Search

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of travel search, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more on Google, other search engines, strategies, executives and role in the market.

One in five hotel searches come from mobile devices
News / Online
One in five hotel searches come from mobile devices
By Kevin May | May 17, 2011
Google says it is already seeing 19% of all hotel queries in search being conducted on mobile devices, supporting the idea that mobile is now more important than ever in travel marketing. Read More
TripAdvisor extends flight search to six new countries
News / Online
TripAdvisor extends flight search to six new countries
By Kevin May | May 10, 2011
TripAdvisor launches its flight metasearch system outside of the US and UK for the first time today, with Ireland, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and Spain joining in. Read More
Facebook and YouTube tighten grip on social media
News / Online
Facebook and YouTube tighten grip on social media
By Kevin May | May 8, 2011
If travel companies ever need proof why they should have a presence on YouTube and Facebook, it is here: the duo capture 75% of all visits to social networks in the UK. Read More
Searches on Google - a language and global view
News / Online
Searches on Google - a language and global view
By Kevin May | May 6, 2011
Google developers having fun again, perhaps just to keep everyone else entertained over coffee. Now you can discover volume and language of searches on a spinning globe! Read More
Understanding the problem with multiple marketing systems in travel
News / Online
Understanding the problem with multiple marketing systems in travel
By Viewpoints | April 25, 2011
Travel businesses pay duplicate fees to PPC systems such as Google, display advertising providers and often vast arrays of affiliates. Read More
The agony of travel search and the eyeglass shop paradox
News / Online
The agony of travel search and the eyeglass shop paradox
By Daniele Beccari | March 16, 2011
With the proposed acquisition of ITA Software by Google, Kayak's apparent serial successes, Hipmunk buzz, Everbread expectations, and many more, it looks like the search problem is still looking for the... Read More
Two out of five UK travel websites fail to capture search traffic
News / Online
Two out of five UK travel websites fail to capture search traffic
By Kevin May | March 16, 2011
Interesting and initially unbelievable study by Clickscene, to determine the amount of traffic travel sites get from search engines, has found 39% get a depressing zero. Read More
Hopper ready to unleash full text travel search system
News / Online
Hopper ready to unleash full text travel search system
By Dennis Schaal | March 14, 2011
If the future of travel search is something like Hopper, and if Google has something like this in mind for its ITA Software acquisition, then opponents of the deal may have more to worry about than they... Read More
Travel tech firm Partners Software files for insolvency but operations continue
News / Online
Travel tech firm Partners Software files for insolvency but operations continue
By Kevin May | March 14, 2011
Thomas Cook flight search technology provider Partners Software is promising business-as-usual despite filing for insolvency in Germany. Read More
FairSearch tries the satire route in its war with Google
News / Online
FairSearch tries the satire route in its war with Google
By Kevin May | March 4, 2011
It must be Friday in lobbyingland, with the anti-Google coalition FairSearch mocking the search giant's efforts to talk up the benefits of its proposed acquisition of ITA Software. Read More
High-brow hotel search arrives - select by Haiku description
News / Online
High-brow hotel search arrives - select by Haiku description
By Kevin May | March 4, 2011
One of the quirkier new travel sites to appear on the web in recent months - Hotel Haiku, where visitors get hotel property descriptions in, well, Haiku. Read More
Ultimate guide to the specialist tour and in-destination activity market
News / Online
Ultimate guide to the specialist tour and in-destination activity market
By Alex Bainbridge | March 4, 2011
This is an attempt to categorise all the key English speaking global players in tours and activities in one place (plus a few other interesting companies). Read More
Hipmunk launches hotel search, swaps agony for ecstasy
News / Online
Hipmunk launches hotel search, swaps agony for ecstasy
By Kevin May | March 1, 2011
Another development in the still short life of Silicon Valley darling Hipmunk with the unveiling of its hotel search service. Read More
TLabs Showcase - Room77
News / Online
TLabs Showcase - Room77
By Dennis Schaal | March 1, 2011
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring US-based room-level hotel search engine Room77. Read More
Bing launches Autosuggest Flight Prices naturally
News / Online
Bing launches Autosuggest Flight Prices naturally
By Dennis Schaal | February 28, 2011
Bing introduced Autosuggest Flight Prices, which predicts the lowest fare over the next 90 days and whether that ticket price will rise or fall. Read More