The invisible revolution that’s reshaping how we travel
Three industry innovators reveal the impact of technology on tourism.
At the FC Grill during SXSW in March, three innovators revealed how technology is reshaping travel—from theme parks and luxury luggage to a remote island resort—in a panel discussion presented by Capital One. Panelists Thomas Geraghty, VP of digital innovation at Universal Destinations; Jessica Schinazi, CEO of the luggage brand Away; and Richard Bailey, founder of The Brando, an ultraluxury eco-resort built on the late actor Marlon Brando’s private atoll in French Polynesia, revealed how they’re using tech to make travel more seamless, sustainable and meaningful.
Anticipating the guest experience
Geraghty is looking 10–20 years ahead, integrating AI, robotics and augmented reality to create seamlessly connected travel journeys—from flights and hotels to dinner reservations—all managed through a single destination platform.
Invisible innovation in travel gear
Schinazi emphasized that the best travel technology is the kind you don’t notice: frictionless, intuitive design that lets travelers stay focused on the wonder of the destination rather than the friction of getting there.
Sustainability as a living lab
Bailey explained how The Brando resort pioneered seawater air conditioning—drawing cold water from 3,000 feet below the ocean surface—to turn the economic necessity of remote island living into a model for green innovation in hospitality.
Key takeaways
Technology’s highest purpose in travel isn’t efficiency for its own sake, but enabling people to be more present, more curious and more human with one another. Watch now to learn more.
