For years Priceline top brass such as CEO Jeff Boyd would rarely speak to the media beyond the obligatory appearances with the financial press around earnings.
But with him recently stepping aside to a chairman role and Booking.com CEO Darren Huston taking over the reins at group level, coupled with an industry somewhat curious as to what happens next, both are opening up a little bit.
Well, a "little bit" equates to 15 minutes in a hotel lobby at the PhoCusWright conference in Florida this week.
Structure, style and timing
First up, Boyd allays any concerns that he is relinquishing his ten-year role because the company is at the peak of its powers and, essentially, the only way is down from here.
Personal reasons are mentioned as a factor but "the time is right," he says, adding that if there was any hint at all that the company couldn't continue to grow then he wouldn't leave.
One of the strengths of the group (which includes Priceline, Booking.com, Kayak, Agoda and RentalCars), Boyd argues, is that each brand has a solid and independent management structure - a style which he believes has been at the centre of the overall success, especially in the last six years or so.
Huston doesn't believe this will change under is tutelage, wanting to retain the "entrepreneurial spirit" that attracted the company to the businesses in the first place via the various acquisitions, but there will be an increased sharing of skills and processes that can benefit the group as a whole.
He will, for the time being at least, remain boss of the shining star Booking.com brand alongside his group CEO duties.
Accommodation focus (and expansion?)
With so much chatter in the industry around additional services (tours and activities, vacation rentals, person-to-person marketplaces, etc) catching the eye of the mega-brands, perhaps Huston is tempted to explore new options?
Unlikely at scale, given the enormous success the core product lines are giving and its areas of expertise, he says, but brands such as Booking.com are reaching into the vacation rental world and the business "shouldn't get overly distracted" from what works.
Boyd, however, chimes in with some interesting and rather sharp comments about the world of P2P marketplaces and, specifically, Airbnb.
Acknowledging some of the regulatory challenges Airbnb is currently facing in some destinations, Boyd says that as Priceline is a publicly listed company, any lack of clarity around what is legal or not means it will not be moving into that space.
Good and bad decisions
Given the success of the group under Boyd, some might be forgiven for thinking that turning Priceline into one of the biggest travel brands on the planet has been plain sailing?
The "good thing" the group achieved might surprise some people, not least because it is the acquisition of Booking.com that for many was the pivotal moment in its history.
Yet Boyd says retaining the independence of the brands at a management and commercial level is what stands out most for him.
Flipping the question, Boyd admits that there has been some "terrible advertising" in the past - presumably not the Shatner-related campaigns - and some affiliate deals (one with an unnamed airline) that have have not been its proudest moments.
Industry view
As a relative newbie to the industry (he joined from Microsoft) and perhaps not saddled with years of dealing with legacy issues and any personal history with other brands, Huston's take on the travel sector as a whole is intriguing.
He says that the "data is terrible" in the industry, with complex systems that sometimes struggle to communicate and possibly hold back growth.
Conversely, Huston says the industry now has a good track record of being accountable for its activities and products, driven mostly by technology.
Descriptions of hotels, for example, are better and thorough so travellers can make more informed choices.
Furthermore, the "transparency of the web", he says, means that services are improved because consumers are giving feedback quickly, effectively and openly.