Online Travel News

These articles delve into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies that are shaping the online booking landscape, ensuring that industry insiders stay informed and prepared for change. These stories cover essential topics such as the development of innovative booking platforms, the role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in personalizing travel options, and the impact of mobile technology on customer behavior. Additionally, the news stories highlight the growing importance of user-generated content and reviews in shaping consumer decisions, and the role of social media in the online travel booking ecosystem. Skift’s stories examine the competitive landscape and offer insights into the successes and challenges faced by major online travel agencies (OTAs), startups, and traditional travel companies transitioning to the digital space.

Online Travel

Despegar Widens Reach But Still Reported a Fourth Quarter Loss

Don't be surprised if Despegar makes and acquisition or two in 2023. That's baked into its plans.

Despegar Widens Reach But Still Reported a Fourth Quarter Loss

Online Travel

Oyo Drops Brand Guidelines for Competitive Edge as It Expands in the U.S.

Oyo's new focus on customer support could help, but its relaxation of brand standards in the budget sector could have big reputational risks.

Oyo Drops Brand Guidelines for Competitive Edge as It Expands in the U.S.

News Blog

Booking CEO Glenn Fogel Cites Generative AI’s Promise and Hurdles

Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel cited the "explosion of interest" in generative AI (artificial intelligence), but counseled that it would be prudent to be patient about delivering on its promises. Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, pictured here speaking at Skift Global Forum in September 2022 in New York, is keen on more tech investment.…

News Blog

Online Travel Agency Wheel the World to Offer Guaranteed Accessibility and Price Match

Online travel agency Wheel the World, which serves travelers with disabilities, announced on Thursday that it's offering guaranteed accessibility and price match for hotel rooms booked on its website. "We have identified those details of accessibility and the rooms that have those details,” Wheel the World CEO and co-founder Alvaro Silberstein said, adding that the…

Online Travel

Expedia Joins Companies Pushing Back on ChatGPT Hype

It is fun to speculate about what generative AI could mean for travel, but the online travel agencies are collectively telling us to chill with the hype for the time being.

Expedia Joins Companies Pushing Back on ChatGPT Hype

Online Travel

Airbnb Widened Marketing Edge Against Rivals in 2022

Airbnb, which is very standoffish when it comes to paying for digital ads on Google.com and Google Travel, is winning the marketing sweepstakes by a landslide. Not even close.

Airbnb Widened Marketing Edge Against Rivals in 2022

News Blog

GetYourGuide Relaunches Originals With Homepage Refresh

Tours and activities online booking platform GetYourGuide has unveiled a fresh look on its homepage this week, and with it, a new series of Originals by GetYourGuide. The Originals offering, previously put on hold towards the end of 2022, was run in partnership with local operators in popular destinations. Now the operator has shifted the…

Online Travel

TUI Drives Loyalty Through New Connected Trip Tours

The promise of a "connected trip" has become like the buffering wheel on a lagging digital screen. But a soft launch of a new TUI Tours platform could be one to watch in the push for flexible, frictionless travel booking.

TUI Drives Loyalty Through New Connected Trip Tours

Online Travel

Trip.com Expects Chinese Outbound Travel to Gain Momentum in 2nd Quarter

For a faster recovery of the China outbound market, Trip.com executives say the aviation sector will have to ramp up flight capacity from the current 15-20 percent of pre-Covid level.

Trip.com Expects Chinese Outbound Travel to Gain Momentum in 2nd Quarter

Online Travel

Booking.com’s Cautious Approach to AI

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at Booking.com’s AI approach, U.S. visa backlogs, and hotel wellness programs.

Booking.com’s Cautious Approach to AI