Didi Chuxing has bought Brazil’s biggest ride-hailing business 99 for a reported $1 billion. The deal comes almost a year to the day since Didi took a stake in 99 and started a strategic co-operation. A few days ago, Didi raised $4 billion in equity funding and identified international…
The past 12 months have been kind to Lyft. As Uber struggled with its own challenges throughout the year, its ride-hailing competitor saw its fortunes rise, its value estimated at $7.5 billion according to Vanity Fair, which also reported Lyft’s plans to develop its own self-driving technology and partnerships…
Biometric facial recognition, now in use at nine US international airports, has been met with cooperation from airlines and barely a whisper of protest from US travelers. Not having to fish around one’s bags to produce a passport is a compelling idea for some travelers. But a new report…
Sponsored by Amadeus. It’s a well-known fact that today’s travelers are tech savvy, cost conscious, and come with high expectations compared to previous generations. In a rapidly changing industry that is increasingly focused on personalization, hoteliers are looking to stand out. Where there was once a very clear distinction…
Airports around the world were actively engaged in trials of advanced technologies in 2017, and we expect that many of those projects will expand in 2018. The main airport technology priority will be making the terminal experience less jarring and more pleasurable for passengers. Not only will this help…
A recent exposé by Vice on TripAdvisor’s ratings system vulnerabilities to fake reviews and fraud, raises fresh questions on the value for travel brands of relying on online ratings and social media promotions. It also shines a light on a uniquely human characteristic that makes these systems work so…
Vacation rental metasearch engine HomeToGo has had a good run since it launched in 2014. In less than three years, the Europe-based startup was helped along by a $20 million Series B funding round from Insight Venture Partners in 2016 and has since grown to include inventory of more…
Three recent stories from the mobility sector – featuring Uber, Didi and Daimler – form a convenient structure on which to assess the current state of play in the sector formerly known as taxi apps. Taxi apps are part of what is know more often these days as “mobility”…
December is almost gone and, as usual, we found ourselves in that inspiring state of mind in which it is all about New Year’s resolutions. Sure, in 2018 we all will walk 10,000 steps a day, lose those final extra five pounds and start meditating. But for people like…
Air New Zealand is one of only a few companies around the world trialing Google Pixel Buds wireless headphones technology for improved customer service. Travel and translation needs go hand-in-hand, and Air New Zealand’s customers come from all around the world. While the airline has many multilingual employees, the…