The travel industry, grappling with fragmentation and an overwhelming array of choices, is undergoing a profound transformation, with artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront.
Ramzi Al Qassab, Managing Director, Sabre Travel Network Middle East, discusses how Sabre, one of the world’s top travel technology providers, is harnessing AI to streamline every aspect of the travel experience in an interview with BI. Here's an excerpt of our conversation: AI is a huge topic in travel right now. How is Sabre using it to improve the experience for travellers? Ramzi Al Qassab: AI is completely reshaping how people book, plan and experience travel. The challenge today isn’t a lack of choice – it’s the overwhelming number of options travellers have to sort through. Searching for flights, comparing prices and figuring out extras like baggage fees or seat selection can be exhausting. AI helps shift that burden away from the traveller by surfacing the most relevant choices, making booking faster and less stressful. At Sabre, we use AI to power smarter decision-making, better personalisation, and more efficient operations across airlines, hotels and travel agencies. Our AI is built on data-driven intelligence, openness and modularity, meaning it learns from real-time behaviours, integrates seamlessly with travel systems and lets companies use only the solutions they need. Through our strategic partnership with Google, we are bringing industry-first applications of Generative AI and advanced machine learning to market, helping travel providers unlock new levels of automation, personalisation, and intelligent retailing. Travel is a pretty fragmented industry. How does AI help bring everything together? Ramzi Al Qassab: You're absolutely right, one of the biggest challenges in travel is that airlines, hotels and agencies operate on different systems, leading to inconsistencies. For example, we are developing an AI-powered multi-source platform that will integrate ATPCO/EDIFACT, low-cost carrier and NDC content alongside hotel inventory, car rentals and rail bookings. Instead of travel agents manually sorting through sources, AI can help them by predicting trends, personalise offers, and optimise content delivery, allowing agents to focus on service rather than technical complexities. AI is also changing how airlines and hotels sell their products. What’s Sabre doing in that space? Ramzi Al Qassab: We are seeing a huge shift toward modern retailing in travel. Airlines and hotels are moving away from static pricing models and traditional fare structures. Instead of selling just a seat or a room, they want to create bundled, personalised offers that meet each traveller’s needs. One of our biggest pieces of news last year was the launch of SabreMosaic™, a platform of AI-driven solutions designed to help airlines maximise revenue while giving travellers a better experience. For example, we have AI-driven solutions that optimise airfare pricing in real time, intelligently bundle ancillaries like baggage and seat selection and determine the best bid value for seat upgrades. With these solutions, airlines can offer the right product, at the right time, to the right traveller, without overwhelming them with choices. On the hospitality side, Sabre's SynXis Retail Studio enables hoteliers to offer personalised guest experiences by selling services, experiences and goods beyond room reservations, thereby unlocking additional revenue streams. Beyond booking, how is AI improving the experience during a trip? Ramzi Al Qassab: SabreMosaic leverages AI to streamline the airport experience from check-in to takeoff by removing unnecessary touchpoints, increasing automation, providing real-time status updates and enabling personalised upsell opportunities, creating a seamless, frictionless journey for travellers. Hotels are also using AI to streamline guest service. SynXis Concierge. AI automates guest inquiries, from room service requests to check-in details, ensuring faster responses and reduced staff workload. For agencies, AI automates repetitive tasks like processing email booking requests, reducing response times and improving service. What about payments? That’s another area that can be pretty complicated in travel. Ramzi Al Qassab: Absolutely. Travel payments involve multiple banks, currencies, tax rules, and security checks, making refunds slow and fraud risks high. Sabre’s payment solutions help streamline transactions, reduce fraud and speed up processing times, ensuring secure and efficient payments across flights, hotels, and ancillaries. What is your focus at ATM this year? Ramzi Al Qassab: The Middle East is a key growth region for Sabre, and we are deeply committed to supporting its rapidly evolving travel and hospitality industry. At ATM, we are once again sponsoring the Future Stage, hosting critical discussions on technology and the future of the travel ecosystem. We are also collaborating with our Hospitality division to help hotels, agencies, and airlines in the region leverage AI-driven innovations to stay competitive and meet evolving customer expectations. • On Day 1 (13:15 - 14:00, Global Stage), Frank Trampert, Global Managing Director, Sabre Hospitality, will speak on: Selling More Than Just a Room: The Impact of Experience on Hoteliers in the Middle East. • On Day 2 (15:15 - 16:00, Future Stage), I will moderate a panel titled “Turning Fragmentation into Opportunity for Smarter Retailing”, discussing key challenges and opportunities for agencies and hotels. We are also participating in sustainability sessions to promote responsible travel and discuss how technology is driving more sustainable industry practices. Looking forward to insightful discussions and meaningful connections at ATM!