Booking’s Edge Over Expedia and 7 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.

>>Announcing exclusive group rates for the inaugural Skift Tech Forum! We’re offering incredible savings for groups because we want to make it easy for you and your coworkers to join us in Silicon Valley: Group Rates Now Available for Skift Tech Forum

>>Executives at Booking Holdings, formerly the Priceline Group, feel aggrieved that the company isn’t getting the credit it deserves in alternative accommodations. In a lot of ways, its battle with Airbnb is over business models. As Airbnb ramps up hotels, we’ll have to see who blinks: Booking CEO: Here’s Our Edge Over Expedia and Airbnb

>>While augmented reality and holograms are the sexy new technologies in the event space, the overall integration of digital tools with physical events is still undergoing a period of transformation: Bridging the Digital Divide for Meetings and Events

>>Augmented reality, virtual reality, and holograms are all cool. But there’s still a ton of work to be done to enhance marketing and event design before turning to gimmicks: Events Need to Look Beyond Digital Gimmicks

>>When we asked then-Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in 2016 whether Airbnb was going to eat his lunch, he responded that he was very well-nourished. But it now appears as though Airbnb has an insatiable appetite. Join us on a Skift Call March 13 to assess the Airbnb threat to hotels and online travel agencies: Skift Call March 13: The Airbnb Threat

>>Amadeus’s track record of profitable growth has been music to the ears of investors. But some airline and hotel executives claim to hear discordant notes in the giant technology vendor’s forecasts: 9 Big Challenges Facing Amadeus This Year

>>Creating a truly global business travel service has been an ongoing effort among the biggest corporate travel giants. As the Chinese market continues to grow in scope and importance, those with an edge in Asia-Pacific are well-positioned for the future: Going Global Can Be a Make or Break Affair in Corporate Travel

>>Stopping people under 21 years old from being able to effortlessly buy assault rifles is a societal decision. But it remains open for debate on how travel companies should treat a gun lobby that opposes such a move: Interview: HotelPlanner CEO Defends His Company’s NRA Ties