Articles tagged “europe”

Europe may be criss-crossed by thousands of miles of rail track, but it has taken a long time to link each of the different countries. Train travelers who want to go between countries have not benefited from the single market approach that liberalized the aviation industry, and it has been left to startups like Loco2 to connect the different players.

If nothing else, Airbnb will be hoping the funding gets it some much-needed good public relations at a time when it is coming under increasing pressure in several key European cities.

While there is no specific mention of the big Gulf airlines, they would likely be a target for any new measure designed to rein in supposed anti-competitive practices. European airlines, alongside those in the U.S., have long said the likes of Emirates and Etihad have an unfair advantage. European airlines surely welcome any new rule that attempts to level the playing field.

Chief executive pay at Europe's biggest publicly traded travel companies appears to have converged in 2016 with few bumper deals compared with previous years. It could just be a coincidence or might have something to do with the deteriorating economic climate and geopolitical issues.

Kayak's new ad blitz isn't the world's most political ad campaign but it is still good to see a company unafraid of standing up for what it believes in.

A wider electronics ban could seriously impact European visitation to the U.S. this summer.

Venture capital's returns are usually achieved in the long-term, a great match for pension funds. However, European pension funds are still reluctant to allocate money to VC, considering it a risky venture.

Having an accelerator program lets a brand have more of a say in the future of startups that they're interested in rather than merely investing and stepping back. Especially now that Marriott is the world's largest hotel company, Marriott Hotels' accelerator program is an opportunity for it to glean all of the smart ideas it can get its hands on to help improve the guest experience.

While Skyscanner mulls an IPO and other European travel companies and startups attracted venture capital funding in 2016, things might be trending downward. Investors will likely be more timid in 2017 as European travel brands confront challenges wrought by Brexit, terrorism and local economies.

Security concerns in Europe seems to be the new normal, according to travel agency executives. Travelers are simply booking vacations to safer destinations instead of putting off travel altogether.