Sounding Off: A year of PhocusWire's weekly editorials

As 2019 comes to a close, PhocusWire can reflect on what has been another important and often divisive year for the industry.

Every Friday, we take an in-depth look at a particular trend or news story that has emerged during that particular week, giving it context and reading between the lines of what the protagonists really mean and what, more importantly, it says about the industry.

Over the course of this year we have written close to 23,000 words via our weekly editorials.

As a body of work, the collection gives readers a snapshot of what have been the main talking points during 2019 and also how we, objectively, are able to disseminate them for the audience.

From the beginning of the year to the end...

• "We're not in Kansas anymore"
• "How to be safe from disruption"
• "Following the trail of data breadcrumbs"
• "Thinking about ethical dilemmas"
• "Airbnb should accept that some things are done certain ways"
• "China is treading a path of ideas for others to follow"
• "Digitalization can help remove mafia tag from tours and activities"
• "Being able to shift ad budgets will please all in travel (except Google)"
• "Voice-enabled devices in travel need to be given time"
• "Innovation in travel is only in the eye of the beholder"
• "The dilemmas that face growing companies"
• "The autonomous option may not be the one chosen"
• "There's nothing wrong with being smart about investment cash"
• "Personalization can be a great equalizer"
• "Loyalty does not belong in the past"
• "The Middle Eastern travel startup scene can learn from errors of others"
• "A financial downturn could fuel the power of the platforms"
• "Is tech innovation enough to fix business travel?"
• "It's time to knock some leaders off their pedestals"
• "Empires on Edge ... now what?"
• "Failure should be a cautious part of the equation"
• "Stepping out from the crowd could be the only option"
• "It's all about making consumers' lives easier"
• "Another major OTA arriving is the least of the hospitality sector's worries"
• "Not all emerging tech is created equal"
• "Still too many questions and few answers for NDC"
• "Brand equity counts for nothing if you don't use it wisely"
• "Is the future of travel .... travel?"
• "Travelers are diverse, and leadership teams should be, too"
• "Damaging trust can take years to rebuild"
• "True innovation in business travel is more than cosmetic"
• "As a founder, don't be an arrogant technologist"
• "Shiny and new doesn't always mean it's better"
• "Travel marketers have their work cut out for them - for good reason"
• "Don't forget that travelers still make choices in-destination"
• "A new travel sheriff is needed but will be hard to find"
• "Embrace digital disruption, or suffer a fate like Thomas Cook"
• "It shouldn't be all about the OTAs (but it inevitably will be)"
• "Big opportunities for travel startups must carry a warning"
• "Reviews should be about quality, not quantity"
• "In travel, better doesn't always equal disruptive"
• "Let's face it - Instagram isn't real"
• "Reality checks for brand loyalty"
• "Rebrands are brave but sometimes don't go far enough"
• "Google will have the lunch of tours and activities as well"
• "Every travel brand needs to find a new route to customers"
• "Startups and established brands have hidden motivations"

* Check out the 2018 collection here.