Expedia's Hotel Takeover + Trains Vs. Planes + Lola Pivots to Biz Travel

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

September 15, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor Amid a summer of stories about overtourism woes in popular European destinations, one less-packed city found inspiration: Why not pluck some of those visitors from the crowds and show them the benefits of venturing further afield? As tourism reporter Dan Peltier reports, Visit Oslo's "Great Escape" campaign may not solve the problems that have plagued other locales, but it should attract some attention for the Norwegian capital. And Visit Oslo is learning from others how to keep its own tourism efforts under control. In another example of one competitor dissing another, Amtrak released a new marketing campaign Thursday that chides airlines for the misery they put passengers through. Highlighting the railroad service's free carry-on bags, power outlets, legroom, and lack of middle seats, Amtrak is drawing a distinction as it seeks to lure more travelers from planes and cars. — Hannah Sampson, News Editor New Research: The Habits and Behaviors of U.S. and Canadian Travelers [SPONSORED] Sponsored by Expedia Media Solutions A new study from Expedia Media delves deep into the behaviors and preferences of U.S. and Canadian travelers. Read More Top Stories Lola Pivots to Business Travel and Rebrands Lola's pivot to business travel makes a lot of sense from a financial perspective. One has to wonder, however, whether the small company will be able to attract customers in the crowded corporate travel marketplace. Amtrak Ads Call Out Air Travel While Execs Mull Basic Economy Amtrak's new videos speak the truth about the easy comfort of train travel, while flying basic economy is rife with pain points. But how many flyers will become rail-converts for the comfort? Thomas Cook and Expedia Reach Wide-Ranging Deal for Hotel Sourcing and Selling Thomas Cook's efforts to strip its hotel business back to its core exclusive sun and beach properties continues. The deal with Expedia seems more wide-ranging than the previous tie-up with Webjet, and chief executive Peter Fankhauser's comments hint at a potential for a closer arrangement in the future. Business Travelers Weigh Ease of Biometrics Against Privacy Concerns Business travelers are embracing the increasing use of facial-recognition software and fingerprint reading at airports to speed lines, but privacy advocates raise concerns about the security of information and its potential use. Visit Oslo Campaign Rescues Travelers From People-Polluted European Cities Visit Oslo doesn't want to become a shell of itself, lose its Nordic cool character, and attract too many tourists. But it definitely wants a larger slice of international market share, and it is combing through social media for its new campaign to help make that happen. Priceline Bought Momondo and That Was Far Different From Ctrip's Skyscanner Acquisition Priceline's acquisition of Momondo strengthens Kayak in regions where it had less market share, including the UK, Nordics, and Russia. Keeping Momondo out of the hands of a rival, or a potential one, also protects the Kayak brand and Priceline as a whole. UNWTO Appoints Secretary-General Who Wants to Win Over Holdout Countries The UNWTO has been touting impressive growth in global tourism for years but, has only recently started to get more serious about the reality of overtourism. Travel brands will be watching how Pololikashvili responds to the problem, and whether he can get through to destinations that are struggling. New eBook: How to Create a Travel Policy that Employees Will Actually Read [SPONSORED] Sponsored by Booking.com for Business Travel policies don't have to be boring, unwieldy documents that employees dread reading. Download this eBook to learn how to create a travel policy that encourages employees to buy into the company's preferences. Download Now Popular Now Skift Podcast: What to Expect From the New Expedia Our team of experts at Skift can talk Expedia news with the best — in fact, they are the best. Tune in for insight on Expedia's history and future under new leadership. SBE Wants to Become the Ultimate Lifestyle Hospitality Group ... Which is great and all, but can it really succeed? Brand USA Says It Is Confident It Will Still Be Here in 2018 Brand USA is optimistic about its future and is ending its budget year by meeting its partner contributions' goal. But with international visitation in the U.S. continuing to decline, it hopes to get smarter and more strategic with how it spends its marketing dollars in the coming year. 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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