Now in its seventh year, the Skift IDEA Awards continues to spotlight the individuals, teams and companies shaping the future of our industry. Today, we’re excited to reveal the finalists for the 2025 Skift IDEA Awards.

With over 420 submissions from around the globe – and 247 advancing to the final round – the 2025 edition reaffirms the IDEA Awards as the definitive benchmark for innovation, creativity, and impact across the travel ecosystem. 

For 2025, the program was split across seven distinct criteria groups: 

• Industry Innovators: Forward-thinking projects that drive a sector forward and make an impact with consumers.
• Change Makers: Organizations elevating the Travel Industry’s role as a force for good by affecting meaningful change.
• Creative Thinkers: Marketing, strategy and technology that inspires and pushes the industry forward.
• Problem Solvers: Service providers who offer solutions, address business challenges, or use technology to guide the industry.
• Travel Technology: Technology providers offering innovative technological solutions that are guiding the industry forward.
• Short-Term Rentals: Recognizing the individuals and organizations that are shaping the future of the short-term rental industry.
• Meetings & Events: Presented by Skift Meetings. Celebrating the business events industry’s most respected and innovative suppliers.

The submissions progressing into the final round are a testament to an industry that is increasingly bold, purpose-led and future-ready. The submissions will now be reviewed by an independent panel of expert judges, selected for their leadership and perspective across key sectors of the industry.

Explore the full list of 2025 Skift IDEA Awards finalists below:

INDUSTRY INNOVATORS

Activities & Attractions

• Civitatis | Over 15 Years Connecting Millions of Spanish-Speaking Travelers with the World
• Red Sea Global | Delivering World Class Sports and Entertainment
• Ayers Rock Resort | Redefining the Future of Indigenous Tourism
• Club Med | Elevation Festival at Club Med Québec Charlevoix
• Beaches Resorts | Beaches Resorts and Sesame Street 20 year partnership
• Intrepid Tours India Private Limited | Holy City Rickshaw – Driven By Women, Powered by Intrepid
• Coca-Cola | World of Coca-Cola: Transforming a World-Class Tourist Attraction

Airlines & Airports

• CAE | 2025 Aviation Talent Forecast
• Alaska Airlines | Self-Serve Lobby Experience
• Spirit Airlines | MORE FLY Transformation
• Tradewind Aviation | Elevating Regional Luxury Travel Across North America and the Caribbean
• Endava | Carryon Baggage Counting
• SkySquad | Redefining and Mainstreaming Airport VIP Services
• AirportLabs Limited | Airport Community App: Elevating Airport Operations Through Efficiency, Community and Wellbeing

Business Travel

• TravelPerk | Redefining Travel for Work Through Human-First Innovation
• Otto The Agent | AI Executive Assistant for Business Travel
• Engine | Revolutionizing Group Travel
• BizAway | Global Travel API
• Mastercard | Bringing Consumer-Grade Experiences to Business Travel
• Global Rescue | GRID – The Global Rescue Intelligence Delivery System for Business Travelers

Hospitality

• Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group | The Guest Experience Programme
• Hyatt Hotels Corporation | Experiential Wellbeing
• FERGUS Group | tent Hotels: The Ideal Hotels for Travellers Seeking a Destination
• Olive by Embassy | World’s First Remote and Digital Hotel Operator
• FIVE Holdings | Scaling Experiential Tourism Through a ‘Global Sustainable Entertainment Ecosystem’
• CityHub | CityHub Reykjavik: Redefining the City Stay for a New Generation
• Accor | Reinventing Hotel Guest Experience with the Pullman Transforming Room
• SuitePad GmbH | SuitePad’s Stay Manager: An Innovative Way for Guests to Customize Their Stay
• Duetto | Welcome to the Revenue and Profit Era
• Evermore Orlando Resort | Innovation and Disruption in the Hospitality Segment

Tour Operators

• Butterfield & Robinson | Around The World in 60 Days
• DreamSetGo | Taking India to the World of Sports
• GrupBlox | Build, Scale and Contract Multi-City Tours and Financial Metrics
• TravelLocal | A New Era of Locally Led Multi-Day Travel
• Staays | Make it Easier to Travel Better
• Worldia | Empowering Travel Distributors to Offer Unique Custom Trips
• Exodus Adventure Travels | Pioneering a Regenerative Future for Multi-Day Tours
• Aurora Travel | Redefining How Individuals and Groups Explore the World

Tourism

• Discover Halifax | From Dock to Discovery: AI-Enabled Itinerary Builder for Halifax Cruise Guests
• Praytell | Destination Canada and Air Canada Gift “SnOOOw Days” to Nostalgic, Overworked Americans
• GOTOKU LLC | Kagoshima Unearthed: Unfiltered Local Life and Cuisine Shaped by Volcanoes and Ocean Currents
• Discover Puerto Rico | Innovation with Soul: The Digital Transformation of Discover Puerto Rico
• See Monterey | Website and AI Integration
• Ripe | A New Era: The Ripe ITA Model
• Travel Manitoba | Travel Manitoba’s Winter Campaign
• Deep Focus & Aruba Tourism Authority | “When You Love Aruba, It Loves You Back,” a Necessary Shift in Tourism
• Vienna Tourist Board | Optimum Tourism: Vienna’s Blueprint for Good Growth in Urban Tourism
• Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) x Create. Group | Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi: Digital Innovation Transforming Cultural Engagement

VISIONARY 2030

• Sparkloft Media | Time Hopper: The First AI Time Travel Influencer for DMOs
• TBO Tek | TBO NXT: Conversational AI Powered Hotel Bookings
• Levee | The Operations Intelligence Platform for Hospitality
• Savvy | Out-Innovating the Innovators
• Acai Travel | The Start-up Fixing Travel Call Centers
• Group NAO | AI Opener for Destinations
• Visit Greenland | Visit Greenland: 10-Years Strategy
• Roch Dog | Redefining Pet Friendly Travel
• ATPCO | Enabling the Future of Dynamic Offers
• Boundless Life | Redefining Family Travel

CHANGE MAKERS

Leadership

• Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO, Saudi Tourism Authority
• C.A. Clark, Vice President of AI, Miles Partnership
• Anna Marie Presutti, President and CEO, San Francisco Travel Association
• Alex Walterspiel, Co-President and Chief Operating Officer, Sensei
• Lucia Penrod, CEO, Co-Founder and Owner, Nikki Beach Hospitality Group
• Mario Tricoci, Founder and CEO, Aparium Hotel Group
• Walter Isenberg, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sage Hospitality Group
• Omar El Hamamsy, Group CEO, Orascom Development
• Shannon Guihan, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of TreadRight Foundation, The Travel Corporation
• Sally Davey, CEO, Travalyst

People & Community

• Embratur | Feel Brasil: Beyond Postcards – A Journey Through the Soul of a Diverse and Authentic Nation
• Destination Toronto | Relax, Recharge, Renew Program
• Explore Asheville powered by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority | Explore Asheville Leads Hurricane Helene Relief with Amplified Events Fueling Recovery and the Always Asheville Fund
• Visit Myrtle Beach | The Beach is for everyBODY: Sensory-Friendly Initiative
• Banyan Group | Greater Good Grants
• Hyatt Hotels Corporation | Hyatt’s Movement of Care, Empathy, and Action
• Exodus Adventure Travels | Empowering Women, Elevating Communities on Kilimanjaro
• Accor | Mövenpick Kilo of Kindness
• Seabourn | Seabourn Pursuit Ship Naming – Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners
• Trip.com Group | Where Nature Meets Culture: Trip.com Group’s Country Retreat Journey

Sustainability

• The Leading Hotels of the World | Championing Sustainability in Independent Luxury
• Discover The Palm Beaches | Sea to Preserve Campaign
• Destination Canada | Pioneering Sustainability in Global Business Events
• Sandals Resorts International | The Power of 15 Project: (Em)Powering Caribbean Schools
• Urban Villages | Populus: The Country’s First Carbon-Positive Hotel
• TED Conferences | TED Sustainable Event Strategy
• Evaneos | Overtourism Index – Evaneos x Roland Berger
• MSC Cruises | Ocean Cay Marine Reserve
• Havila Voyages | Setting New Standards for Sophisticated Sustainable Cruise Travel
• Hotel Marcel | A Replicable Blueprint for Planet-Friendly Hospitality

Rising Star

• Aaron Fessler, Founder and CEO, TripWorks
• Richard Nunn, CEO, MileagePlus
• Eliza Pesuit, Founder and CEO, Global Glimpse
• Mike Weiss and Ben Weinberg, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Trailborn
• Justine Palefsky and Tasneem Amina, Co-Founders, Kindred

DEI Champion

• RaizUp | Scaling Diverse Teams Globally in Travel and Tech
• Booking.com | We Filter Places, Not People
• Discover The Palm Beaches | The Palm Beaches Welcomes Everyone – Social Inclusion Guide
• Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism | A Visionary Approach to Diversity and Inclusion
• Black In Travel LLC | Redefining Inclusive Travel for BIPOC and Beyond

CREATIVE THINKERS

Content

• Praytell | A Taste of Canada: Top Chef Partners with Destination Canada
• Belmond | Belmond Books: Pioneering Property First Publishing
• Eurail B.V. | Slow Travel x Slow Food: A Flavour-Filled Rail Journey Through Greece and Bulgaria
• Contiki | six-two: So Much More Than a Content Hub
• Travel South Dakota | The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally: Part Rebellion, Part Pilgrimage, Entirely Unforgettable
• Experience Kissimmee | ¡Vámonos a Kissimmee! Celebrating Culture Through Content
• Raffles Hotels & Resorts | The Butler Did It
• San Francisco Travel Association | San Francisco Travel’s “Heart of the City” Series
• Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi | Saadiyat Cultural District : Neural Murals – A Disruptive Fusion of Art + Neuroscience
• New Mexico True | Here’s to our Heroes – Legends Still Living

Marketing

• Amtrak | Reimagining what travel can be with “Retrain Travel”
• Tourism Calgary | Redefining Destination Marketing Through Color and Curiosity
• Minor Hotels | Now All in One Place
• Skyscanner X Tourism Western Australia | Drive the Dream
• Accor | “For Every You” Campaign
• The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation | It’s Not One Island. It’s a Lifetime of Them
• C&B Advertising x Travel Alberta | Alberta’s Least Liked
• Tourism Kingston | Total Solar Eclipse
• Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi | 101 Abu Dhabi Do’s
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) | YES CHEF!

Physical Experiences

• Visit Lauderdale | Break Free From Winter
• NMR Events | A Physical Journey Through the Disney Upfront 2025
• Destination BC | Wäsche of the Wild
• Mews | Mews Unfold 2025
• Accor | Novotel x PSG – La Suite Novotel by ALL.com: Transforming Hospitality Through Immersive Sports Experience
• Rajasthan Studio | Curated Experiences for Every Traveller
• Visit West Hollywood | West Hollywood Mind + Body Month: AnInnovative Wellness Tourism Program
• Tripadvisor | From Paris to Abu Dhabi: Tripadvisor’s Epic Immersive Adventure
• Love Communications | Ski Utah x Utah Hockey Club: Blending Winter Sports Cultures to Engage New Audiences
• Blue Diamond Resorts | Planet Hollywood Cancun Sets a New Benchmark for Immersive Hospitality

Creative Design

• Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) | VS App: Reimagining Tourism Through Design
• Hyatt Hotels Corporation | World of Hyatt App Redesign
• Ontario International Airport | flyONT Website
• Encore | Encore Express Content: Save Time, Gain Engagement!
• Los Cabos Tourism Board | A Rejuvenating Escape
• Destination Vancouver | Vancouver’s Immersive New Website That Knows You
• VML | Sound Sites: Where Accessibility Meets Artistry in Tourism
• Evans Hunt Group | (Joy) Rush: Ikon Pass 2025/2026
• Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) x Create.Group | Saadiyat Cultural District: Digital Innovation Transforming Cultural Engagement
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) | Jackpot – Las Vegas Sphere Creative Design

PROBLEM SOLVERS

Business Outcomes

• CarTrawler | The CarTrawler Connect Platform: Powering Unparalleled Performance for the Biggest Brands in Travel
• WEX Inc | Protecting Intermediaries from the Impact of Airline Failures
• Guesty | Going from 0-80 (Listings) With Unbreakable Peace of Mind
• Saudi Tourism Authority | Saudi Partner: Equipping the Saudi Tourism Ecosystem
• Landing | Where Every Stay Feels Like Home
• Curator Hotel & Resort Collection | Empowering Independents with Collective Strength
• Zartico | Precision Marketing for the Place-Based Economy
• HotelPORT | Powering the Future of Hospitality Content Accuracy
• Amadeus IT Group | Where Data Meets Destination Marketing Excellence
• ROH | How ROH is Transforming Payments into a Strategic Asset

Communications

• New Orleans & Company | Crisis Communications
• YKONE | Transforming Perceptions: Experience Abu Dhabi 2024’s Global Influencer Program
• Abode Worldwide | From Visibility to Value: PR That Grows B2B Hospitality and Property Tech Brands
• Heritage Corridor Destinations | Secrets and Surprises

Data Provider

• The Data Appeal Company | D / AI Destinations: Real-Time Intelligence for Sustainable Tourism Growth
• Destination Canada | A First-of-its-Kind AI-Powered Spend Data Product
• China Trading Desk | China Travel Dashboard 3.0 – Real-Time Intelligence for a Rebounding Travel Giant
• AirDNA | Trusted Insights at Every Step of Your Vacation Rental Journey
• Rokt | Unlocking New Revenue in Travel Commerce
• Aggregate Intelligence Inc | Building Market-Leading Business Intelligence Solutions
• TripStax | Transforming Business Travel Data Management
• IDeaS Revenue Solutions | IDeaS Spotlight: Transforming Hotel Marketing with Valuable, New Demand Insights
• Onyx CenterSource | OnyxInsights: Delivering Advanced Analytics and Benchmarking Tools for Hotel and Travel Agencies

TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY

Operational Streamlining

• Moder | Next Generation Resort Technology
• Fresh Tracks Canada | Reinventing Travel Operations with AI and First-Party Data
• Breezeway | The Smart Operating System for Hospitality
• Visiting Media | SalesHub: Streamlining Hotel Sales with Immersive Efficiency
• Marriott International, Inc. | Deploying Digital Twin Technology Powered by a Transformative Technology Platform
• Spotnana | Spotnana Cloud for TMCs
• Inhabit | The Ecosystem Behind 8M+ Stays and Counting
• Mews | Revolutionizing Revenue At Every Touchpoint
• Radisson Hotel Group | The Club Commercial
• ProSafe, Powered by WorldVue | Elevating Safety, Communication, and Operations in Hospitality

Traveler Journey

• Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) x Create. Group | Abu Dhabi 3D Map: Your Interactive Travel Companion to Experience Abu Dhabi
• Banff & Lake Louise Tourism | Banff & Lake Louise Tourism’s Trip Builder – Helping Visitors Plan for Joy, Not Disappointment
• United Airlines | Every Flight Has a GenAI Story
• Zurich Cover-More | Safer, More Connected Travel with a Transformed Digital Customer Experience
• FLYR | Reimagining the Golden Age of Travel Through Technology
• AirHelp | AirHelp+: Beyond Travel Insurance
• MSC Cruises | MSC Miami Cruise Terminal
• Jetpac Global | Redefining Seamless Global Connectivity for Travelers
• Flykitt | The Future of Travel is Jet Lag-Free
• Panasonic Avionics | Astrova by Panasonic Avionics

Best Use of AI

• Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) | Noura AI: Transforming Travel with a Human Touch
• Matador Network | GuideGeek: Custom AI for Travel Brands
• PriceLabs | AI Innovation, Everywhere – The New Standard in Revenue Management
• Destination Canada | Traveller Twin: Canada’s Trusted Segmentation, Now a Strategic AI-Powered Conversation with the Ideal Traveller
• Cloudbeds | The world’s first foundation AI model for the hospitality industry
• Amperity | Amperity CDC: AI-Driven Identity Resolution for Travel and Hospitality Growth
• Sacher Hotels | Franz – A Sacher Original: Where AI Learns the Art of Hospitality
• Qatar Tourism | Visit Qatar GenAI Concierge
• Destination Vancouver | The AI Concierge Which Deserves a Clef D’Or
• Yanolja | Redefining Global Travel Through AI-Powered Data Innovation

MEETINGS & EVENTS

Hotels

• Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
• Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun
• Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort
• theWit Chicago
• Conrad Orlando at Evermore
• Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• The Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown
• The Grand America Hotel
• The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
• Fontainebleau Miami Beach

Destination Marketing Organizations

• Destination Toronto
• Visit Milwaukee
• New Orleans & Company
• Reno Tahoe
• Discover Halifax
• Vienna Convention Bureau
• Visit Baltimore
• Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB)
• Destination Canada
• Discover The Palm Beaches

Convention Centers & Other Venues

• Baird Center
• Moscone Center
• Monterey Conference Center
• Reno-Sparks Convention Center
• ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi
• Vancouver Convention Centre
• The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC)
• Dubai World Trade Centre
• Convene Sancroft, St. Paul’s
• The Glasshouse

Event Technology

• Snapsight | World’s First AI-based Real Time Event Content Summarisation
• NMR Events | Behind the Magic: The Tech Driving Disney’s 2025 Upfront
• BoomPop | AI-Powered, Human-Centered Event Planning
• GlobalMeet | Driving the Next Era of Virtual Event Technology
• hivr.ai | Leading the AI Revolution in Meetings and Events
• Cvent | Transforming Event Experiences Through Next-Gen Technology
• Zoho Backstage | Reimagining the Future of Events
• RainFocus | All-in-One Event Management Technology
• vFairs | Blending Powerful Tech with a Human Touch to Create Unforgettable Events
• Grip | Making Business Relationships Happen at Events

SHORT-TERM RENTALS

Property Management

• PriceLabs | The Missing Link in Revenue Management: PriceLabs’ Listing Optimizer
• Boom | Bringing the Short-Term Rental Industry Into the Future
• Evolve | An Owner-First Property Management Model
• eviivo | eviivo Suite: Empowering Short-Term Rentals to Compete on a Global Scale
• Dharma | Elevating Hospitality with AI-Driven Operations, Seamless Guest Services, and Smart Tools that Boost Sales and Efficiency.
• Sentral | Tech + Luxe Lifestyle = STR success
• Northgate Resorts | Leading the Way in Outdoor Hospitality Short-Term Rentals
• Guesty | 3,975,143 x 5-Stars with Guesty: The Most Customer-Driven PMS
• Charlie & Onfly | Disrupting the Corporate Stay: STR for the Modern Business Traveler
• KozyGuru | Seamless Short-Term Rental Management for the Modern Host

Guest Experience

• Guesty | The Data Driving 5-Star Reviews
• Accor | Novotel x PSG – La Suite Novotel by ALL.com: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Stay Inside Parc des Princes
• Rental Escapes | Luxury Made Personal: Rental Escapes’ Villa Specialists and Concierge Service
• Extenteam | Tailwind by Extenteam: Transforming Guest Experience with Human + AI Synergy
• Villa Finder | Giving You Personalised Service On Every Holiday
• Beyond | Beyond’s Tally: Powering the Future of Payments in Short-Term Rentals