Articles tagged “digital”

This week in digital, we take a look at Booking Holdings' decision to pull back from Google's vacation rentals business. Meanwhile, change is in the air for Airbnb Experiences, at least in leadership, as the category continues to be unprofitable.

Consumers are so overwhelmed by choice these days, they sometimes simply give up on travel plans altogether. Brands like American Express Travel are hoping to end that lamentable state of affairs by combining old-school service with new technological tools that make the complete “customer journey” both high tech and high touch.

Marriott has launched a new tech platform that empowers its more than 700,000 associates worldwide to provide high-touch, personalized service at scale. Turns out if you take care of your people, they’ll do an even better job of caring for guests.

Artificial intelligence was a hot topic at this year’s Skift Global Forum in New York. In this video recap from the event, we learn about the true power of AI in the travel industry, which will pail machine-powered automation with smart insights to create more meaningful relationships with customers.

This week in digital, we take a closer look behind the collapse of Thomas Cook and what the company's failure to adjust to the changing economy means for the future of packaged vacations. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia's travel is on the rise thanks to the growth of budget hotels.

Hotel merchandising and distribution were hot topics at this year’s Skift Global Forum in New York. In this video recap from the event, we learn about attribute-based selling, a strategy that helps hotels better align customer needs with property amenities during the booking process.

Travel marketing was a hot topic at this year’s Skift Global Forum in New York. In this video recap from the event, we learn about how travel marketers can deliver relevant messages to consumers at the right moment while still respecting growing requests for privacy.

This week in digital news, Ryanair and Expedia have finally reached a settlement — two years after the Irish airline initially filed. Meanwhile, Marriott has no plans to make any changes to its Bonvoy program despite its ups and downs.

This week in digital, Airbnb plans to go public in 2020, this after the company surpassed $1 billion in its second quarter revenue. Meanwhile, Hotelbeds is taking action as more hoteliers have complained about unfairness from opposing travel agencies.

To meet the travel needs of a CEO, is a luxury leisure agency a better fit than a travel management company? Leisure expertise is useful for serving the customized demands of VIPs, but travel advisors may find that even deluxe business travel requires a corporate mindset.