Traveling Blog: Financial Themes Shaping Hospitality + Most Innovative Airlines and Hotels

November 27, 2017

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Note From the Editor

Skift Research took the pulse of the hospitality industry after the recent round of earnings calls, and found that corporate travel spend was unenthusiastic, but could pick up in 2018. CEOs of major chains, though, are indeed enthusiastic about their direct-booking campaigns, and view them as being must-haves for years to come.

The direct-booking campaigns aren't just about getting increased leverage against the online travel agencies in terms of reducing distribution costs, but are vital in building closer ties to customers, in the view of hospitality execs. Meanwhile, building more intimate ties with passengers and guests is a consistent theme that runs through contributor Colin Nagy's analysis below of the most innovative travel companies of 2017. The best companies ignore these relationships at their own peril.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

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After pouring over third quarter earnings results and investor calls, it's clear the big hotel chains have embarked down a new, but potentially arduous road.

Best Airline and Hotel Innovators in 2017 From a Business Traveler's Perspective

Here's to some of the most innovative and thoughtful brands in travel today. These companies are doing the heavy lifting to make travel and hospitality more inspiring.

Video: Marriott CEO Hopes Starwood Tie-In Will Be Done on Deal's Second Anniversary

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson isn't afraid to speak up about a variety of issues that he sees impacting the wider travel industry, and that's something not every travel CEO is willing to do.

Japan Tourism Is Using Celebrity Chefs to Make the Country More Palatable to U.S Travelers

Japan Tourism really thinks that U.S. travelers are turning Japanese, or at least their travel wish lists are. The tourism board is more building off the momentum it already has in the U.S. But most U.S. travelers don't speak Japanese, and that will continue to be a sticking point for the country's tourism.

In Case You Missed It

Air New Zealand Plans to Test Blockchain Integration With Its Reservation System

Anyone remember Google Wave? Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, TUI, and a whole bunch of investors and techies are betting that blockchain fulfills a lot of promise and exhibits a ton more staying power than previously-hyped technologies that didn't hang around very long.

AccorHotels Is Working on a Smart Room That's Accessible and Personalized

That AccorHotels is using the Internet of Things and other innovative tech to create more personalized and accessible guest rooms is an idea we can definitely get behind. But we wonder what the company's plans might be to incorporate loyalty into the initiative. It would be crucial in adding value for Accorhotels, property owners, and guests.

Airline food isn't always tasty, but passengers probably shouldn't compare it to what they find in a restaurant. Delivering food to an aircraft is a logistical challenge, and it's amazing the system works as well as it does.

Inside Priceline Group's Diss of Trivago — The Backstory

What do a debate over landing pages, the acquisition of Momondo, a shift into hotel software services, and regulators forcing changes in online travel agency contracts have in common? Each of those seemingly unrelated things may have pushed Priceline to toggle back its spending on Trivago.

New Skift Research Report: The Future of Blockchain in Travel Distribution 2018

Our channel checks and industry data point to a relevant future for blockchain technology in travel distribution. However, proponents will need to move fast in creating compelling applications that perform better than what's already out there.

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