Ariane Gorin is not going to be a Peter Kern clone in her new role as Expedia Group CEO. Among her first acts was to pause the international rollout of the Group's One Key loyalty program.
Booking Holdings and Expedia spend billions of dollars each year to have their websites prioritized within Google search results pages, so any overcharging would hit them hard.
True, as the head of ASTA says, some people will always prefer to use a travel advisor over an online travel website. But in the big picture, how will AI skew the trend?
One of the key remaining questions is whether Southwest will start offering its flights for bookings on online travel agencies. The betting here is that Southwest won't allow Expedia or Priceline to get on board.
A new report explores the changing standards for traveler expectations when it comes to affordability, peace of mind, and customer service — and how can companies deliver on this value proposition.