Dennis Schaal

When it comes to airfare volatility for business travel, airfare-tracker Yapta has a dog in this fight. Still, Yapta's study shows that corporations, which are undoubtedly acutely aware of the issue, need tools to track the wild world of airline pricing.

As online travel agencies expand their grip into vacation and business travel destinations, their large mobile user base gives them an advantage, as does the fact that as a rule they have much greater technology resources than do hotels.

Expedia led the latest funding round of Room 77, but obviously didn't view an outright acquisition as advantageous. Expedia already has Trivago, which doesn't want to get distracted as it continues to grow and tear up Europe.

As investors consider the looming Sabre IPO, they'll have to consider how adverse the impact would be if Expedia opts to terminate its Travelocity agreement with Sabre during the course of its 9-year term.

Business magazine Forbes is trying to attract business travelers at U.S. airports, hoping they'll buy magazines, luggage and gum. Why not? It could work.

The actual or prospective IPOs of Hilton Worldwide, Extended Stay America and La Quinta notwithstanding, Blackstone is adding pieces to the empire.

Mobile will be transformative to the tours and activities market if and when vacationers think nothing of picking up their mobile devices and see what tours are available in the next hour or so -- then booking them.

Will Groupon emerge as a larger player in online hotel sales? It's possible, but the necessary focus probably isn't there, and flash sales aren't on anyone's 2014 trends list.

Paul Ryan isn't winning many friends in the business travel community. There are efficiencies to be gained across the federal government, but eliminating Amtrak operating subsidies or terminating Brand USA would be short-sighted and detrimental not only to the travel industry, but to the U.S. economy.

Amadeus has a lot of money collecting dust so it might as well acquire a few more hotel and corporate travel technology prizes. The days of Amadeus being known primarily as a global distribution system are such ancient history.