Acai Travel, a startup using artificial intelligence to drive efficiency for agency and call center environments, has signed Hopper as its latest partner. The deal sees Acai, a PhocusWire Hot 25 Startup for 2024, use its technology to support Hopper's human agents. The startup, which recently landed seed funding of $4 million, already counts companies including Globespan Travel Management among its customers.

During an interview in the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference 2024, Riky Vittoria, CEO of Acai, shared details of the deal alongside Jo Lai, vice president of customer experience at Hopper.

The pair discussed the potential efficiency gains associated with implementing the technology as well as how the partnership might develop going forward.

<a href="https://acaitravel.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Acai Travel</a>, a startup using artificial intelligence to drive efficiency for agency and call center environments, has signed <a href="https://hopper.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Hopper</a> as its latest partner. The deal sees Acai, a <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/Hot-25-Travel-Startups-for-2024-Acai-Travel" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">PhocusWire Hot 25 Startup for 2024</a>, use its technology to support Hopper's human agents. The startup, which recently <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/acai-travel-seed-funding" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">landed seed funding of $4 million</a>, already counts companies including Globespan Travel Management among its customers.
During an interview in the PhocusWire studio at <a href="https://phocuswrightconference.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">The Phocuswright Conference 2024</a>, Riky Vittoria, CEO of Acai, shared details of the deal alongside Jo Lai, vice president of customer experience at Hopper. The pair discussed the potential efficiency gains associated with implementing the technology as well as how the partnership might develop going forward.

A regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors.

A regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors.

In Phocus is a regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors.

In Phocus

Acai Travel, a startup using artificial intelligence to drive efficiency for agency and call center environments, has signed Hopper as its latest partner.

Acai Travel helps Hopper boost customer service with AI tools

What happens when the CEO of one of the world’s largest travel companies spends her weekends experimenting with ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity?

You get a front-row view into how Expedia Group is thinking about the next era of travel.

In this episode, Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin sits down with Mitra Sorrells, SVP of content at Phocuswright/PhocusWire, to unpack how a long-standing test-and-learn mindset is shaping the company’s AI strategy and accelerating decision-making across the business.

Gorin calls AI Expedia Group’s “third chapter”, following the internet and mobile. And she’s clear: this is not theoretical. It’s happening fast and it’s already changing how travelers search, discover and book.

You’ll hear:


Why experimentation is now a leadership muscle, not a side project


How Expedia is thinking about visibility in AI platforms as search evolves


What “agentic AI” could unlock for the traveler experience


How the Google Universal Commerce Protocol fits into Expedia’s future plans


Why tours and activities matter more than ever, and what Tiqets brings to the table


The role of brand in an AI-driven world, plus updates on B2B growth and Vrbo

This conversation goes beyond buzzwords and product launches. It’s a candid look at how a global travel platform prepares for rapid change while staying focused on what actually improves the traveler experience.

What happens when the CEO of one of the world&rsquo;s largest travel companies spends her weekends experimenting with ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity?
You get a front-row view into how Expedia Group is thinking about the next era of travel.
In this episode, Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin sits down with Mitra Sorrells, SVP of content at Phocuswright/PhocusWire, to unpack how a long-standing test-and-learn mindset is shaping the company&rsquo;s AI strategy and accelerating decision-making across the business.
Gorin calls AI Expedia Group&rsquo;s &ldquo;third chapter&rdquo;, following the internet and mobile. And she&rsquo;s clear: this is not theoretical. It&rsquo;s happening fast and it&rsquo;s already changing how travelers search, discover and book.
You&rsquo;ll hear:
<ul data-start="988" data-end="1449">
<li data-start="988" data-end="1058">
Why experimentation is now a leadership muscle, not a side project
</li>
<li data-start="1059" data-end="1137">
How Expedia is thinking about visibility in AI platforms as search evolves
</li>
<li data-start="1138" data-end="1200">
What &ldquo;agentic AI&rdquo; could unlock for the traveler experience
</li>
<li data-start="1201" data-end="1280">
How the Google Universal Commerce Protocol fits into Expedia&rsquo;s future plans
</li>
<li data-start="1281" data-end="1368">
Why tours and activities matter more than ever, and what Tiqets brings to the table
</li>
<li data-start="1369" data-end="1449">
The role of brand in an AI-driven world, plus updates on B2B growth and Vrbo
</li>
</ul>
This conversation goes beyond buzzwords and product launches. It&rsquo;s a candid look at how a global travel platform prepares for rapid change while staying focused on what actually improves the traveler experience.

Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin explains why AI is the company’s “third chapter,” how hands-on experimentation is shaping strategy and what it takes to stay visible, relevant and valuable as travel search and discovery rapidly evolve.

Expedia's Ariane Gorin on AI visibility, traveler experience and activities growth

The definition of luxury travel fluctuates across demographics, and how technology plays into that is also changing with evolving needs and tools like artificial intelligence (AI).

“Luxury audiences ... they vary greatly depending on level of maturity of that wealth, where they're hailing from across the planet, whether or not they're a solo traveler or traveling in a group, [if they are] multi-generational and where they sit in the luxury ladder,” Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer at Loews Hotels & Co, said during an interview in the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference.

Luxury travelers are often looking for technology to remove friction on their trips, Goshow said. Hospitality providers are expected to improve experience, and tech has to enable that.

Phocuswright’s 2025 U.S. Consumer Travel Report found that “indulgent explorers,” defined by their per-person, per-day leisure travel spend, excluding airfare, are more tech savvy. The study revealed 78% seek out and enjoy being an early adopter of new technology, compared with 38% of the general population.

Skylark CEO Mike Greene agreed. While definitions can vary, for Greene, luxury hinges on dynamic personalization.

“It's about being proactive, having service be super proactive about—and attentive to—what people need before they even know what they need,” Greene said. “And technology can play a huge role in that.”

The definition of luxury travel fluctuates across demographics, and how technology plays into that is also changing with evolving needs and tools like artificial intelligence (AI).
&ldquo;Luxury audiences ... they vary greatly depending on level of maturity of that wealth, where they're hailing from across the planet, whether or not they're a solo traveler or traveling in a group, [if they are] multi-generational and where they sit in the luxury ladder,&rdquo; Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.loewshotels.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Loews Hotels &amp; Co</a>,&nbsp;said during an interview in the PhocusWire studio at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phocuswrightconference.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">The Phocuswright Conference</a>.
Luxury travelers are often looking for technology to remove friction on their trips, Goshow said. Hospitality providers are expected to improve experience, and tech has to enable that.
Phocuswright&rsquo;s 2025 U.S. Consumer Travel Report found that &ldquo;indulgent explorers,&rdquo; defined by their per-person, per-day leisure travel spend, excluding airfare, are more tech savvy. The study revealed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phocuswright.com/Travel-Research/Consumer-Trends/US-Consumer-Travel-Report-2025" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">78% seek out and enjoy being an early adopter of new technology</a>, compared with 38% of the general population.
<a href="https://skylark.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Skylark</a>&nbsp;CEO Mike Greene agreed. While definitions can vary, for Greene, luxury hinges on dynamic personalization.
&ldquo;It's about being proactive, having service be super proactive about&mdash;and attentive to&mdash;what people need before they even know what they need,&rdquo; Greene said. &ldquo;And technology can play a huge role in that.&rdquo;

Luxury travel means different things to different audiences, but as travelers become more tech savvy, especially high-spending “indulgent explorers,” technology and AI are increasingly expected to remove friction, enable proactive personalization and enhance the experience without replacing the human touch.

What technology brings to the luxury travel market with Loews Hotels and Skylark

Travel startup funding remained tough throughout 2025, with Phocuswright data signaling the year would likely fall below $5 billion after a modest recovery to $5.8 billion in 2024. A few headline rounds stood out, including Perk’s $200 million Series E, Klook’s $100 million and later raises from companies like Ramp, Airalo and Peek, but big checks were otherwise scarce and investors consistently urged founders to extend runway and manage cash as if the next round might not arrive.

In this interview with Linda Fox in the PhocusWire Studio, investors Roopak Pati of Oppenheimer and Betsy Mulé of F-Prime Capital unpack what the funding slowdown means for travel startups and why they still see reasons for optimism. They discuss how AI is accelerating efficiency and adoption across the industry, while also complicating the path for some B2C travel companies as AI platforms increasingly showcase travel booking use cases.

The conversation also explores what’s next, from renewed IPO momentum to the likelihood of stronger M&A activity in 2026. Along the way, Pati and Mulé share what they’re watching, including tech-forward players in corporate travel, and why investors are placing more, smaller bets as winning business models become harder to predict.

Travel startup funding remained tough throughout 2025, with Phocuswright data signaling the year would likely fall below $5 billion after a modest recovery to $5.8 billion in 2024. A few headline rounds stood out, including Perk&rsquo;s $200 million Series E, Klook&rsquo;s $100 million and later raises from companies like Ramp, Airalo and Peek, but big checks were otherwise scarce and investors consistently urged founders to extend runway and manage cash as if the next round might not arrive.
In this interview with Linda Fox in the PhocusWire Studio, investors Roopak Pati of Oppenheimer and Betsy Mul&eacute; of F-Prime Capital unpack what the funding slowdown means for travel startups and why they still see reasons for optimism. They discuss how AI is accelerating efficiency and adoption across the industry, while also complicating the path for some B2C travel companies as AI platforms increasingly showcase travel booking use cases.
The conversation also explores what&rsquo;s next, from renewed IPO momentum to the likelihood of stronger M&amp;A activity in 2026. Along the way, Pati and Mul&eacute; share what they&rsquo;re watching, including tech-forward players in corporate travel, and why investors are placing more, smaller bets as winning business models become harder to predict.

In this podcast, investors Roopak Pati (Oppenheimer) and Betsy Mulé (F-Prime Capital) unpack what the funding slowdown means for travel startups and why they still see reasons for optimism. They discuss how AI is accelerating efficiency and adoption across the industry, while also complicating the path for some B2C travel companies as AI platforms increasingly showcase travel booking use cases.

Acai Travel helps Hopper boost customer service with AI tools

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