Traveling Blog: Weekend Review: Airbnb Hits Reset + Priceline Bows to Reality

February 24, 2018

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Note From the Editor

Airbnb already has designated Superhosts, will roll out a Superguest loyalty program later this year, and wants to turn itself into a host-led super brand that enables "magical travel" for everyone. Hospitality Editor Deanna Ting took a look at the announcements, and in a second story analyzes the existential choices Airbnb faces as it grapples with delivering on a future while staying true to its past.

And by the way, Expedia and Booking, Airbnb is enlisting boutique hotels, and in the next few years, as the business gets larger, its commission rates may give you a run for the money. That's plenty to think about this weekend.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

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In which we try to make some sense out of what we know Airbnb is doing now — and what it hopes to be doing over the next 10 years.

Airbnb Plus and Everything CEO Brian Chesky Just Announced

To be honest, we weren't very surprised by Thursday's launches. In fact, we wondered why they haven't been launched sooner. But for the most part, all of them certainly seem in step with Airbnb's plans for being much more than just about any other travel brand or company out there.

Priceline Group Changes Name to Reflect Booking.com's Power

The name change to Booking Holdings reflects the reality that Booking.com dominates the parent company's business. Although the parent company still calls Connecticut home, the balance of power shifted long ago to Amsterdam.

United CEO Munoz's Polaris Promise Never Matched Reality

A first-time business class flyer might love the dog-and-pony show United Airlines promised with its Polaris service. But your average frequent flyer prefers a more consistent experience, even if it's not as strong.

InterContinental Hotels Wants to Buy Luxury Brands

Under previous CEO Richard Solomons, IHG had looked to fill "white space" in its portfolio and it looks like this plan is continuing under his successor. Despite having a well-established luxury brand, the area is something of a weak spot for the company, with no true high-end offering. It sounds like IHG is well on the way to rectifying this.

The Poetry of Hospitality Revolves Around Anticipation and Empathy

While we sometimes focus our adulation in other spheres such as startups and their founders, hoteliers need to be recognized for the hidden creativity that goes into doing their jobs well.

Tourism

Why U.S. Travel Media Won't Tell People to Visit Russia

Travel is supposed to be the grand connector. Yet, whether consciously or not, the travel publishing world seems to be failing to seize a moment to champion what it always has championed — that travel helps reduce prejudice, bias, and bigotry.

Disney's New Toy Story Land Will Make a Play for Millennial Parents

Disney's Hollywood Studios has been a construction site for years now, which can be off-putting to guests. Some will visit for the new Toy Story-themed land this year, but we expect the biggest crowds to appear in 2019 for the Star Wars expansion.

Norwegian Cruise CEO Is Getting Bigger Spenders On Board

The cruise industry has long boasted of its value compared to land vacations. But Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is notably not emphasizing low prices. It is instead working to get passengers to spend more on tickets, shore excursions, and onboard extras.

Hospitality

New Skift Research Brand Matrix Suggests Hotel Owners Evaluating Brands Should Look to Marriott and Hilton

While brand considerations must be made on a property-by-property basis, Skift Research's proprietary Brand Matrix analysis ranks Marriott and Hilton at the top.

AccorHotels Wants to Accelerate Its Buying Spree in 2018

AccorHotels' acquisitions over the last couple of years aren't money makers yet but that's not to say they never will be. CEO Sébastien Bazin is still intent on playing a very different game than the other big hotel companies.

Rezidor Hotel Group Defends Its Performance as Profits Fall

Rezidor Hotel Group's fourth quarter earnings call was a snoozer until one Norwegian newspaper reporter decided to call b.s. on the company. That made for an interesting exchange.

Flying

Airlines May Want Higher Fuel Prices Despite How Contrarian That Seems

If fuel prices rise considerably, airfares will need to increase as well, so this would be bad for consumers. But investors might cheer.

Air France-KLM Isn't Sure What to Do About Low-Cost Rivals

Air France-KLM is being much more cautious than its rivals on the subject of low-cost long-haul. Joon isn't the long-term answer and Air France-Klm needs to come up with something better if it is going to compete against Norwegian and others.

Ryanair Urges Brexit Negotiators to Eliminate the Uncertainties

There's a lot of drama about what Brexit will mean for Europe's airlines. And much needs to happen before airlines know how the European air market will look long term. But at the end of this, we expect the status quo will remain, at least for the most part.

New Luxury

Targeting a New Microgeneration of Luxury Travelers

Just when you started having it up to here with ballyhooed buzzwords like millennials, authenticity and experiential travel, along comes J. Walter Thompson with a whole new compendium of marketing terminology. Let's see what sticks.

Taking Personalization Up a Level

Wealthy tourists are happy to flash a helluva lot of cash to ensure what they are doing has rarely – if ever – been done before.

Digital

Flight Centre Will Eliminate Some Leisure Brands

Australia's largest travel agent, Flight Centre, is not resting on its laurels after posting record revenues and strong profits. To ensure it stays on track, the group is shedding underperforming businesses, and dumping some of its leisure brands. It is also chasing growth in emerging business lines ranging from destination management to foreign exchange services.

Travelport Is Diversifying With Strong Growth in Payments Tech

How is Travelport competing against much bigger companies like Sabre and Amadeus? By creating technology solutions its clients actually want to use while expanding in the world's fastest-growing regions for travel.

RVShare Raises $50 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Road trips remain incredibly popular in many parts of the world and are a great way to get off the beaten path. RVShare's new CEO, an ex-HomeAway executive, is likely looking to capture more than the sliver of the market it currently has.

Meetings and Events

Social Tables CEO on Breaking Down Barriers for Meeting Planners

A lot of work needs to be done to improve the ability of hotels to sell to planners on smarter and more efficient ways. A variety of event technology companies are working on it, but the process of building trust among stakeholders will likely take some time.

Meeting Planners Face a Daunting Challenge in Rising Food and Beverage Costs

Spending as a result of U.S. meetings and events has steadily increased since 2009, and it doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon, according to new research. Spending on food and beverage likewise isn't easing up at all.

Corporate Travel

Corporate Travel Agencies Build for a More Complex Future

Even big travel management companies, which usually resist change, are planning ahead to better anticipate traveler and travel manager needs. No one's quite sure when this more connected and insightful future will arrive, though.

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