Technology

Online Travel

A Deep Dive Into TripAdvisor’s Competitive Position In Travel 2017

TripAdvisor's bold platform-driven approach to online travel tells us a lot about where the market is headed.

June 2017

Online Travel

European Venture Investment Trends in the Travel Industry 2017

Europe has traditionally been a very active player in travel. Yet lack of funding, market fragmentation and other factors have held it back from producing global corporations. Nevertheless, Europe is finally warming up to the American-style, risk big and risk early venture investment culture that has given birth to so many tech megabrands out of Silicon Valley.

March 2017

A Deep Dive Into Facebook’s Impact on Travel

Facebook has transformed itself from a social media site into a powerful digital media platform that is now spreading its footprint across the travel industry. Facebook’s ability to dynamically retarget consumers combined with the ads being visual, aspirational, cost-effective, and largely in-app for Facebook’s massive and highly-engaged user base will make the platform an increasingly important tool for the travel industry.

February 2017

The State of the Global Vacation Rental Market 2017

Airbnb popularized a new type of rental product - i.e. the primary-residence urban rental, but now professionally managed properties are coming online with fury. Looking forward ten years, the landscape will likely look quite different. Consolidation is in the air; vacation rentals have gone mainstream with the consumer but inventory remains fragmented. Property managers, marketplaces, SaaS platforms and a host of other add-on services are evolving their strategies to capture greater scale and efficiencies.

February 2017

State of Tours and Activities Tech 2017

The tours and activities segment is a two-sided race, with the big online aggregators clamoring to bring both suppliers and travelers into the digital age. The category has a relatively short booking window compared to accommodations and flights, leaving little room to use the latest in digital marketing and retargeting tech. Average booking values are also significantly lower than other categories. Yet, despite the challenges, the opportunities remain significant; the category is very much the next (if not final) frontier in online travel.

January 2017

2017 Outlook on Metasearch in Travel

The mechanics of metasearch technology and how travel brands use it to effectively bring attractive products to market are extremely complex. While many have tried, very few are now doing it in a meaningful way that produces attractive scale and profits. Those that succeed long term will ultimately need the right mix of technology, connectivity, user experience, market strategy, and budget. This definitive report outlines the competitive landscape along all five of these essential benchmarks.

November 2016

Technology

Episode 1: Google’s Reach and Impact on Travel

Google's steady push into the online travel space has deep implications for both established players and aspiring startups.

November 2016

The Travel Agent of the Future

Travel search and booking looks completely different today than it did just years ago. But the value-add that agents can bring to the travel experience will be difficult to obviate completely, either through disintermediation or automation. The intersection between high-tech and high-touch is now a key battle ground for travel brands the world over. Those with the customer care infrastructure to deliver could stand to gain, if they can get their digital house in order.

October 2016

The 2016 Deep Dive Into Expedia’s Competitive Position In Travel

Expedia has a lot going for it in the short to mid term but shifts in technology and consumer tastes have disrupted the travel space before, and will do so again. Dara and team will need to stay vigilant in addressing numerous vulnerabilities, especially as they go up against the big platforms including Google, Facebook, Amazon and others.

October 2016

Digital Payments in Travel 2016

The global digital payments ecosystem is undergoing a rapid and monumental shift; smart travel brands should stay on top of the shifts in how we pay for goods and services. Peer-to-peer payment platforms, digital wallets, and cryptocurrencies may have been a thing of science fiction just years ago. Yet, many of the data points now clearly suggest otherwise.

July 2016

The Strategic Guide to a Modern Hotel Technology Stack

The world of hotel technology software, or the “tech stack” as it’s often called, has long existed as a fragmented puzzle of competing platforms, competitors and solutions. Now, growing signs of consolidation loom as big players from both inside and outside the category vie for a bigger piece of the pie. What solutions and strategies will be most important to help hotel owners stay competitive, and profitable, in the years to come?

June 2016

The State of Wi-Fi for Travelers in 2016

Traveler demand for, and use of, Internet connection services is soaring, creating a dilemma for travel brands that must walk a precarious tightrope between charging for access and risking customer anger over unreliable free service. How are travel brands coping with these challenges, and what future innovations in connection services might transform the industry?

April 2016