, a European unicorn, has raised $200 million and acquired Swiss expense management firm Yokoy. With a new valuation of $2.7 billion, the company aims to expand in the US market and launch a Travel and Expense (T&E) platform. This follows a June acquisition of American TMC Amtrav. TravelPerk reported a 50% revenue increase over two years, reaching $200 million in 2024, and achieved EBITDA breakeven by the end of that year.

🤖 🤖 The Elysée aims to create an AI foundation in France and raise €2.5 billion for it, with €500 million expected in the current year. The foundation's purpose is to provide a trustworthy framework for gathering data for public interest AI projects. Anne Bouverot, the President’s special envoy for AI, shared this information. France, hosting the global AI summit on February 10-11, seeks to position itself as a major AI power following the appointment of Clara Chappaz as Secretary of State for AI and Digital Affairs in September.

🚉 SNCF Voyageurs pilots a new system on TGV INOUI trains using the France Identité app, eliminating the need to present physical train tickets or ID during checks. Trials began on January 20; the app consolidates both checks into a QR Code. Initially in beta, it will become available to all app users later, revealing only the passenger's name, first name, and birth date to the conductor.

📍 Kayak's study with The Future Laboratory predicts travel trends for 2030, highlighting AI-based agents aiding in bookings and itinerary changes, and an increase in city-to-city/multidestination trips. Social media is expected to become a common booking channel, with virtual travel experiences including holographic staff, 4D room tours, and simulated journeys on a cloned Earth, accessible via phones and VR devices. 35% of travelers anticipate augmented reality tours to be standard in hotels. Loyalty programs may incorporate NFTs, offering monetizable rewards beyond miles. Six anticipated innovations include free high-speed Wi-Fi on flights, virtual room tours, eco-friendly accommodations, digital check-in/out, automatic refunds for fare drops, and QR-coded luggage.