President of Viator, Tripadvisor
Search every verified Pepijn Rijvers interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Pepijn Rijvers, President of Viator at Tripadvisor, discussed the company's strategic direction and the role of artificial intelligence in travel during a conversation at Phocuswright Europe 2025. Rijvers stated that the travel industry is "dynamic" with "so much opportunity," and that the company will be "as much of an innovator as ever." He emphasized that "customer centricity and data-driven decision-making are two crucial ingredients for any successful business strategy" in travel. Rijvers said the company wants to "experiment and learn with AI, putting AI tools in the hands of every employee" to understand how the technology changes consumer behavior. He noted that "consumers coming through AI discovery are often higher intent," and that "AI favors larger trusted brands" because consumers need to trust brands that deliver good service. Rijvers described the experiences space as "still evolving with complex data models and technical challenges," but said Viator has "a massive roadmap to improve conversion through personalization, dynamic pricing, and instant gratification." He also said the company is "monetizing our data in partnerships with OpenAI and Perplexity" and that AI is "already making a financial difference."
“Travel is so dynamic. There's so much opportunity. Things change all the time. It keeps it exciting and we'll be as much of an innovator as ever.”
“Customer centricity and data-driven decision-making are two crucial ingredients for any successful business strategy, especially in a space as large as travel.”
“We want to experiment and learn with AI, putting AI tools in the hands of every employee to understand how this technology changes their world and the consumer's behavior.”
“Consumers coming through AI discovery are often higher intent, so it's up to us to engage them and bring them to a natural conversion point.”
“AI favors larger trusted brands because consumers no longer do a lot of searching themselves; they need to trust brands that deliver good service and take care of their money.”
“Trust becomes increasingly rare, precious, and valuable in the AI world, especially in travel where the consequences of getting it wrong can be very high.”
“We are monetizing our data in partnerships with OpenAI and Perplexity, experimenting with licensing, revenue sharing, and new products, and AI is already making a financial difference.”
“The experiences space is still evolving with complex data models and technical challenges, but we have a massive roadmap to improve conversion through personalization, dynamic pricing, and instant gratification.”
“We focus on direct relationships through our app and marketing channels, but the future likely involves breaking down the funnel to serve travelers wherever they are, leveraging the trust and authenticity we've built.”
“The travel space is a co-opetition space; Airbnb is a phenomenal brand and partner, and collaboration is key to growing the market rather than dividing it.”
Tripadvisor Group CEO Matt Goldberg and new Viator president Pepijn Rijvers sit down for a candid conversation on the ...
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