Skift’s Top Travel Startups and 7 Other Digital Trends This Week

Skift Top Travel Startups to Watch 2019: We’ve pinpointed 25 of the most promising venture-backed travel companies. Check out our list to find a useful partner for your business.

Facebook’s New Libra Cryptocurrency Could Solve Travel Payments Dilemma: Cryptocurrency is only in its early days, but already it’s easy to see how its mission to democratize the financial system might be co-opted. And do currency reformers really need Facebook, with all of its baggage, leading this Libra effort?

European Cities Turn to EU for Help in Battle Against Airbnb: Until Airbnb becomes more forthcoming about the information in its listings, which would enable cities to enforce their local regulations, the company will continue to face opposition from municipalities that want to limit its growth.

RateGain Acquires BCV, Gains Momentum in Hotel Tech Consolidation: RateGain, a travel tech company backed by private equity, said it has begun a roll-up of hotel tech vendors. It joins a party led by Shiji, Amadeus, Accel-KKR-backed Travel Tripper, Sabre, and Jonas Software.

Why Corporate Travelers Are So Reluctant to Use Company Booking Tools: It’s not enough for companies to offer online booking tools — they need to not only make sure employees know how to use them but also do a better job at keeping up with digital trends.

Private Equity Takes Control of Cendyn in a Bet on Hotel Tech: Many hoteliers will be watching what Cendyn’s new president, Tim Sullivan, does to grow his company’s software suite, which offers tools for automated marketing, business intelligence, and group sales management. Can it fend off competitors?

Tour Operators: Airbnb Adventures Knows Distribution, Not Destinations. Big-name tour operators aren’t losing sleep over Airbnb Adventures. But some are indeed paying close attention, which is prudent. Just ask European airlines, which underestimated the emergence of Ryanair and EasyJet, and would love to have a do-over.

Companies That Spend More on Travel See Big Boost to Business: Global companies with a high volume of travelers, take note. Tight travel budgets and overly strict travel policies don’t make for happy or productive employees.

Investing in Travel Makes Companies More Competitive: Viewing travel costs as an opportunity rather than a necessary evil can help businesses become stronger, in terms of both morale and revenue. Making this shift is hard, and it’s unclear how many companies are ready to commit.