Deanna Ting

Choice Hotels CEO Stephen P. Joyce knows that future success for his company depends on smart acquisitions and investments in technology, loyalty, and the sharing economy.

Everyone in the hotel space is taking a good, hard look at their loyalty programs for good reason, and Hyatt is no exception. It'll be interesting, however, to see if their strategy to appeal to the "sophisticated high-end traveler" delivers.

Wyndham Worldwide, like its peers, is betting big on loyalty, but unlike its peers, it plans on keeping its timeshare and vacation rental businesses all together, instead of spinning them off like others have.

This is a much smarter, more thought-out move on Wyndham Rewards' part, compared to its failed attempt to woo away Starwood Preferred Guest members a few weeks ago. Drawing on its parent company's strong portfolio of vacation rentals and timeshares gives Wyndham Rewards an edge in attracting travelers who desire a wider variety of accommodations when they travel.

Airbnb and New York City have long had a contentious relationship with one another, and it's only going to become even more litigious, now that the short-term rental company is suing the city, its mayor, and the state attorney general. 2017 is going to be interesting for the sharing giant.

Niki Leondakis reminded us that sometimes the biggest disruptions or innovations don't come from the outside, but rather from within.

Airbnb would like to focus on expanding its product into more aspects of travel, but it's going to keep its lobbyists and lawyers very happy the rest of this year and into the next.

If we were Airbnb, we'd be paying very close attention to this latest news.

It will be interesting to see what derives from Zappos' entry into the hotel business, and how it chooses to brand it. Given its Amazon ownership and funding, CEO Hsieh's knack for disruption, and the company's overall commitment to customer service, we can expect something pretty unique.

Airbnb is finally trying to meet lawmakers and housing advocates in the middle, but it's unclear if it's willing to provide cities enough access to its data to know if the proposed guidelines will be met.