2014 › August

For now, the debate around legroom reigns in national consciousness.

Orbitz Worldwide obviously caved on this one and couldn't afford to see American Airlines, and now US Airways, flights go missing on Orbitz sites for six months, as happened during the contract impasse a couple of years ago.

One big force in the travel industry, Southwest Airlines, did what was right as a good corporate citizen (or at least was worried about a brand hit), and is ending ties with SeaWorld after a 26-year relationship. Others in the travel industry see only dollar signs.

Educating and training local stakeholders on the economic importance of tourism is as critical to a destination's long-term success as raising awareness to tourists around the globe. These destinations use a mix of old and new techniques; however, there's always room for innovation.

Whether it is Smart Host, another startup or one of the established players, the short-term rental industry is ripe for disruption in so many areas and someone is going to deliver on the dynamic pricing premise.

Brands that have become well-known for a certain product, whether it's beaches or business, need to work hard to shift consumers' awareness of their offerings. This often takes a multi-channel, multi-year marketing strategy.