2013 › April

Blackstone saddled Travelport and Orbitz Worldwide with tremendous debt, and greatly restricted Orbitz's freedom to maneuver. There have to be some champagne corks popping this weeks as Orbitz has a chance to taste some freedom.

This is a big outcome for Blackstone, the PE firm that owns SeaWorld. But the attractions company, which has seen good growth over the last year, is still vulnerable to larger ups and downs of economy and how that affects how people view destination travel as part of their plans.

The Indian aviation market isn't exactly the most healthy business market, and you would expect AirAsia to want to have as wide a distribution network as possible, instead of just working with its JV partner Expedia.

It's not that Seibu couldn't stand a bit more oversight but really, would you concede to letting Dan Quayle sit on your board?

Business travel has picked up in the first quarter of 2013, but travelers and their employers are still looking for a bargain prompting budget chains to redesign in an attempt to offer modern rooms at a low cost.

Last year's gains were credited to the Olympic events, so these numbers are promising. In addition to business travelers, tourists searching for budget bargains are now turning to rail over air for better travel experiences and cheaper tickets.

Norwegian has realized there's money to be made off the excellent relationship between Scandinavia and Asia.

Increased attention on the operations and costs of national parks under tight budget restraints should motivate state and regional parks to also analyze and reassess how they run.

One can expect some real profits from the new American once the merger goes through in light of continued this airline consolidation, and all the costs American is shedding through the bankruptcy process.

There’s a financial strain to visiting hotspots for tourists, but Hawaiian businesses are taking advantage of the booming Asian market and increased connectivity while they’re still in the limelight.