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.

WeSki - Launch pitch winner at Phocuswright Europe 2023
Interview / Startups
WeSki - Launch pitch winner at Phocuswright Europe 2023
By PhocusWire | June 14, 2023
WeSki is a self-service platform for planning, comparing, booking and customizing ski trips, providing real-time prices and availability.  Read More
Save now, buy later gains traction as CheapOair partners with Accrue
News / Online
Save now, buy later gains traction as CheapOair partners with Accrue
By Linda Fox | June 13, 2023
While buy now, pay later has caught on in the past couple of years through companies including FlyNowPayLater and Uplift, save now, buy later is in its infancy. Read More
Top investors in travel tech 2023
News / Startups
Top investors in travel tech 2023
By Linda Fox & Mitra Sorrells | June 12, 2023
This new annual feature is based on data from Phocuswright to identify travel tech investors that have participated in at least four non-debt funding rounds or at least three rounds of at least $10... Read More
Presenting the top investors in travel tech 2023
News / Startups
Presenting the top investors in travel tech 2023
By Linda Fox & Mitra Sorrells | June 12, 2023
This new annual feature is based on data from Phocuswright to identify travel tech investors that have participated in at least four non-debt funding rounds or at least three rounds of at least $10... Read More
Trip.com Group sees pent-up demand drive bookings above 2019 levels
News / Online
Trip.com Group sees pent-up demand drive bookings above 2019 levels
By Mitra Sorrells | June 8, 2023
In a call with analysts to discuss Q1 results, company executives also spoke of continued integration of AI with "proper guardrails in place." Read More
Google partners with EU aviation agency on emission data standard
News / Online
Google partners with EU aviation agency on emission data standard
By Mitra Sorrells | June 7, 2023
Lufthansa Group is the pilot partner in this initiative and will provide an extensive set of flight data from specific flights that can be used to improve estimates for future flights on the same... Read More
Priceline partners with Google to deploy generative AI
News / Technology
Priceline partners with Google to deploy generative AI
By Mitra Sorrells | June 6, 2023
Priceline will use the generative AI technology to create a new virtual travel assistant chatbot to improve internal workflows. Read More
Online travel giants Q1 marketing spending shows wide variance
News / Online
Online travel giants Q1 marketing spending shows wide variance
By Mitra Sorrells | June 6, 2023
Expedia Group spent the highest percentage of revenue on marketing while Airbnb spent the least and focused on expanding brand awareness and balancing supply and demand. Read More
Misterb&b adds in-app social network for LGBTQ+ travelers
News / Online
Misterb&b adds in-app social network for LGBTQ+ travelers
By Mitra Sorrells | June 5, 2023
The LGBTQ+-centric travel accommodation and experience booking platform’s new social network is intended to help users meet one another and also meet locals in destinations they are visiting.   Read More
Influencers v. advertisers - why travel marketing is transforming
Opinion / Online
Influencers v. advertisers - why travel marketing is transforming
By Noa Greenfield - Travelier | June 5, 2023
Today’s travelers are turning to social media to inspire their next trip; travel markets should adapt accordingly. Read More
Trip.com unveils Trekki NFT to unite travel and Web3
News / Online
Trip.com unveils Trekki NFT to unite travel and Web3
By Linda Fox | June 5, 2023
Later this year the Singapore-based brand plans to sell 10,000 dolphin-themed NFTs, with its benefits tied to how much the token holder travels. Read More
Kayak launches “best time to travel” tool
News / Online
Kayak launches “best time to travel” tool
By Derek Catron | June 2, 2023
The “Best Time to Travel” tool incorporates predictive data from Kayak’s billions of travel queries to forecast future flight and hotel prices, allowing travelers to compare predicted pricing against... Read More
LGBTQ+ travelers' destination choice influenced by current affairs
News / Online
LGBTQ+ travelers' destination choice influenced by current affairs
By Linda Fox | June 2, 2023
Research from Booking.com reveals that 80% of U.S. LGBTQ+ travelers say they must consider their safety, up from 65% in 2022. Read More
What travel companies can do to keep banks’ trust
News / Online
What travel companies can do to keep banks’ trust
By Bob Kaufman – ConnexPay | June 2, 2023
Banks become more conservative at times of economic unrest. The companies that bear the brunt of that conservatism are those that banks term “high risk” — and that unfortunately includes much of the... Read More
Phocuswright debuts updated interactive travel data tool
News / Online
Phocuswright debuts updated interactive travel data tool
By PhocusWire | June 2, 2023
Known as Phocal Point, the platform makes it easy for users to create custom interactive charts and interpret travel data by segment, channel, device, region and country.   Read More