Recharge, a mobile app that lets users book hotels outside of the traditional timeframe, has caught the attention of JetBlue Technology Ventures. The airline’s incubation project, launched in February last year, has made an undisclosed investment in the two-year-old startup. The company has previously raised $2.3 million in seed funding…

There are many pain points in the travel process, impacting consumers, suppliers, intermediaries and the tech providers. But there is a growing consensus that blockchain could be the innovation to address these issues. NB This is a viewpoint by Trond Vidar Bjorøy, head of product development and implementation –…

As consumers are always connected to their digital channels, their habits are constantly evolving. These constant shifts have challenged the hospitality industry to keep pace with new technology and trends so as to compete in the online community space. NB: This is an analysis by Jean-Luis Boss, chief marketing…

Travelsky’s 2016 annual report highlights the scale of the business and the range of services it is currently offering to China’s airlines, airports and agents, with a hint that it might be looking at opportunities overseas. The 185-page densely-packed document covers topics familiar to anyone familiar with annual reports…

Ukrainian International Airlines is to impose a $9 surcharge on every booking made through the world’s Global Distribution Systems. The fee on each segment made on tickets bought via Amadeus, Travelport and Sabre will come into force by the end of April 2017. But anyone thinking this is a carbon copy…

Almost 40% of business trippers believe that staying in an Airbnb or similar property is allowed under corporate travel policy. But – and here’s the rub – just one in six business travellers are actually given permission to do so under the rules governing trips within their companies. A study…

Like many people, I have watched with somewhat sad feelings the giant mess that has been United Airlines and Dr Dao’s removal in Chicago recently. Rather than just throw more rocks at the poor folks at United I would like to comment on the issue in a dispassionate way,…

Expense management software adoption continues to grow, but a recent GBTA survey showed that 46% of business travelers are still required to submit their expenses manually, using receipts stapled to a printed spreadsheet, then sending them to the finance team. NB: This is a viewpoint by Ted Stavropoulos, director…

Freebird, a startup to help travellers rebook flights following disruption, has received a fresh cash injection of $5 million. The funding comes from General Catalyst and Accomplice which also led the startup’s initial round of $3.5 million back in November 2015. A number of travel industry angel investors, including…

Hotels currently have a variety of ways to sell rooms. The halcyon days of basing distribution strategy around the simplistic “direct” and “third-party” options are long gone. Merchant model or net rates. Facilitated booking with metasearch partners. Exclusive rates for loyalty members. Embedded pricing in Facebook ads. Data science…