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Move’s holiday finder has rewritten the rules in the travel industry: no more tedious searching for destinations, but rather AI-driven algorithms that deeply understand customers, curating personalized experiences. CEO and founder Erez Bousso: “Booking has become smart, precise, and simple.”
For Erez Bousso, CEO and founder of Move, the COVID-19 pandemic became a catalyst for transformation. As the global tourism industry ground to a halt, Bousso’s mind went into overdrive, leaving space for creativity to flourish. This period gave birth to holiday finder, representing the next generation in vacation planning and booking. “How amazing is it when you can stop, think strategically, and take your time,” Bousso recalls. “I identified a rare opportunity to rethink the travel experience. We took a significant risk and completely reinvented our business during the pandemic—shifting from primarily selling flights to developing a system that truly understands the customer, asking who they are and what’s important to them, simplifying the process, and offering an entirely new experience.”
“One of the biggest issues in the travel industry is that search engines have historically been built around what is convenient for suppliers,” explains Bousso, who brings over 20 years of experience in tourism. “All current search engines require customers to know exactly where and when they want to travel. Yet, researches showed nearly 70% of travelers aren’t decided on a destination or exact dates when they start looking for a vacation. They’re flexible and primarily focused on the experience rather than the destination itself. Travelers often feel frustrated with the vacation planning process, worried they’ve missed something or not received the best value for their budget. We solved this problem.”
Recently, the company expanded its strategy to the B2B market after discovering many travel agents were using the platform to find personalized vacations for their clients. The market share for travel agents globally grew by 8% between 2023 and 2024. Now, looking forward, Bousso sees tectonic shifts: “We are on the brink of an AI revolution in tourism. The future will blend AI capabilities, personalization, and a human touch. In a world increasingly challenged by overtourism, where the industry is seeking renewal, we offer an elegant solution: inspiration and booking through a uniquely streamlined experience.”
Thus, instead of a traditional search engine requiring users to specify destinations, dates, and flights upfront, holidayheroes flips the model—first understanding customer needs and preferences, then matching them with personalized vacations using advanced algorithms, data analytics, and, naturally, AI systems. Launched in Israel in 2022, the system quickly achieved significant success, serving over 100,000 travelers within just two years. Following this triumph, Move expanded its operations into Europe, initially focusing on the substantial German market with holidayheroes.com . However, even this success encountered challenges due to the events of October 7. “It’s a different kind of crisis, far more significant than COVID,” says Bousso. “Suddenly, revenues dropped instantly from one hundred to zero. For a rapidly growing company, that was a huge blow. But we didn’t have the luxury of breaking—we pressed on with full force.”
Bousso’s key takeaway from the industry’s recent crises—from the pandemic to geopolitical conflicts—goes beyond technology and centers on the people behind the scenes. “I’ve managed many teams throughout my career,” he shares, “but recently, I’ve noticed a new generation of employees demanding greater purpose. Some might label them spoiled for demanding high salaries and flexible working conditions. However, this generation pushes managers to be better. They refuse to do things just because they’ve always been done a certain way; they demand to know ‘why.’ They compel us to lead rather than merely manage, to define clear visions and allow them to shape the path forward. They’re full partners in everything we do. This makes companies stronger, more resilient, and ultimately more successful. Their hunger for challenges and aspiration to fulfill dreams enable us to overcome any crisis.”
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The ability to navigate significant challenges in recent years—both security-related and health-related—has positioned Move as one of the most innovative and rapidly growing companies in the TravelTech industry. Bousso’s clear vision: transforming vacation booking into an experience simpler, smarter, and more precise than ever before, making it as enjoyable as the vacation itself.
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