Transforming Premium Travel Through AI: A Conversation with Albin Eriksson Lippe
In an industry often caught between impersonal online booking platforms and exclusive but slow-moving concierge services, Holiwise is carving out a distinctive path. The AI-powered travel platform promises to deliver the white-glove service of luxury travel planning with the speed and efficiency of modern technology—a combination that co-founder and CEO Albin Eriksson Lippe believes has been missing from the premium travel market.
Armed with a finance background from Goldman Sachs and a clear vision for personalisation at scale, Eriksson Lippe recently closed a €1.45M pre-seed funding round to bring his vision to life. Starting with Europe and the Middle East, Holiwise aims to solve a problem familiar to many premium travelers: the hours spent piecing together the perfect trip, only to settle for generic packages or compromise on personal preferences.
In this interview, Eriksson Lippe discusses how Holiwise blends machine learning with human expertise, the lessons learned from his finance career, and his perspective on balancing rapid AI development with the high-touch service expectations of luxury travelers. He also shares insights on fundraising at the pre-seed stage, geographic expansion strategy, and the future of AI in responsible travel.
Could you share the vision behind Holiwise and what inspired you to launch an AI-powered travel platform focused on premium, personalized trip planning?
The vision behind Holiwise is to transform the way premium travelers experience the world, by making the entire travel process effortless. I believe that personalisation is the most meaningful part of travel discovery, yet the traditional travel industry is still dominated by generic packages and manual processes.
We were inspired to launch Holiwise after experiencing this pain point ourselves, spending hours on weekends figuring out every detail of our trips. Meanwhile, technological advancements have recently created an opportunity to automate many processes for travel agents, which has traditionally been very manual and labour heavy. We’re building models that understand not just logistics, but human preferences and travel intent. Our goal is that every trip feels curated at the same standard as a luxury concierge, but with the speed and scale of technology. At its core, Holiwise is about preserving premium customers’ most valuable asset, which is time, while opening the door to more memorable travel experiences.
As a founder with a strong finance background, how do you leverage your previous experiences at Goldman Sachs in running Holiwise?
My years at Goldman Sachs taught me how to approach problems with structure, discipline, and attention to detail, all of which are invaluable in building Holiwise. I apply that same mindset to scaling Holiwise. Whether it’s talking to customers, strategic partners, or ensuring our AI developments generate measurable value, I rely heavily on the analytical mindset thatI developed in finance. Furthermore, Goldman reinforced the importance of trust and long-term relationships, which is central to how we engage with premium customers and partners in the travel space.
Holiwise blends advanced AI with travel curation. Can you describe some key technological innovations your team developed to enable dynamic, personalized trip planning that adapts to user preferences in real time?
At Holiwise, we’ve focused on building technology that moves beyond static recommendations to real-time personalisation. One of our core innovations is a dynamic packaging model that leverages machine learning to build personalised trips, optimising hotels, flights and transportation, not just for price and availability, but also for the traveler’s individual preferences.
What makes our approach unique is combining the precision of AI with human touch. The result is a service that delivers highly personalized premium trips at the speed and scalability of modern technology.
The travel industry has many players, from OTAs to luxury concierge services. How does Holiwise differentiate itself in delivering value to premium travelers?
Most online travel agencies focus on price and inventory, while luxury concierge services focus on exclusivity but often lack scalability. Holiwise bridges that gap. We combine advanced AI with human travel expertise to deliver trips that feel as bespoke as a high-touch concierge, but with the speed, transparency, and flexibility of a digital platform.
Our differentiation lies in personalisation at scale. Instead of static packages, our models build dynamic trips that adapt to each traveler’s preferences, lifestyle, and intent in real time.For premium customers, this means less time planning, seamless execution, and trips that feel personalised.
What geographic markets are you prioritizing for expansion and why?
We’re initially prioritising Europe and the Middle East, with London as our launch base. Both regions have a high concentration of premium travelers who value personalised experiences but are currently underserved by traditional mainstream OTAs.
You recently closed a €1.45M pre-seed funding round with notable investors. What lessons did you learn from fundraising that would be valuable to other tech founders at the pre-seed stage?
Raising our pre-seed was an intense but invaluable learning experience. One of the key lessons was the importance of storytelling and transparency: investors need to understand the product, the problem it solves, and trust your team to be uniquely positioned to execute the vision.
I also learned the value of focus – fundraising can easily become a distraction from building the product and generating traction, so striking the right balance is critical. Relationships matter and many of our investors came on board because of long-term trust and credibility.
Scaling AI products entails continual iteration. How do you balance rapid product development with maintaining high service quality and user experience?
Balancing rapid iteration with exceptional service is central to our development approach. On one hand, AI thrives on experimentation and continuous learning; on the other, premium travelers expect flawless execution and a seamless experience.
We address this by combining technology with human touch. Our AI models generate personalised trips and insights, but our travel concierges communicate with clients to ensure every detail meets our high standards. This hybrid approach allows us to iterate quickly on features and recommendations while protecting the quality and reliability that premium customers expect.
Looking ahead, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges you see for AI in the travel sector over the next 3-5 years?
The biggest opportunity for AI in travel is unlocking personalisation at scale. In the next 3-5 years, AI will allow companies to anticipate traveler needs, optimize itineraries in real time,and create experiences that feel as curated as a luxury concierge, but accessible on a digital platform.
The challenge lies in striking the right balance between automation and human touch. Travel is deeply personal and emotional, and AI can’t replace trust, empathy, and nuanced judgment. It’s also worth mentioning that the potential for fully autonomous AI agents to complete bookings is an uncertain and evolving topic.
Beyond convenience, what broader impact do you hope Holiwise will have on sustainable or responsible travel?
Beyond convenience, we see Holiwise as a platform for more mindful and responsible travel. By leveraging AI, we can guide travelers toward choices that reduce environmental impact, support local communities, and preserve the cultural and natural experiences that make each destination unique.
For example, our dynamic packaging models can prioritise eco-friendly accommodations, suggest off-peak travel to reduce overtourism, or highlight local experiences that create meaningful economic impact.
What advice would you give founders who want to build tech companies that combine deep domain expertise with cutting-edge AI?
My advice would be to start with a deep understanding of the problem that you’re tackling. Technology only creates value if it addresses significant pain points that real customers experience. Combine that understanding with a disciplined approach to customer development, focusing on rapid iterations and short feedback loops. Building the right team for this task is the most critical part in my view.
