Priceline’s Half Billion $ Investment + Spain’s Tourism Problem + Carnival’s Wearable Delay

Our outlook is primarily beyond the lower 48 states today with headlines out of or relevant to Catalonia, China, and Puerto Rico

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

October 19, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor Our outlook is primarily beyond the lower 48 states today with headlines out of or relevant to Catalonia, China, and Puerto Rico. First up, we had our London-based editor Patrick Whyte look into what Catalonia's independenccould mean to Spanish tourism. Sneak peek: Not a ton of good. In China, a nearly half-billion investment by Priceline into one of the country's largest e-commerce platforms signals a new approach to relations in the region by the travel giant's newish CEO. And in Puerto Rico, a tourism official offers a blunt assessment of the challenges and the promise ahead for the island. — Jason Clampet, Editor-in-Chief Skift Global Forum 2017 Recap: Why Traveler Loyalty Has Never Mattered More [SPONSORED] Sponsored by Olson 1to1 The most successful brands are treating loyalty as an outcome and long-term business strategy in building advocacy, not just a way to keep customers on the hook. Read More Top Stories Skift Research is Hiring a Full-Time European Analyst Come work for the best boutique travel media research company on the planet! Catalonia's Bid for Independence Is Complicating Tourism in Spain A prolonged period of uncertainty over Catalonia's future does nobody any favors. The region and the city of Barcelona have endured a difficult 2017 and it will be interesting to see if this has any impact on tourism in 2018. Video: Priceline CEO Glenn Fogel on How Artificial Intelligence Will Make Travel Seamless We've heard for several years how travel brands will use new technology to make travel seamless. We wish it would happen next year. But it sounds like we'll have to wait awhile. Perhaps someday we'll get there. Priceline Invests $450 Million in Chinese E-Commerce Giant Meituan-Dianping The deal shows the pragmatism of Priceline Group's new CEO toward China. Glenn Fogel chose to partner with a second local player rather than rely just on its existing partnership with Ctrip. JetBlue Airways Drops a Dozen Online Travel Agencies in Cost-Cutting Move On its own, this is no big deal. Not many people book JetBlue tickets on Vegas.com or whatscheaper.com. But JetBlue called this phase one, so we'll be watching closely to see the airline's next step. Business Travelers Remain Concerned About Work-Life Balance Travel managers may finally take the initiative to improve quality of life for their travelers in a meaningful way. Business travelers themselves remain worried about the negative effects of traveling for work. Puerto Rico Convention Bureau CEO Is Focusing on 2018 After Hurricane Maria The Puerto Rico Convention Bureau is actively selling for 2018 meetings and conventions despite the fallout from Hurricane Maria, but with the rebuilding efforts, the island should reposition itself more as a hub of industry innovation rather than just a U.S. tropical paradise. Carnival Corp. Is Delaying the Full Launch of Its New Wearable Tech The last thing Carnival Corp. wants is for its much-hyped new technology to be a flop with guests. So a phased rollout it is — though we wonder why that wasn't the plan from the beginning. 6 Takeaways from the 2017 TechTable Summit With increasing agreement, hospitality professionals and technologists understand that technology continues to fundamentally change the industry. What's less clear is the exact path to success. Video: Q&A on The Shift Toward Traveler Authenticity and Meaning with American Express Travel [SPONSORED] Sponsored by American Express Travel When it comes to planning a trip, it's no longer just about the destination. Consumers today want their travel to include customized, curated experiences that connect with their personal passions. Watch Video Popular Now Trivago Launches a Subsidiary to Sell Hoteliers on Its Business Tools Trivago, its parent Expedia, and Booking.com all want to provide business services to hotels. It's easy to see the potential value to resource-strapped hotel managers. Still, many hoteliers remain suspicious of these giants. Airbnb Reverses Strategy in Return to Affiliate Partnerships With Big Players The homesharing giant is only partnering with websites that attract at least a million visitors a month. Airbnb is calculating that the revenue upside would be worth the brand sacrifice that comes with affiliate marketing. Why Luxury Travel Brands Should Pay Attention to High-End Retail Trends International spending on luxury goods often tracks movements in worldwide travel. A recent report sheds light on how travel and high-end shopping are intertwined. 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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