Weekend Review: Priceline Deep Dive + Brand USA Is Confident

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

September 16, 2017 View in browser

We're focused entirely on our event at the end of the month, so please excuse us if we seem a bit distracted. That doesn't mean we won't bring you the essential stories you need for your work in the travel industry (like Monday's forthcoming story on Google), it just means we may brush past you quickly and not linger to chat as we move on to the next story and plan our on-stage interviews with people including the CEOs of Delta, Expedia, Marriott, Priceline Group, and many more. In that spirit, let me end this note right here. — Jason Clampet, Editor-in-Chief Skift Global Forum Is Almost Sold Out Have you secured your spot yet? Don't miss your chance to hear from the leading innovators in the industry while also networking with 1200+ travel executives from over 40 different countries and 500 companies. Register Now Start Here 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. Interview: Designing for Millennials and the Future of Hotels The future of hotel design might be on a smaller scale, but Yabu Pushelberg knows the design aspirations and expectations will be even greater than they have been before. New Skift Research Report: A Deep Dive Into Priceline's Competitive Position in Travel 2017 Priceline's growth over the past decade is nothing short of remarkable. In this report, we answer, a simple, but important question — Where do we go from here? 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. Crystal Cruises Hires Disney Veteran In Shakeup to Replace Outgoing CEO Edie Rodriguez Crystal Cruises has no shortage of ambitious plans for growth, but those plans have occasionally changed. Its new CEO will need to reassure fans of the luxury brand that the company will steer a consistent course under new leadership. 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. Deconstructing Airbnb's Full Value For Corporate Travel Managers [SPONSORED] Sponsored by Airbnb The next generation of business travelers is clearly interested in home-sharing accommodations, based on the value they provide both in terms of cost and traveler satisfaction. Read More Beds HotelTonight Outlook — Travel's Best and Brightest Have a Say on Its Prospects Most of the travel brainiacs we consulted feel that HotelTonight has an uphill battle ahead, but as they say in baseball, that's why they play the games. In other words, maybe they're wrong, and HotelTonight will have the right stuff to persevere. The entire travel industry is watching. SBE Wants to Become the Ultimate Lifestyle Hospitality Group ... Which is great and all, but can it really succeed? Interview: Bunkhouse's Liz Lambert on Going Local With Hospitality Outsiders Here's one of hospitality's most interesting thinkers on hiring, her approach to service, and the importance of community when launching a development. Flying Interview: Virgin Atlantic CEO on Loyalty and Low-Cost Competition Virgin Atlantic has a strong brand, but for years it has lagged far behind British Airways in most categories. The upstart has just been too small to be a bona fide competitor. But Virgin Atlantic is finally taking action to ensure it will be more nimble going forward. 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? American Airlines Expects Irma Will Be Short-Term Blip on Revenues Airlines might have some trouble in the Caribbean longer term, but Florida should bounce back relatively quickly. That's good news for American and other U.S. airlines. Tourism 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. 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. 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 Travel 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. Business of Loyalty: Alaska and Singapore Forge Codeshare and Loyalty Partnership Alaska's decision to partner with Singapore Airlines, a Star Alliance member, may seem strange, but there are serious benefits for international travelers. How the iPhone Changed the Way We Travel for Better or Worse The hardware and evolving software on the iPhone removed friction for travelers in immeasurable ways. It also created friction. The iPhone beckons us whenever we have an idle moment, forcing us to miss some of the things that make travel, particularly solo travel, so beautiful. Digital 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. Booking.com Buys Evature for Its Chatbot Talent This acqui-hire of Tel Aviv chatbot start-up Evature underlines the intense interest travel companies now have in natural-language search by text or voice -- and for the technical talent that can make the magic happen. India Hotel Brand Oyo Rooms Attracts a $10 Million Strategic Investment From China Lodging Group The 23-year-old CEO of loss-generating hotel aggregator Oyo Rooms has a business vision that has attracted total funding of $446 million to date. What could go wrong? Well... 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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