TripAdvisor’s New Sponsored Listings and 6 Other Digital Trends This Week

>>Hotels — 10,000 of them — have voted with their feet, or advertising budgets, that is, and are trying out TripAdvisor’s new sponsored listings program. The bottom line is the success or failure of the program will depend on how it impacts advertisers’ bottom lines: TripAdvisor CEO Bullish on Giving Hotels New Ad Path to Top of Listings

>>With laws in flux and hackers prowling for access, companies are trying to help corporate travelers protect valuable business data, but the efforts are piecemeal and inconsistent. Attempts to require loaner devices or limit access to information risk making international travel less productive: Data Privacy Is a Bigger Issue Than Ever for Business Travelers

>>Data security is a complicated issue for companies, and it’s only getting more complicated as threats mount around the world. Hopefully, last year’s laptop ban acts as a wake-up call for businesses that haven’t paid attention to the security risks of business travel: Protecting Data Becomes Focus a Year After the Laptop Ban

>>A recent change in policy at Travel + Leisure is setting the luxury travel agent world abuzz. But T + L’s move to monetize its A-List also says something about the changing state of travel journalism: Travel + Leisure and the Problem of Pay to Play

>>Times are tough for legacy travel media brands and they are having to come up with more creative ways to cash in. But bringing in a charge for its A-List — no matter how this manifests itself — calls into question the idea of editorial independence: Paying to Be on the A-List

>>Travel startups face long odds, but the lucky ones have a champion in Suzanna Chiu, who has spearheaded an array of programs at travel technology giant Amadeus that have been helping startups thrive. The industry needs more folks like her: Skift Forum Europe Preview: Amadeus Is Revving Up Its Startup Involvement

>>MasterCard, Hyatt, and others must have done their homework before they invested in IfOnly. Still, the startup certainly expects outsiders to take too much on faith about its progress: IfOnly Raises $20 Million for Activities Booking: Travel Startup Funding This Week