Momentum Ventures is a leader in the online travel industry, known for its innovative use of technology to enhance the customer experience.
With brands like FlightHub, justfly.com, Flygreen, and CruiseHub under its umbrella, the company has carved out a space in the competitive travel market by offering comprehensive solutions that simplify travel planning and booking. From leveraging AI for personalized recommendations to forging strategic partnerships, Momentum Ventures is at the forefront of reshaping how people travel.
At the helm of this transformation is Henri Chelhot, CEO of Momentum Ventures. With extensive experience in sales and marketing, Henri has been instrumental in driving the company’s strategic direction and growth. In this interview, Henri discusses the role of AI in enhancing travel experiences, key growth strategies, and the company’s commitment to sustainability and customer-centric service in an evolving industry.
Momentum Ventures is known for employing advanced technology in the travel sector. Can you tell us about the role of AI in enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency across your brands?
HC: Generative AI is advancing rapidly, making this an exciting time to be in a tech-focused company. There are so many opportunities with generative AI, from boosting employee productivity to driving automation across various functions. For instance, we’ve been using GenAI to transform our customer service, resulting in a significantly improved customer experience.
Just recently, justfly.com ran a survey on the role of AI in trip planning, and the findings showed increasing interest among travellers in AI-driven tools. Many participants expressed a desire for personalized itineraries and features that make travel planning easier, reflecting a clear demand for innovative solutions to enhance the travel experience — something we’re actively working on as well.
FlightHub and your other subsidiaries have been experiencing significant growth. What are some of the key strategies you’ve implemented to achieve this performance in such a competitive industry?
HC: Hiring the right people is at the core of our strategy. We firmly believe our employees are our greatest asset, and their expertise, creativity, and dedication drive our growth. By cultivating a supportive, collaborative work environment, we empower our teams to excel and innovate. This commitment to our people directly translates into better customer service, as our staff is motivated and equipped to meet our customers’ needs.
We also make customer feedback a top priority. It plays a vital role in shaping both our product development and service improvements. By actively listening to our customers, we can better understand their challenges and preferences, allowing us to tailor our offerings to meet their expectations. Our goal is not just to meet customer needs but to solve their problems through continuous product development and innovation.
As a company that emphasizes customer-centricity and personalization, how do you ensure your services meet the evolving needs of today’s travellers?
HC: We actively listen to our customers and analyze their feedback to stay in tune with their evolving needs. This insight drives our service design and innovation processes. Alongside gathering feedback, we conduct surveys on various travel topics to dive deeper into customer preferences and pain points, helping us adapt to the changing travel landscape.
By leveraging data analytics, we can spot trends and personalize our offerings to better serve our customers. We also form strategic partnerships to address specific customer needs more effectively. For example, Flygreen’s jet card “APEX” was developed specifically for frequent private travellers, offering enhanced flexibility and convenience.
Our commitment to prioritizing the customer experience ensures that we consistently deliver personalized assistance and streamlined booking processes. Through these combined efforts, we ensure our services keep pace with the evolving needs of modern travellers.
Travel planning has become more complex in recent years, and customers often seek seamless, one-stop solutions. How is Momentum Ventures addressing this demand, and what innovations are being implemented to streamline the booking process?
HC: We recognize that many travellers feel overwhelmed by the complexity of trip planning, often juggling multiple platforms for flights, hotels, car rentals, insurance, and more. This fragmentation makes the booking process time-consuming, highlighting the need for efficient, all-in-one solutions. To address this, our brands, FlightHub and justfly.com are consistently working towards consolidating all travel services into a single, user-friendly interface, making the experience smoother and reducing the hassle of managing multiple providers.
Through strategic partnerships and an intuitive interface, we empower customers to explore a wide range of travel options while receiving personalized suggestions. By unifying services on one platform, we aim to simplify trip planning and provide the comprehensive support that today’s travellers expect.
A great example of our commitment to innovation is Flygreen, our jet charter brokerage. Using JETPRO, a fully in-house developed sourcing platform, our dedicated team of brokers delivers personalized, exceptional customer experiences tailored to each client’s unique needs. This approach ensures that we meet all customer preferences, offering bespoke travel solutions that reflect the level of service modern travellers demand.
Momentum Ventures places great emphasis on its people-first philosophy. How does this approach contribute to your company’s success, and how do you ensure your teams are aligned with your vision?
HC: Our people-first philosophy is central to our success. We focus on hiring individuals who share our core values and vision, particularly those who embody our “Triple H” values: Humble, Hungry, and Honest. By emphasizing these qualities during the selection process, we ensure that new hires not only align with our culture from day one but also contribute to fostering an environment of collaboration, ambition, and integrity.
Once on board, we invest in our teams with competitive benefits that support their personal and professional well-being. This includes comprehensive insurance coverage, RRSP and TFSA plans with matching contributions, fitness and gym membership subsidies, travel benefits through FlightHub and justfly.com, and a robust Employee Referral Program. Additionally, we provide monthly subsidies for electric vehicles and transit passes, all of which help create a motivated workforce that remains aligned with our mission.
We also maintain transparency by regularly sharing strategic objectives and progress updates. This commitment to open communication ensures that every team member understands our goals and feels empowered to contribute meaningfully. Our “Triple H” values further reinforce this, as being humble encourages learning and collaboration, being hungry drives continuous improvement, and being honest fosters trust and accountability within the team.
Our dedication to a people-first approach and these core values has been recognized through honours like our recent Excellence Award in the 2024 Canadian HR Awards, including categories such as Excellence in Financial, Physical & Mental Wellness, and the Woman of Distinction award for our HR Business Partner, Bianca Cuffaro. These recognitions validate our commitment to creating a supportive and healthy work environment, inspiring our teams to excel. By prioritizing employee well-being, alignment with our values, and engagement, we not only enhance our workplace culture but also drive our overall success, ensuring everyone is united in working toward a common goal.
The travel industry has faced many disruptions in recent years. How has Momentum Ventures adapted to changes in the market, particularly with more online travel agencies and ever-emerging technologies?
HC: Adaptability is key in the travel industry, and at Momentum Ventures, we thrive on embracing change. We believe that with disruption comes opportunity. We’ve heavily invested in technology, utilizing tools like generative AI and data analytics to enhance our platforms, streamline operations, and personalize the booking process. By consistently listening to and analyzing our customers’ needs, we are able to deliver more tailored and efficient travel experiences, keeping us competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace.
At the core of our strategy is a relentless focus on customer experience. Travellers today seek not just convenience, but comprehensive support throughout their journey. By gathering and acting on customer feedback, we gain invaluable insights into their pain points and expectations, allowing us to continuously improve our services and enhance satisfaction.
In response to these insights, we’ve diversified our offerings and formed strong partnerships with travel-related companies, enabling us to provide a broad range of services, from affordable flights to travel insurance and car rentals. This ensures that we stay ahead of the evolving demands of today’s travellers.
The resilience of the travel sector post-pandemic has been driven by companies like ours that adapt quickly to challenges while seizing new opportunities. We’ve demonstrated our ability to compete effectively against larger players, especially during difficult times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Our proactive approach to market disruptions, combined with our unwavering focus on customer support, has strengthened our competitive edge and positioned us to continue thriving in an ever-evolving landscape.
By staying adaptable and committed to meeting the needs of modern travellers, we ensure that our customers receive the highest level of service, no matter how the industry shifts.
Looking ahead, how do you see the travel industry evolving in the next five years, and what role can Momentum Ventures play in shaping that future?
HC: Over the next five years, the travel industry is set to undergo significant technological advancements, especially with AI and machine learning driving deeper personalization of travel experiences. Travellers will increasingly seek tailored recommendations, real-time adjustments to their preferences, and more seamless booking processes. The demand for convenience, efficiency, and personalized services will continue to grow as technology reshapes the customer journey.
Momentum Ventures is well-positioned to lead in this evolving landscape. We are committed to staying at the forefront of innovation by continuously integrating cutting-edge technologies into our services. From enhancing customer engagement with AI-driven tools to optimizing operational efficiency, we will leverage these advancements to create more personalized, efficient, and intuitive travel experiences.
By anticipating industry shifts and remaining adaptable, Momentum Ventures will not only meet but also shape the future of travel. Our focus on customer-centric innovation will help us play a pivotal role in delivering the kind of transformative experiences that the next generation of travellers will expect.
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