Business Travel News

The global heat map for tours and activities continues to burn bright this year as big players like TUI scoop up small players like Musement for back-end technology that will help them get more personalized products to travelers.

The market for off-the-beaten-path tours and experiences has been heating up this year with the emergence of Airbnb’s Experiences. TripAdvisor, which emphasizes on-the-beaten path offerings, is putting a huge effort into trying to stay on top. Its new travel agent program is part of that effort.

Increased choice is vital for corporate travel as employees are more willing to experiment with homeshares, hostels, and other alternative accommodations. Companies that embrace variety now will be able to lead the way going forward.

Hamburg is home to Europe's largest urban redevelopment, which the city and convention bureau are leveraging as a test laboratory for the future of urban mobility, livability, placemaking, and community engagement.

Travel managers are avoiding basic economy fares, and rightfully so. The consensus is that travelers end up paying more over the course of a trip if they go basic economy and have a worse flight experience to boot.

BridgeStreet is bringing homeshares and hostels to its platform in order to offer more variety to business travelers. The key will be finding success among travel managers by making it easier for them to book stays outside traditional extended stay hotels.

Cox & Kings remains at the forefront of luxury tourism — not bad for a company that began life in 1758.

Craft cocktail culture is based on the same principles driving change in the luxury hospitality world today: consumers’ desires for best-quality ingredients, a curated sense of place, and staff conscious of (and connected to) the local scene.

International brands are clamoring to build loyalty with Chinese travelers. Just recently, American and Singapore airlines launched partnerships with Fliggy, a Chinese booking engine, to share loyalty perks across platforms.

The travel agent still exists for a reason. Despite having the option, plenty of people don't want to do it on their own, and are happy to get someone else to make plans — even if it costs more.