The travel sector has always been rich in data. From booking patterns and seasonality to digital engagement and customer behaviour, the insights have been there for decades. But for a long time, much of that data has been fragmented, underused, or treated as an operational by-product rather than a strategic asset.
That dynamic is changing.
In the current M&A landscape where investor confidence hinges on clarity, credibility and future potential, data has become one of the strongest indicators of value. It’s not about simply having the data but rather how leaders structure it, connect it, and apply it to the decisions that shape the organisation’s growth story.
It’s why I’ve been talking more about data recently, and why David Angel’s article on AI is especially relevant. Future-ready leadership depends on digital and data fluency, and the pace of change won’t slow down while organisations figure out how to catch up.
Proving Value from Booking to Bottom Line
One of the messages to come out of the recent ABTA M&A Conference was that buyers now expect end-to-end data integrity. It’s not enough to speak to customer satisfaction, brand loyalty or broad booking trends. Investors want to see the full story, how insight flows from the booking system through operations and into financial performance.
They want to understand the “why” behind the numbers:
- How profit varies by region.
- How digital channels actually convert.
- How predictable demand really is.
- Where margin is protected, and where it isn’t.
They want to understand the “why” behind the numbers:
How profit varies by region.
How digital channels actually convert.
How predictable demand really is.
Where margin is protected, and where it isn’t.
This level of transparency builds trust. It demonstrates governance, discipline, and leadership capability. Conversely, inconsistent or siloed data slows diligence. It raises questions about how well the business is truly run. And that directly affects value.
When the data reads cleanly from top to bottom, it becomes far easier for investors to understand the trajectory of the business.
Strong data gives confidence, not just in the past, but in the future.
AI, Analytics and the Travel Brands Pulling Ahead
It’s not so much that buyers are only looking for the existence of data, they’re scrutinising how it’s being used to drive performance.
We’re already seeing a clear distinction between traditional operators and the next generation of travel businesses where analytics and AI are embedded into decision-making. Hopper’s predictive pricing models, Booking.com’s investment in personalisation and automation, and premium brands like The Thinking Traveller or Rabbie’s where strong margins are driven by deep customer understanding – all examples of what “good” looks like.
These businesses are demonstrating how insight can meaningfully shape product, pricing, loyalty and experience. Predictive modelling, segmentation, demand forecasting and dynamic pricing have become baseline capabilities.
Exit-Ready Now Means Data-Ready
For any business preparing for investment, growth capital or sale, data readiness has become non-negotiable. It signals operational maturity, strong governance, and a leadership team that understands the value creation levers within the business.
We saw this play out in our work with Audley Travel, where the paused transaction highlighted the opportunity to bring in a leader who could take ownership of the customer picture, strengthen the data foundations, and create the clarity needed for a successful future exit.
Thinking about data like an asset means structuring it well, connecting systems, standardising definitions and ensuring everything reconciles.
That message was echoed in a recent poll I ran, asking:
“If you were investing in a premium travel business, what factor would matter most to you?”
The overwhelming response was “A strong repeat customer base”.
This aligns with what we’re seeing in the market. Investors aren’t just valuing data, they’re valuing what it enables: loyalty, predictability, and a clear picture of future performance. A strong repeat customer base is impossible to demonstrate without reliable, structured, and connected data systems.
So where do you start?
Clean up your systems. Build a usable warehouse. Standardise your metrics. When the booking platform, operational metrics and financial accounts all tell the same story, investors see a business that is disciplined and scalable. That consistency is what builds trust.
With diligence processes getting deeper and timelines stretching, those who have invested early in data capability will move more quickly through a process and hold their value more firmly at the negotiating table.
Leadership: The Deciding Factor
As data unlocks value and differentiation, the organisations that will stand out are those where data is treated as a strategic asset that drives decision-making and long-term value creation.
All of this comes back to leadership because none of it happens without the right people setting the strategic direction.
The winners will be those where leadership teams:
- commit to a data-led mindset
- break down silos between tech, finance, operations and commercial
- elevate data and AI to the board agenda
- and use insight to drive real decision-making rather than retrospective reporting
It’s a theme I see regularly in executive searches across Chief Customer, Digital, Data, Commercial and Technology leadership. Investors want leaders who can turn intelligence into impact, individuals who not only understand the numbers, but know how to create value from them.
In the travel sector where growth, differentiation and experience matter more than ever, this leadership capability becomes a defining signal of future potential.
How Redgrave Supports This
At Redgrave, we work with leadership teams navigating transformation, transaction readiness and long-term growth. In a sector where data, digital capability and leadership agility are defining competitive advantage, our role is to help businesses build the teams who can drive that shift and stand up to the scrutiny that comes with investment.
If you’re preparing for growth, exploring an exit, or simply strengthening the leadership bench, I’d be delighted to talk.
