Traveling Blog: Travel Blockchain Hyped-Up + Airbnb Wooed Skyscanner + Loyalty Gets Downsized

January 29, 2018

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Note From the Editor

You may be reading about blockchain for many years. Then again, maybe you won't. In his "Tales From the Crypto" piece today, Business Travel Editor and tech geek Andrew Sheivachman breaks down the travel blockchain startup scene and separates fiction from facts. In another story, Travel Tech Editor Sean O'Neill examines what Airbnb has been doing about launching flights.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

Last Chance to Reserve Your Spot

Tomorrow's the day! We'll be in San Francisco for a discussion of the Skift Megatrends 2018 print magazine. We want you to be there as we forecast the top trends that will define the travel industry in 2018. Limited spaces are available, so reserve your spot before it's too late.

Some entrepreneurs and scammers are treating initial coin offerings like get-rich-quick schemes, and the travel distribution ecosystem isn't immune. Beware of people who say they can totally disrupt the travel industry, especially if they don't even understand how the industry works.

Airbnb Mulled Integrating Skyscanner for Flights Or Buying Hopper

Airbnb has sold investors on a growth story based, in part, on adding flights and other products. But selling flights is extremely complicated.

Travel Megatrends 2018: Airlines Try to Become Storefronts Beyond the Seat

Most airlines are not advanced with their e-commerce strategies. Many have done OK without refining how they sell their products. But if they want to succeed in the long term, they probably must become more sophisticated in how they reach customers.

Travel Loyalty Programs May Become Smaller With More Perks in 2018

There's a smaller and perhaps more rewarding world facing frequent flyers in 2018. To reap the rewards, though, those elite travelers will have to pay up.

Marriott Commission Cut on Group Bookings Could Ripple Across Hotel Industry

Marriott will use its formidable presence in the North American hotel market to squeeze travel agents and meeting planners. The big question is whether competitors will follow suit. Could Marriott be setting the stage for a full-blown commission cut on all hotel bookings that would completely disrupt the travel sellers?

U.S. Indigenous Tourism Association Targets Italian and German Visitors

Visitation to Indian Country has been steady during the Trump Slump, and that might be attributed to a focus on attracting visitors from Italy and Germany.

In short, Airbnb's message is: "We're not an Uber, guys. And we haven't forgotten about the people who made us a $31 billion company."

JetBlue Has Started Shrinking Legroom and Upgrading Interiors on Its Older Aircraft

JetBlue is the latest airline to fall behind on a cabin retrofit program. It happens sometimes, as it's not so easy to update airplane interiors. But the first plane is in the shop. Considering JetBlue has some planes that haven't been touched since the early 2000s, this is welcome news.

Why Expedia or Priceline Might Just Be the Next Great Hotel Brand

Whether or not you agree with this, it's certainly an idea worth contemplating as everyone and everything in the travel industry are beginning to converge. Whatever you decide, please don't shoot the messenger.

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