TripAdvisor Fights to Keep Its Lead in Attractions and 9 Other Digital Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines digital trends.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>It's no surprise that Priceline's CEO expects mobile use for everything in travel to increase. The question is what the online travel company plans to do about it: Priceline Group CEO Expects Mobile Payments to Catch On Like They Have in China

>>Virtual reality continues to evolve as a media format. Vendors and developers are making new concessions based on how consumers use the technology, and the high costs associated with creating 360-degree content: Virtual Reality Was Everywhere at CES but Adoption Remains Limited

>>The attractions booking sector is TripAdvisor's to lose, especially given its recent success. But unless it pushes faster on mobile innovation, rivals like GetYourGuide and Klook might overtake the company: TripAdvisor Is Fighting to Keep Its Lead in Attractions: The Inside Story

>>From brands as experience platforms to strategic mergers, diversity messaging and beyond: These are the Megatrends in travel we're watching closely in 2018: The Megatrends Defining Travel in 2018

>>Emerging technologies like facial recognition are still far off from hitting the mainstream of event technology. But for now, there are a variety of options that can help meeting planners become more efficient and improve the quality of their events: Complexity Increases for Meeting Planners as Digital Tools Evolve

>>Figuring out the best technology tools to improve a meeting is hard. Experimentation, within reason, is one path to creating a more efficient planning process and a more dynamic event experience: The Next Generation of Event Tech — Meetings Innovation Report

>>Points, a reseller of airline miles and hotel points, has begun to sign up travel companies to its newer ways of squeezing money out of their programs. But it's still too early to tell for sure how successful these efforts will be: Points International Claims 2017 Growth for Its Loyalty Tech Platform

>>As a sage songwriter once said, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” Trivago CFO Axel Hefer knows that, and he said current headwinds are obviously harder to manage than tailwinds. But if Trivago can work its way out of the mess it’s in, it may emerge as a stronger company: Expedia Could Find a Silver Lining in Trivago’s Woes

>>Travel management companies have tons of data on the behavior and spending patterns of their travelers. Doing something concrete with this information, however, is a work in progress that should be solved sometime soon: The Corporate Travel Tech Revolution Is Still in the Works

>>Corporate travel is still wrestling with building the right platforms to make the most out of traveler data and behavior: Business Travelers Are Still Waiting for Personalization — Corporate Travel Innovation Report