kabarsula ‘I wouldn’t say immediately’: Booking Holdings chief plays down US midterm impact bandar SLOT INDONESIA

Booking Holdings chief strategy officer Rob Ransom has played down the likelihood of the US midterm election results having an immediate impact on travel, arguing that the industry’s resilience to political disruption remains one of its greatest strengths.

Speaking on stage at WTM London, Ransom was asked whether the latest election results in the US could impact the travel industry.

“I wouldn’t say immediately,” he said.

“One of the reasons I love this industry is that through thick and thin, and through all kinds of changes globally in different countries, different political [situations], people just want to travel, right? They find a way to do it.

“Will it change the macro economy in the United States? Hard to say, but I’m still bullish on the long-term trend of people just wanting to travel and they’ll keep finding ways to do it.”

His comments come against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, with US government policies under President Donald Trump having already raised concerns about the country’s appeal to international visitors.

Despite the political turbulence, Ransom argued that the desire to travel remains remarkably resilient.

“I really think that comes down to it’s an innate human need that people want to get out from their home, wherever that is, and explore other places in the world, meet other people, learn things.”

He added that travel is often one of the first things consumers prioritise when their disposable income increases.

AI to finally deliver on personalisation

Looking beyond politics, Ransom said artificial intelligence would fundamentally change how consumers discover, plan and book travel, particularly through personalisation.

“As long as I’ve been in the travel industry, we’ve talked about personalisation, and frankly, the talk has always exceeded the reality or the useful reality of the tools,” he said.

“AI tools today just really make that possible to truly personalise it, to have context, and to understand and recommend something, a trip that makes sense for what you like to do and your preferences, as opposed to what everybody else has already done.”

Ransom also acknowledged that Booking Holdings is working closely with AI platforms that could become competitors, describing the relationship as “co-opetition”.

He said the company had long worked alongside technology giants such as Google while competing with them in other areas and expected that approach to continue in the AI era.

For smaller travel businesses concerned about being left behind, Ransom’s message was to find the right partners rather than attempt to develop every new technology themselves.

“That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on this new wave of innovation,” he said.

While acknowledging the cybersecurity and data protection challenges associated with AI, Ransom remained optimistic about the future of travel.

“I just think this is one of the most exciting times. There’s so much innovation again,” he said.