Traveling Blog: Airbnb's New Disruption + Hotel Owner Insight + TUI's Tours and Activities Ambitions

February 14, 2018

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Note From the Editor

There is, perhaps, no greater disruptor today in accommodations than homesharing giant Airbnb. But have we reached a point where Airbnb is finding it harder to disrupt or reinvent the wheel? I explore that question in a story about the company's long-rumored Airbnb Select program, a collection of high-quality home listings that we expect Airbnb to launch soon (possibly next week).

Skift Research dives into accommodations from a different angle this week, with a report that examines operating and branding strategies for hotel owners. One subject the report touches on: How relative newcomers like Airbnb are changing the distribution landscape.

— Deanna Ting, Hospitality Editor

There may not be a "one size fits all" model for all hotel properties, but our latest Research Report highlights key items for hotel owners to think about when it comes to operating structures and branding strategies in today's environment.

Airbnb Is Set to Launch a New Tier of Select Properties

You know the saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same"? When it comes to Airbnb's new endeavors in the accommodations space, it is certainly being inventive, but the company is also borrowing heavily from what hotels have been doing for centuries.

TUI Group Wants a Bigger Slice of the Tours and Activities Market

With TUI accumulating so much customer data, it makes sense to deploy that knowledge to its transfers, and tours and activities business. The sector is still fragmented and a player with deep pockets like TUI should be able to make inroads.

Duetto Raises $80 Million to Give Hotel Booking an E-Commerce Makeover

Duetto has raised more money to ramp up its operations and continue to develop its hotel revenue management platform. The space is crowded, but powerful software-as-a-service tools are needed desperately by hotel revenue managers.

The Secret to Fine Dining Success in New York City

We've watched as elements of fine dining slowly creep into more casual methods of service, allowing restaurateurs to build successful business models on top of changing diner preferences. But fine dining has never gone away; it's just evolved within its own constraints.

Can a Wellness Cruise Line Compete With the Industry's Biggest Names?

A new cruise line is betting that focusing on a specific market niche will be a winning strategy. We look at the game plan behind the new fitness-focused concept and consider whether it can work out.

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Ctrip Branches Out as Rivals Focus on Domestic Growth

The global travel industry wonders when Chinese companies and investors will play a bigger role. Restrictions on foreign investment are getting tighter. On the other hand, maybe they're just not that into us.

United Airlines Tries to Solve the Boarding Crush

Any research into cutting down the congestion and confusion at the boarding gate is welcome in our books.

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