The clock is ticking. We're racing to a world where AI outpaces humans at almost every task. While we debate whether AI will complement or replace existing systems, the real question is simpler: are we building for the world that's coming, or the one that's already gone? "It's like we've discovered a new continent with 100 billion people on it, and they're all willing to work for free." — Bill Gurley (General Partner at Benchmark) Special thanks to Propellic for sponsoring this edition of the newsletter:
0. Most clicked in the previous newsletterThe most clicked link in the last issue was Morgan Stanley’s report: What's the Latest on GOOGL's Position in the Consumer Internet Funnel? 1. T-minus 918 DaysAndrew Wilkinson just wrote what I think is a must-read post. It’s part warning, part strategy guide. He argues that we’re less than 1,000 days from AI systems outpacing humans at almost every task, not just administrative and support roles, but also design, strategy, operations, and even trust-heavy roles. Wilkinson lays out, in a grounded manner, what happens if current progress continues to compound and what that means for builders and investors. Most software companies with weak moats are exposed. Blue-collar businesses aren’t safe either, as displaced knowledge workers and robotics put pressure on margins and drive new competition. The businesses that survive will be the ones with genuine differentiation, whether through brand, distribution, switching costs, or proprietary data. If you’re building anything today, this is the kind of thinking you want in the room. And if he’s even half right, the shift is coming faster than most people expect.
2. The next great distribution shiftBrian Balfour (Reforge, ex-HubSpot) argues that AI has changed how we build products, but the next big shift is about how we get them in front of users. He describes a familiar platform cycle: every major platform starts open, grows fast by letting builders in, then slowly locks the gates and monetizes access. Facebook, Apple, Google, and LinkedIn all followed this pattern. Balfour thinks ChatGPT is next, and the early signs are already here. They’re moving quickly to control context and memory, two things that make AI tools deeply sticky and very hard to replace. For travel, this shift could be significant. ChatGPT might start by embedding OTAs into its results, whether as simple redirects or full agentic integrations. Then, once users are trained to plan and book through that layer, it builds its own embedded flight or hotel engine. At that point, ChatGPT stops being a planning tool and becomes the channel. And we’ve seen how this plays out. Google now controls most of the first screen in travel search results. Expedia and others spent years climbing the SEO ladder, only to be outranked by Google Flights. Visibility doesn’t come from merit anymore—it comes from ownership of the interface. ChatGPT is heading the same way. Like every platform before it, the 3rd step is predictable: platform fees, preferred placement for those who pay, tighter rules on data access. Then come the native features that replace the most successful third-party integrations. And finally, the hard turn—API access gets restricted, margins shrink, and the platform takes over the use cases that made others valuable. Read + Brian Balfour
3. Publishers are getting scraped to deathCloudflare handles ≈20% of global traffic, so when CEO Matthew Prince warns (video) at Cannes that AI bots are reshaping the web, publishers need to adapt or risk being left behind. He said that publishers are facing an existential threat and revealed some wild crawl-to-traffic ratios:
AI models are ingesting massive amounts of content but sending back almost nothing in return. “People aren’t following the footnotes,” Prince said. Readers are trusting the summary and skipping the source. Cloudflare is now working on tools to block AI scrapers. The big publishers are reportedly on board. If your business relies on content discovery, these numbers should make you pause. AI is changing not just how users search, but whether they click at all. 4. Humans for meaning, machines for speedChris Paik writes one of the clearest, most compelling takes on where humans still matter. His piece explores why we welcome robots in work but crave humans in art. When speed and efficiency are the goal, humans feel like friction. But when we want meaning, we want risk, story, and imperfection—things only people can provide. This has big implications for anyone building in travel, hospitality, or experience. Your users might want automation for the boring parts—check-ins, transfers, transactions. But for the moments that count, they want the human tremor. A great trip is still a story, not a streamlining exercise.
Paik’s full post is worth a read. 5. Human nature and platform designReid Hoffman (founder of LinkedIn) argues that if your product doesn’t speak to core human impulses, it probably won’t scale. Platforms often rely on our most basic drives to fuel growth. As he put it in 2011: "Social networks do best when they tap into one of the Seven Deadly Sins.” In LinkedIn’s case, pride led users to collect connections, while greed motivated them to build detailed profiles. But the deeper insight is that the job of platform creators is to elevate those impulses. To move from tapping into vice, to channeling virtue, turning self-interest into a force for the collective good. That takes discipline and design. Hoffman explains how LinkedIn deliberately limited vanity features (like unlimited connections and early profile pictures) and delayed launching profiles for major influencers to set the right tone. The result wasn’t perfect, but it was intentional: a platform that nudged people toward trust, usefulness, and long-term value, not just clicks or clout. Hoffman’s core message is that platform builders are shaping behavior. And if you don’t set the tone early, the worst aspects of human nature will. Once that dynamic sets in, it’s hard to unwind. Read + And because no conversation about LinkedIn would be complete without acknowledging how weird it can feel sometimes… here’s a funny video imagining what it would be like if real life sounded like LinkedIn 😂. 6. 36% of people call AI their "Good Friend"A new Accenture research based on 18,000 consumers across 14 countries shows that 36% of active AI users now consider generative AI "a good friend" and 75% are open to using a trusted AI-powered personal shopper. The trust transfer is accelerating. Nearly half of consumers have made purchase decisions using AI, making it the fastest-growing source of buying advice. For active users, AI now ranks as the second-highest source for product recommendations, behind only physical stores but ahead of friends, family, and search engines. For travel companies, this means an opportunity to shape how AI represents their brand. When people form emotional bonds with AI, they're outsourcing trust. Travel brands that build AI experiences that feel genuinely helpful rather than transactional will capture loyalty in entirely new ways. Read + Accenture: Me, My Brand and AI
7. Can Bob handle this? YesHe nails it. Most of us don’t want to “collaborate with an autonomous reasoning engine.” We want someone to just take stuff off our plates. If you're building AI tools, think less “platform” and more “employee of the month.”
8. McKinsey’s 2025 aviation reportMcKinsey’s latest global report, The State of Aviation 2025, covers passenger flows, airport and airline performance, cost structures, and what’s driving change across the industry. It includes trends in digital adoption, operational complexity, and how low-cost carriers are reshaping demand. The report is based on global data and gives a clear view of how air travel is recovering and evolving.
9. The $15 Trillion leisure-travel boomA new BCG report projects that leisure travel spending will reach $15 trillion by 2040, up from $5 trillion in 2024. But the real story is the rise of domestic and regional travel in emerging markets. Countries such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Bulgaria are experiencing a surge in demand from a new middle class eager to explore, mostly within their borders. These travelers are younger, digital natives, and increasingly solo or multi-generational. They’re booking on mobile, planning through chat, and expecting flexible, personalized, culturally relevant experiences. Some conclusions:
10. Beats > BillboardsKonrad Waliszewski wrote on LinkedIn that tourism “should invest in beats, not billboards.” His post highlights how Bad Bunny’s 30-show residency in Puerto Rico led to a 44% year-over-year jump in summer travel to the island; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour drove over $1 billion in hotel revenue worldwide in 2024 and in 2017, 1 in 13 foreign tourists visited South Korea because of BTS; in 2015, a Justin Bieber music video made a remote Icelandic canyon a bucket-list site, spiking visitors by 80% in a single year; Dolly Parton’s Dollywood brings over 3 million visitors to rural Tennessee annually; and The Beatles still draw tens of millions to Liverpool decades later. Film and TV are just as powerful tourism drivers. Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona turned Barcelona into a top destination, with fans seeking out landmarks from the film. However, some locals were furious at the city and region for investing a combined €1.5 million in public funds to secure the shoot. This investment ultimately delivered a fantastic return on investment for local tourism. Manhattan similarly made New York City’s Central Park and classic diners must-see spots for movie lovers. HBO’s The White Lotus is reshaping tourism as well. Each season’s luxury resort setting in Maui, Sicily, and Thailand has sparked massive demand, with hotels booked for months and themed tours booming. If you want travelers to listen, your destination needs to be part of the pop culture conversation. Travel Tech Essentialist Job Board→ Explore all 1,253 open travel tech roles on the Travel Tech Essentialist Job Board now.
💼 Employers: List your job openings here by completing this quick form 📩 For monthly updates on the latest roles, subscribe to the Travel Tech Jobs newsletter Raising a round?If you are a startup looking to raise a round (from pre-seed to Series D), I can help (for free). Travel Investor Network is a private platform where I recommend innovative travel startups to investors and innovators. If you’re interested, please start by completing this form. If you like Travel Tech Essentialist, please consider sharing it with your friends or colleagues. If you’re not yet subscribed, join us here: And, as always, thanks for trusting me with your inbox. Mauricio Prieto
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lunes, 30 de junio de 2025
Travel Tech Essentialist #178: Countdown
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