Available in other languages- The eleventh edition of the Bavel Travel Summit addressed topics such as the importance of transforming the hotel sector through Generative AI, the importance of B2B payments in the industry, and the growing regulation of electronic invoicing.
- The emergence of artificial intelligence is evidencing a paradigm shift in the industry. Several experts argued during the event that in the future there will be more AI agents than human beings.
May 2025 – The eleventh edition of Bavel Travel Summit 2025, the travel industry’s premier e-payments and e-invoicing event organized by Voxel, an Amadeus company, brought together more than 200 travel industry professionals and leaders. The event, which took place in Sitges (Barcelona), featured 40 speakers in 21 sessions exploring the latest trends and technological innovations in the travel industry, which continues to grow steadily.
Despite the constant challenges it faces, the travel industry remains unstoppable globally. As estimated by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), travel will continue to grow at a rate of 3.7% annually over the next 10 years and will account for 11.4% of the world economy.
Artificial intelligence (AI) redefines the travel industry
The irruption of AI is evidencing a paradigm shift in the sector. So much so that several experts argued during the event that in the future there will be more AI agents than human beings. Elena Ávila, Executive VP Travel Distribution at Amadeus, pointed out that “it’s not about delegating all tasks to these agents but about finding a balance with the aim of offering useful solutions that address specific needs“.
In the same vein, Younes Souilmi, Intrapreneur at Amadeus, highlighted the importance of transforming the hotel sector through Generative AI, a type of multimodal AI capable of creating content, to be more efficient and improve interactions thanks to a new level of capabilities: “we are not interested in an AI that can provide the best available option but one that can build something from scratch“.
There is no doubt that the implementation of artificial intelligence is having a great impact on the travel industry. So much so that “40% of travelers are considering using this tool to organize their trips and make reservations1,” said Antonio Morales, Director of Sales at Voxel, at the round table on hotel distribution.
For his part, Emiliano Garayar, founder and CEO of GAT Hospitality, highlighted the importance of data, combined with business intelligence and the human factor. According to Garayar, “to improve and grow in the digital sphere, it is not enough to have your own data, because data alone and without context does not provide any kind of value, only information”. He also pointed out that “AI only becomes an ally when the data is correctly structured“.
B2B payments: key in the travel sector
One of the main topics addressed during the first day was the importance of B2B payments in the industry and their direct effect on the business. David Doctor, CEO of Outpayce from Amadeus, and Daniel Nordholm, Chief Product & New Business Officer of HBX Group, shared their vision of the future and highlighted the importance of cooperation between all industry players. Additionally, Nordholm highlighted how collaboration with Voxel facilitates HBX Group’s large-scale payment operations: “Throughout 2024, HBX Group generated millions of virtual credit cards (VCCs) through Voxel, representing a transaction volume exceeding one billion euros.”
The round table on the evolution of hotel payments was attended by Ruta Greenslade, Director of Partnership B2B Travel at Visa, Paul Batchelor, Senior Director Business Development at Nium, and İbrahim Bakış, CPO at Otelz, who unanimously agreed on the need to automate payments to streamline processes and be more efficient.
The challenges of electronic invoicing at a global level
Another of the key points of the conference was the analysis of regulatory compliance with electronic invoicing. While it is true that 80% of the laws around the world are the same, the remaining 20% vary in certain countries, which is a real challenge for companies in the sector. According to Roberto Martin, Process Lead Accounts Receivables at Minors Hotels, “the real challenge is the constant change we are subjected to, as the rules can vary from one day to the next“.
In cases like this, the value provided by global e-invoicing companies and solutions, such as Voxel, is multiplied. “We know that, beyond providing a solution to the regulatory complexity of electronic invoicing, our clients choose us because of the connection we offer them with the rest of the travel ecosystem: hoteliers, travel companies and technology partners,” explains Héctor Martín, VP of Global Sales.
Connection and inspiration: finding true purpose
Finally, Carolina Castillo, Head of Customer Growth & Business Development at WEX, shared with all attendees her most transformative personal experience that led her to abandon a successful professional career to move to a monastery in Nepal and redefine her values. Castillo invited those present to reflect on what really matters, betting on companies that reflect the internal growth of their employees.
The second day of the Bavel Travel Summit took place at the Clos La Plana modernist estate, where different workshops, connection activities, meditation and introspective sessions were held to foster collaboration between companies.
This edition of the Bavel Travel Summit was supported by VISA, WEX, Mastercard, Pliant, Finpay, Terrapay, Xanderpay, Protel (Serenissima), QuoHotel, Sihot and Suitech.
