To coincide with the mammoth Tnooz Predictions 2010 article, Tnooz asked people around the industry to gaze into their own crystal balls to forecast some of the key developments for the next 12 months. The second of this five-part series features Barry Smith (co-founder of Skyscanner) and Chris Carmichael (manager for ba.com and mobile at British Airways).... Read More

To coincide with the mammoth Tnooz Predictions 2010 article, Tnooz asked people around the industry to gaze into their own crystal balls to forecast some of the key developments for the next 12 months. Kicking off this five-part series are Jim Davidson (chief executive of Farelogix) and Bob Diener (co-founder of GetARoom and ex-president of Hotels.com).... Read More

While some European airlines and Air Canada were detailing new TSA-imposed restrictions in response to the Christmas-morning terrorism incident onboard Northwest Airlines flight 253, there was scant information on the TSA website two days later about the new wrinkles other than to say that, "The Department of Homeland Security immediately put additional screening measures into place -- for all domestic and international flights -- to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public." The primary security changes visible to the public -- at least for international flights bound for the U.S. -- were that passengers would be restricted to one carry-on bag and would be subject to longer screening times. There were unconfirmed reports that passengers on inbound international flights, at least, would not be allowed to wander about the cabin, grab items from overhead bins one hour prior to landing, or place blankets on their laps, as suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab allegedly did.... Read More

Fresh from the Eurostar incident just ten days ago, you might expect major airlines and the large transatlantic hubs in Europe to be using every communication strategy available to warn passengers about the inevitable delays this week. Following the alleged failed bomb attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam Schipol to Detroit on Christmas Day, flights between Europe and the US are being delayed as extra security measures are put in place. Screening at check-in side is also slowing things down considerably in what is a busy period as passengers return home from Christmas visits or prepare for New Year's Eve trips - for example, there are around 100 transatlantic flights every day from the UK alone, mostly from London Heathrow.... Read More

What you missed on Tnooz this week, Sunday 20 to Saturday 26 December 2009. Read on to see the most commented articles, the most controversial topic, and every other article this week...... Read More

This is not a 2010 prediction, but a certainty: Many more travel planning, research and metasearch websites are planned for 2010. This crowded field promises to get more crowded. For example, Goissimo.com, a U.K. start-up travel planning and metasearch site, announced Dec. 24, that its several-week-old beta has been going well and it will launch full-throttle in January, adding that "it is set to revolutionise online travel search and will lead the way into the new decade for a new era of preference-based travel choice for consumers."... Read More

Say what you like about "promotional vacations" - trips where you have to sit and listen to a sales pitch - Rooms101 deserves a pat on the back for a rather amusing promotional clip. Using that well worn, but often dangerous, tactic of mocking your competitors, Rooms101 has animated a fight between its mascot Mr Trip Deal against Travelocity's Roaming Gnome and Priceline's The Negotiator. Given the size of its competitors, Rooms101 probably needs more than a YouTube video clip to send the company on its way - but no harm in trying.... Read More

Thomas Cook is busily re-arranging its technology requirements following the BlueSky saga earlier this year, with IBM looking like the latest victim of a turbulent few months. Tnooz understands that IBM's position as Prime Contract Holder for the Globe project to overhaul Thomas Cook's tour operating reservation systems has ended earlier than expected. IBM handled all the wider IT logistics for the Globe project and worked closely with BlueSky before the company controversially went into administration in September 2009... Read More

OK, so I am really comfortable with email. I have been an Outlook user since I beta’d the first office suites when I was at Microsoft with the Office 1997 version. So here we are more than ten years later and I still prefer it over all the other tools I have tried and abandoned. Now its Office 2010 beta. It’s pretty useful and has some nice new features.... Read More

PhoCusWright announced today that it would be undertaking a special report called "When They Get There (And Why They Go): In-Destination Events, Attractions & Activities". To my knowledge, this is the first research report of it's kind focusing on the tour & activities market. For the most part, industry research has been targeted at the mainstream segments of the travel industry including air, hotel, car rental, and most recently vacation rentals.... Read More

Just how open is the OpenTravel Alliance? And, how much free stuff can a not-for-profit standards' body give away while remaining independent and, well, open for business? These questions were batted around a bit on Twitter -- and likely elsewhere -- as OpenTravel earlier this week introduced the OpenTravel Forum. The forum, built on the phpBB platform, is designed as a resource for people implementing OpenTravel schema in the hospitality, transport, travel services, and tours and activities realms, and is moderated during work hours by Bonnie Lowell, the OpenTravel specifications manager and a former Starwood exec.... Read More

Tnooz will continue to operate throughout the Christmas and New Year break, but here are some items to ponder for those heading off for a well-deserved break to recharge the batteries. In less than three months Tnooz has produced almost 450 articles from its group of editorial nodes around the world. Here are 20 of the best:... Read More

Interesting initiative from UK tourism agency VisitBritain which has produced an iPhone app solely for film lovers touring around the British Isles. The app is free from the iTunes app store and allows users to find locations where some of Britain's most famous movies have been shot over the years. Each destination includes background material about the film as well as details for how to find it.... Read More

The fast pace of change in social media tools and the travel market in China are combining to inspire a search for the best way to reach China’s increasingly affluent, increasingly independent travelers. The future of social media’s role in China’s travel market was a hot topic at the recent China Travel Distribution Summit at the OCT Interlaken Resort in Shenzhen. Online travel agencies such as CTrip and E-Long, as well as hotels, airlines, and travel meta search sites—all kinds of companies effected by online travel research and booking—are looking for the best ways to use social media to connect with travelers... Read More

If technology providers have their way, we would have zero human interaction when we travel. I think we’re halfway there already in Europe. Arriving in Berlin at zero degrees close to midnight, after a long flight, there was no time for niceties. The taxi pulls up, the driver takes my suitcase and I throw myself into the car. Other than telling him my destination, not a word is exchanged between us.... Read More