Executive Biographies

“At the beginning of the century, our company,” said Glenn Fogel, chief executive of travel conglomerate Booking Holdings, “had human translators, thousands of them.

“No. Data is incredibly important to me, but one of the realities of leadership is that for most decisions you simply do not have complete information. If you waited for that, decision-making would take far too long.

Lacey’s answer for Booking.com centred on what the company calls the Connected Trip: stitching accommodation, flights, ground transport and attractions together so a traveller isn’t managing five separate bookings, and so the platform can intervene proactively when something breaks – his example was a cancelled or delayed flight into Queenstown automatically triggering a later taxi pickup and a new restaurant suggestion, adjusted for dietary preference, before the traveller even realises they need it.

Hotels are built around hospitality, but hospitality can carry quiet assumptions about who guests are. A reservation for two adults becomes a man and a woman. One large robe and one small robe appear in the room. Staff see two men booked into one king bed and wonder whether the reservation needs fixing. None of those moments has to be openly hostile to make someone feel the hotel was designed with another kind of guest in mind. That was one of the clearest themes when HomoCulture interviewed Kris Barber, Booking.com’s Director of Global Comms and Travel Proud Leader, at the company’s Amsterdam headquarters during WorldPride Amsterdam 2026. Inclusive hospitality often comes down to small choices, and getting them right takes more than putting Pride colors beside the check-in desk.

Despite ongoing economic, geopolitical and environmental uncertainty, Singaporeans continue to embrace travel as a source of joy, connection, and personal wellbeing, according to Booking.com’s inaugural Travel Happiness Index. Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Booking.com brought together a panel consisting of Yeo Sha-En, Founder of Happiness Scientists and Kung Teong Wah, Cluster General Manager, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore and PARKROYAL on Beach Road to elaborate on and discuss the report with interested media. Drawing on insights from 10,000 travellers across 10 APAC markets, the new research explores the emotional, financial and social factors shaping travel decisions today, while uncovering what makes trips truly memorable, stress-free and worthwhile.

“It was really that 'everyone' bit that kind of unlocked some different thinking and curiosity within our team.” — Kristofer Barber, Global Communications Director and Travel Proud ambassador

“Travelers are increasingly looking for destinations that deliver a similar sense of charm and escape, but in a way that feels more accessible, less crowded and offers better value.” — Angela Cavis, Director of Communications for the Americas

“Travelers are really looking for that sort of unique experience wherever they go.” — Todd Lacey, Regional Manager Oceania at Booking.com

“Travellers believe sustainability is important, but general good intentions aren’t enough — we connect them to certified properties so that belief converts into a real booking, and a real outcome for that property.” — Catherine Gao, Area Manager for Indonesia and Malaysia at Booking.com

“This summer, we’re seeing holidays redefined.” — Ryan Pearson, Regional Manager for United Kingdom at Booking.com

“Travel is moving away from being a fixed event on a calendar and becoming a fluid part of how we express ourselves. The future of travel will be defined not just by where people go, but how well each trip reflects who they are at that moment.” — Santosh Kumar, Regional Manager Sri Lanka, Maldives and India

“What you want is that assistant in the pocket, or a travel agent in the pocket.” — Glenn Fogel, President & CEO at Booking.com

“They want the ryokan with the onsen, the experience that cannot be replicated in any other country, the stay that justifies the trip.” — Nuno Guerreiro, Regional Director of North & South APAC at Booking.com

“Rising airfare is making travelers more intentional about how they plan trips this summer. Rather than pulling back from travel altogether, people tend to shift to shorter getaways, regional destinations and more flexible travel windows to stretch their budgets further.” — Ian Ackland, Managing Director for the Americas

“Our technology remembers everything about you, about what you like, what you chose, why you went there.” — Glenn Fogel, President & CEO at Booking.com