Samantha Shankman

Airbnbs of this and Ubers of that which promise to disrupt are a dime a dozen. Here's hoping for a mix of startups that solve real travel pain points.

It doesn't matter if a luxury hotel is based in New York City, Caracas, or Dubai. A strong social presence is needed to attract new guests and engage loyal customers, all of whom expect mobile updates and content from their preferred brands.

The TSA and U.S. government are enacting a wave of initiatives aimed at making airport security and customs faster, smoother, and still secure. But flyers shouldn't get too excited -- these scanners won't be used to ease bottled water rules.

This level of hospitality in the travel industry is not dead. It just costs thousands of dollars to obtain and is out of reach for 99 percent of travelers that visit NYC.

The documentary gives British Airways an opportunity to boost branding and announce new initiatives as the legacy carrier competes with low-cost airlines across Europe.

President Obama has enacted reforms that have cut visa wait times abroad and increased destination marketing. Policies to create a faster, more seamless entry would be the logical next step, as would releasing more money to pay customs and border control staff.

There are a number of startups aiming to make car rentals cheaper and the pick-up process more sophisticated. Rates remain high among traditional players, but there remains a degree of credibility that few startups can beat.

JetBlue is the middle of a brand upgrade with new uniforms and its first business class preparing to debut next year. With no plans of pursuing a merger, the carrier is free to create coy comparison that differentiate the brand from its complained-about peers.

"Parts Unknown" is back and with two Emmys in its pocket. Season two's strong start in a challenging location highlights all the reasons that it stands out among travel and news TV: It uses a meal as the entry point to a deeper honest conversation about culture, politics, and people.