I’ve been talking about the travel industry’s move toward AI and automation. But it’s not just a distant theory: I’m actually using AI every single day to streamline my workflow as an executive. Here’s a more detailed look at my personal tech stack and how it saves time, reduces manual tasks, and helps me keep an eye on the bigger picture of running our business.
Spark: Summaries & Smart Email Replies
As an executive, I can receive upwards of 200 emails a day—team updates, partnership proposals, feedback from clients, and the inevitable booking mishaps that need immediate attention. With Spark’s AI features, I can:
- Summarize complex email chains: During a recent long-term agreement negotiation with a new partner, our finance department, their sales team, and both legal teams were firing off emails left and right. Spark’s AI combed through each response to highlight key points—like indemnity clauses and early termination options—so I didn’t have to sort through a maze of reply-all threads. Having that distilled view helped me quickly focus on what really mattered.
- Generate first-draft responses: In the same negotiation, whenever I needed to schedule the next session or clarify a contract detail, Spark’s AI produced a near-complete email in seconds. I still refined the language and added context, but it saved me valuable minutes that I could invest in other parts of the deal.
Spark is an email client developed by Readdle, known for its productivity apps. Its AI features include thread summarization, draft generation, and intelligent message prioritization.*
Mate: Translation & Elegant Multilingual Emails
In the travel industry, dealing with international suppliers and clients is the norm. I often communicate in English, French or even German. These are languages I’m comfortable with, albeit not fully fluent in all 3. But recently, I’ve also found myself needing to reach out to partners in Japan, where even a few well-chosen words in Japanese can go a long way.
- Translate complex terms: When finalizing a partnership with a Tokyo-based supplier, Mate helped me shift their proposal from Japanese to English. This made it far easier for my team to review the contract details and confirm pricing, dates, and special requests.
- Maintain a professional tone: Instead of dumping direct translations, Mate suggests phrasing that feels culturally appropriate. I can sprinkle in a polite phrase like “ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)” or “よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu)” while keeping the main body in English. Those small additions showed genuine respect and helped solidify a positive working relationship.
Mate is created by Gikken. Beyond translation, it refines phrasing using AI, so emails in multiple languages sound authentic and culturally considerate. It is integrated on OS level, providing excellent convenience.*
ChatGPT: Curiosity, Creativity & Quick Answers
I’ve mentioned ChatGPT in previous posts, but let me show you exactly how it supports my daily workflow:
- Strategic Brainstorming: When our leadership team started discussing a potential new destination—let’s say an eco-retreat in the Azores—I turned to ChatGPT for fresh marketing angles. It offered a solid starting point for positioning, messaging, and unique experiences we could highlight.
- Knowledge Hub: If I need a quick refresher on local environmental regulations or the region’s off-peak travel patterns insights on eco-tourism tends or traveler demographics, ChatGPT delivers concise overviews. That helps me dive deeper into more specialized research.
ChatGPT is developed by OpenAI. It’s a language model that helps with idea generation, content drafting, and clarifying complex topics.*
Perplexity: Deep-Dive Travel Research
When I need industry-specific insights—be it on booking trends or new business models—Perplexity excels at pulling together detailed information. It helps me form the foundation of my research before I synthesize it into new strategies or articles.
- Deep-Dive Travel Research: When I need industry-specific insights—say, on emerging leisure travel trends for 2025 or new business models—Perplexity gathers data from multiple sources and presents it in a clear, digestible format. This becomes the backbone for any strategy I’m shaping or content I’m developing.
Perplexity (by Perplexity AI Inc.) is designed for in-depth research, offering data-rich insights and context-driven results.*
NotebookLM: A Central Hub for Research & Summaries
I combine findings from Perplexity and other sources into NotebookLM, which I use to structure my in-depth research and create personal podcasts. Yes, you read that right: I sometimes generate audio summaries for my own use, letting me stay informed on the go.
- Organizing Big Projects: After gathering in-depth data from Perplexity—like upcoming 2025 travel trends or consumer sentiment insights—I feed that information straight into NotebookLM, along with other internal sources. It then categorizes everything by theme, region, or business model, turning a messy pile of research into a well-structured digital library.
- Audio Summaries: Once my findings are neatly organized, I convert key sections into quick audio recordings. This way I can revisit them during commutes or between meetings.
NotebookLM is developed by Google, providing AI-driven organization and summarization of notes, research, and more.*
Napkin AI: Visuals for Presentations
Whenever I’m working on a presentation, I lean on Napkin AI to turn data points into eye-catching charts and visuals. Quick, clean, and tailored to the story I’m telling—exactly what I need to keep presentations engaging.
- Visualization: After researching upcoming 2025 leisure travel trends in Perplexity and organizing the insights in NotebookLM, I used Napkin AI to create a clear visual narrative of how these trends could boost certain parts of our business. Presenting this data in a visually engaging format immediately aligned stakeholders on our next steps. No dry spreadsheets required.
Napkin AI (by Napkin) specializes in generating data visualizations for concise, visually appealing presentations.*
Looking Ahead: Automating AI-Driven Workflows with N8N
Despite all these tools, there’s still a ton of manual back-office work in the travel sector—especially for complex bookings involving local providers and manual products outside of our systems. That’s where I see potential in N8N.
- Automating Bookings: Imagine an AI that handles reservations, special requests, and real-time flight changes without constant human oversight.
- Reducing Human Error: By eliminating repetitive tasks, these tools could minimize booking mistakes and missed confirmations, freeing teams to focus on delivering exceptional customer care.
N8N (by n8n GmbH) is a no-code workflow automation platform that connects various apps and services to streamline repetitive tasks.*
In conclusion
Each of these AI-driven tools allows me to stay agile in an industry where speed and personalization are critical. I’m not chasing every shiny new app, but I’m choosing tools that genuinely help me do better work. Whether that’s delivering top-notch customer experiences or guiding my team in strategic decisions.
It’s all part of the same mission I’ve championed: human-centered innovation. That means we let AI handle the mundane so we can spend time on what truly counts—building relationships, shaping standout travel experiences, and pushing the industry forward.
If any of these AI-driven workflows spark your interest, or if you’re curious about bringing similar solutions into your own business, reach out. Let’s keep this conversation going and discover the best ways to harness AI together.
P.S. None of these products are sponsored, but I personally use them in my day-to-day work