Jul22546 Spanish Business Awards 2026 ravel booking trends have been changing since the internet gained widespread popularity in the 1990s, with the number of people using online platforms to plan and book their trips – as opposed to using a traditional travel agent – having grown exponentially. The advent of AI a few years ago turned this space on its head once more, as people began to plan their itineraries (to varying success) on generative AI platforms. In the midst of all this, a chance meeting between two men led to a solution that could stand about all of the noise. A journalist by trade and a foodie and traveller in his spare time, the idea for this platform came about when Manuel was holidaying in Japan with his wife. Having hired Daniel Parra as a tour guide, he quickly discovered that the pair had a lot in common, and they got talking about an idea Daniel had for an app or a website where tailored trips could be provided to the user instantly, without them having to spend hours browsing the web. It was decided there was a huge demand for this kind of provision, and so the duo quickly got to work. The answer was Itinerary, a solution that designs travel itineraries capable of adapting to the unique tastes of each person. A service that is provided free of charge, it only takes a few minutes to plan the trip of a lifetime – all based around the preferences of the person in front of the screen. The development of this idea coincided with the world being plunged into lockdown in early 2020, and with Manuel being based in Spain and Daniel in Japan, they were able to spend their days working virtually to create something revolutionary. Launching in late 2020, Itinerary received more than 30,000 visits in the first 15 days alone, cementing the assumption that their was a real demand for a service of this kind. The company has grown considerably in the years since, and it registered in Madrid due to the thriving start-up ecosystem in the region, which it knew would help drive this growth. Both Manuel and Daniel still work in their respective countries to this day, with expansion having also seen Itinerary open offices in both Colombia and Pakistan in the years since. Despite being spread across the world map, the team behind Itinerary are united under the shared goal of utilising technology to make travel dreams a reality, and they continue to work tirelessly to achieve this. Their dedication is reflected in the platform itself, which is the only one of its kind to blend AI technology with a geographic information system (GIS) and underpin it all with a personal human touch. Itineraries were just the beginning, and the need for flights and hotels led to the team developing a metasearch engine for exactly this. Manuel explained: “Our greatest achievement to date has been creating this metasearch engine, which is similar to Booking.com, to not only help with itineraries but also to offer good hotels at good prices. This saves the end customer both time and money. It also allows us to pay a commission to our affiliates every time one of their Best Travel Tech Company 2026 Creating a detailed travel itinerary is more straightforward and yet more challenging than ever – a paradox brought about by the internet. Whilst all the relevant information is only a few clicks away, it would require endless hours of browsing to sift through it all. Enter Itinerary, which leverages modern technology to make the entire process easier. This software can design personalised itineraries in minutes, making it perfect for empowering everyday tourists and industry professionals alike. For more, we spoke with Manuel de Morales, the manager of the company’s office in Spain. customers booked a hotel.” The result is that partnerships are forged, allowing Itinerary to position itself as a trusted provider in this space, a statement that applies to both its partners and its customers. Beyond its commitment to keeping its service free – a key differentiator if it is to compete with the wealth of travel sites out there – another thing setting the platform apart is the magic it delivers, which stems from the convergence of AI, GIS, and humanity mentioned above. Going deeper into how exactly Itinerary succeeds in mass personalisation across its travel itineraries, its uses platforms such as Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and Wikipedia to collect data on thousands of tourist hotspots across the six countries it currently serves. These locations are then ranked in ‘value’ based on scores given in each of the more than 20 characteristics Itinerary lays out, before they are given an overall number of between 0 and 100 based on a combination of their popularity and the likelihood that they will appeal to the individual. A person enters their tastes into the platform beforehand so they know exactly what they are looking for. Once the list of desirable sites is curated, AI and Itinerary’s own algorithms get to work on creating the best route to experience these locations. Of course, once this itinerary is created, it can be changed or added to in just a few simple steps, with new days or cities able to be entered in as plans take shape. Budget is also taken into account across the creation process, and a sliding scale lets users plan everything from a backpacking holiday to a first-class experience complete with all the bells and whistles. With flights and hotels now also built into the platform for the reasons discussed above, Itinerary stands as the onestop shop for those looking for straightforward travel planning. This is reflected in the numerous five-star reviews it boasts online, with one user writing: “In just a few months Itinerary has become my most trusted resource when it comes to organising and managing any kind of travel plans. The results are very reliable and the website is fast and easy to navigate.” Receiving this level of praise means a great deal to this start-up, which is grateful for every achievement it receives and every milestone it hits. Manuel shared with us that he hopes 2026 will be a year with more for its team and customers to celebrate. Discussing these pipelines initiatives that will further change the way we create custom itineraries with AI this year, Manuel told us: “In early 2026, we will release our new, significantly improved software. Then, by mid-year, we will launch our app.” We will use these advancements to attract many more affiliates in several countries, allowing us to generate much higher revenue, before we pursue a round of Series A funding in 2027.” Alongside this, the team are working on advancing tech, thereby driving change. The need to innovate is something Manuel has not lost sight off as Itinerary has evolved, as seen in his final comment to us. Ultimately, T Contact: Manuel de Morales Company: Itinerary (Smart Itinerary, S.L.) Web Address: https://itineraryweb.com/
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