Startups

eLong is putting its money, specifically $100 million of it, precisely where the company believes its future is, in mobile hotel technology. This initiative has certain parallels with what Concur is doing in using its own, larger investment fund, to encourage the development of travel startups doing interesting things.

Many of these angels have some big wins on their resumes, some more than one. They see a huge opportunity in vacation rentals, a high-growth market where there is tons of room for improvements both on the management end, and the guest experience.

Airline seats in coach are getting ever-more cramped as carriers leave the legroom to passengers purchasing higher-fare tickets. Anything that would make long-haul flights more comfortable to non-elite flyers would almost be like manna from heaven.

Everyone thinks they have a travel startup in them, and it shows. Our fave: TripAdvisor for Travel.

Concur and Trover: strange bedfellows? Not so much, according to Concur, which believes social media will play a major role in business travel, and how well employees follow the mandates of their companies' travel policies.

Something can't be dead if it never lived. In terms of real consumer traction, peer-to-peer tour guide businesses, however well-intentioned, never won broad acceptance. The economics of these businesses didn't enable them to achieve any kind of scale.

The right celebrity can add credibility and boost branding for a travel startup or lifestyle brand, but it is ultimately up to team, with their heads down executing, to bring a concept to startup stardom.