Traveling Blog: Weekend Review: Google Regulatory Heat + Black Travelers Rediscover Detroit

December 30, 2017

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Note From the Editor

Google is closing out 2017 picking up some headlines as it undoubtedly will in 2018, as well. The hybrid search engine and travel business will likely be the subject of increased antitrust scrutiny in the U.S., and is making gains in metasearch. We have two stories on these topics below.

Assistant Editor Sarah Enelow, meanwhile, takes a look at long-beleaguered Detroit as black travelers make a new assessment of the Motor City, and to try to rewrite its tourism narrative. In another story, Enelow dissects the status of diversity gains in the travel industry, and finds that any progress appears to be relatively stagnant. Some New Year's resolutions on that front are in order. Happy New Year.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

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Might 2018 be the year U.S. regulators take a hard look anew at Google's travel-business practices after declining to take action in 2012? We hope so, in the interests of fair play, although the Trump Administration has been keen to reduce government regulation of businesses, not increase it.

Google Hotels Ads Could Make Gains With Chain Loyalty Rates

The big chains now offer special book-direct deals through Google Hotel Ads. This helps with click-through and conversions, but also with new loyalty member acquisition — everything a growing hotel chain needs in an ad partner.

The Detroit Travel Story Is Starting to Get Rewritten by the Black Travel Movement

The mainstream media currently has control of the Detroit travel story, but the Black Travel Movement is about to redefine what it means to visit the blackest city in America.

The Inside Story of an Online Travel Reunion at the New Uber

There were a ton of people who wanted the COO position at Uber, and it went to Expedia alum and former Orbtiz Worldwide CEO Barney Harford. The pressure will be on both Khosrowshahi and Harford to turn around the ridesharing company. As if there weren't abundant pressure already.

Best Travel News Stories of 2017

Our favorites of the year were stories that you could find nowhere else. Each featured hours — or months — of phone calls or in-person interviews, and provided insights about an important development or trend. Each of these talented journalists, you could find nowhere else, either.

MSC Cruises Takes Next Step in Major Global Expansion

As MSC Cruises embarks on a rapid global expansion, it makes sense for the privately owned operator to focus on the popular Caribbean cruise market. The key will be figuring out the best way to make its products stand out in a field crowded with names that are far more familiar to North American consumers.

These 10 Skift stories got the most clicks in 2017, and none were clickbait. The list shows Skift readers love hotel and online travel stories, original reporting, analysis and breaking news.

Hospitality

CEO Interview: Paligroup's Avi Brosh on Growing Boutique Hotels in the Shadows of Big Brands

In some ways, building a boutique hotel brand isn't much different from when the first pioneers did it in the early 1980s. The only distinction is that today, the competition is certainly tougher and increasingly more abundant.

CEO Interview: Veteran Hotelier Stephen Brandman on Reinventing Lifestyle Hotel Management

Journal Hotels is out to prove that you don't necessarily need to be a brand to succeed in the increasingly crowded lifestyle hotel space.

Extended Stay America's New CEO Looks to Business Model Changes to Drive Growth

Given the rise of homesharing and shared workspaces, there are plenty of more external forces at work that will impact the extended stay market in the coming years. The key to success for Extended Stay America's new CEO will be taking these all into account.

Digital

Expedia CEO Doesn't Worry About Airbnb Because There's Always Room for Two

Expedia CEO Mark Okerstrom believes there's room for both its HomeAway unit, as well as Airbnb, in the growing alternative accommodations market. It sounds as though he expects big things from vacation rental booking site HomeAway in 2018.

Airwallex Closes $19 Million Round for Payments Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week

This week, startups raised funding to help simplify cross-border transactions, lend consumers money to book travel, offer airport valet services, map interior spaces, automate back-office processes for rental property managers, and split the booking of multiple-night hotel stays. They'll have a happy New Year for sure.

Latin America Travel Unicorn Despegar Is Hunting but Could Be Hunted Too

The biggest online travel story in Latin America in 2017 was Despegar's IPO. The Expedia-backed booking site raised $332 million to fund its expansion. The company has hinted that it is likely to use some of the cash to make an acquisition in 2018.

Diversity

The Travel Industry Strains to Gain Momentum in Reaching Diversity Goals

Diversifying a travel company's C-suite is proving to be a protracted battle. It's one thing to follow anti-discrimination laws and react to sexual harassment claims, and another to practice real inclusion.

Business Travel

La Quinta Is Making a Big Play for Business Travelers

The chief marketing officer of La Quinta Inns & Suites offers a glimpse of how the hotel company is thinking about business traveler needs. It's not a segment anyone can take for granted.

Tourism

Brexit Uncertainties in Aviation and Tourism Loom Large in 2018

With the situation still far from clear, the biggest Brexit-related problem is the uncertainty it has unleashed on the UK. Consumers are worried and businesses can't plan for the future. Both of which point to a pretty bleak 2018.

Tourism Board Engagement With Airbnb Is Not One-Size Fits All

Tourism boards are stuck between a rock and a hard place on a lot of issues and particularly with Airbnb. Destination marketers understand that many travelers prefer Airbnb while their hotel partners definitely do not. We'll be watching to see how both sides attempt to bridge the gap in 2018.

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