Blog
To transform travel, start with the traveler: a conversation with AWS
May 28, 2026
5 Min read
This is the fourth blog post in a series where Amadeus asks travel and technology leaders about the changes that will transform travel. Today, Giulia Rossi, Head of Innovation and Transformation Programs – EMEA T2Kat Amazon Web Servies (AWS), shares her perspective on why starting with the traveler, supported by data, AI and cloud‑enabled collaboration, is redefining the journey to innovation.You can read here the first, second, and third blog posts in the series.
In this article...
Starting with the traveler is transforming innovation in travel, with organizations increasingly using data, AI and cloud capabilities together to design more seamless and personalized experiences.
Collaboration across the travel ecosystem is essential to deliver meaningful innovation, bringing together multiple stakeholders, shared challenges and technology capabilities to reduce friction and improve journeys.
To support innovation at global scale and enable the transformation of travel, Amadeus works with public cloud providers — including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Google Cloud Platform — to deliver its services through a distributed technology environment that combines the Amadeus Data Center, private cloud environments and public cloud services. These environments are integrated into a single platform, enabling smooth operations across Amadeus’ global distribution network and helping manage the complexity of travel at worldwide scale.
Alongside this, Amadeus explores how emerging technologies can be applied to address complex challenges across the travel ecosystem. By working with technology partners and the broader innovation community, Amadeus tests new approaches, shares insights and translates innovation into scalable capabilities that support travel organizations as they evolve.
Within this context, perspectives from technology companies help shed light on how cloud, data and AI capabilities can support innovation and the ongoing transformation of a highly complex and interconnected travel industry.
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Travel experiences are becoming increasingly seamless and personalized. From your perspective, what’s driving this shift?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: Travel is one of the most complex and interconnected industries in the world, involving many different stakeholders across the journey. What’s changing is the industry’s ability to connect data, apply AI, and operate at scale using cloud technology. When these elements come together, travel organizations are better equipped to design experiences that start with the traveler’s needs, rather than with systems or processes.
Cloud technology plays an important role here, acting as a catalyst that helps the industry innovate more quickly and collaboratively across the ecosystem.
How do cloud providers like AWS contribute to this transformation?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: Cloud providers offer scalable, secure infrastructure and services that support data‑driven and AI‑enabled innovation. This gives travel organizations the flexibility to experiment, adapt and evolve as traveler expectations change.
Rather than focusing on technology for its own sake, the cloud provides a foundation that allows organizations to test ideas, learn from data, and scale what works, all while managing the complexity inherent in global travel operations.
Innovation is often associated with new technologies like AI. How do you ensure that innovation remains meaningful?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: It’s easy to become fascinated by new technologies, especially when AI and machine learning are advancing so quickly. At AWS, we emphasize starting with the problem, not the solution. The key question isn’t “How do we use AI?”, but rather “What problem is the traveler or the industry actually trying to solve?” This way of thinking helps teams stay grounded in real needs. Technology then becomes an enabler — a bridge to an outcome — rather than the end goal itself.
How does this mindset translate into collaboration across the travel ecosystem?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: In travel, the “customer” isn’t just the traveler. It can also be airlines, airports, hotels, travel sellers and many others who shape the journey. Meaningful innovation happens when solutions take into account the realities faced by all these stakeholders.
When organizations across the ecosystem align around shared challenges and use cloud and data capabilities to address them, it becomes possible to reduce friction and create experiences that feel more seamless, relevant and resilient.
What role does cloud and AI play in practice, without focusing on specific use cases?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: At a high level, cloud and AI technologies provide a flexible foundation for innovation. They support scalable platforms, enable data‑driven decision‑making, and make it easier for organizations to evolve their operations over time. This creates space for teams to focus less on manual processes and more on delivering value, whether that’s improving efficiency, enhancing experiences, or adapting to changing market conditions.
Travel operates at a truly global scale. How important is infrastructure in enabling this?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: Global travel requires infrastructure that can operate reliably across regions and environments. Many travel organizations, including Amadeus, rely on a combination of data centers, private clouds and public cloud providers to support their services.
AWS is known for its agile culture. How does this influence innovation?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: At AWS, innovation is often driven by small, agile teams — sometimes referred to as “two‑pizza teams.” These teams are large enough to own initiatives end‑to‑end, but small enough to move quickly and stay close to customer needs.
Supported by cloud infrastructure, these teams can experiment, iterate and scale based on real feedback and data. This balance helps organizations move fast while remaining focused on relevance and impact.
Finally, how do you see collaboration making travel better?
Giulia Rossi, AWS: No single organization can deliver end‑to‑end travel experiences alone. Collaboration across the ecosystem is essential. By bringing together cloud, data and AI capabilities with deep industry expertise, the industry can co‑create solutions that simplify operations and improve journeys. By starting with the traveler, empowering agile teams, and fostering collaboration, cloud technology providers and travel innovators are helping transform how travel works, today and in the future.
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