Sean O'Neill

Ctrip's revenue growth has remained in line with forecasts, but its costs are rising. More interestingly, the online travel giant has branched out into hotel management by providing data services and marketing support to franchisees for a new brand, Rezen.

No one saw that Argentina's economy would take such a bad turn this year. But Despegar, based in Buenos Aires, is making moves to weather the storm after its market valuation has been slashed in half.

Renowned venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has famously pushed the notion that "software is eating the world." It seems likely the firm believes software is now going to upend how companies book travel, in particular, and that companies like TripActions will profit from the shift.

Amadeus is spending more heavily on R&D than its competitors, which it is betting augurs well for its future.

AppZen wants to remove the stress from filing monthly expense reports at companies worldwide, and it applies artificial intelligence to address the problem in a way that sounds compelling.

Gordon Wilson, the CEO of Travelport, said in an interview that he sees India as one of the drivers of its long-term growth. That's plausible, but not assured. Private equity should take the company private to shield it from quarterly earnings pressure, and allow it to invest properly to make the most of its varied opportunities.

CEO Sean Menke has turned around Sabre's performance since coming on board in 2017. No wonder investors have bid up the travel technology company's share price since then.

Naren Shaam, CEO and founder of GoEuro, is earning kudos for his vision of making transport booking seamless. Top-tier investors are once again supporting his startup's growth.

MakeMyTrip's management deserves credit for ending a period of decelerating growth and for reducing operating losses over several quarters. But many investors are impatient for an era of profits.

When it comes to the acquisition game, Expedia Group CEO Mark Okerstrom is one of the travel industry's savviest players. It's fun to see him back at it, after a mostly quiet period of him settling into the company's top job.