Essential news about Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and the leading online travel brands. Our editors and journalists bring readers breaking news and exclusive reports from the sector.
Ayanti Bera, Reuters
The crisis has caused several deals in the travel sector to come undone, such as an American Express GBT deal, Wex's bid to buy Enett, and Sabre's bid to buy Farelogix. But ever since software firm Ebix offered to buy corporate travel firm Yatra in July 2019, the two companies have been squabbling. So this news isn't surprising.
12 hours ago
Sean O'Neill, Skift
Travelers are finding roadblocks to getting their money back from trips canceled by the pandemic, even when the law requires refunds. Enter online travel group Lastminute.com, which isn't happy about it.
4 days ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Kayak, OpenTable, and Agoda have laid off employees. The flagship brand, Booking.com, initially took Dutch government relief money that forestalled downsizing, but has opted not to extend it. Amid other restructuring moves under way, that means layoffs are likely on the agenda as Chairwoman Gillian Tans re-ups.
4 days ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
In our coronavirus-related stories this week, Skift covered Expedia Group's industry recovery plan, the United Airlines CEO's hopes to avoid bankruptcy, hotel rate negotiations with corporate travel agencies, and what 100,000 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. means for the future of travel.
1 week ago
Sean O'Neill, Skift
The great outdoors is appealing to many people who have been cooped up under stay-at-home restrictions. It's no wonder that several booking services for camping and related services are reporting growth.
1 week ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
China had a head start on both the pandemic and the travel recovery. Trip.com Group's international business is languishing because of factors beyond its control, and it is hoping to convert usually outbound international travelers into high-end domestic customers. It's all going to be a very long and twisty road.
1 week ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
The liability protections that online travel businesses such as Airbnb, Google and Tripadvisor enjoy under the Communications Decency Act could be collateral damage in President Trump's effort to go after Twitter and Google for what he views as "censorship" or biased coverage.
1 week ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Airbnb would have been eviscerated had it focused on a relief package for hosts that was primarily marketing credits. Expedia's recovery plan for partners isn't philanthropy, but although the company will likely take a revenue hit, it will benefit from increased partner engagement as the travel industry bounces back.
1 week ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Expedia Group is trying to simplify its far-flung operations, and its multifamily, short-term rental business wasn't a core endeavor. That's especially true when you consider how Covid-19 has decimated demand for such properties in urban areas.
2 weeks ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Many companies won't reopen for business when coronavirus ebbs, but two that will definitely still be left standing will be Expedia Group and Airbnb. They could potentially find ways to cooperate in the face of bigger threats in the form of Google and Booking.com.
2 weeks ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Can Expedia Group wean itself away from Google, and avoid performance marketing spending when it doesn't hit return on investment targets? New CEO Peter Kern said the coronavirus crisis presents an opportunity to chase these goals. Kern will be judged on what progress he can make toward achieving such previously elusive ambitions.
2 weeks ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
If you ordered a book and it never arrived, you'd expect a refund. Simple. But if you booked a hotel and couldn't get there because of lockdowns, you'd probably have to fight with the hotel or online travel agency for your refund — unless the government required cash back.
2 weeks ago
