Golf-Hotel-Resorts AND CASINO News: Hilton's Hostel on Steroids + Priceline's New Tech To-Do List + The Hospitality Every Diner Wants

September 27, 2017

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Note From the Editor

We wrapped up Day 1 of Skift Global Forum in New York City yesterday. There was tough talk from the Priceline Group and Lufthansa about personalization and technology that is far from achieving its potential, and much discussion of soft, midscale and luxury brands from the likes of InterContinental Hotels Group, Wyndham and Hilton that will sap the attention span of big hotel chains for years to come.

In an age that Skift characterizes as rife with Permanxiety, tourism boards indicated they struggle with finding a balance between telling it like it is, and promoting the destination. We'll be taking up all these themes and more today at the Forum — and undoubtedly in the months to come.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

Hilton's plan for an urban micro-brand is certainly intriguing, but we'll have to wait until next year for more details.

Priceline Group CEO Sees No Big Investments in Blockchain for Now

A CEO such as the Priceline Group's Fogel has to pick which new technology to panic about next. He's keeping tabs on blockchain, but it's not on his investment to-do list yet.

Restaurateur Danny Meyer on Instagram, Postmates and Why Everyone Really Just Wants a Nice Meal

Restaurateur Danny Meyer's take on the past, present, and future of the restaurant industry begins with genuine, traditional, face-to-face hospitality.

Tourism Leaders Plot Strategy in an Age of Permanxiety

Tourism leaders across continents are recognizing the challenge of marketing travel in this new age of Permanxiety. Destination marketers ought to share best practices with each other on how to adapt.

Why René Redzepi Needed to Close the Original Noma

It's clear that Redzepi's stints in Japan, Australia, and Mexico have been crucial in helping him develop new ideas. The new Noma will be very different to old one, but that's a good thing.

Lufthansa Finds Collecting Passenger Data Is Easier Than Actually Using It

Airlines are getting better at data analysis. So now they face a fresh challenge of having to leverage that data by making their real-world operations correspondingly more responsive.

Royal Caribbean CEO Thinks Hurricane Recovery Will Happen More Quickly Than Expected

Tourism will be crucial for the recovery of island nations devastated by recent hurricanes. The travel industry, across all sectors, needs to do its part to help in the recovery effort.

We think the last thing the Hong Kong-North America market needs is more capacity. This seems like a shaky idea. But remember, Hong Kong Airlines is controlled by HNA Group, a giant conglomerate with deep pockets. You can't count it out.

Priceline May Be Spending Less on Trivago and Changing Hotel Metasearch Dynamics

Booking.com is pulling back from its advertising spend on Expedia-controlled Trivago. But we must await third-quarter financial data and any company pronouncements on the topic to know all of the implications.

Google Travel Is Worth $100 Billion — Even More Than Priceline

While some may disagree, we believe that Google is not becoming an online travel agency. It certainly could do so, but its travel business is already massive and highly profitable. We estimate it will generate around $14 billion in revenue in 2017, and will grow at over 20 percent per year for the foreseeable future.

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