Agoda’s creator program. Lisa reps Thailand. Airbnb’s experiences go social. AI in distribution. – WiT

Agoda launches new program to partner with travel creators 

Digital travel platform Agoda has launched the Agoda Ambassador program, a new initiative designed to strengthen commercial ties with travel creators on social media. The initiative will see Agoda working directly with travel creators to inspire their audiences to book travel through the platform. Participating travel creators will be given unique promo codes to share with their followers. For every booking made with these codes, they will receive a commission. Agoda will also offer sponsored stays and activities valued at up to USD 225 per month enabling them to showcase first-hand experiences of Agoda’s partner hotels and destinations of their choice. The program also aims to enhance exposure for creators by featuring them in Agoda campaigns, thereby expanding their reach.

Header image credit: Agoda

How AI is changing the distribution game

“The Great Debate” that took place during the AI Forum for Destination Experiences sought to explore this tension: Will AI agents and smarter tools tip the scales toward direct bookings? Or will distributors and global platforms tighten their grip with scale, data, and engineering muscle? Direct-booking advocates argue that suppliers will gain the upper hand since they control the freshest pricing, availability, and content data—critical for AI-driven booking agents. They believe travellers will turn to AI assistants rather than OTAs and that niche operators can directly engage travellers with personalised experiences.

On the flip side, proponents of distribution platforms claim OTAs will remain dominant due to their scale, massive datasets (including billions of reviews), and deep technical resources which align well with large language models (LLMs). They point out many suppliers still lack the connectivity and technological readiness to compete independently, making OTAs indispensable in the AI ecosystem. Read more here.

Airbnb goes social with new features for Experiences

Airbnb has introduced new social features to its Experiences platform, enabling guests to chat with fellow participants and share posts in-platform before and after booking. These enhancements aim to deepen engagement around experiences, turning single outings into community-driven activities and social occasions.

For hosts, Airbnb has added updated tools including more flexible cancellation policies and data-driven pricing tips, allowing them to better manage their offerings and respond to demand shifts. The changes signal Airbnb’s push to elevate both sides of the marketplace — enhancing guest interactivity while strengthening host control and insights. 

Thailand bets big on Lisa to drive tourism

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has appointed global K-pop icon Lisa (Lalisa Manobal) as the face of its “Amazing Thailand” campaign to lure international visitors back. With over 100 million social-media followers and international fame as a member of Blackpink, Lisa is expected to bring fresh global visibility to Thailand’s tourism offerings—from wellness retreats to cultural heritage and beach resorts.

This promotion comes at a critical time: Thailand’s international visitor numbers remain below pre-pandemic highs, and the TAT has set an ambitious revenue target of over THB 3 trillion by 2026. The collaboration with Lisa is paired with government-led stimulus measures (such as tax incentives for domestic trips) and is projected to draw 5–10 million additional tourists in 2026 alone.

Mabrian joins WTTC as regional member to power data-driven tourism growth

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has appointed Mabrian, a Data Appeal Company (part of Almawave Group), as a Regional Member, reinforcing a shared mission to make data-driven insights central to the industry’s global recovery and sustainable growth. Mabrian joins more than 200 leaders representing 30% of the sector’s global turnover. The Spain-based travel intelligence firm has been a WTTC Associate Member since 2020 and became a Knowledge Partner in 2025, contributing data-driven insights to WTTC research and reports.

As part of the Italian-based Data Appeal Company, Mabrian leverages AI, machine learning, and semantic analysis to help destinations and businesses interpret traveller behaviour and optimise strategy. WTTC’s interim CEO Gloria Guevara said the new membership “will enrich our global initiatives and support more resilient sectoral growth.” Lalli added that the appointment strengthens Mabrian’s mission “to deliver knowledge and know-how about how updated data analytics and new technologies can help better understand and predict global travel trends.”