2020 Archives

Right now, a hotel can offer guests lemon water at check-in and call itself a wellness property. A new wellness certification might raise the bar for that distinction and help legitimize the industry.

In a region that has historically struggled in the aviation field, state-run Ethiopian Airlines is truly a success story, playing a key role in the country's economic development and helping solidify its status as a tourist destination. A new airport takes it to the next level.

To call a company the best-capitalized hotel tech startup might seem like pointing out the tallest leprechaun. But while SiteMinder serves only about 36,000 hotels out of a million worldwide, new funding from cash-rich investor BlackRock could fuel the hotel connectivity startup's growth substantially.

Hilton has introduced its 18th brand. Tempo by Hilton is meant to be an affordable lifestyle brand for the modern traveler. But with so many lifestyle brands already out there, how will Tempo be able to stand out?

As the new decade begins, it’s becoming more apparent to the travel industry that the well-being of the individual is intrinsically tied to the well-being of the environment. That’s why we are starting to see hospitality companies looking into getting certified for wellness.

The world is awash in data, but as consumer skepticism about Big Tech is on the rise, travel brands need to rethink the way they use information to generate hyper-relevant offers. The winners will hit the right mix of helpfulness and relevance, evolving beyond personalization to forge even deeper and more meaningful relationships with consumers.

Combined travel and expense technology companies are having a moment right now. One should also watch which travel management companies begin to further flesh out their own integrated expense solutions.

In a tougher operating environment, it makes sense to look at new ways to attract more business. Whitbread has been one of the few hotel chains to totally ignore online travel agents in the past. Now it's signaling a change in strategy at least for corporate customers.

In 2020, the stakes for innovation and being customer-centric are higher than ever. Here are some gaps, opportunities, and much-needed prescriptions to improve travel and hospitality.

Flybe lives to fight another day, but at what cost? The UK government is effectively giving a helping hand to some very rich companies, without providing any of the details. This deal stinks.