Hospitality is the heartbeat of travel and tourism, with technology dictating the rhythms. The relationship between hospitality and tech is constantly shifting in response to not only industry developments but also the evolution of technology itself. Distribution dilemmas are one of the most obvious manifestations of how hospitality and…

This is a viewpoint from Eric Bamberger, SVP, Hospitality, IgnitioneOne. In September, Guggenheim Securities posited that Priceline may be backing away from the hotel metasearch channel and instead emphasizing brand marketing and building direct relationships. A casual search shows that Priceline occupies the top ad spot on TripAdvisor and…

It is not that long ago, even last week, that inflight wifi was viewed as a perk. But it’s growing importance to customers has led to the forging of new relationships to build an infrastructure that goes beyond letting customers check their email to creating a viable flying network…

Emirates Vacations has partnered with Wayblazer for the launch of a AI-powered chatbot that communicates with consumers through display ads. Emirates says use of the medium drove an 87% lift in engagement compared to more traditional click-through ads. Wayblazer’s recommendation engine lies behind the chatbot ad which asks consumers…

The Vahana AlphaOne, an electric, autonomous flying taxi, has now experienced its first flight. This is the latest in a series of demonstrations this year which raise confidence for the prospect of flying taxi services. The first flight of AlphaOne was short, a minute long, but the designers used…

This is a viewpoint from Steve Dobson, Director Information Security at The ATCORE Group. Yes, it’s coming: the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on the 25th of May. That’s roughly three months from now. So if you’ve been avoiding the topic, now is the time…

It’s not easy to find a common thread that can quickly unite a global community. Kelly Louise found such a thread in sustainable travel. Her passion for many years led her from a blog to launching the Travel Impact Alliance, a global non-profit geared towards improving the visibility and…

Google has rated Booking.com, followed by Kayak, eDreams and Lastminute, as the most mobile-friendly travel sites in the UK. The release of the research, timed for the start Mobile Web Congress in Barcelona, is accompanied by a Speed Scorecard enabling companies to see how their site speed fares against…

Today, Airbnb announced a notable expansion of its Experiences product: Concerts. Travelers, as well as locals (a demographic that the company already targets with Experiences) can book concerts with musicians at intimate venues in many cities around the world. While there may be whispers that Airbnb’s existing Experiences platform…

Sabre says it has a “crystal clear” focus for the company going forward in terms of being at the lead in retailing, distribution and fulfilment for airlines and hotels. The words came from Rick Simonson, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, who was speaking at the Goldman…