2020 Archives

This week in hospitality news, Airbnb began its promised crackdown on party houses in Los Angeles, plus Marriott is still waiting to see exactly how much it has to pay in European fines stemming from a massive data breach.

Graduate Hotels has grown to 22 hotels in college towns in six years. Now it intends to face down new competition by branching out to larger urban markets where it can continue to appeal to people involved in universities but also attract other clientele.

This week, travel startups DAQ Soft, The Guild, Shep, Hellotickets, Bob, Beonprice, Whizar, IceLolly, and Your Rentals raised funding. It's great that angel investors continue to support early-stage companies.

Can Coupa really take on SAP Concur? It has a chance, mainly due to its products and services that are outside the traditional purview of travel management.

Luxury travel, fashion concierge services have started taking off, and different companies are vying to grab the top spot. Right now it seems the front-runner is Rent the Runway, but more niche brands could find traction too.

Ninan Chacko's abrupt exit as CEO of Travel Leaders Group elicited "wows" across the travel industry when people heard the news. The reasons behind his departure, and what new strategy controlling shareholder Certares Management has in mind is mere speculation for now.

As the global travel industry enters a new era of responsibility, how we define and measure the impact of community tourism must evolve beyond the traditional understanding of community-based tourism as a tool for community development. When done right, everyone wins – local people and businesses are empowered to thrive, travelers return home with a greater sense of connectedness, and everyone working in tourism benefits.

Rental is the future of fashion, and the trend could transform how we pack and plan for upcoming trips. What businesses are ready to serve the demand?

He's been hinting at it for a while, but it's still something of a shock to hear that Willie Walsh is finally hanging up his boots. The Air Europa deal — should it come off — looks like his last hurrah.

As event tech companies look to streamline their platforms, some will look outside the event sector for leaders to help lead the process.