Latest News

Stay up to date with the latest travel technology news, startup updates, and industry developments from across the global travel ecosystem.

News / Technology

Hacking China travelers' passion for mobile

By Gene Quinn | September 14, 2015

Next time you wrestle with an annoying mobile travel app to plan a trip, have confidence that help is on the way. It might just come from a Shanghai development team that hangs out at Jin Jiang Int... Read More

News / Technology

How to stop mobile booking abandonment

By Viewpoints | September 14, 2015

As long as you are selling something that your target market wants, it should be easy for a consumer to give you money in exchange for your product. NB This is a guest article by David Pope, EMEA m... Read More

News / Distribution

GDSs welcome Lufthansa distribution competition - but it must play by the rules

By Kevin May | September 14, 2015

The European Commission has a "duty" to intervene in the ongoing Lufthansa GDS surcharge saga, a complaint to the regulator has charged. The European Travel & Technology Services Association, w... Read More

News

Why the smart startup will enjoy a bit of co-opetition

By PhocusWire | September 11, 2015

Suggest co-operating with competitors and most entrepreneurs initially think the idea is completely crazy.... Read More

News / Distribution

Grab your popcorn - Lufthansa CCO versus Business Travel Coalition chairman

By Kevin May | September 11, 2015

To say the debate over the Lufthansa GDS surcharge has been rather heated would be a bit of an understatement. It is, in fact, perhaps one of the most polarising debates in travel technology for ma... Read More

News

Airbnb snaps up, and shuts down, Vamo

By PhocusWire | September 11, 2015

The six-employee travel-planning startup Vamo has been acquired by Airbnb, the short-term rental giant. Vamo will be shut down as of 1 October, and team members will be joining Airbnb. Deal term... Read More

News / Distribution

Airline group IATA touts study suggesting that NDC has value to corporate travel buyers

By Sean O'Neil | September 11, 2015

The leading global airline lobbying group is promoting a study that says corporate travel buyers will like its effort to change the technical standards for distributing airfare content if they are bet... Read More

News

Startup pitch: WeTravel wants to carry some of the load for trip organisers

By Linda Fox | September 11, 2015

After time spent working with the Red Cross and organising the occasional tour, WeTravel co-founder Johannes Koeppel realised independent group trip organisers struggle with the same pain points. T... Read More

News / Technology

A warning to mid-sized OTAs: Don't stand still

By Viewpoints | September 11, 2015

There’s a real challenge in the travel industry: some OTAs are being held back by a lack of agility while their peers race ahead. NB: This is a viewpoint by Jackie Groves, sales and marketing direc... Read More

News / Distribution

Qunar gets closer to Baidu (or is Baidu getting closer to Qunar?)

By Martin Cowen | September 10, 2015

Qunar has announced a "strengthening of its strategic alliance" with majority shareholder Baidu, which sees three Baidu execs join the Qunar board of directors and some new co-operation agreements bet... Read More

News

Startup pitch: Tig’See launches a marketplace for boutique tour operators [UPDATED]

By PhocusWire | September 10, 2015

With so much attention around experiential travel, living like a local, and avoiding the tourist hotspots, it is no wonder that lots of startups are looking at this space and trying to find a niche.... Read More

News / Online

Make It Social, a group bookings tech startup, debuts API for large enterprises

By Sean O'Neil | September 10, 2015

Edinburgh is famed both for its tourist attractions and for being a blossoming tech hub. Now a homegrown startup has married the Scottish capital's strengths in travel and tech to expand Make It So... Read More

News / Distribution

HookLogic raises $15.5 million to hook brands to online travel agencies

By Kevin May | September 10, 2015

One of lesser known middle men in the industry - HookLogic - has captured $15.5 million to expand its advertising network and technology. The Series C injection comes via new investors Fung Capital... Read More

News / Technology

What could possibly go wrong - control tourist robots from thousands of miles away

By Kevin May | September 10, 2015

So here is a new idea that is likely to polarise opinion into two distinct camps of "wow, that's awesome" or "oh my goodness, how daft". Teletrip is an early-stage, Kickstarter fund-seeking project... Read More