Fending Off Booking.com + Brexit Biz Travel Slump + Airport Security Evolution

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

August 22, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor Now that the solar eclipse is burned into our memories — admit it, you popped outside to take a look if you were anywhere near the path — what will the travel industry be talking about next? After all, Royal Caribbean and Alaska Airlines both got great mileage out of eclipse-related public relations pushes that will likely earn them some spillover attention from potential customers, and don't forget about the destinations that had a short-term influx of tourists. Those eclipse visitors might decide to come back some day. We don't know what all of the next big stories will be, but we can guarantee Brexit is not going anywhere. Europe Editor Patrick Whyte reports that while tourism is up, business travel to and from the UK was down in the first half of the year. If uncertainty lingers, we don't expect that trend to reverse itself. — Hannah Sampson, News Editor Video: What The Rise of Cognitive Tech Means for Travelers [SPONSORED] Sponsored by IBM We're at the dawn of the cognitive era, where the implementation of machine-learning tech is making everything from the traveler experience to back-end logistics smarter and more streamlined. Learn More Top Stories MakeMyTrip Puts a Brave Face on Booking.com Encroachment In India, market leader MakeMyTrip is betting on a multi-pronged strategy to defend itself against the intrusion of Booking.com on its turf. Execution matters. But so does the patience of MakeMyTrip's key backer, Ctrip. 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. Alaska Airlines and Royal Caribbean Make a Show of the Solar Eclipse for Their Passengers It's all about experiential travel, isn't it? And it certainly was on total solar eclipse day on the U.S. coasts and across its mid-section in towns and cities big and small. Alaska Airlines and Royal Caribbean seized the moment, creating something their passengers will talk about for years to come. Clear Strives to Become an Airport Security Alternative for Supertravelers Clear's user experience has evolved significantly since its launch, and the service bears a look from supertravelers — and potentially beyond. Business of Loyalty: Oneworld Alliance Has a New Hole in Its European Network 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. Norwegian Air Is Already Driving Down Trans-Atlantic Airline Fares Low-cost carriers like Norwegian need to strike the right balance between a low-cost, reliable product, and decent service on the consumer side and sustainable business on the corporate in order to remain a threat to legacy carriers. Chefs+Tech: What Danny Meyer's Martina Means for Restaurants Everywhere Any restaurant opening from Union Square Hospitality Group is one to watch. Operations at Martina, which its chef calls "fine-casual," are a look at current industry trends set to go big. U.S. Escalates Russia Dispute by Cutting Back on Visa Services The market for Russian travel to the U.S. might not be a huge one, but the decision to drastically cut back visa offerings is highly symbolic of the simmering tensions between the countries at the moment. Popular Now Travel Payments Sees $10.4 Billion Merger That Makes Worldpay a Stronger Competitor Vantiv's $10.4 billion acquisition of Worldpay creates a payments-processing powerhouse with a huge hand in helping travel businesses boost online and mobile purchases. Due to competition from new rivals, fees are unlikely to spike yet. 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. Hyatt and Expedia Formally Sign New Deal Any potential crisis has now been definitively averted, at least until this contract expires. 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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