Breakout Sessions

Tuesday, November 17

Breakout sessions are interactive, topical deep-dives led by industry visionaries, designed to uncover the trends, technologies and innovations transforming travel.

They offer an engaging forum to exchange ideas, gain fresh insights and connect with the leaders shaping what’s next.

Unpack '27: The Travel Trends that Move Markets

Expedia Group's Unpack research shows how cultural conversations can become both a mainstream travel behavior and a strategic opportunity.

Unpack combines Expedia Group's first-party data, global research, and social listening to turn early signals into a forward-looking view of 2027. Join Amanda Maltos, Vice President of Communications, and Brandon Ehrhardt, Vice President of Marketing, for a fast, practical read on what's coming next, including:

  • Emerging traveler behaviors moving curiosity to demand
  • What the durability of the "Set-Jetting" trend teaches us about spotting and acting on early signals
  • Where shifting traveler priorities create pressure and opportunities to pivot
  • How this research can meaningfully shape your marketing, product, partnerships, and traveler experience

Presenter:
Brandon Ehrhardt
VP of Marketing, Expedia Group
Amanda Maltos
VP of Partner Communications, Expedia Group

Presented by:
Expedia Group

From Channels to One Connected Traveler Experience

Gant Travel's customer experience transformation didn't happen all at once. It began with voice, expanded to chat, and most recently added email to Talkdesk—creating a unified platform for customer engagement. In this fireside chat, Gant Travel COO Vic Pynn shares how a close partnership with Talkdesk and an open, flexible technology platform allowed Gant to build what made sense for its business, at its own pace. Hear how bringing conversations and customer context together has simplified operations, better supported a global workforce, and helped Gant prioritize travelers when it matters most. Vic will also look ahead to what's next as Gant and Talkdesk continue to evolve the partnership and explore new opportunities with AI and automation.

Presenter:
Michael Klein
Industry Marketing Director, Talkdesk
Victor Pynn
COO, Gant Travel

Presented by:
Talkdesk

Beyond the Demo: Agentic Commerce in Practice

In May 2026, a flight-shopping agent went live — not a demo, a real product. This session brings together the technology, distribution, and payments partners behind it for a candid look at what it takes to build agentic commerce in travel.

The panel unpacks the hard calls made along the way: how to handle open-ended traveler queries without letting costs spiral, where to draw the line between agentic flexibility and deterministic reliability, and how trust gets earned — by travelers, and by the systems working together behind the scenes.

Six months post-launch, panelists share what the data shows about how people are searching and buying through agents today, and where the biggest opportunities for improvement lie.

A grounded, lessons-learned conversation from teams shipping agentic commerce in production, not just announcing it.

Presented by:
PayPal

UATP

UATP

Propellic

Propellic

Mindshare

Mindshare

Adyen

Adyen

Rakuten

Rakuten

Interested in Sponsoring?

Showcase your brand as a thought leader by sponsoring a breakout session. Engage directly with industry decision-makers and align your company with the conversations shaping travel's future.

Get in touch with our team by email or call us at +1 860 350-4084 x505 for more information on sponsorship opportunities for breakout sessions.

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Participation is free for registered attendees.

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Moderators & Presenters