For nearly four decades, Amadeus has functioned as the quiet, digital connective tissue of the global travel industry. From the early days of computerized reservation systems to the modern era of cloud-based software, the technology giant has underpinned the complex mechanics of booking flights, reserving hotel rooms, and managing passenger service systems. Yet, as the company approaches its milestone 40th anniversary, the landscape of travel technology is facing a profound philosophical divide.
On one side stands the traditional model of proprietary, closed ecosystems—walled gardens where individual airlines, hotel chains, and booking platforms curate isolated, highly controlled environments to capture and retain customer attention. On the other side is a vision of a highly collaborative, open ecosystem where competitors share foundational infrastructure to eliminate friction for the traveler.
Decius Valmorbida, President of Travel at Amadeus, is firmly positioning the technology giant on the side of openness. Speaking ahead of his upcoming appearance at the Skift Global Forum in New York City, scheduled for September 22–24, 2026, Valmorbida argues that the travel industry is currently misallocating its competitive energy. By competing too fiercely on the underlying technical "plumbing" rather than collaborating on shared standards, travel providers are inadvertently creating a fragmented, frustrating experience for the end consumer.
Valmorbida’s core thesis is simple yet disruptive: by building open, shared foundations, the travel sector can grow the economic pie for everyone, putting the traveler in control and unlocking unprecedented long-term value.
Dismantling the Walled Gardens of the Modern Traveler Journey
To understand Valmorbida’s push for open ecosystems, one must first examine the friction points that define modern travel. Today’s traveler journey is longer, more fragmented, and increasingly complex. A single trip often involves a disjointed sequence of interactions across multiple independent entities: an airline, a hotel brand, a ride-sharing service, a travel agency, and airport security.
Historically, the industry’s response to this complexity has been defensive. Brands have sought to build walled gardens, attempting to own the customer relationship from end to end by keeping travelers within their proprietary digital ecosystems. In this closed model, an airline focuses exclusively on its own app and services, a hotel group curates its closed loyalty loop, and airports operate in isolation.
CLOSED ECOSYSTEMS
[ Airline ] ─── [ Hotel ] ─── [ Travel Seller ] ─── [ Airport ]
│
▼
Fragmented Journey
(Less freedom, lower value for traveler)
VS.
OPEN ECOSYSTEM
[ Shared Foundations ]
(Identity, Data Standards, Interoperability)
│
▼
[ Traveler in Command ]
(Choice, Transparency, Control, Seamlessness)Valmorbida argues that this siloed approach ultimately backfires. "The more individual companies try to curate closed ecosystems, the less freedom and value we ultimately give to travelers," he explains. "Instead, we need to move toward a more open and collaborative model, where data can be shared responsibly across the ecosystem and used to give travelers more choice, transparency, and control."
In an open ecosystem, the traveler sits at the absolute center, supported by an invisible, cooperative network of providers. Rather than forcing the passenger to navigate separate interfaces, input personal details multiple times, and manage disjointed booking confirmations, the industry’s underlying technology should work in unison behind the scenes. Achieving this requires a shift in how travel brands view their digital boundaries, moving away from defensive hoarding of data toward secure, consent-based interoperability.
The Longevity Test: How Amadeus Navigates Technological Hype
The travel technology sector is notoriously susceptible to hype cycles. From the metaverse and blockchain to the current frenzy surrounding generative artificial intelligence and biometrics, travel executives are constantly pressured to adopt the latest technological trends.
For a company of Amadeus’s scale, navigating these waves of innovation requires a disciplined framework. Valmorbida relies on what he calls the "longevity test" to separate fleeting trends from transformative shifts.
"As Amadeus approaches our fortieth anniversary, we’ve gained a unique perspective on transformation across the travel technology industry," Valmorbida says. "We’re constantly evaluating options for the future and, when we decide where to invest, our rule of thumb is to focus on longevity, asking ourselves which of today’s innovations are likely to have the greatest long-term impact."
This long-term lens prevents the company from chasing every passing bandwagon. The evaluation process is guided by a straightforward question: Does the investment strengthen Amadeus’s long-term strategy and solve a genuine customer pain point, or is it merely generating short-term excitement?
This strategic patience has allowed Amadeus to maintain consistent investment levels through economic cycles, including industry downturns and the unprecedented disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Valmorbida notes that lasting competitive advantage is built incrementally over decades, not through reactive, short-term maneuvers.
While advanced technologies like biometrics, digital identity frameworks, and AI are crucial enablers of the modern travel experience, Valmorbida emphasizes that they are not the ultimate goal. Instead, they are tools designed to achieve a broader objective: creating a simplified, personalized, and seamless journey where the traveler feels entirely in command.
Transitioning From Transactional Sales to Experiential Trust
As travel distribution evolves, the nature of the relationship between travel brands and consumers is undergoing a fundamental shift. The industry is moving rapidly away from a purely transactional model—where success is measured solely by the completion of a booking—toward an experiential model, where the brand’s value is judged by the quality of the entire end-to-end journey.
"Travelers are no longer simply purchasing a product or service; they are buying an end-to-end experience and expecting every part of that journey to work seamlessly together," Valmorbida observes.
In this highly competitive environment, where consumers have access to a vast array of choices and transparent pricing, trust has emerged as the ultimate brand differentiator. Earning and retaining that trust requires travel providers to consistently deliver on their brand promises, particularly during "moments of truth"—such as flight delays, missed connections, or sudden itinerary changes—when travelers are at their most vulnerable.
This shift explains why the ongoing retailing transformation in travel—including the adoption of modern retailing standards and New Distribution Capability (NDC) protocols—is so critical. These technological advancements allow travel providers to move beyond static, commoditized offerings and instead deliver highly relevant, personalized experiences tailored to individual traveler preferences.
However, Valmorbida cautions that technology alone is not a silver bullet. The true measure of success for any retailing transformation is whether a company can leverage these new capabilities to deepen customer trust, deliver tangible value, and successfully navigate the critical touchpoints of the traveler journey.
The "Plumbing" Paradox: Why Competitors Must Cooperate
Perhaps the most provocative aspect of Valmorbida’s vision is his call for widespread cooperation on what he terms the industry’s "plumbing." In business, the instinct is often to compete on every front. However, Valmorbida argues that in travel, competing on basic infrastructure is a zero-sum game that stifles industry growth.
"We talk a lot about choice, but we don’t talk enough about cooperation," Valmorbida says. "Companies will always compete on their brands, products, and customer experience, but there are areas where the entire industry benefits from working together."
AREAS OF COMPETITION vs. AREAS OF COOPERATION
COMPETITION (Brand Differentiators)
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ • Brand Identity & Marketing │
│ • Customer Service & Hospitality │
│ • Product Quality & Onboard Experience │
│ • Loyalty Programs & Custom Offers │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│ Supported by
▼
COOPERATION (Shared Foundations)
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ • Universal Digital Identity │
│ • Common Data & Communication Standards │
│ • System Interoperability │
│ • Secure Data-Sharing Protocols │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘By establishing shared, open foundations around critical components like digital identity, standardized data protocols, and system interoperability, the industry can eliminate systemic friction. This collaborative baseline allows individual travel brands to focus their resources and creative energy on competing where it truly matters: customer service, product quality, brand identity, and unique experiential offerings.
The ultimate goal of this cooperative model is to construct a travel ecosystem that feels like a unified, one-stop shop for the consumer, even as a diverse array of independent providers work in tandem behind the scenes to deliver the journey.
Debating the Future of Travel Tech at the Skift Global Forum
The tension between closed, proprietary networks and open, collaborative platforms is set to be one of the defining debates of the travel industry over the next decade. Whether direct rivals will willingly lower their guard and cooperate on shared digital plumbing remains an open and highly contested question.
This pivotal debate will take center stage at the Skift Global Forum, taking place from September 22 to 24, 2026, in New York City. Decius Valmorbida will join an elite lineup of global travel leaders, including Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky, and Hilton President and CEO Christopher Nassetta.
As these industry heavyweights gather, the discussions will undoubtedly test whether the travel sector is ready to embrace Valmorbida’s vision of an open, shared future, or whether the allure of the walled garden will continue to dominate the commercial landscape. For Amadeus, the bet is clear: the future belongs to those who build bridges, not walls.
