This is a viewpoint by Wulfric Light-Wilkinson, chief commercial officer at Quill. Holidays may be all about rest and relaxation, but the online booking process for consumers, by contrast, is often complex and laborious. The vital information that travellers are looking for is scattered around the web across a…

The founders of holiday rentals sharing service LaComunity have announced the launch of a new blockchain powered ecosystem consisting of a token, a DApp and a marketplace. The backers claim the platform will make it easier and more secure to manage vacation rentals, eliminating the need for intermediaries and…

Implementing the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was always going to be a challenge for travel companies, but a recent social media storm centred around British Airways would suggest that even the biggest travel brands are not completely on top of the new requirements. An IT specialist, Mustafa…

  Booking’s move into mobility, some interesting hotel and airline partnerships, the latest tranche of travel tech startup funding and more in the latest update. Didi, Airbnb and Ctrip Didi Chuxing, China’s answer to Uber, has picked up $500 million from Booking Holdings. Through the related strategic partnership, Didi…

Members only luxury deals site Secret Escapes has raised another £52 million, bringing the total raised since its launch in 2011 to more than £150 million. The latest injection comes from a new investor, UK-based Old Mutual Global Investors. Old Mutual will be renamed Merian Global Investors in autumn…

The European Commission is fining Google €4.34 billion for what the Commission considers illegal practices involving the Android platform that “cement its dominant market position in internet search.” Google’s parent company Alphabet has 90 days to pay the fine or face further penalties. There were three charges against the…

The European Technology & Travel Services Association (ETSSA) has launched a formal complaint against the European Commission for failing to take action over Lufthansa’s imposition of a surcharge for bookings made through global distribution systems (GDS). ETTSA, which represents the major GDS owners and leading online travel agencies, has…

This is a viewpoint by Troy Scoffield, analytics PM, travel and tourism at Bing Ads. Looking to get away from it all but only have a two or three-day weekend? You’re not alone. Increasingly, travelers are forgoing longer vacations in favor of more frequent weekend getaways to ease their…

Amadeus has published a report which shines a light on traveller motivation and the cognitive processes that lead to conversions. The old saying ‘you’re spoiled for choice,’ plays a significant role in booking hesitation. “The Importance of Understanding Travelers’ Motivation” takes as its starting point the fact that online…

This is a viewpoint by Alessandra Alari, head of search at Google UK. Whenever a holiday comes around, I find there is a certain task on my to-do list that fills me with a profound sense of dread: packing. The process of condensing your life into a small portable…