Business Travel News

Booking.com's hotel focus has given way to a strategy to serve travelers at every portion of the trip. TripAdvisor already does it, Expedia too. Airbnb is on that full-service road. So Booking.com will have plenty of company.

The next generation of affluent young travelers wants something different when they go away. Offering them something they couldn't ordinarily do is part of it, but so is connecting them with like-minded people.

Travel has always been as much about who you meet as what you do in a new location. These intentional approaches to community and relationship building, fostered by immersive curated experiences, are what luxury looks like to an increasingly disconnected population.

Fraud is much more common than getting hit with a legit data breach, but travel managers are paying more attention to cybersecurity in the wake of high-profile incidents. Virtual cards can help with the small stuff too.

Bidding for government travel contracts is so complex and onerous that many travel management companies don't even bother. The market is huge, despite CWT and Concur's domination.

Navigating the world of government travel is so complex that it's hard for outside companies to handle it. And even if they can, opportunities are slim for getting big contracts with tens of billions of dollars up for grabs.

A proliferation of Hawaii short-term rentals, which are exacerbating an already expensive and tight housing market, is sparking heavy debate in a state where tourism is the main economic driver. While such accommodations are needed to handle rising visitor numbers, some say it's time to get them under control and look at the consequences of unchecked tourism growth.

Airports give beauty brands a great opportunity to test out new retail techniques on a captive audience, and they're increasingly coming up with new ways to sell us stuff.

In Australia, the New Distribution Capability is moving from a vague concept to an active business model, as Qantas urges travel agents to sign up to a new channel with expanded content. Those who miss the June 30 deadline could lose out on some enhancements but also face new fees for airline bookings.

Duty-free airport retail is an excellent way to reach coveted consumers. But airports also serve as the perfect global showcase for brands to test market products, try out new retail concepts, and build brand awareness among customers from emerging countries.