Even as CEOs of major hotel chains argue that Airbnb doesn't threaten their bottom lines, the projection that some short-term rental companies will have higher room sales than some hotels by 2020 makes their footing less secure.
As one of the last uncultivated frontiers for online travel we'll likely keep seeing large sums of funding heading towards vacation rental startups the world over.
MMGY's annual study shows that Americans are resilient in the face of terrorism and other adverse factors at home and abroad and are also planning to make 2016 one of the better years for travel in recent memory.
Though bots still aren't completely frictionless and can't think like a human (yet), they certainly offer a way for consumers to have a conversation with a brand during the booking process that wasn't possible before. And it is potentially a very cheap channel for the brands.
A stronger U.S. dollar isn't the only reason why more Americans are traveling abroad, but when your money goes further than it has in nearly a decade the world is certainly your oyster.
While several brands continue to stubbornly deny that Airbnb or online travel agencies are threats to their business, the travel startup community continues to put forth solutions that just might have enough drive to move the industry forward.