Online Travel Agency

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of online travel agencies, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more on the brands and their strategies, executives and positions in the market.

Research Spotlight: Airbnb looking back and forward
News / Online
Research Spotlight: Airbnb looking back and forward
By PhocusWire | January 12, 2018
Close to a decade since its foundation and $4.4 billion in funding later, Airbnb is one of the genuinely disruptive brands in the travel industry. Read More
Amadeus AI chatbot Asia Pacific
News / Distribution
Amadeus debuts AI chatbot for Asia Pacific
By Mitra Sorrells | January 12, 2018
Amadeus is making further inroads into the Asia Pacific online travel market with the launch of a natural language chatbot for the LINE app, a free messaging platform popular in the region. Read More
QOTW: Something about blockchain and doomed travel giants
News / Distribution
QOTW: Something about blockchain and doomed travel giants
By PhocusWire | January 12, 2018
Quote from Maksim Izmaylov, CEO of Winding Tree. Read More
UK-based Snaptrip raises £2.1M, acquires Last Minute Cottages
News / Startups
UK-based Snaptrip raises £2.1M, acquires Last Minute Cottages
By Jill Menze | January 12, 2018
With a recent investment round tallying £2.1 million, Snaptrip has acquired Last Minute Cottages and is expanding its footprint in the United Kingdom’s holiday rental market. Read More
asia-pacific-online-travel-tenth
News / Online
Research Spotlight: Online travel in Asia Pacific to continue soaring
By PhocusWire | January 11, 2018
The last 15 years have seen Asia Pacific go from being a relative backwater in online travel to the biggest regional market on the planet. Read More
Powerful travel brands face uncertain future in a blockchain-led world
News / Distribution
Powerful travel brands face uncertain future in a blockchain-led world
By Mitra Sorrells | January 10, 2018
Will blockchain render powerful travel industry intermediaries extinct? That’s the prediction of Maksim Izmaylov, CEO of Winding Tree Read More
hotel-revenue-management-2
Opinion / Distribution
Emerging technologies are outsmarting the hotel revenue model
By Rom Hendler - InnoVel | January 10, 2018
Just when hoteliers thought they’ve mastered the art of working with online travel agents, there seems to be a sense of déjà-vu. Read More
Video: Three approaches to running a travel startup
News / Startups
Video: Three approaches to running a travel startup
By Kevin May | January 9, 2018
One has taken in around $450 million funding. Another hasn't brought in any outside capital investment. The other a modest $1.5 million. Read More
Report: Luxury hotel brands must navigate shifting online ad landscape
News / Online
Report: Luxury hotel brands must navigate shifting online ad landscape
By Mitra Sorrells | January 9, 2018
Luxury hotel brands need to reexamine their digital marketing budgets as Google continues to grow its presence in travel search and online booking. Read More
New flight subscription app adds cities, new partner
News / Distribution
New flight subscription app adds cities, new partner
By Mitra Sorrells | January 9, 2018
SkyHi, a new entrant in the air travel subscription sphere, added 10 cities to its system in December, bringing the total number of destinations served to 49 in the United States, Canada and Europe. Read More
Investigation: Hotels and online agencies battle on three fronts (Part Two)
Opinion / Distribution
Investigation: Hotels and online agencies battle on three fronts (Part Two)
By Robert Cole - RockCheetah | January 8, 2018
Logically, hotel reward program members have always booked a disproportionate amount of business. Read More
Digital impatience: Hotels need to adapt to win the "Need for Speed" generation
Opinion / Online
Digital impatience: Hotels need to adapt to win the "Need for Speed" generation
By Felix Undeutsch - MICE, Expedia Inc. | January 5, 2018
Companies like Amazon have made it clear: Everything is accessible to everyone at any time from anywhere. Hotels need to follow suit. Read More
Research Spotlight: Millennials spur growth in Canada's online travel
News / Online
Research Spotlight: Millennials spur growth in Canada's online travel
By PhocusWire | January 5, 2018
Canadians are starting to catch up to travelers from the United States and Western Europe in their use of online booking systems, with the most growth coming from travelers age 18 to 34. Read More
Investigation: Hotels and online agencies battle on three fronts (Part One)
Opinion / Distribution
Investigation: Hotels and online agencies battle on three fronts (Part One)
By Robert Cole - RockCheetah | January 5, 2018
Don’t be fooled, despite the occasionally cordial "partnering" rhetoric between the major hotel brands and OTAs, this is an existential battle. Read More
Looming GDPR deadline tops list of challenges for travel tech buyers
News / Technology
Looming GDPR deadline tops list of challenges for travel tech buyers
By Mitra Sorrells | January 5, 2018
With less than five months until the massive new privacy regulation known as GDPR goes into effect, travel technology buyers say compliance with the complicated rules is their biggest challenge of 2018. Read More