Golf-Hotel-Resorts AND CASINO News: Facebook Takes On Google + Gogo CEO Is Out + Tour Winners/Losers in 6 Charts

March 6, 2018

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Note From the Editor

It's been a day of backtracking, of sorts. Gogo, the in-flight Wi-Fi provider, bailed on longtime CEO Michael Small after quarter after quarter of losses, and service quality that still drives airline customers and passengers nuts, according to a story from Skift Airline Business Reporter Brian Sumers.

Meanwhile, Google reportedly secured a deal to sell Zagat, the restaurant professional review business that it bought in 2011 when Groupon-like local deals were hot, Skift Table Senior Editor Kristen Hawley reports. Professional reviews were already outdated even when Google acquired Zagat, and the search engine eventually defaulted to user reviews by regular folks. Mergers and acquisitions that can appear sexy at the moment sometimes don't lead to long-lasting relationships.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

What Influences Chinese Millennial Travelers?

Facebook isn't really in the conversation yet when it comes to competing with Google in travel advertising. But Facebook has the ability to reach travelers at various stages of the trip-planning process so it has the potential to be even more disruptive than it has been.

Tours and Activities Race for Dominance in 6 Charts

Viator leads in online tours and activities, as Skift Research's new analysis shows, but being in first also puts a target on its back. Rivals are working hard to close the gap and the race is far from over.

Gogo Replaces CEO With Its Largest Shareholder

Something seems off about this. Yes, Gogo CEO Michael Small probably had to go. But shouldn't the company have chosen a new CEO with a background in telecommunications?

Google Sells Zagat to The Infatuation

Most tech companies have no idea what to do about the creation and management of content. Google proved that with Zagat and other acquisitions, so it is good to see it in the hands of a content-first company.

Lola Expands Business Travel Push With Team Management Features

Lola's new group management travel tools are useful for small companies that don't want to deal with the hassle of creating a heavily managed travel program. Its upcoming marketing push will likely prove crucial as the company looks to attract more customers in a crowded business travel booking sector.

SkyTeam Knows Something About Rebooking That the Other Airlines Don't

Casual travelers often think airlines in the same alliance love to cooperate with each other. That's not always true. They're often fierce competitors. At least SkyTeam has developed new technology that is designed to make it easier for airlines to rebook customers during irregular operations.

JetBlue's Venture Arm Expects Blockchain to Be a Major Disruptor

Will blockchain's impact be like the internet's influence on travel? JetBlue Technology Ventures President Bonny Simi thinks so.

OpenTable Employee Fired for Booking No-Shows on a Rival Platform

The work of one rogue OpenTable employee underscores both the escalating competition in the reservations space and the real-life effects of a restaurant no-show.

American Airlines Takes Basic Economy International

American's bare-bones basic economy fares are about to start appearing on long-haul routes.

This week in aviation, big players were fighting. Ryanair filed a lawsuit against Expedia over screen-scraping, and American is challenging Chicago O'Hare over its deal with United.

Accor Won't Play Marriott's Game With Meetings Commission Cuts

Accor has no plans to follow Marriott International's lead with commission cuts for meetings, but then again Accor's relatively weak presence in North America means it has to focus on drawing in clients instead of pushing them away.

Former Travel Leaders Exec Alleges Sexual Harassment and Wrongful Termination

Richard Branson might be a contender for the king of lechery, and Steve Wynn's sexual harassment scandal didn't come as a surprise to some, but the lawsuit against Travel Leaders Group, if the allegations turn out to be true, is a reminder that you don't have to be a household name to be held accountable.

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