Online Travel News

Breaking news and insights about online travel booking, online travel agencies, travel startups, venture capital investments, and more essential news about digital travel.

Online Travel

MakeMyTrip Says an India Listing Still on the Agenda

As Oyo, Yatra and ixigo look to go public in India by this year, MakeMyTrip would probably wait and watch to see how these online travel companies fare in the market before launching an Indian IPO.

Peden Doma Bhutia | 2 hours ago

Online Travel

Tours and Activities Should Brace for Spike in AI-Generated Fake Reviews

Generative artificial intelligence has the potential to crash the sentiment pendulum of the review model, if left unchecked. Major online travel agencies would do well to act on verification and disclaimer requirements sooner rather than later.

Selene Brophy | 16 hours ago

News Blog

Google Flights and Hotels Make Europe-Mandated Transparency Changes … in Europe

Google made changes to Google Flights and Hotels related to transparency in hotel reviews and pricing under pressure from the European Commission — but stopped short of making those modifications elsewhere in the world. "Reviews aren't verified," Google states in the European Union. Source: Google At the behest of the European Commission, Google added text…

Dennis Schaal | 2 days ago

Airlines

AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes Refocuses Back on a Superapp Just for Travel

While "disruptive and different" is still the mantra that Tony Fernandes swears by, he says he's choosing to tread carefully even as he aspires to create an AirAsia Republic.

Peden Doma Bhutia | 2 days ago

Online Travel

Google Flights Could Shift Strategy After Heavy Layoffs

Why doesn't Google promote Google Travel as a one-stop shop? The layoffs at Google Flights show there's too much ad revenue in play on the Google.com side of the flights business to merit such an all-in approach.

Dennis Schaal | 2 days ago

News Blog

India’s EaseMyTrip Acquires Majority Stake in Hotel Booking Marketplace CheQin

Indian online travel agency EaseMyTrip announced this week that it has acquired a 55 percent stake in hotel booking marketplace cheQin, owned by Gleego Innovations, for around $370,000. The online travel agency said the acquisition would help strengthen its hotel channel. "With this, EaseMyTrip is in a great position to give its customers a wide…

Peden Doma Bhutia | 5 days ago

Online Travel

Google Leveraged User Data to Dominate Online Advertising: Lawsuit

Google advises "we never sell your personal information." But it should add the following disclaimer: But we make an almost unfathomable amount of money from it.

Dennis Schaal | 7 days ago

Online Travel

6 Travel Startups From 2015: Where Are They Now?

Some of the companies Skift featured in its first travel startup funding roundup went on to thrive, while others ... not so much.

Rashaad Jorden | 1 week ago

Online Travel

How India’s EaseMyTrip Built a Brand Waiving Booking Fees

EaseMyTrip realized early on that the convenience fee is perhaps the most inconvenient part of travel bookings and were willing to let go of it in return for loyal customers.

Peden Doma Bhutia | 1 week ago

Online Travel

The Expedia Case For and Against Keeping Orbitz and Travelocity

In Expedia Group's efficiency drive, there's a certain logic to killing some sub-brands as their market share plummets. But what about all those customers who still love Travelocity?

Dennis Schaal | 1 week ago