Sean O'Neill

Fornova is one of many startups aiming to cash in on hotels' eagerness to prioritize direct bookings. Given the massive potential market and demand, one of these companies has a shot at breaking out in a spectacular fashion.

In his first Q&A with Skift, President and CEO of Travelport Gordon Wilson acknowledges that suppliers are no longer as dependent on distribution technology companies as they once were. He makes a persuasive case that better meeting the needs of suppliers is the way to thrive.

It appears that the mystery buyer is a brand holding company that may not be focused on travel. If so: What a lost opportunity.

International Airlines Group (owner of British Airways and Iberia) has invested in a couple of travel startups, while Paris-based RoomChecking makes a striking debut as a next-gen hotel operations startup — plus more news.

Can 4.2 million flyers be wrong?

Travel suppliers and agencies will only get serious about virtual reality when it's more than a marketing stunt and actually grows revenue. So Amadeus is testing how flight comparison and booking could work in virtual reality.

Long-promised improvements to airport security screening and rebooking in the event of flight disruption may finally be in the offing, thanks to follow-on rounds of fundings to the startups Clear and Freebird.

Given all the hype about messaging, it's eye-opening that only one out of eight American travelers say they have electronically chatted with a travel brand.

It's nice when folks smarter than us land on the same dime. General Catalyst and Accomplice, the famed venture capital firms, join us in seeing promise in Freebird, which gives corporate travel agencies superpowers when it comes to rebooking travelers.

The market for software to tour merchants is fragmented without a single clear leader. Yet Peek now has an advantageous position, thanks to the acquisition of the assets of one of its chief rivals.