Highest-Paid Online Travel CEOs and 8 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.

>>When it comes to airlines, customers care more about price than anything else, it seems: Ranking Customer Satisfaction With Airlines, Hotels and Online Travel Agencies

>>In his first Q&A with Skift, President and CEO of Travelport Gordon Wilson acknowledges that suppliers are no longer as dependent on distribution technology companies as they once were: Travel Tech CEO Series: Travelport Is Doubling Down on Its Payments Business and on Distribution, Too

>>HNA Group tried to enter the U.S. online travel agency market through Travana/Janbala and abruptly had a change of heart either because the startup didn’t know what it was doing or because of some other dynamic in the opaque world of Chinese investors: China’s HNA Invested $28 Million to Start a U.S. Online Travel Agency and Abruptly Closed It

>>Fornova is one of many startups aiming to cash in on hotels’ eagerness to prioritize direct bookings: Israeli Hotel Tech Startup Fornova Secures $17 Million in New Funding

>>Money talks and Gillian Tans was well-compensated for leading Booking.com, the largest accommodations provider on the planet, to a banner year: Booking.com’s Gillian Tans Was Highest-Paid Online Travel CEO in 2016

>>When it comes to growing brands — or at least buying companies with capable management teams — Expedia knows what it’s doing. You can count on Trivago and HomeAway both becoming more formidable than they are today: Expedia CEO: Our 2 ‘Supercharger’ Brands Are Leading the Way

>>In this video from Skift Forum Europe, CEO Gareth Williams explains why his travel price-comparison is finding inspiration from Chinese online retailer Tmall: Video: Skyscanner CEO Thinks Travel Sites Could Learn From Chinese E-Commerce

>>In his first Q&A with Skift, eDreams Odigeo CEO Dana Dunne says the travel company has made large gains since he took it over a couple of years ago. True. But more changes are needed before a conglomerate such as Ctrip would seriously consider buying it: Interview: eDreams Odigeo CEO Touts the Road Back From Post-IPO Nightmare

>>More than a dozen travel startup incubators and accelerators, backed by some of travel’s best-known companies, have popped up in the past few years. Picking winners and helping them sign deals isn’t just plug-and-play: Travel Tech Startup Accelerators Learn From Early Missteps and Adjust Course