Traveling Blog: Airbnb's Hotel Push + Trivago In the Dumps + Brand USA Woos Cord-Cutters

February 8, 2018

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Note From the Editor

A couple of today's stories cover ups and downs in the travel industry. Starting with the downs, Trivago is getting accustomed to that sinking feeling after advertiser spending plummeted last year; the metasearch company posted a net loss of nearly $12 million in the fourth quarter and expects more quarters to be difficult this year.

On the up side, at least as far as growth is concerned, Airbnb announced a partnership that will potentially let thousands of independent hotels list rooms on the homesharing platform. That news could have a real downside for online travel agencies, though, which are likely to see increased competition from Airbnb.

— Hannah Sampson, News Editor

Bristol is Emerging as The UK's Leading Virtual Reality Hub

Anyone willing to bet that you may find your favorite "mass-produced" hotel chains on Airbnb in the not-too-distant future?

Trivago Forecasts Slower Growth and 'Difficult' Quarters in 2018

It seems that Priceline Group's recent pullback from advertising on Expedia-backed Trivago may be a new normal. In a brutal move, Booking.com pulled almost entirely out of Trivago's search listings in Germany and Italy in December.

Should Airlines Sell Business Class-Style Products in Economy Class?

Many airlines sell premium amenities to customers in coach. But is it worth it? Yes, these are high-margin items, but airlines don't sell that many of them. Most coach customers want only the basics and don't want to pay extra for anything.

Brand USA Launches Smart TV Channel to Reach Out to Cord-Cutters

Brand USA's content, including films, have generally won praise and performed well with many international travelers. But the competition on streaming services and TVs is fierce, and much of the organization's challenge will be to tell compelling stories that don't read like a tourism campaign.

Ryanair Finds One Benefit to Union Recognition

Ryanair might not have wanted to accept unionization, but one of the consequences could be growth at airports it had previously shunned.

Event Tech Providers Are Ready for a Data Revolution

Many event tech providers have created platforms in recent years to offer planners a set of tools with unified access to data. As the industry embraces analytics and artificial intelligence, providing useful insights that empower decision makers, platforms will likely take on bigger importance.

Yelp's Newest Economic Outlook Shows Promise for Independent Restaurants

Recent data shows that independent restaurants are faring better than chains, and are expected to grow at a faster rate. Don't discount larger corporations yet, though — innovation and creative ideas are happening across the industry.

With Delivery out of the Way, Yelp Doubles Down on Restaurant Products

As expected, Yelp is focusing a lot of energy — and money — on its products for restaurants in an effort to own the entire process, from booking to post-meal review.

Google is making it easier for travel shoppers to find and use its flight or hotel search through some design changes rolling out in the coming weeks. Watch out, Kayak and Skyscanner. Airlines and hotels will have to pay attention, too.

Luxury Retail Brands Love Airport Pop-Ups

Airports are paying much more attention to their retail offering with pop-up shops becoming a popular way to generate buzz and attract new customers.

The Inside Story of Airbnb's Management Shakeup and Battle to Stay Private

Who needs an IPO when you can control the limits of space and time on an "infinite time horizon" like Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky? Also, if two-thirds of the company's profits were being generated by ex-CFO Tosi's hedge fund within the company, how will the company fare without him?

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