Google’s Outsize Impact on the Travel Industry and 7 Other Top Digital Stories This Week

Google’s Customized Travel Search Features Receive Massive Traffic in the U.S.: New Skift Research: This report explores the impact of Google across the travel supply chain, from rivals in the metasearch space to uneasy allies at the online travel agencies and brand clients that can use Google tools to reach their audiences.

Oyo CEO Defends Business Practices That Anger Some Hoteliers: If you were thinking after a tumultuous last few months that a reformed Oyo would emerge, then guess again. The hotel chain is giving little ground on the basics of its business model, although it vows to get better on the execution of it all.

Fast-Growing Event Rentals Is Still a Very Fragmented Business: Is That a Bad Thing for Planners? Event rentals are poised to grow throughout 2020, suggesting that event planners want no part of seeing this sector consolidate. Planners still prefer traditional procurement methods, with as many choices as possible.

Skift Forum Europe Preview: Booking.com’s Top Marketing Exec Vows to Unify Messaging: There’s a ton of pressure on Booking.com’s new chief marketing officer, especially given the fact that his boss said a few months ago that the brand’s creative hasn’t been up to par. The company wants to lean into brand marketing, but that means there has to be some stellar advertising to lean into. See the challenge?

Corp Travel Buyers Have a Hard Time Keeping Programs Simple: Travel buyers know that simplifying their programs can lead to major benefits for their organization. Corporate travel, unfortunately, is anything but simple.

Event Rentals Projected to Rise in 2020 But Coronavirus Cancellations May Add Uncertainty: Events are growing across the world, and rental companies are set to reap the benefits, particularly compared to their construction equipment and tool rental counterparts. Will fallout from the coronavirus outbreak dampen this momentum?

Behind the Travel Buyer’s Search for Simplicity: It turns out simplifying travel programs isn’t a major priority for most organizations. This is an unfortunate reality, leaving travel buyers with numerous challenges.

Loyalty Prime Raises Funding for Subscription-Based Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week: Several travel companies, such as Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Frankfurt Airport, have used the services of Loyalty Prime, a startup that builds next-generation software for running loyalty programs. Loyalty Prime’s new funding is part of a wave of investment that we expect to see in loyalty tech companies.