HOTEL OF THE FUTURE

Article | March 12, 2020

As markets around the world reel from the turmoil of the COVID-19 coronavirus, companies of all sizes are feeling the effects - perhaps none more so than those in and adjacent to the travel industry. The crisis is forcing companies to reevaluate many aspects of their financial plans for the foreseeable future and - particularly for those operating in the B2C space - to reassess their digital marketing strategies such as paid search. After all, does it make sense to pay for traffic if consumers aren’t buying travel?

Article | February 24, 2020

Why do we travel? For seeking thrill, joy, tranquillity, knowledge, satisfaction, company, solitude, pleasant or off-beat experiences – there are many answers to this question. None of these might be your reason to set off on a trip, while for some it may be all of these and more. While we can always agree to disagree, there is one thing that can be said with utmost certainty: nobody – without exception – hopes for a vacation punctuated with worries, problems, and unpleasant experiences. But the truth remains. No amount of meticulous planning that goes into preparing an itinerary can guarantee a trip that is entirely devoid of risks and worries. Sometimes a problem, or many, may arise due to various factors beyond anybody’s control, be it environmental, geopolitical, or even personal. Unforeseen personal issues notwithstanding, challenges may arise simply because of a combination of not-so-prudent decisions and bad luck.

Article | March 3, 2020

In the past 24 months, the tours and activities sector has moved from, to borrow a Cinderella analogy, the cinders to the palace, where its untapped potential has moved into the sights of major travel retailers and investors. These retailers and investors, as we know, included Booking Holdings, Tripadvisor and SoftBank via their investments in Klook and GetYourGuide. These moves have led to lots of opportunities for operators and consumers alike, but, as always, change does not come without its casualties. Some operators are to dealing with distributors and they understand that such partners can be both partner and competitor.

Article | February 12, 2020

The internet is littered with the bodies of companies unable to adapt when Big Tech moved to offer a service for free. Possibly the most famous example in tech history remains Microsoft’s decision in 1996 to give away its browser Internet Explorer bringing Netscape’s skyrocketing share price to an abrupt halt. The rest is history. Although Google’s recent decision to stop charging for leads to airlines and OTAs in Google Flights might look insignificant in comparison, it is sending shockwaves across the travel industry. To understand why, it is important to understand Google Flights’ weight in the airline distribution ecosystem.