Booking Holdings

In our upcoming webinar on Wednesday, May 8th, 1-2 p.m. EDT, we’ll examine the tactics used by leading retail brands to target high-value customer segments and uncover actionable strategies for travel marketers to build a more sustainable e-commerce model.

In light of Airbnb buying HotelTonight, Skift looks back at the many copycats of the mobile-first hotel booking agency. Where are they now?

Context is everything, and it’s hard to have that when the company reporting a bunch of facts and figures makes it hard to have comparisons to past data. We can’t wait to see that S-1 filing, eventually.

This year is shaping up to be the year when Airbnb gets all of its ducks in a row before the big IPO. Investing in adjacent businesses like Oyo is a major part of that strategy. But will any of this ultimately matter — or make a difference — once the company goes public?

While traditional tour operators might not offer the flexibility that Lastminute.com does with its package vacations, they do have an advantage in terms of exclusivity.

Going down the rabbit hole and considering the effect of a big tech crackdown in travel, Google and global distribution systems have perhaps the most to lose. It's likely, though, that few, if any, of Elizabeth Warren's proposed restrictions will ever become U.S. law.

Booking Holdings' Glenn Fogel, whose background is in mergers and acquisitions, was undoubtably not surprised when Airbnb bought HotelTonight. We'd be shocked if he and others hadn't kicked the tires.

Will Airbnb stick to its boutique and independent-only stance on hotels? It could put it at a serious disadvantage when it comes to competitors like Booking or Expedia in the long run. But if Airbnb winds up offering a wider swath of hotels, it could boost its brand even further. Either way, it's guaranteed to be interesting. We'll get the popcorn ready.

Arguments can be made for a number of sides, but the truth is there's no true winner or loser here, if we're being totally honest.

Traveloka is going after a slice of the Australian online travel market. That's brave. Even though the market is robust, the space is highly competitive. While Indonesia is popular among Australians, travelers still mainly prefer Bali, which is like their backyard. So what has Traveloka to offer?