Isaac Carey

Watching how adoption of new distribution technology plays out in this early stage can give us a look into what to expect in the future. Especially if direct distribution ever moves into other areas of travel booking, like hotels.

The concept of bleisure has gained increasing popularity over the past few years, but time remains an issue for travelers. Attendees want to do more than pass through a destination, and event hosts can go a long way in making that happen.

Many business travelers simply don't have time to explore destinations on their own, no matter how much of a priority they say it is. This is where convention centers can play a key role, bringing the destination to time-strapped attendees.

This week in digital news, Booking Holdings has trouble implementing its new commission charges, and two key travel platforms in Asia compete to serve the likely growing number of Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Plus we take a look at some of the privacy issues inherent in building a smart city.

This week in tourism, there may be an upside to Georgia's current political climate, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam embraces its own limitations, and Thailand encourages visitors to venture off the beaten path.

This week in hospitality, Oyo continues its rapid expansion plan, and Taco Bell inches its way into the hospitality sector. Plus we look at what responsibility guests have when it comes to maintaining a positive luxury experience.

This week in aviation, Fastjet CEO Nico Bezuidenhout steps down following millions in losses for the airline, and we examine how Air France-KLM has changed since getting a new CEO a year ago. Plus we talk to the man responsible for keeping Southwest's aircraft looking neat and polished.

Event attendees need places to work, decompress, and put their food down. As obvious as it sounds, these spaces can be hard to find at conferences due to poor venue design. Not only does this have a negative impact on guest mood, it can also lead to more food waste.

Clearly small details can have a pretty big impact on the social and environmental effects of a business event. While many of these details aren't under planners' control, others might be as simple as adding an extra few tables.

It's pretty clear there's a lot of consolidation going on in the travel management space, and there are no signs of that changing. With BCD's most recent investment, the company is in a good position to start planning future acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific region.