Planning a trip today is easier than it used to be, but not necessarily simpler. Travellers move between multiple platforms for inspiration, bookings, reviews and itineraries, often repeating the same process along the way. Despite rapid digital adoption, the overall experience remains fragmented.

This served as the starting point for a roundtable discussion in New Delhi, hosted by the Alike team, where a small group of industry participants came together to discuss how travel is evolving and the role technology can play in making it more seamless.

Founded in Dubai in 2016 (originally as Kitmytrip), Alike was built around a simple observation: travel decisions are rarely made in isolation. Inspiration often comes from people, what they share, recommend and experience, yet the process of turning that inspiration into an actual trip remains disjointed.

The platform brings together inspiration, planning, booking and in-trip support within a single ecosystem, combining artificial intelligence with human input. The idea is not to let AI take over decisions, but to assist travellers in a way that feels intuitive and personal.

Its AI chatbot, EIA, is designed along those lines, as a "travel twin" that adapts to user preferences, helping navigate options without removing control from the traveller.

At the heart of Alike are its co-founders, Ashish Sidhra and Saurabh Bhatnagar, who bring backgrounds spanning tourism, data and telecommunications. Their approach reflects a broader attempt to bridge the gap between how people discover travel and how they actually book it.

One aspect that sets the platform apart is its focus on creators and community-led travel. While a large share of travel inspiration today is driven by digital content, monetisation for creators often remains inconsistent. Alike attempts to address this through tools that allow creators to build and share travel experiences, supported by a category-based revenue model that links earnings to different parts of the journey, including stays, experiences, and services.

AI, Behaviour and the Reality of Fragmentation

During the discussion, one key theme that emerged was the persistence of fragmentation. While digital tools have expanded access and choice, they haven't necessarily reduced complexity. Travellers continue to move across multiple touchpoints, often repeating the same steps at different stages of their journey.

Artificial intelligence, now widely used across travel platforms, is beginning to address some of these gaps. From smarter recommendations to more intuitive planning tools, AI is helping streamline parts of the experience. However, its real potential lies in understanding context, something that goes beyond basic inputs.

As Ashish Sidhra noted during the interaction, the next phase of travel technology will depend less on access and more on reducing friction, making decision-making easier without oversimplifying.

Travel decisions are rarely linear. They are shaped by personal preferences, timing, past experiences and, increasingly, by social influence.

The Growing Role of Social Travel

That social layer is becoming more prominent. Travellers today are not just relying on platforms but also on people, friends, communities, and like-minded travellers for inspiration and validation. This shift is gradually redefining how trust is built in the travel ecosystem.

Alike's model reflects this shift by linking content, community, and commerce more closely, allowing shared experiences to evolve into actual, bookable journeys.

Building a More Integrated Travel Ecosystem

The conversation also touched on how platforms are evolving their business models alongside product development. In Alike's case, the approach is based on category-led commission structures, where revenue is distributed across different parts of the journey rather than tied to a single booking point.

This ecosystem approach has also shaped its partnerships, spanning tourism boards, financial services and consumer platforms, as it expands across markets including the UAE and India.

India's travel market, in particular, was highlighted as one to watch. With a rapidly growing digital-first audience, travellers here are open to new tools and formats, while continuing to rely heavily on peer recommendations before making decisions.

When Things Go Wrong Matters Most

One of the more practical points raised during the discussion was around what happens during the trip itself. While much of the industry's focus remains on planning and booking, the real test often comes when things go wrong.

Delays, cancellations and last-minute changes are part of travel, and how these moments are managed can shape the overall experience. In many ways, handling these disruptions effectively is what distinguishes a good travel experience, something that the alike co-founder described as the "secret sauce" of travel.

The Road Ahead

As the discussion concluded, there was a shared sense that while technology is reshaping travel, the focus is now shifting towards making the experience more connected and intuitive.

In that context, platforms that can bring together inspiration, decision-making, and real-time support while balancing technology with human understanding are likely to play a key role in shaping the next phase of travel.