ConX 2026, hosted by Travelgate in Palma, Spain, drew more than 1,000 travel industry leaders from over 50 countries to debate the shifting role of artificial intelligence in travel distribution. The overarching message: AI is rapidly becoming a commodity, and the real edge lies in human judgment, customer intimacy, and partnership depth.
AI as Table Stakes, Not a Differentiator
The conference theme, "Otherness: Where difference becomes strategy and AI makes everyone average," set a provocative tone. Travelgate CEO Pedro Camara captured the sentiment: "In a world where AI is making everything average, the question is no longer what technology you use — it is what makes you irreplaceable." This framing resonated across sessions, with speakers urging attendees to look beyond tech adoption and focus on what makes their businesses unique.
Camara’s remarks align with broader industry trends. As AI tools become ubiquitous across booking engines, revenue management, and customer service, the ability to differentiate through human expertise is emerging as a critical success factor. This was echoed in a panel on "New Distribution Otherness," moderated by Elodie Leunen, CEO of Fastpayhotels. The panel concluded that while technology is essential, differentiation now hinges on content quality, operational excellence, and customer experience — areas where human insight remains paramount.
Investment and Consolidation Driven by AI
In an executive interview, Henry Briance, Senior Managing Director at Certares, noted that AI is a core factor in investment decisions, driving both innovation and consolidation. He stressed that future success will depend on trust, customer relationships, and industry expertise — not just algorithmic efficiency. Briance’s perspective is particularly relevant given recent moves in the travel-tech space, such as Constellation Software’s majority stake in DerbySoft, which underscores the growing importance of robust distribution infrastructure.
The investment angle also ties into partnerships reshaping distribution. For instance, HBX Group and Dida Holdings’ seven-year AI distribution pact illustrates how large-scale alliances are leveraging AI to enhance connectivity and personalization. Similarly, Mize and Dida’s partnership to build AI-native distribution infrastructure points to a future where AI is embedded from the ground up.
Solving Real Problems, Not Just Deploying Tech
The conference closed with a keynote by Uri Levine, co-founder of Waze, who underscored the importance of solving genuine customer problems. He warned against technology-led innovation that lacks clear user value, aligning with the event’s theme that meaningful innovation requires addressing real human needs. Levine’s message is a caution for travel companies tempted to deploy AI for its own sake, rather than focusing on pain points like booking friction, personalization, or post-sale support.
This human-centric approach is especially critical as younger travelers increasingly rely on social commerce and influencer-driven discovery. A recent analysis of social commerce and AI reshaping travel distribution highlights how distribution channels are evolving beyond traditional GDS and OTA models. ConX 2026 made clear that while AI can power these new channels, the strategic decisions — which partnerships to forge, which content to prioritize, how to build trust — remain firmly in human hands.
In summary, ConX 2026 delivered a clear message for travel professionals: invest in AI to stay competitive, but double down on the human elements — insight, relationships, and operational excellence — that create lasting advantage. As Camara put it, the goal is not to be the most automated company, but the most irreplaceable one.
