In an insightful interview, Mr. Yannis Karmis, Senior Vice President of Product Planning & Development at BCD Travel, explores how AI-powered solutions, specifically SkyLink, are revolutionizing the corporate travel landscape within the broader hospitality and tourism industry. Mr. Karmis highlights SkyLink’s capacity to deliver smoother, smarter, and more personalized travel experiences by automating bookings, streamlining complex itineraries, and providing instant multilingual support directly within popular collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Slack.

Emphasizing the solution’s user-centric design, he discusses how SkyLink optimizes travel program compliance, balances cost efficiencies, and enhances traveler productivity through intuitive conversational interactions.

Moreover, Mr. Karmis addresses how SkyLink navigates regional challenges related to data privacy and compliance, particularly in European and Asian markets, ensuring global deployment aligns with local expectations and builds trust.

Looking ahead, he envisions AI playing an increasingly pivotal role in shaping corporate hospitality and travel management, combining automation with essential human oversight to deliver exceptional travel experiences and robust data intelligence.

How do you see AI-powered solutions like SkyLink transforming the corporate travel experience within the broader hospitality and tourism industry?
AI-powered solutions like SkyLink are making corporate travel smarter and smoother. By automating bookings, personalizing itineraries, and providing real-time support, they help companies save time and money while giving travelers a more seamless and stress-free experience.
SkyLink stands out by integrating directly into tools employees already use such as Microsoft Teams and Slack, offering a fully touchless experience that’s up to 10 times faster than traditional booking methods. It also boosts program compliance with real-time, dynamic recommendations based on company policy and market conditions.

In what ways does SkyLink enhance traveler productivity and satisfaction, especially for frequent business travelers navigating complex itineraries or last-minute changes?
SkyLink transforms the business travel experience by making it as easy as having a conversation. Travelers can describe what they need in plain language via chat or voice and book within seconds, even for complex, multi-city trips or repeat itineraries. It works right inside Microsoft Teams and Slack, so there’s no need to switch platforms. The traveler can @tag an assistant or travel arranger to join the conversation, and SkyLink will prompt hotel bookings at the right time, improving both attachment and advance booking rates.
SkyLink also flags major events, offering curated information on weather and policy, and responding instantly in multiple global languages. Whether the traveler is on his desktop or mobile, SkyLink remembers the conversation, so the traveler can pick up where he left off anytime without having to wait for an agent. And if plans change, the traveler can cancel or rebook trips, even those made outside SkyLink. It’s a flexible, intuitive solution that keeps frequent travelers productive, informed, and in control.

Can you elaborate on how SkyLink ensures travel policy compliance and cost optimization without compromising traveler comfort and personalization?
SkyLink offers the right balance between policy compliance, cost control, and traveler comfort. It uses smart nudges and real-time reminders to guide travelers toward in-policy choices, without disrupting their planning flow. By prompting hotel bookings at the right time, it improves attachment and advance booking rates, helping companies maximise their spend while making it extremely easy for the traveller. SkyLink also personalised recommendations to each traveler’s preferences, company policy, and trip context, so every option feels personal, yet compliant.

How does integrating SkyLink into platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack reflect changing trends in digital engagement within the hospitality sector?
Integrating SkyLink into Microsoft Teams and Slack reflects a major shift in how travellers want to engage with travel tools – seamlessly and right where they already work. We’ve seen an increased appetite from our customers to try new travel technologies, whether our own internal solutions or third party partner solutions and AI has accelerated that interest. By meeting users in familiar platforms, SkyLink removes friction and makes adoption easy.

With the rise of autonomous booking tools, how does BCD Travel maintain the balance between human service excellence and automation in business travel?
Travel is deeply human and personal. While technology advancements help in reducing traveler friction, the human touch cannot never be replaced, especially in times of emergency. As a TMC, we’ll never lose sight of the importance of human connection. We see AI as an opportunity to help our people work smarter and faster, focusing on high-impact tasks that drive traveler (and client) satisfaction. Further, our technologies will always have the human oversight of technologists and business analysts to monitor and measure precision.

What unique challenges and opportunities does BCD face when introducing AI-powered travel assistants into different global markets, particularly in Europe and Asia?
Introducing AI-powered travel assistants like SkyLink into global markets brings both exciting opportunities and unique challenges. In regions like Europe and Asia, there’s strong interest in AI but also a heightened focus on data privacy, security, and compliance. While the technical onboarding is relatively straightforward, the review process can take longer due to thorough evaluations by clients’ security and compliance teams. That said, once we engage directly with these teams, progress tends to accelerate. The opportunity lies in meeting this demand with transparency, flexibility, and local sensitivity, ensuring we deliver innovation that aligns with regional expectations and builds trust.

Looking ahead, how does BCD Travel envision the role of AI in shaping the future of corporate hospitality and travel management over the next 3 to 5 years?
In the next 3 to 5 years, AI will play a key role in transforming corporate travel and hospitality. It’s moving beyond basic automation to deliver smarter, more personalized experiences, helping travelers get what they need faster, while helping companies manage costs and stay within policy. With real-time guidance, predictive insights, and easy integration into everyday tools, AI will help strike the right balance between traveler satisfaction and business goals. At BCD, we’re focused on building AI solutions that focus on agent efficiency, traveler satisfaction and data intelligence.

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