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Tourism
Masks off! Visitors to Disney and SeaWorld amusement parks in the U.S. will like the fresh air of relaxed rules under many circumstances.
Ann Maria Shibu, Reuters | 3 years ago
Online Travel
Hornblower's acquisition of Walks and Lindblad's takeover of DuVine are great case studies. They show how young companies can land well even in times of crisis. The lessons ought to resonate across the travel sector.
Sean O'Neill, Skift | 3 years ago
There are no guarantees that Trivago will succeed in transforming itself, broadening its offerings to travelers, and becoming different enough from rivals to ensure its viability. But sitting still and not trying new things wasn't an option, either.
Dennis Schaal, Skift | 3 years ago
Business Travel
In addition to its new partnership with TUI, Trivago is betting on travel inspiration to spur nearby weekend getaways. From Tripadvisor to Google Flights and mostly forgotten travel startups, the prospect of both nurturing bucket list dreams and converting lookers into bookers has never worked out very well.
Will it suffice for TUI Musement to focus on the partnership side of its business, as it does with Booking.com and major cruise lines, or does it need to master the uphill task of becoming a breakout consumer brand beyond TUI's existing customer base? Acquisitions could be part of the mix when the pandemic dust settles.
Sell Disneyland tickets or retain its curated Experiences offerings? Things are already beginning to change, but that's a dilemma for Airbnb as it tries to build a profitable tours and activities business in a rough-and-tumble and highly competitive market.
Despite an ongoing longing for foreign tourists, Wuhan has come most of the way back tourism-wise from the bleakest days of the provincial capital's history earlier this year. Lessons for the rest of the world? Once tourists feel safe, they will return in big numbers.
Dennis Schaal, Skift | 4 years ago
After missteps in thinking it could grow its own attractions business and catch larger competitors, Booking.com's relaunch is the next stage in its evolution. The tours and activities sector is a lot more competitive now than it was even two years ago when Booking acquired FareHarbor. Hence, the need to reboot.
Virtual reality has been the next big thing for years, and it always will be. But despite skepticism, the technology shows a potential to help the travel sector in a few specific, high margin cases.
Sean O'Neill, Skift | 4 years ago
TUI/Musement's new strategic partnership with Booking.com has the potential to reshuffle the powers that be in tours and activities, especially in Europe. But TUI doesn't have a stellar track record in online offerings, and much of the promise will depend on its execution.
