Traveling Blog: Oral History of Booking.com Deal + Alexa's Biz Travel Conundrum + Mexico Tourism's Election Uncertainty

July 9, 2018

Editor's Note

When you think of Internet deals that have shaken industries to the core, Active Hotels and Bookings B.V. might not come to mind as key players. But Priceline's purchases of those companies more than a dozen years ago changed the course of online travel forever, and that impact still reverberates today.

My colleague, Executive Editor Dennis Schaal, has covered online travel and those three companies doggedly for years. Today, you are the beneficiary of that experience and insight with The Oral History of Travel's Greatest Acquisition Booking.com, Schaal's exhaustive and detailed account of the deals. Skift is committed to long-form journalism that serves its readers — this is the finest example of that. It's been in the works for two years and we are proud to present it to you today, packaged in a beautiful, easy-to-navigate layout. You'll want to read it closely because there are plenty of lessons to be gleaned, both for travel and business overall.

— Tom Lowry, Managing Editor

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This is the oral history of Priceline's two deals, the acquisitions of Active Hotels and Bookings B.V., that created Booking.com, and continue to shape the course of online travel and the competitive landscape today. The twin transactions were among the greatest Internet deals of all time, and their lessons are relevant to startups and dealmakers in any industry.

Skift Call July 10: The Amazon Factor

Nothing quite gets the attention of travel executives these days like the mere mention of Amazon. Will it get in? Will it stay on the sidelines? We'll explore all the implications on Tuesday, July 10 at 1 p.m. EST on a Skift Call. Please join us for this all-important discussion.

What Mexico's President-Elect Could Mean for Tourism Amid Protectionism Worries

At least Mexico's President-elect, López Obrador, has tapped someone intimately familiar with the travel industry and how it operates locally and internationally. It's more than the United States can say it's done for travel in the past year and a half.

Amazon's Alexa for Business Travel Doesn't Compute Right Now

The big global travel management companies have pivoted to become more like technology companies in recent years. Despite the usual bromides about innovation and user experience, they're unlikely to invest in voice-powered automation right now. Personalization needs to come first.

Video: Why AccorHotels CEO Wants Even More Brands

"Anybody telling me you should be limiting the number of brands, I think it's bullshit," said AccorHotels CEO Sebastien Bazin at Skift Forum Europe. We wouldn't be surprised to see him expand the hotel giant's portfolio of brands to at least 40, up from today's 32.

Of course Google could become an online travel agency if it wanted to, but why would it want to jeopardize such a lucrative revenue stream in terms of ad dollars it receives from booking sites?

Airwallex Receives $80 Million for Payments Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week

The past week has seen remarkable fundings of a cross-border payments company, Airwallex, a luggage maker, Away, and a social travel recommendation service, Fever. Of all of these, "fever" has the name that best captures the frothy valuations.

Online Travel Players Boost Accessibility for Travelers With Disabilities

People who want to select a non-smoking room are shown options at most booking sites. The industry needs to be just as helpful for travelers with specific needs for mobility, hearing, or visual challenges. Thankfully several online booking sites are trying to help.

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