Thought Leadership

Opinion / Technology

Will airline growth be dependent on mobile and smart technology?

By Hugh Aitken - Skyscanner | December 18, 2018

With passenger numbers set to double over the next twenty years, the aviation industry will need to keep up with the demands of an increasingly connected and tech-savvy traveler. Read More

Opinion / Distribution

Intermediary growth, consolidation and more hotel distribution trends for 2019

By Sam Turner & Peter Mansour - Hotelbeds Group | December 18, 2018

Consolidation among hotel groups, a slowdown in the alternative accommodations space and airline websites selling hotel inventory were trends seen in 2018 that will continue into 2019. As the year comes... Read More

Opinion / Online

Who holds the best hand in the battle for tours, activities and experiences?

By Joost Schreve - KimKim | December 13, 2018

Four of the biggest players - TripAdvisor, Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia - are approaching the tours, activities and experiences category from angles that leverage their respective strengths. Here's... Read More

Opinion / Technology

Sentiment versus sentient: Taking conversational AI further in travel

By Madhusudan Mathihalli - Passage AI | December 12, 2018

Artificial intelligence applications that are currently being used in the travel and hospitality industries boast a myriad of benefits - from booking flights and hotels to organizing a traveler’s... Read More

Opinion / Online

Dwindling blockchain hype, the stagnation of voice and more travel tech predictions for 2019

By Stephen Taylor - Sojern | December 11, 2018

It’s easy to overestimate or underestimate the impact that any single issue will have on travel businesses next year. Given all of this, here are my top predictions for the travel industry in 2019. Read More

Opinion / Technology

I was a senior VP of technology at Starwood - here’s my take on the guest data breach

By Israel del Rio - Quilmach | December 10, 2018

Reports on the Marriott guest data breach have suggested the most probable cause was a result of the technology platform deployed by Starwood under the name “Valhalla.” Read More

Opinion / Technology

Will Marriott data breach herald the death of personalization?

By Greg Abbott - DataArt | December 5, 2018

This analysis could be titled in a number of ways, each with a lean towards what was disclosed by Marriott last week when it emerged some 500 million guest accounts had been hacked. Read More

Opinion / Distribution

Amid hotel distribution wars, Google will be the last site standing

By Marco Benvenuti - Duetto | December 4, 2018

In an ideal situation for hotels, travelers looking for overnight accommodations would just come directly to them - by walking into the lobby, calling a 1‐800 number or visiting the hotel’s... Read More

Opinion / Technology

Marriott data breach - a mess that is only starting to unravel

By Gates Marshall - CompliancePoint | November 30, 2018

Businesses and consumers continue to discuss privacy regulations and legislation on a regular basis, especially in the travel industry. Read More

News / Online

Service or experience economy: What’s your business?

By Matt Walker - LikeWhere | November 28, 2018

Over the course of 2018, there have been forecasts that the travel industry is entering a new economy that wraps itself around what the business is trying to do. Read More

Opinion / Online

How engaging the silent traveler can improve the customer experience

By Russ Pedder - Rant & Rave | November 8, 2018

To target the silent traveler, brands need to encourage and empower customers to share honest, real-time feedback. To do this, brands should ensure it’s easy for customers to leave feedback, in their... Read More

Opinion / Distribution

The six principles of personalization for hotel websites

By Frank Reeves - Avvio | November 6, 2018

To assist hoteliers and accommodation providers in building personalization into their websites, here are six key principles to follow. Read More

Opinion / Online

The story of Hipmunk: How the metasearch engine turned "suckage" into success

By Adam Goldstein - Hipmunk | October 31, 2018

When we started Hipmunk in 2010, we were trying to solve a problem we faced firsthand: the agony of searching and booking travel. Read More

Opinion / Online

The good - and bad - of Trivago's hotel metasearch model

By Jacopo Rita - Bookassist | October 31, 2018

According to recent industry buzz and rumors, Trivago has seen better times. Hardly a month (or even a week!) goes past by without an article or press release highlighting even more trouble for the... Read More