Throughout 2018, PhocusWire brought you in-depth coverage of some of the critical topics impacting travel, organized by a different theme each month. As we prepare for 2018 to end and a new year to begin, we are revisiting these themes. We'll look back on key developments of the past 12 months and look ahead, with additional perspective from the topical experts we interviewed throughout the year. In April our theme was artificial intelligence. We examined at how global distribution systems are incorporating AI into their platforms and processes, with input from Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport.

Online search is now the first step for a majority of travelers, with some consumers visiting up to 38 sites before booking a ticket. Yet the travel industry must adapt to newer digital marketing strategies to win over potential customers. The key to success is delivering ultra-precisely targeted content, leveraging personalized retargeting combined with AI and deep learning. A single customer looking to book a trip can visits hundreds of travel pages each day. The search often takes weeks before the final purchase is made.