Airbnb Plans to Go Public in 2020 and 19 Other Digital Trends This Week

Airbnb Says It Intends to Go Public in 2020: While $1 billion in revenue is impressive, it’s not the first time Airbnb has achieved the number. What matters for the homesharing platform is the growth narrative. Now that the timing of the company’s IPO is pegged for 2020, we know just how long we will have to wait to see how the storyline plays out. Wholesaler Hotelbeds Cuts Ties to Booking Sites That Break Hotel Distribution Rule: The collapse last week of Amoma suggests that an industrywide crackdown on online travel agencies that violate hotel contracts is getting serious. For example, many hoteliers have wanted Hotelbeds to crack down on bad behavior by some agencies. The distributor of wholesale rates has responded by taking action. Booking Holdings Reaffirms Plan to Charge Commissions on Hotel Resort Fees: Despite criticism and reports of misgivings, Booking Holdings will plow ahead with a groundbreaking policy of charging commissions on resort fees charged by hotels, said CEO Glenn Fogel. He said the move is aimed at discouraging hotels from providing bad customer experiences. British Airways and Click Travel Pilot Automatic Payment System for Direct Booking: This is a good step for the industry, bringing tech improvements not just to the retail side bu