Andrew Sheivachman

Many event tech providers have created platforms in recent years to offer planners a set of tools with unified access to data. As the industry embraces analytics and artificial intelligence, providing useful insights that empower decision makers, platforms will likely take on bigger importance.

Big travel management companies usually operate with strict controls on how third-party companies can interact with their systems. This new platform from BCD Travel is a step in the right direction toward allowing travel managers to use more innovative solutions.

Companies have finally realized that creating happier business travelers starts with empowering them instead of ordering them around. Now the rush is on to land those road warriors as customers with the understanding that they are experienced consumers.

Car rentals, carsharing, and ridesharing will converge going forward as more robust platforms offer a variety of options for business travelers. Carmakers and startups are gearing up for a future that looks distinctly different from the status quo, and corporate travel should start paying attention.

Silvercar remains an interesting outlier in the car rental space. As part of Audi, it will be interesting to see how it grows its operation in the U.S. as self-driving vehicles hit the mainstream.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? ATPCO's first acquisition in its 53-year history shows that rich content will play a huge role in the air distribution marketplace.

It looks like what happened to travel agents 20 years ago is about to happen to meeting and event planners.

Some entrepreneurs and scammers are treating initial coin offerings like get-rich-quick schemes, and the travel distribution ecosystem isn't immune. Beware of people who say they can totally disrupt the travel industry, especially if they don't even understand how the industry works.

Marriott will use its formidable presence in the North American hotel market to squeeze travel agents and meeting planners. The big question is whether competitors will follow suit. Could Marriott be setting the stage for a full-blown commission cut on all hotel bookings that would completely disrupt the travel sellers?

After a relatively flat 2017, hotels and flights will become more expensive this year. Bargains will be hard to find, particularly when it comes to international travel.