Small Biz Travel Security + Google Sidesteps OTA Fears + Helping Travelers With Disabilities

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

July 6, 2018 View in browser

Editor's Note Skift coined the term "permanxiety" last year to explain the state of unease today's travelers live with, from anxieties over neo-isolationism to racial tensions to terrorism and security. We are committed to covering the topic as we demonstrate with reports from our Business Travel Editor Andrew Sheivachman. His story today focuses on contracted security services that are being provided to midsize and smaller companies to help protect their traveling employees. As Sheivachman points out: "Safety and security should be a major concern when a company designs its travel policy. Often, though, it can take a back seat to practical considerations or financial limitations." This story follows an earlier one from Sheivachman about the lack of security measures tailored for female business travelers. We're not sure any of this will have you breathing any easier next time you are on the road, but Skift will continue making security coverage a priority so you'll know how companies are making you safer and when and where policies fall short. — Tom Lowry, Managing Editor Why Personalization Is the Future of Hotel E-Commerce Sponsored by Duetto The hotel industry has an opportunity to transform the direct booking process using website personalization. Doing so can help deliver a more efficient and customized booking experience, resulting in better conversion ratios and the opportunity to further cultivate relationships with guests. Read More Top Stories Outsourcing Security Has Big Implications for Business Travel at Smaller Firms Not every company can afford a dedicated security director. There are services out there, though, that are evolving to offer more automated security solutions that aren't just for multinational corporations and global operations. Video: Why Google Is Happy Sticking With Search Of course Google could become an online travel agency if it wanted to, but why would it want to jeopardize such a lucrative revenue stream in terms of ad dollars it receives from booking sites? Online Travel Players Boost Accessibility for Travelers With Disabilities People who want to select a non-smoking room are shown options at most booking sites. The industry needs to be just as helpful for travelers with specific needs for mobility, hearing, or visual challenges. Thankfully several online booking sites are trying to help. Doing More for Female Business Travelers Companies need to ensure the safety of female business travelers on the road, but most don't have specific policies that are attuned to their needs. Airwallex Receives $80 Million for Payments Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week The past week has seen remarkable fundings of a cross-border payments company, Airwallex, a luggage maker, Away, and a social travel recommendation service, Fever. Of all of these, "fever" has the name that best captures the frothy valuations. Popular Now Technologies Every Hotelier Needs to Understand: Latest From Skift Research The hotel industry needs to catch up with the times when it comes to technology, and we're not just talking about cloud offerings and software-as-a-service technologies. The smart hotelier of today is investing in next-generation tech capabilities such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, voice capabilities, virtual reality, robotics, and more, but all with the guest experience in mind. The Winners and Losers in Accor's Loyalty Revamp Hotel loyalty programs are evolving especially with new forms of accommodation coming online. Change is inevitable but that doesn't mean everyone is going to be happy. Star Wars Is Disney's New Hope to Transform Its Movie-Themed Park Disney's Hollywood Studios has been a work in progress for the last two decades. With Toy Story Land and Star Wars taking center stage, executives believe the park is finally coming into its own. 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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