In a recent episode of Chain Reaction by Cointelegraph, host Robert Baggs sat down with Juan Otero, the CEO of Travala, to discuss the evolution of decentralised travel.
From competing with Web2 giants to pioneering NFT-based travel loyalty memberships, Juan shared how Travala is leveraging blockchain and AI to reshape the global travel industry.
From Web2 Giants to Web3 Pioneer
Juan’s roots are firmly planted in the traditional travel industry. During his tenure at Booking.com, he gained firsthand insight into the “opaque” and often inefficient systems of traditional Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).
The turning point came in 2014. After discovering the Bitcoin whitepaper, Juan recognised the transformative potential of blockchain to solve this industry-wide problem.
Founded in 2017, Travala was created to fulfil the mission of offering a more transparent, democratised booking experience.
Today, the crypto-native travel booking platform boasts:
- Over 3 million travel products, including hotels, flights, activities, and newly launched car rentals
- More than 100 cryptocurrencies as payment options, alongside traditional methods
- A tokenised loyalty program with up to 13% additional savings on every booking
The “Interconnected Trip” and the Power of Transparency
One of the most compelling parts of the conversation centred on Travala’s vision for the “interconnected trip.” Juan describes this as a one-stop shop where travellers can book their entire journey, from flights to hotels to activities to car rentals, all on a single platform.
“Traditional OTAs have very opaque loyalty systems. You don’t even know what your points are worth. With Travala, if you get 10% back in Bitcoin or our native token AVA, it goes straight to your wallet. You can book another hotel, or you can take it off the platform and buy a t-shirt.”
This transparency is paying off. Juan revealed that travellers who spend with crypto have an Average Lifetime Value that is 3x greater than traditional travellers based on a joint report with Binance Pay.
Navigating the Early Challenges of Crypto Adoption
Establishing a blockchain-based business in 2017 presented significant hurdles. Juan described the early years as a “grind,” particularly when attempting to secure meetings with established brands like Expedia or Marriott at a time when the blockchain industry faced widespread scepticism.
Having survived the many market volatilities and global travel shutdown during the pandemic, Travala demonstrated a level of resilience that helped earn the trust of major industry partners.
The company has since grown into a steady contributor within the crypto travel ecosystem, achieving over $113 million in booking revenue in 2025.
The Next Frontier: AI & Agentic Commerce
Juan envisions a shift toward “agentic commerce,” where AI agents handle menial tasks like corporate bookings or quick vacations.
How Travala is preparing for the AI shift:
- AI Engine Department: A dedicated department developing in-house agents to streamline customer service and travel discovery.
- Autonomous Bookings: A forthcoming feature allowing users to set specific guardrails, such as budget and destination, for AI agents to execute bookings automatically.
- Incentivised Ecosystem: Leveraging crypto rewards to encourage AI developers to build agents that interact specifically with the Travala platform.
What’s Next for Travala?
As the industry moves toward 2026 and beyond, Travala remains laser-focused on product innovation and plans to lead the charge in:
- Expanding Verticals: Continuing to build an all-in-one platform for the “interconnected trip” experience
- AI Integration: Rolling out AI agents to simplify the “discovery to completion” flow.
- Global Adoption: Using travel as a primary “on-ramp” for Web2 users to enter the crypto ecosystem.
As Juan concluded: “What a time to be alive… at the intersection of travel, crypto, and AI.”
