Trivago Outspends TripAdvisor on U.S. TV Ads and 5 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.

>>The big lesson here is that digital first is the future: 13 Big Winners in Travel Advertising at Cannes Lions 2017

>>Carnival Corp. said its cruise lines have made a case for additional advertising and marketing dollars to generate more bookings — and the parent company is listening. Now we wait to find out how that money gets spent and what kind of results they will see: Carnival Is Upping Its Ad Spending to Drive More Cruise Bookings

>>Europe may be criss-crossed by thousands of miles of rail track, but it has taken a long time to link each of the different countries. Train travelers who want to go between countries have not benefited from the single market approach that liberalized the aviation industry: Acquisition of Rail-Booking Site Loco2 Shows Sector’s Potential

>>Some destinations are still early to the party in harvesting data from residents and travelers on tourism trends and impacts. How that information is shared with local politicians and residents is still a work in progress: Destinations Struggle to Use Data to Manage Tourism Growth

>>Will TripAdvisor be able to break through as it starts its TV campaigns around the world? Trivago has a big advantage. At this juncture in its life, Trivago is focused on gaining share while profit concerns take a back seat: Trivago Is Spending Three Times More Than TripAdvisor on U.S. TV Ads

>>As travel becomes more accessible to the Chinese lower and middle class, offering payment methods such as AliPay and WeChat Pay will be a definitive competitive advantage: Chinese Travelers Turn to Messaging Apps To Make Payments