Following several highly challenging years due to repeated terrorist attacks coupled with a weak economy, the French travel market began mounting a recovery in 2017. Since the election of reformist President Emmanuel Macron, the country has reduced its budget deficit to within European Union (EU) guidelines, while at the same time curtailing unemployment and restoring consumer confidence. Stronger security measures have also allayed concerns about terrorism, and the overall outlook for the travel sector is favorable.

With technology, online, mobile and user experience all firmly entrenched in travel, where does the travel agent (adviser) fit in the buying cycle? Phocuswright has been researching the travel agency distribution landscape in the U.S. since 2006. In the initial study, we assumed travel agency extinction - and were proved wrong. With business models changing, the need for professional and personal services remained high through 2013. What about now?

On the face of it, things might appear to be business as usual. According to Phocuswright's just-released travel research report, the U.K.'s travel market is poised to grow 3% in 2018, with additional growth expected in 2019. But with the March 2019 Brexit deadline looming, making projections about the long-term prospects for the U.K. travel industry can get a bit dicey.

Hotels and air have historically been the biggest pieces of OTA business, but 2018 kicked off with a flurry of activity around the less-talked-about segments like activities, packaging, rail and car. Public online travel companies made alignments and acquisitions, and rolled out technology and product enhancements, all in the name of offering a fuller plate of travel services.

For hoteliers, guest service has always been the key factor that drives the higher average daily rates that grow profitability. With guests seeking more memorable experiences, service expectations will only continue to increase as they become accustomed to hyper-personalization and real-time conveniences that technology provides in their everyday lives.

The travel industry has long sought to understand the millennial mentality, including how their attitudes and preferences impact where they go, whom they travel with, and how much they spend. Now that some millennials have begun to have children and raise families, will their travel behavior change?

Travel is important to the European culture - regardless of how much or little is spent - and several annual trips and long-duration escapes are still a priority.

The hype around artificial intelligence (AI) is staggering. It's difficult to pick up a technology publication today without seeing some reference to AI, but what does it mean for the travel industry? Is AI here to stay, or just the passing technology du jour?

Chatbots have a broad range of applications for travel, from planning and booking to customer service. Numerous travel companies have tested the waters with chatbots and the share of travelers who are comfortable with chatbots is not insignificant. The first wave of chatbots was an early step, and conversational interfaces have a significant role to play in the future of travel. New Phocuswright travel research surveys the technology that eventually will take chatbots from disappointing to dazzling and takes stock of the state of travel chatbots in 2018.

While baby boomers (ages 54-72) may no longer be the largest demographic in the U.S. (that distinction now belongs to millennials), boomers have more disposable income and more time to spend on travel than any other generation.