Trivago Tries to Outwit Google and 10 Other Digital Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines digital trends.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>Your eyes weren’t fooling you. Late last year, Trivago really did spend more on its TV ads than ever before in many markets: Trivago Wants to Find Profitability and Spend Big on Marketing, Too

>>It will take some time before passengers can count on reliably fast Wi-Fi on every flight: Gogo Has More In-Flight Internet Bandwidth Than It Knows What to Do With (Sometimes)

>>The more choice, the better the conversion rates of lookers into bookers. When people tell you Airbnb won’t ever get into selling hotel rooms, then consider the lessons Priceline has learned about adding rooms: Priceline Says It Won’t Get Bogged Down by Acquisitions, Like Expedia Did

>>Even if TripAdvisor can straighten out its Instant Booking feature, it still faces the daunting task of changing consumer perceptions in the face of Expedia, Booking.com and others: TripAdvisor Is Being Massively Outspent by Its Biggest Rivals

>>How do you stay efficient and maintain core values when your company scales from 700 to 1,100 employees within a year? You get rid of most job titles and fly everyone to Ibiza for the weekend, says Trivago’s managing director Johannes Thomas: Skift Forum Europe: Trivago’s Bosses Try Unconventional Tactics to Manage Growth

>>Facebook’s ability to retarget consumers combined with the ads being visual, aspirational, cost-effective, and largely in-app for Facebook’s massive and highly-engaged user base will make the platform an increasingly important tool for the travel industry: New Skift Research Report: A Deep Dive Into Facebook’s Impact on Travel

>>Maybe Google’s lackluster travel effort is actually due to its fear of alienating top advertisers like Priceline: Trivago Thinks It Knows How to Outwit Google

>>As we’ve noted before, a lot of industry professionals argue that metasearch and online travel agencies will converge. Skyscanner’s new way of selling Finnair’s fare families may be a sign of trends to come: Skyscanner Enlists Finnair for Most Robust Airline Instant Booking Yet

>>The Priceline Group continues to put up strong growth numbers despite its large size: 5 Key Priceline Earnings Numbers That Show Why It’s Leaping Ahead

>>Two success stories this week: Last year Klook helped travelers book more than five million attractions and activities, making it Asia’s booking leader. Meanwhile, major airlines have been adding LocusLabs’ maps to their apps at a torrid pace: Klook Raises $30 Million for Attractions Search: Travel Startup Funding This Week

>>Airbnb tends to get most of the credit, but ultimately it may be efforts undertaken by online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline that truly bring short-term and whole-home rentals into the travel mainstream: The Mainstreaming of Alternative Accommodations — Digital Marketing News This Week