Channel Shock In Travel Tech + Kayak Buys Another Meta + What To Expect This Week

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

August 7, 2017 View in browser

Editor's Note For as long as I've been writing about travel, pundits have been pointing to the inevitable demise of the big global distribution systems. But in a very in-depth look that we present to you today, Skift senior writer Andrew Sheivachman tells you why they aren't going anywhere although Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport will all certainly be facing new pressures coming at them from a variety of angles. Meanwhile, three of the most prominent metasearch companies — Kayak, Trivago and TripAdvisor — are all jockeying for position. Kayak made yet another acquisition, Trivago is angling to embed itself in the technology toolboxes of independent hotels, and TripAdvisor will let us know this week how its new TV advertising campaign is going. That's why you have to love the travel industry — there's really never a dull moment. — Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor Top Stories Meet the Speakers for Skift Global Forum 2017 The wait is over! We've officially assembled the best lineup of speakers for any travel conference, ever. Check out our finalized speaker list now and don't miss your opportunity to register. Channel Shock: The Future of Travel Distribution The global distribution systems aren't going anywhere. Innovation, however, is happening in the margins of the travel distribution marketplace, with airlines seeking to regain control of their destiny. Travel This Week — What to Expect: TripAdvisor and Priceline Strategy Tweaks With the summer travel season in many parts of the world winding down, so is TripAdvisor's TV spend but let's see if it is starting to be a difference-maker. Meanwhile, new IHG CEO Keith Barr is conducting his first financial results call at the helm. Let's see how he does. Kayak Acquires Assets of Struggling Brazilian Metasearch Company Mundi Skyscanner had been sniffing around Brazil's homegrown metasearch leader Mundi and checking its books. Kayak appears to have swooped in to shore up market share. Travelport CEO Is 'Super Skeptical' About American Airlines Strategy American is creating a new distribution path that might tweak the role companies like Travelport play in distribution. Travelport boss Gordon Wilson tells us he's skeptical. We remain undecided. Merlin Hints At Interest In Buying SeaWorld's Busch Gardens SeaWorld is still struggling and Merlin is probably hoping it can bag a bargain. Watch this space. Trivago Urges Independent Hotels to Get More Involved in Digital Marketing Public companies rarely take on projects where the benefits may not appear for years to come. So Kudos to Trivago for risking that with its marketing tools for hotels. That said, the effort is still a risk. From the Archives Like travelers seeking to extend their vacations as long as possible, indulge us as we are still celebrating Skift's 5th birthday. Here are a few more noteworthy articles from our archives, ranging from a big project to map the ever-changing travel tech universe to a not-so serious but inspirational article that captured some global travel inspiration and broke down barriers. Skift Travel Tech 250: Mapping The Travel Tech Ecosystem One of Skift's stated aims is to demystify and dejargonify the travel industry. As part of that aim we are launching our first ever travel industry mapping project, These are the 250 travel tech companies that are shaping the modern day travel experience. How Pharrell's 'Happy' Is Spawning Amazing Travel Videos From Around the Globe We should just declare "Happy" song as the travel slogan of the planet. It's much better than any organized marketing effort, really. 25 Travel Moments That Mattered In 2016 These moments are indicative of bigger stories in the industry or have a ripple effect that touch other companies and sectors, and help point the way towards 2017. For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab. You received this email because you are subscribed to Skift Daily Newsletter from Skift.

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