This is the regular Tnooz roundup of product news from around the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, all with a technology, online and digital twist - Thursday 18 August 2011.
- British Airways launched its first affiliate marketing campaign in the US this week. The Buy.at network will be running the programme in the country, as part of a wider marketing strategy through [email protected] BA runs its UK affiliate activity through Buy.at sister agency Affiliate Window.
- War of words mounting between Global Business Travel Association and Lufthansa over credit card fees. The corp travel association claims changes being made by the airline to charge a credit card levy on GDS-based bookings will "add further confusion and damage relations with buyers because of increased cost and reduced transparency". GBTA Europe advocacy group chairman, Hans Ingo Biehl, says the "primary concern" is whether charges are presented at the end of the booking, "when by rights it should be at the fare comparison stage at the beginning of the booking process".
- Changes at European bedbank Youtravel.com, with group managing director Graham Nichols leaving the company immediately (citing personal reasons). Nichols will be replaced in part under executive director David Howell, a former group finance director at Lastminute.com and First Choice Holidays. UK and international sales director Matt Cheevers will become UK managing director.
- Tourism Australia is the latest high profile in-bound visitor website to strike a deal with TripAdvisor. The tourism organisation's NothingLikeAustralia.com site will carry customer reviews of things to do and other activities in the country. The partnership is powered by the Australian Data Warehouse (ATDW), the national tourism B2B platform.