Traveling Blog: Super Bowl Commercials + ATPCO Buys Routehappy + Venture Capital Trends

February 1, 2018

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Note From the Editor

A U.S. theme park, a foreign airline and (very possibly) a far-flung destination will be channeling all of their marketing acumen with Super Bowl ads on Sunday. The Universal Parks & Resorts, Turkish Airlines and widely rumored Tourism Australia TV commercials will have promotional value long after the National Football League commissioner hands off the Lombardi Trophy to the winning team, and that takes some of the sting out of the $5-$10 million spots. Still, this is risky business. Super Bowl advertising is a contact sport.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

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Megatrends

Extreme Weather Is Creating Travel Upheaval

Extreme weather is the new normal. It's changing destinations for the worse, and it's not going to get better any time soon.

Ordering and Payment Technology Creates Diner Haves and Have-Nots

As restaurants streamline their operations and hone app-based loyalty programs, technology dictates the divide between those who can participate and those who can't.

The travel startup landscape is more dynamic than ever. Not every company will succeed, but travel leaders need to know where these new entrants see cracks in the incumbent armor. Subscribe to Skift Research to learn more.

Universal and Turkish Airlines Are Betting Big on Super Bowl Ads

From what we've seen so far, travel brands with Super Bowl teasers are staying away from the culture wars and focusing on sending neutral messages with universal appeal. And while it's important to draw attention to certain issues, it's refreshing to watch light-hearted advertisements, too.

Airline Data Powerhouse Buys Routehappy in Bid for Transformation

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? ATPCO's first acquisition in its 53-year history shows that rich content will play a huge role in the air distribution marketplace.

Isrotel Teams With Marriott for a New Lifestyle Brand

More hotels are following Soho House's lead and integrating members-only clubs into their business models. Whether this is enough to help a boutique brand like Publica Isrotel is something we'll have to wait and see, but perhaps joining Marriott's Autograph Collection can help.

UK Government Doesn't Think It Has an Overtourism Problem

It might be true that London isn't in the same boat as Venice or Prague, but there are plenty of areas finding it difficult to balance the demands of tourists and locals.

Carriers Want to Get More Personal

Sometimes you'll buy a plane ticket and the airline might try to sell you a rental car. Other times, the airline will skip the car but ask if you want premium economy. Why? Carriers are using data to guess what extras you might buy.

Making Sense of Marriott's Commission Cut for Meetings

It looks like what happened to travel agents 20 years ago is about to happen to meeting and event planners.

Like most airlines, Air Canada knows a lot about its customers. But in 2020, once it launches a new loyalty program, it will have more flexibility to slice and dice data to deliver personal offers to passengers. Let's hope customers don't find it creepy.

Priceline Group Revamps TV Strategy With Whopping Spending Hikes

The Priceline Group's new emphasis on TV is unpleasant news for metasearch enterprises such as Trivago, Google, and TripAdvisor. The TV ads are an online travel agency version of a direct-booking campaign.

Issues the Hospitality Industry Will Ignore at Its Own Peril

The answers vary but there's at least one overriding shared sentiment. Even if times are good, there's always room for improvement in any industry.

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