3 leadership lessons from 25 years of disruption in travel

Travel is one of the fastest-moving and most complicated industries in the world. It crosses borders and systems, depends on constant innovation, and at its heart, relies on human connection. Over the past 25 years, I’ve seen our business grow from the brink of collapse during the dot-com crash to a $180 billion company today. That journey has taught me a lot about leadership, including how to navigate rapid change, whether it’s new technology like AI, global disruptions, or evolving customer expectations.

Here are my top three lessons to help power the next generation of leaders, in any industry, organization, or pursuit through the acceleration of advancement and unpredictable tides of the next 25 years.

Adaptability required

Successful leaders are forward-looking. They must recognize change before it’s needed.

In an industry that demands constant adaptability, Booking has led with this mindset since inception. Over the years, we have seen many gradual shifts in travel, like the move from desktop to mobile booking, the emergence of the sharing economy, and early advancements in AI. In all of these, and many more, we began exploring and investing in these areas before we were certain of their importance. Each required a change, of course.

This adaptability is a muscle that needs to be stretched daily for a business to survive and thrive and it requires clarity of purpose. In Booking’s case, our mission—“To make it easier for everyone to experience the world”—serves as a steadying force, enabling teams to adjust their approach to stay aligned to what matters most. With the rapid advent of generative AI, and now, the emergence of agentic AI capable of acting autonomously to carry out complex tasks, we are entering the next epoch of change in every aspect of business and society. Now is the time to disrupt yourself before someone does it for you.

Innovate or perish

Innovation is built on the foundation of adaptable teams and businesses. The graveyard of failed companies is filled with once great names that did not foresee where the world was going. One of our values is a commitment to relentless innovation. That means constantly challenging the status quo. But the lesson isn’t innovation for innovation’s sake. It is understanding that the most effective innovation always comes from solving customer needs—not assumptions. Don’t build what you think customers want, or even what customers might say they think they want. Apply a relentless focus on data and conversion patterns, and treat every interaction with a customer as mission-critical information for the future. The companies that win are the ones that solve better, not build louder.

Constantly listening, learning, and endlessly iterating with talented teams is the innovation journey. And it doesn’t just live in your product teams. Encouraging everyone in your organization to think about how they can help drive the next improvement will pay generous returns.

The connection factor

My last piece of advice is to never lose sight of the power of human connection. In the travel industry, success depends on it. You can have the most advanced technology and the most ambitious growth strategy, but without genuine connections, it won’t resonate or endure. Whether it’s earning trust with partners, understanding the needs of travelers, or building alignment across global teams, strong relationships matter. They’re what turn good ideas into great outcomes. Travel also reminds us that when we bring together diverse perspectives, we find better answers, faster. And the same applies to any business. Leaders who invest in connection—with and among their people, partners and customers—unlock more creativity and sharper problem solving. This leads to more effective responses to both challenges and opportunities.

In the end, connection—not control—drives progress. The leaders who recognize this early will have the advantage in shaping the future; one built on trust, shared purpose and the ability to navigate complexity together. The coming era will be no different.

Glenn Fogel is the CEO and president of Booking Holdings.