Golf-Hotel-Resorts AND CASINO News: Delta Wants to Video Chat + 8 Airbnb IPO Takeaways + Getting Serious About Overtourism?

August 23, 2017

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Note From the Editor

Sorry — well, not really — but we see our journalistic role as keeping companies and organizations honest, and injecting a healthy dose of skepticism when called for. Delta is testing video chat for some customer service calls and our airline business reporter, Brian Sumers, muses: "This seems like it would have been a novel announcement in 2009." In another story, we wonder if the new World Travel & Tourism Council CEO's pledge to come up with fresh recommendations about overtourism will turn out to be more public relations than substance.

Speaking of substance, hospitality editor Deanna Ting looked at what's real and what's not when assessing Airbnb's potential for a blockbuster IPO. Fluff isn't what you are looking for in credible journalism and we strive every day to avoid it in these pages.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

The rapidly evolving conference and events sector is facing increasing competition. While competition brings better technology solutions, organizers need to maintain value in their conferences to remain viable in the long-term.

Delta Air Lines Will Take Some Customer Service Calls via Video Chat

Yes, Americans do make video calls in their everyday lives. But they make them using machines they own. Do airline passengers want to resolve issues by using one of five kiosks in an airport terminal? Perhaps some do, but we're betting many will find the phone just as useful. This seems like it would have a been a novel announcement in 2009.

8 Takeaways on Airbnb's Road to an IPO

Consider this your CliffsNotes on all things Airbnb as the company continues to mature.

Interview: WTTC's New CEO Knows Overtourism Will Top Her Agenda

It's not that the travel industry doesn't understand that overtourism is a problem. It's an issue that at times might conflict with their bottom lines, and there is a lack of thoughtful and effective plans on how to deal with it. Guevara is already working on the topic — and we'll be watching to see how creative she and the WTTC can be.

Why Virtuoso's New Must-Go Destinations Feel Similar

A new Virtuoso survey covering coveted luxury destinations for fall and the holidays doesn't cover new territory, but some trends are revealed by reading between the lines.

Hostelworld Has Ambitions to Complement Bookings With a Sense of Community

Now that Hostelworld has largely finished integrating Hostelbookers, it can turn its attention to developing features that would make it more relevant to users during their travels. None of the initiatives are exactly game-changing, but what the company is hoping is that it will make travelers more likely to click on its app rather than that of a competitor.

What Travel Can Learn From Michael Kors' Acquisition Strategy

Whether we're selling hotel rooms or stilettos, the luxury marketplace is riddled with similar challenges and opportunities suggesting greater collaboration could be useful to brands in both industries in their pursuit of becoming lifestyle brands for affluent consumers.

Alaska Airlines Will Finally Add Speedy Wi-Fi on All of Its Big Jets

We know it takes a long time to retrofit airplanes. And we know airlines hate to remove planes from service. But we wish Alaska could work faster to add speedy Wi-Fi. Three years is a long time to wait.

Luxury Companies Create Gateway Products for Tighter Budgets

Should luxury companies introduce lower-priced offerings, or do they risk diluting their brand and/or cannibalizing business from the main brand? We look at how several high-end travel companies are approaching the challenge.

Air Berlin's potential absorption into Lufthansa may foreshadow fewer clean connections for American Airlines travelers heading to continental Europe, while United customers may see a benefit.

UK Business Travel Is in a Post-Brexit Slump

Even with the drop in value of the pound making it much more attractive to travel to the UK, business travel seems to be suffering. This could be because of the perceived fragility of the country both economically and politically.

New Apps for the Airport Promise to Feed Time-Crunched Travelers Fast

If this works at scale, it'll be appreciated by travelers in hub airports, where there's often not enough time to grab food between flights. But reliably delivering food to passengers waiting at gates is logistically difficult, if not impossible. We'll see if these new services can pull it off.

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