Top Travel Tech Weekly News

News / Online

American Express GBT acquires Ovation Travel Group

By Mitra Sorrells | January 21, 2021

The purchase includes all Ovation Travel Group brands, which will remain in place. Read More

News / Online

TripActions snags additional $155M, valuation now $5B

By Mitra Sorrells | January 21, 2021

TripActions CEO Ariel Cohen says investors came to him toward the end of 2020 due to the company’s “execution in terms of taking market share.” Read More

News / Online

Maps.me lands $50M round, plans mobile wallet

By Linda Fox | January 21, 2021

Maps.me plans to bring decentralized finance for travel purchases to its users following the new funding round. Read More

News / Online

Once upon a time, a cruise ship left the harbor... 366 days in the life of the travel industry

By Mitra Sorrells / Linda Fox | January 20, 2021

As we mark the one-year milestone of COVID's first impact on the travel industry, we review how key sectors have fared and what is one the horizon. Read More

News / Online

VIDEO: Hilton on an evolving digital environment for accommodation

By PhocusWire | January 20, 2021

With leisure travel stalled, meetings and events cancelled and short-term rentals taking the spotlight, hotel leaders are in the hot seat. Read More

News / Technology

ATPCO buys SITA’s Airfare Insight fare management system

By Mitra Sorrells | January 19, 2021

In the coming months, ATPCO and SITA will work together to integrate the Airfare Insight system into ATPCO's new Architect pricing tool. Read More

News / Distribution

Airbnb's Brian Chesky on permanent shifts in travel and need for principles in a crisis

By Linda Fox | January 18, 2021

Following its successful IPO, Airbnb is planning for a different future where travel could be far more distributed. Read More

microsoft-oracle-salesforce-vaccine-credential

News / Online

Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce to create standards for storing, sharing vaccination records

By Mitra Sorrells | January 18, 2021

The goal is to give consumers the ability to store an encrypted copy of their immunization credential in a digital wallet of their choice, such as Apple Wallet or Google Pay. Read More

News / Distribution

Fetch.ai launches AI travel agents to reduce hotel booking distribution cost

By Linda Fox | January 15, 2021

Fetch.ai believes its AI agents can reduce distribution costs and protect hotels from security breaches. Read More

News / Online

AirAsia calls itself an "OTA challenger" amid big digital travel ambitions

By Linda Fox | January 15, 2021

AirAsia.com is drawing on its 75 million customer base, loyalty program and joining the data dots to build its OTA. Read More

News / Technology

Buy-now-pay-later for travel service Affirm valued at $24B after IPO

By Kevin May | January 15, 2021

The company works with the likes of Expedia, Delta Vacations, Priceline, CheapOAir, Suiteness and others. Read More

News / Online

Trivago acquires getaway online travel agency Weekend.com

By Kevin May | January 14, 2021

It is the first acquisition for Trivago since it bought TripBuddy, an AI-led personalization engine, in May 2018. Read More

Opinion / Technology

Scattershot COVID rules place travel on uncertain path in 2021

By Jeri Clausing - Travel Weekly | January 14, 2021

2021 is supposed to be the year that a COVID-19 vaccine saves travel. But if the first week was any indication, it could be a long and unpredictable road. Read More

News / Technology

VIDEO: Using tech to go from overtourism to sustainable tourism

By PhocusWire | January 13, 2021

Now is the time for destinations to build strategies to manage the recovery and avoid some of the problems that developed as a result of too many tourists flooding popular areas. Read More