After taking the helm of Carlson Wagonlit last year, Kurt Ekert has had a busy year. Externally, there have been notable shifts in airline distribution economics, with several high-profile moves by airlines to introduce mechanisms encouraging more direct bookings. Internally, there’s been an increasing focus on data, the launch of CWT For…
TripAdvisor reported second-quarter net income of $27 million, down 21% from the $34 million reported for second quarter 2016. Total revenue grew 8%, to $424 million. One of the gratifying figures for TripAdvisor was the 31% hike in revenue from “on-hotel,” the company’s term for its attractions business. Chief…
This is a viewpoint by Skye Mayring, on behalf of Arival – The In-Destination Event. Hot air balloons dance over head as you race to see the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Your daughter calls to you from the Taj Mahal as your son points out The Beatles…
Since Bitcoin first appeared in 2008 people have been looking for the next ‘killer application’ for the technology that made it possible: Blockchain. NB This is a viewpoint by Brian Lewis, CTO at OpenJaw Technologies (a TravelSky Company) Bitcoin’s cryptocurrency magic has fuelled the hype behind Blockchain, but this…
The Priceline Group Inc. reported its second-quarter net income of $720.2 million, up from $580.6 million year over year. Gross travel bookings were $20.8 billion, an increase of 16% over a year ago. Gross profit increased 21%, to $3 billion. Priceline beat both its expected earnings per share and…
Hilton Hotels is testing “incremental opportunities” arising from new cancellation and pricing policies. The company is thinking about a range “from the 48-hour, 72-hour mark out to seven days,” Christopher J. Nassetta, chief executive officer, said during Hilton’s second-quarter earnings call. Hilton is eyeing the creation of “fully flexible…
Vacation rental platform RedAwning has earmarked a $40 million funding announced today to further develop its tech platform and grow the business. The funding has been led by Silversmith Capital Partners from Boston which gets “a significant minority stake” in return for the cash. To date the business has…
Should I list my hotel on metasearch? If you’ve found yourself asking this over the past year or so, you’re not alone. NB This is a viewpoint by Lily McIlwain, content manager for Triptease. Triptease has produced a report to help hoteliers understand what is required. Click here to…
Didi, China’s dominant taxi app and mobility services provider, has linked up Middle East based Careem, its second investment and strategic partnership announcement in a week. The pair “will share knowledge in intelligent transportation technology, product development, and operations,” a statement said. There is no indication about how much…
Hyatt Hotels said it has agreed in principle on terms with Expedia Inc. that will keep the chain’s properties listed on Expedia sites. Hyatt had threatened to pull out of Expedia when their previous agreement expired at the end of July over a commission dispute. Mark Hoplamazian, chief executive…