ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Goedele Mangelaars, founder and CEO of Pink Notebook, an AI-powered travel platform reimagining how trips are discovered, planned, and booked. From growing up across continents to working at companies like Skyscanner and Terra API, Goedele brings a global, data-driven perspective to one of travel’s biggest pain points: too much inspiration, not enough context. Pink Notebook is built to bridge that gap—combining visual discovery, smart curation, and seamless booking into one cohesive experience. Goedele breaks down how Pink Notebook is:
- Reducing decision fatigue by narrowing thousands of options into a curated shortlist
- Combining inspiration, context, and booking into a single end-to-end platform
- Challenging traditional OTAs by focusing on boutique hotels and high-intent travelers
- Using AI more like Spotify or Pinterest—surfacing what you’ll love, not overwhelming you with choices
- Designing for a world where 80% of travel decisions are driven by women
- Pushing back against trend-driven travel in favor of authentic, meaningful discovery
The conversation also explores the future of agentic travel planning, the limits of AI trust, and why human curation still matters in a world flooded with content. Whether you’re a frequent traveler, startup founder, or simply tired of clicking through 277 tabs to plan a trip, this episode offers a fresh take on where travel tech is headed—and how to make it work better for real people.
Follow Pink Notebook at @pinknotebooktravel for more!
