Dennis Schaal

If startups don't learn and adapt, they die. VerbalizeIt is trying to determine whether a business-to-business focus can translate into success.

Established trip-planning sites, whether they deal in individual travelers or groups, are not fearful of this acquisition.

Given the flurry of merger and acquisition activity in the travel industry over the last couple of years, some of the TUI Travel accommodation and specialty tour businesses will undoubtedly be sold although it looks like the merged TUI AG-TUI Travel will be stuck with a bunch of them.

If you are super-interested in what new features might be incorporated into a travel app update, don't trust the description. Instead, download the app and try it because there may be some sleeper features and surprises in there that perhaps the company didn't want to publicize yet.

Russians are traveling and coming online, although the economic crisis and Ukraine volatility is relegating much of their wanderings to domestic trips.

The merger and acquisition frenzy in the travel industry continues apace, and Expedia's acquisition of the Auto Escape Group will enhance Expedia's global competition with the Priceline Group.

GoPro learned early that vanity sells in the form of selfie videos. GoPro's challenge will be to evolve from a gadget company into a media enterprise because hardware can fairly easily be copied.

The Alternative Spanish Stock Exchange sounds like a public-company incubator and an attractive way for small-cap companies to prove their mettle.

Near-field communication tech is already being used by companies such as Zipcar to unlock its rental cars so why not hotel guest room doors. HotelTonight is on its way to making that happen.

Desti's demise was a no-brainer to predict. It is no accident that Uber and Airbnb are grabbing headlines while me-too trip-planning startups are finding it impossible to compete against TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet and Kayak.