Golf-Hotel-Resorts AND CASINO News: Airbnb's Biz Travel Push + Delta's Credit Card Edge + Mobile-Friendly Hotels

July 14, 2017

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Note From the Editor

There are more challenges ahead for hotels — but opportunities, too. Airbnb is burrowing deeper into corporate travel even as hoteliers insist the homesharing site isn't a threat. Senior writer Andrew Sheivachman reports that the Concur Travel booking tool will be integrating Airbnb listings into its accommodations choices. As more Airbnb-type properties slide into the hands of property managers and get more professionalized, they become a more viable option for business travelers.

Meanwhile, hospitality editor Deanna Ting analyzes a new JD Power survey that found that hotels that tied mobile apps into guest stays produced happier customers. It's clear that hotels have a big mobile opportunity, but that requires dedicated resources and focus, both of which can be in short supply.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

Skift Insights Deck: Bringing Humanity Back to Business Travel [SPONSORED]

As Airbnb becomes bookable through the online booking tools of corporate travel management companies, its acceptance in corporate travel policies will likely rise as well.

Choice Hotels Appoints Pat Pacious as New CEO Beginning in 2018

The signs of this succession were right there all along.

Guests Are More Satisfied at Hotels That Are Mobile Friendly

Where online travel agencies make it easy for guests to book hotel rooms from their smartphones, hotels need to do a much better job if they want more direct bookings. And they need to make better apps while they're at it.

Delta Says Travelers Still Love Airline Credit Cards Even Though Miles Are Worth Less

Yes, airline frequent flyer programs probably were more lucrative a decade ago. But savvy travelers can still get a lot of value out of the programs and their affiliated credit cards.

The New Machine-Learning Booking Tool for Road Warriors: Travel Startup Funding This Week

New tech is going to vastly improve the efficiency of booking business trips, selling tours, and running short-term rentals. But it's too soon to know if these three freshly funded companies, in particular, will pull off the trick.

Ridesharing Gets More Seamless — Skift Corporate Travel Innovation Report

Ridesharing companies know that corporate travel represents big business. Making their products easier for business travelers to use — and expense — is a smart move.

Uber Exits Russia Through Deal With Local Rival Yandex

At one point Uber justified its sky-high valuation with promises of global expansion in China, Russia, and India. This is likely not how they saw it all playing out.

As their contract expiration deadline looms, Hyatt and Expedia are maneuvering for position with Hyatt property owners. The new Hyatt-Booking.com agreement gives Hyatt some leverage but it likely wouldn't fully make up all the ground if the chain goes completely dark on Expedia.

Blockchain Will Disrupt Expedia and Airbnb, TUI CEO Says

Blockchain is essentially a large immutable database which, due to its security features and decentralized nature, can pose a threat to traditional intermediaries. Companies are looking to expand blockchain to tackle the current travel distribution landscape.

Hotel and Online Travel Agency Direct Booking Winners and Losers in 5 Charts

Expedia and Booking.com, which each doubled Marriott's TV advertising spend over the last year, are still growing like weeds despite hotels' direct-booking campaigns. That makes for a tough environment for hoteliers, although some brands will do better than others.

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