Who’s Leading the Next Wave of Biz Travel Innovation

Voilà, here it is, the latest edition of the Skift Corporate Travel Innovators List. We put our brains together to highlight some of the people doing interesting things that are helping to push the sector forward.

We also have the latest on Travelport’s strategy as it goes private again, and a new brand for millennials that blends hospitality, co-working, and more to offer major appeal for younger business travelers.

If you have any feedback about the newsletter or news tips, feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet me @sheivach. 

— Andrew Sheivachman, Senior Editor

Airlines, Hotels and Innovation

The Skift 2019 Corporate Travel Innovators List: Innovation is slow in corporate travel, mainly due to the entrenched legacy systems that undergird the sector and the complex web of financial incentives that power incumbents. These leaders are doing something different in a space defined by convention.

Selina Raises $100 Million for Its Millennial-Focused Lodging: Selina is riding a wave of venture capital investment like a dreadlocked surfer with remarkable poise. Come to Skift Forum Europe to hear CEO Rafael Museri explain how his startup may capsize the traditional hospitality model.

Grab Enters Travel Booking With Hotels Now and Flights Next: In the face of a fast-growing and innovative rival, Grab’s foray into travel, starting with hotels, could give it an edge over archrival Go-Jek, which does not do travel — yet.

Travelport’s Plan to Build Market Share With U.S. Airlines and Agencies: Travelport sees an opportunity to gain share with mid-market travel management companies in the U.S., which seems plausible. But it will need to keep up its pace of adopting new technologies and policies to pull that off.

The Future of Travel

Bizzabo and Gather Raise Millions for Event Tech: Two event tech startups, Bizzabo and Gather, have raised millions in funding to help businesses and restaurants manage and grow events. The companies are benefiting from a 2019 Megatrend that Skift summarized as “real-world experiences gain value in an era of tech burnout.”

How Finnair Got It Wrong in China: Finnair has made the most of its Helsinki hub’s advantageous position when it comes to flying to Asia, but clearly it hasn’t gotten everything right.

Google Maps Adds More Hotel Search Filters: Google Maps is plotting a clear course in the direction of becoming a superapp for travel and dining. We’ll continue to track the trend closely.

Skift Senior Editor Andrew Sheivachman [[email protected]] curates the Skift Corporate Travel Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Thursday.

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