HBX Group: 34 % of travel professionals perceive technology separation as a problem. industry's greatest challenge

HBX Group: 34 % of travel professionals identify technology separation as the biggest problem for the industry.

Feedback from hoteliers, go vendors, OTAs, and industry view leaders was compiled into a data-driven preview of the travel industry’s objectives for this year.

Tech
India

WRITTEN BY:
Marga Manlapig

February 18, 2026

Worldwide B2B go tech platform HBX Group released its findings from a poll taken among the around 450 business professionals who were present in the wake of the recently concluded 2026 run of MarketHub Asia.
A data-driven preview of the 2026 travel industry’s objectives, development barriers, and funding target was compiled from feedback from industry opinion leaders, hotels, traveling distributors, and OTAs.
According to responses, 34 percent of respondents cited industry-wide technological separation, making it the most important fundamental issue.
The findings suggest that the sector faces a major challenge because extremely complex systems are architected across channels and partners rather than due to a lack of travelers.
This placed ahead of uncertainty, price pressures, skill shortages, and even the rise of AI agents in journey.
In addition, 31 % of respondents identified increased channel competition as their main obstacle to growth, closely followed by 27 % who cited the complexity of technology integration.
On the other hand, rising prices and skills shortages were viewed as secondary pressure.
Increasing funding in AI
Despite these limitations, there is still a reasonably high level of confidence in the current systems stacks.
Respondents gave an average of 3.7 out of 5 stars to their trust in their technical stack’s ability to keep up with changing demand, with 59 cent choosing rates 4 or 5.
Only 19 % of respondents, however, gave themselves the highest confidence, which suggests that the sector is approaching maturity.
However, the planning of the budget signals a significant shift in direction of scientific innovation.
38 percent of respondents say they plan to prioritize investments in AI, data, and automation for 2026, while another 25 % will concentrate on software flexibility and engineering modernization.
Almost two-thirds of the planned expense is actually going toward modern facilities and intelligence capabilities.
a growing divide
A growing sophistication gap in providing personalized experiences is also highlighted by the survey.
When questioned about their greatest challenge in this area, 32 % cited data integration across systems, and 32 % cited demonstrating ROI at scale.
This transition period additional reflects the equilibrium between automation and human contact. Respondents gave their organizations an average of 3.5 out of 5, with 53 % choosing level 4.
Although the market appears to be moving in the direction of a hybrid type, it has not yet been fully optimized.
An age of architectural rework
The survey results also echoed those made during MarketHub Asia by HBX’s key plan, change, and AI official Javier Cabrerizo, who described the travel industry as entering a new era defined by fundamental transformation.
This data, according to Cabrerizo, demonstrates that the industry is no longer constrained by demand but rather by complexity. Our ability to scale intelligence is being constrained by fragile systems and integration challenges. The next stage of growth will be determined by the organizations that solve orchestration. AI is becoming more prevalent than ever, and it is a structural necessity. However, adding artificial intelligence to fragmented infrastructure won’t lead to transformation. The real competitive advantage is integration.
Together, the findings indicate that the industry is transitioning from a recovery mindset to a new era where integration, intelligent execution, and scalable AI will define the next generation of travel leaders.

HBX Group | Javier Cabrerizo | MarketHub Asia | Travel Trends Report

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HBX Group: 34 % of travel professionals identify tech fragmentation as the biggest challenge for the industry.

Feedback from hoteliers, travel distributors, OTAs, and industry opinion leaders was compiled into a data-driven snapshot of the travel industry’s priorities for this year.

Asia, Events, GDS, Hotel Technology, Interim Reports, Reports, Summit, Technology, and Travel-related Products

WRITTEN BY:
Marga Manlapig

February 18, 2026

Global B2B travel tech marketplace HBX Group released its findings from a survey taken among the over 450 industry professionals who were present in the wake of the recently concluded 2026 run of MarketHub Asia.
A data-driven snapshot of the 2026 travel industry’s priorities, growth barriers, and investment focus was compiled from feedback from industry opinion leaders, hotels, travel distributors, and OTAs.
According to responses, 34 percent of respondents cited industry-wide technological fragmentation, making it the most significant structural issue.
The findings suggest that the sector faces a primary challenge because increasingly complex systems are architected across channels and partners rather than due to a lack of travelers.
This placed ahead of volatility, cost pressures, talent shortages, and even the rise of AI agents in travel.
In addition, 31 % of respondents identified increased channel competition as their main obstacle to growth, closely followed by 27 % who cited the complexity of technology integration.
On the other hand, rising costs and talent shortages were viewed as secondary pressures.
Increasing investment in AI
Despite these limitations, there is still a moderately high level of confidence in the current technology stacks.
Respondents gave an average of 3.7 out of 5 stars to their confidence in their tech stack’s ability to keep up with changing demand, with 59 percent choosing levels 4 or 5.
Only 19 % of respondents, however, gave themselves the highest confidence, which suggests that the sector is approaching maturity.
Meanwhile, the allocation of the budget signals a significant shift in direction of technological innovation.
38 percent of respondents say they plan to prioritize investments in AI, data, and automation for 2026, while another 25 % will concentrate on platform scalability and technology modernization.
Nearly two-thirds of the planned investment is actually going toward digital infrastructure and intelligence capabilities.
a growing gap
A growing maturity gap in providing personalized experiences is also highlighted by the survey.
When questioned about their greatest challenge in this area, 32 % cited data integration across systems, and 32 % cited demonstrating ROI at scale.
This transition phase further reflects the balance between automation and human touch. Respondents gave their organizations an average of 3.5 out of 5, with 53 % choosing level 4.
Although the industry appears to be moving in the direction of a hybrid model, it has not yet been fully optimized.
An era of structural rework
The survey results also echoed those made during MarketHub Asia by HBX’s chief strategy, transformation, and AI officer Javier Cabrerizo, who described the travel industry as entering a new era defined by structural reinvention.
This data, according to Cabrerizo, demonstrates that the industry is no longer constrained by demand but rather by complexity. Our ability to scale intelligence is being constrained by fragile systems and integration challenges. The next stage of growth will be determined by the organizations that solve orchestration. AI is becoming more prevalent than ever, and it is a structural necessity. However, adding artificial intelligence to fragmented infrastructure won’t lead to transformation. The real competitive advantage is integration.
Together, the findings indicate that the industry is transitioning from a recovery mindset to a new era where integration, intelligent execution, and scalable AI will define the next generation of travel leaders.