Expedia Group’s Explore 2026: What the Future Holds for Travel Advisors

Day 2 of the Expedia Group’s Explore 2026 kicked off with a program focused on specialized sessions, industry trends, and the future of travel. Following a first day marked by major strategic announcements, discussions continued around artificial intelligence, personalization, and evolving traveller behaviours.

What should the industry take away from Explore 2026?

The gathering of 2,000 industry professionals made one trend clear: the future of travel will rely on integrated experiences, deeper personalization, and technological tools capable of simplifying both partner operations and the traveller journey.

An overarching takeaway from the conference is that artificial intelligence is an essential force the travel industry can no longer ignore, as Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin highlighted during her conference opening remarks.

Attendees participated in several sessions bringing together technology partners and Expedia executives. Over the course of the two-day event, discussions centered on the evolution of Expedia’s digital tools, growing consumer interest in AI assistants, emerging travel trends, and new growth opportunities for businesses across the industry.

Artificial Intelligence as already transforming the travel experience

“AI is complementary, not a competitor in our industry,” said Alfonso Paredes, President B2B & Chief Commercial Officer, Expedia Group, at the start of the session. Following the company’s vision, Expedia is investing in tools designed to simplify search, trip planning, and booking through conversational assistants, intelligent comparison tools, and automatically generated itineraries tailored to traveller needs.

Paredes also reminded attendees: “A year ago, we said we would build a broader platform for partners, and we did. Today, we’re helping partners sell more, serve better, and capture more of the trip, using infrastructure that’s been tested at scale for decades.”

Major rollout

Several new features aimed at families and group travellers were unveiled, including natural language search, flexible payment options, and protections such as VrboCare. Despite the strong tech focus, executives emphasized the importance of human service, transparency, and trust to help prevent AI-related errors. The ultimate goal? Ensure effective traveller support when unexpected situations arise.

Three features in the spotlight

Among the innovations highlighted during the event, three AI-powered tools took centre stage: Activity Planner, Property Expert, and Compare.

Activity Planner allows travellers to automatically generate personalized itineraries using simple natural language requests by combining activities, accommodations, and tailored recommendations based on preferences.

Compare is designed to simplify decision-making by displaying travel options side by side, helping users better understand inclusions, differences, and overall value.

Property Expert acts as an intelligent assistant capable of answering traveller questions and recommending accommodations based on highly specific criteria. Expedia aims to make travel planning more intuitive, centralized, and personalized through AI assistants capable of understanding naturally phrased and complex requests.

B2B and key partnerships

The session “Reshaping Travel Distribution and Driving Demand” focused on the vision of a more connected travel ecosystem powered by strategic partnerships and new technological integrations. Speakers highlighted the expansion of Expedia’s platform combining flights, hotels, activities, and ground transportation, while also announcing the development of new APIs and collaborations, including a partnership with Uber and the integration of CarTrawler to strengthen mobility offerings.

Panelists also discussed the importance of speed, connectivity, and most importantly customer trust, viewed as essential drivers for long-term growth and partner loyalty within the travel industry.

Flexibility and simplicity driving family travel

Among the trends identified by Expedia Group, family travel continues to experience significant growth, although it has become increasingly complex to organize due to varying traveller needs, schedules, and routines. Families are now seeking simple, centralized platforms that allow them to book accommodations, flights, activities, and transportation all in one place.

The company also noted growing demand for spacious accommodations, family-friendly amenities, and reviews from other families to help simplify decision-making. In line with this trend, travellers are also seeking greater financial flexibility through multiple payment options, including local currency payments and “buy now, pay later” solutions.

Travel trends and an evolving market

According to the latest data shared by Expedia Group, travel demand continues to evolve rapidly. Personalized experiences, luxury travel, and specialized itineraries remain among the fastest-growing segments. The company is also seeing increased searches related to summer travel as well as growth in short-term bookings across several international markets. Expedia noted that travellers increasingly expect flexibility, personalization, and experiences tailored to their specific needs.