TripAdvisor's $2 Billion Tours Bet + Pop-Ups Go Luxe + Mobile Play To Win Chinese Tourists

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

May 16, 2018 View in browser

Editor's Note TripAdvisor has been playing the long game — in part because its short game, the hotel search business, has been tough going. Part of the long-term strategy is the shift to mobile and the company's attractions and restaurant reservations businesses. CEO Stephen Kaufer is now touting its fast-growing and industry-leading attractions offering as up to a $2 billion business, double the size he pegged it at two years ago. The emergence of that business can't happen soon enough for Kaufer and his employees. — Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor Destinations Need to Go Beyond the Website to Reach Chinese Travelers Sponsored by Mailman X Traditional websites are becoming a thing of the past in China as mobile, social, and peer-to-peer networks dominate the country's digital ecosystem. Destinations looking to reach Chinese outbound travelers throughout the customer journey should take note. Read More Top Stories TripAdvisor CEO Doubles Estimate of Attractions Business to $2 Billion The tours and activities sector is not hotels 2.0. It's a massive business opportunity, though. TripAdvisor CEO Stephen Kaufer estimated it will be about half the size of the hotel sector, with similar take rates. That's indeed very substantial. It's Getting Easier to Redeem Frequent Flyer Miles: New Study It's becoming easier for travelers on many airlines to use frequent flyer miles. That's the good news. But many airlines are only making the cheapest award tickets available on flights where the cash fare is low. In many cases, that means airline miles aren't as valuable as before. Hotels Experiment With Pop-Ups to Attract New Audiences Given that luxury is all about rarity, it's no wonder that pop-ups of all sorts are creeping into the high-end arena. In the world of hospitality, basic pop-up accommodations have been springing up at festivals like Coachella for awhile. But more elaborate, ephemeral digs are only now starting to pop up in unexpected places around the world. Hawaiian Airlines Promises It's Ready for Whatever Southwest Plans Hawaiian Airlines executives are talking a big game about how they're ready for competition from Southwest Airlines. Is it true? Or are Hawaiian's executives nervous behind the scenes as they prepare for Southwest's Hawaii expansion? Why a Smart Mobile Strategy Is Essential to Luring Chinese Travelers Chinese outbound travelers have distinct and evolving behaviors and preferences that affect the way they travel. The best strategies to appeal to this market are built on a clear understanding of these nuances. Tech Workers Combine Business and Leisure Travel Most Often The more information we get on the habits of travelers who combine business and leisure, the more obvious it becomes that the notion of the siloed, well-behaving business traveler is completely outdated. Langham Hospitality Group Names New CEO With Expansion on the Agenda Can the new CEO manage to grow the Langham and Cordis brands on a larger scale? That's the bigger task that lies ahead for Leser. Skift Table Last week we announced that Skift Restaurants Forum is coming to New York City on September 24, 2018. Get your tickets now and get the latest news about the business of restaurants, below. OpenTable Adds Business Insights to Restaurant-Facing Guest Center Analytics have become an indispensable feature of table management software programs, and OpenTable's latest update is on par with what we're seeing across the board. Selling the Idea of America (on a Bun) in Dubai Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers serves an Americana-style experience and menu of burgers, fries and frozen treats, and it will bring its brand overseas for the first time, to Dubai. It's a path that has become familiar for a number of U.S.-based chains. Uber Eats Doubles Down on POS Integration with orderTalk Acquisition Just as competitors start to pull ahead, Uber Eats makes waves with an acquisition announcement that speaks volumes about its priorities and future strategy. Popular Now The Business of Passenger-Proofing Seats and Every Other Square Inch Inside a Plane Airline passengers abuse nearly everything on an airplane. Sometimes, they do it because they're jet-lagged or drunk. Sometimes, they're just absent-minded. And on occasion, manufacturers say, customers probably abuse interiors for sport. But the good news: Everything is tested to withstand harsh treatment from passengers. AccorHotels to Buy Chile's Atton Hoteles Is there anything out there AccorHotels won't buy at this point? Supreme Court Decision on Sports Betting Will Hurt Vegas, Right? You'll Be Surprised What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas - except now sports betting, as other states look to swoop in and take their share of the multi-billion market. 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