Google's Booking Facelift + Air France-KLM Gets Tighter + Hyatt's Buying Strategy

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

November 1, 2018

Editor's Note Did Ben Smith just make an already formidable challenge that much harder? On his first earnings call on Wednesday as the new CEO of Air France-KLM, Smith called for pushing the company's distinct cultures and operations closer together. Air France and KLM joined forces 14 years ago, enough time for the separate airlines to settle into their own silos under the corporate umbrella. But Smith wants his new company to behave as one. Melding cultures in a merged company is a tall task in year one and two. At year 14, who knows what the playbook is for that? Smith gets high grades within the industry — and he may be willing to suffer some pain making over Air France-KLM into the company he thinks will deliver the best results. Or he may just end up regretting what he wished for. — Tom Lowry, Managing Editor Forget Silicon Valley, California's True Hub for Innovation Is a Few Miles South Sponsored by Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau It's no accident that the world's first music festival, the first TED Talk, and even the Macintosh computer were all born in Monterey. As a destination, it has a unique blend of natural beauty and a history of innovation that are proven to create collaborative breakthroughs. Read More Top Stories How Air France-KLM's CEO Wants to Be Like Other Airline Groups New CEO Benjamin Smith is trying to do something his predecessors failed at — bring Air France and KLM closer together. The two airlines need to work in sync more if the group is going to compete better with rivals in Europe. Book on Google Stands Out More Forcefully in Hotels Redesign When it comes to Google and its hotels redesign, few things are all or nothing. TripAdvisor can worry that Google now has more traveler photos and reviews, but some of them are from TripAdvisor. Hotel websites and phone numbers get featured, but clicking on a book button brings customers to an online travel agency site. In travel, it's never winner take all. Hyatt's High Hopes for Two Roads Revealed We all knew Hyatt was in the mood for a major acquisition. (NH Hotel Group or Starwood, anyone?) And now we have a much better idea of what its plans are for Two Roads, as well as other acquisitions down the line. Virgin Voyages Will Join the Cruise Ship Crowds in Cuba Virgin Voyages has been talking about visiting Cuba for three years now, so this announcement is no surprise. But will the destination still be as popular in 2020 as it is now? Australia and New Zealand Have a New Bigger-Is-Better Pitch for Conventions Australasia's major convention centers are undergoing significant redevelopments. They're getting bigger and better to cope with the growth of mega-meetings, delegates demanding experiences, and the need to save the planet. Why Must We Chat on the Telephone to Get Help From an Airline? It's 2018, and yet most U.S. airlines still handle almost all inquiries from customers via telephone. That has to change. Sign Up To Receive the First Travel Advisor Innovation Report The Travel Advisor Innovation Report will offer some coverage of what the bigger players are up to, while also offering a fresh perspective and giving voice to the needs of home-based or independent travel advisor businesses. Sign up today! Popular Now British Airways Is Filling In Where South African Airways Is Fading To the delight of local tourism authorities, British Airways has been only too happy to fill the gap left by an ever-shrinking South African Airways. This week, Durban was the latest African city to welcome a direct route to the United Kingdom. Booking Unveils Host Tools as Short-Term Rental Rivals Address Their Weaknesses Booking.com wants to service professional managers while going after individual vacation rental owners, too. Airbnb wants to tap into the professional-manager set while branching out into resort areas, and HomeAway wants to get more urban. These companies' offerings will converge, and it's likely their business models will, too. Hotelbeds Rebrands to Focus on Accommodations Although Hotelbeds still sells ancillaries, its main focus is on accommodations and the rebrand makes that clear. 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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