Full Video: Fintech Is Booking’s Quiet Powerhouse, and It’s Getting Smarter With AI

Key Points

• Booking.com's fintech arm is central to its 'connected trip' strategy, managing payments and currency complexities across global markets.
• Building payments infrastructure in-house allows Booking.com to save costs and maintain greater control, supporting seamless booking experiences.
• The company is exploring AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance future commerce and transactions, though integration is proceeding cautiously.

Summary

At Skift Global Forum East, Daniel Marovitz, President of fintech at Booking.com, discussed how the company's in-house payments infrastructure underpins its 'connected trip' strategy by managing complex global transactions and enabling expansion into new travel sectors. Marovitz highlighted the cost savings and control gained from building payments systems internally, transforming fintech into a profitable driver of seamless booking experiences. He also detailed Booking.com's early adoption of AI technologies, such as large language models, to shape the future of travel commerce while acknowledging the need for careful, gradual integration.