Blockchain Blockade + China Debuts WTTC Rival + Biz Travel Pain Points

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

October 10, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor We've written for years that global travel's balance of power is tilting toward the East. China is now the largest outbound tourism market and its travelers are coveted. Correspondent Raini Hamdi writes today about the debut of the Chinese government-backed World Tourism Alliance, a development that assuredly got the attention of the World Travel & Tourism Council and regional tourism associations. This move could upend the global tourism status quo. Blockchain may one day bring its own kind of transformation to the travel industry pecking order, or it could turn out to be a dud. It's too soon to know. But in an article today we suggest that the big online travel agencies may have a vested interest in slowing the adoption of blockchain, and maintaining the distribution status quo. Could the online innovators get out-innovated? We'll see. — Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor How Global Travel Brands Can Get Their Employees on the Same Page [SPONSORED] Sponsored by Smartling Managing a global travel company comes with its own set of challenges that national and local travel brands don't usually have to face. Communication among employees is often a chief concern, but providing content available in their local language can help improve employee engagement and drive efficiency. Read More Top Stories Why Online Travel Agencies Will Line Up Against Blockchain Adoption The online travel agencies — as the Apex Predators and beneficiaries at the top of the current distribution scheme — aren't likely to rush in to invest in a technology that democratizes access to travel content. China Challenges WTTC With Launch of Global Tourism Group China has initiated the formation of a new world tourism organization. The UNWTO, WTTC and PATA are exceedingly polite about it, but there are undercurrents of uneasiness about how much influence the new China-led World Tourism Alliance can wield. Global Business Travelers Agree the Biggest Hassle Is Time Spent in Transit Every business traveler hates delays and annoying layovers. There are pronounced regional differences in the value business travelers perceive during and after a trip, though. UK Tourism Industry Unites to Target Post-Brexit Growth Coming together and trying to carve out a deal from the UK government makes sense for the tourism industry. The only problem with that is the country's looming separation from the European Union, which is casting a shadow over its political and economic future. Airline Data Powerhouse Needs to Evolve as Fast as Airfares Have The fare-filing clearinghouse ATPCO needs to adapt to airline distribution's rapid changes. Much depends on whether its new CEO can boost the organization's metabolism. Business of Loyalty: Hyatt Intends to Expand Program to Vacation Rentals It may soon be possible through Hyatt to earn hotel-loyalty program elite status by staying in a vacation rental. Yelp Grows Its Restaurant Operations Footprint In a competition for high-quality restaurant partners, Yelp has the advantage of leveraging a company's success on its platform of highly searchable user-generated ratings and reviews. Bareburger to Debut a Breakthrough Vegan Burger Bareburger found success serving the plant-based Impossible Burger in half of its locations, but to sustain a standalone vegan concept, the menu has to go much deeper than a basic burger. Popular Now Hotels Try to Soothe Guest Concerns in an Age of Permanxiety It's a constant challenge for hoteliers to ease the concerns and anxieties of their guests. The process, however, starts with strong training and compassion for others. First Class Is Shrinking but Here's Why It Remains Important First class is becoming more rarified as carriers emphasize dense business class configurations. But the most exclusive product does still play a role for well-heeled customers and the marketing departments of top carriers. Standard Hotels CEO Talks Up Same-Day Booking Apps But Thinks HotelTonight Has Lost Its Value The kind of curation the One Night app provides its users really does set it apart from other booking channels. The bigger question, though, is how many people actually know about it? 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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