Hostfully is another of the brands to emerge in a bid to benefit from the widening ecosystem around private accommodation. The service produces guides for a guest at a property, on behalf of the host. Each is available for the guest on a mobile, desktop or in printed format and can…
TV continues to play a major role in consumers’ lives but nowadays most people tend to watch TV programmes with a mobile device within easy reach. NB This is a viewpoint by Tom Smith, head of biddable media at mporium. This multi-screening habit presents a great ecommerce opportunity for…
Many travel brands have talked about becoming “the Amazon of travel” but FinalPrice, a Los Angeles-based startup using a subscription model, wants to become “the Amazon Prime of travel”. The app-only product has picked up $4 million in funding to kickstart its launch, with the cash earmarked for marketing…
Marriott International changed its cancellation policy, requiring guests to cancel by midnight 48 hours prior to arrival. Guests who cancel later will be charged a fee that is the equivalent of one night’s stay. The previous “free cancellation” cutoff was 24 hours. The new policy applies to all Marriott brands…
There are some influential forces at work in travel, shaping how the market is evolving and challenging brands to think carefully about the future. Alternative accommodation options such as Airbnb, low-cost airlines expanding into transatlantic flights and greater expectation from consumers in terms of choice, price and convenience, means…
The European Commission is being asked to tackle “dangerous developments” in airline distribution around discrimination against so-called neutral channels. Regulators in Brussels received a letter this week from a large array of travel agency groups and lobbying organisations, such as the European Travel & Technology Services Association which has the GDSs and…
Spain is “surpassing” Italy and France on Chinese tourists’ wish-list, according to Ctrip, one of the reasons it has signed a new, far-reaching partnership with Melia Hotels. The tie-up is a global one. Melia Hotels – formerly Sol Melia – has 370 properties in four continents under brands including…
Right now airlines are introducing fees for bookings via the GDS but imagine a scenario five years down the road where an airline charges a fee for booking via the website instead of the mobile app. It’s really not that far-fetched as a concept. NB: This is a viewpoint from Philippe…
German carmaker Daimler has added a stake in Middle Eastern ridesharing brand Careem to its ever-growing portfolio of mobility businesses. “Mobility” is emerging as the shorthand of choice for the ride-sharing/carpooling/taxi-app sector. Daimler’s undisclosed investment in Careem is part of the now-closed Series E round. Japan’s Rakuten was among…
Skyscanner has released a new study of the potential market opportunities for transatlantic low cost routes between Europe and the US, by showing the city pairs with greatest traveller interest and those in which ‘price elasticity’ can help fill seats. This highly contended transatlantic market—for decades protected by flagship…