Weekly Roundup #46: Travel, Tech and Social Media
Week 46/2018
Greetings fellow readers and welcome to our Weekly Roundup once again! This week we gathered some more interesting content for you, so make sure to take a look before heading into the weekend! We have fresh news and stories from the travel industry. Also, we highly encourage you to follow us on social media, for even more updates: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram!
Until the next time, enjoy your weekend!
Industry News
We are excited to announce the released of our comprehensive analysis of regional and global hotel review topics. Through our continuous effort in studying and leveraging guest feedback, we have created this report of the different impact scores that affect the performance and reputation of global hotels, as well as in the following markets: EMEA, German-speaking countries (DE/AT/CH), US, APAC, Japan. Extracted from our guest feedback database and its analytics capabilities, the impact scores represent the hotel categories that travelers notice and rate in their online reviews, in order to bring attention to their performance. The impact scores are divided into semantic categories, such as positive and negative ones, and reflect features like room maintenance, staff friendliness, housekeeping, etc. and their impact on the overall score of a hotel. Make sure to get all of the valuable insights from our infographic!
Airbnb’s Growth Is Slowing Amid Increasing Competition From Booking and Expedia Report: Airbnb has reached its peak, at least in its most mature markets in the U.S. and Europe. Those are the findings of a new report from Morgan Stanley Research. A follow-up to last year’s annual AlphaWise survey of 4,000 consumers in the U.S., UK, France, and Germany, the report found a continuation of slower growth for the homesharing giant in those markets, as well as increasing competition from online travel agencies Booking and Expedia. For this year’s survey, the percentage of travelers who used Airbnb during the 12 months leading up to October 2018 increased to 27 percent, or about 2 percentage points. In 2017, the percentage of travelers who used Airbnb during the same period increased to 25 percent, up 3 percentage points. By contrast, in 2016, that increase was up 8 percentage points.
Hotelbeds to Buy HolidayTaxis to Expand Transport Offering:
Our partner Hotelbeds is buying UK-based transport distributor HolidayTaxis Group for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition expands Hotelbeds’ existing ancillary portfolio and will give it access to 21,000 transfer routes, spanning 150 countries. HolidayTaxis generated revenue of $11.3 million (£8.7 million) and a pre-tax profit of $2.6 million (£2 million), according to documents filed at British company registrar Companies House. Accommodations wholesaler Hotelbeds is buying the business from its founding shareholders and the deal is a continuation of the process Hotelbeds recently announced with its rebranding. HolidayTaxis will sit within its Beyond the Bed product line, which looks after ancillaries such as tours, activities, car service, and transfers.
Trends and Insights
Gen Z Travelers: More Open to Influence and Inspiration Than Other Generations:
New insights released yesterday by Expedia Group Media Solutions, the advertising arm of Expedia Group, illustrate the behaviors, attitudes, and influences of younger travelers around the world, and shine a light on how Generation Z is redefining the rules of engagement for travel marketers. Presented at The Phocuswright Conference, the findings reveal that Gen Z are deal-driven, frequent travelers who embrace the YOLO (you only live once) mentality and have a passion for activities and bucket list experiences. Gen Z travelers are taking 2.8 leisure trips per year, which is just behind Millennials (3 leisure trips per year), indicating that travel is already a priority for this generation. Seeking the best deals and most value for their money is universal amongst travelers of all ages, but especially for Gen Z, who are not yet or just starting to be financially independent.
Outbound Travel From Mainland China to Surpass US by 2030:
Tourists from mainland China are set to overtake Americans to become the largest outbound group of international travelers, according to a recent study. Outbound travel from China will more than double to 259 million in 2030, up from the 97.5 million trips made this year, according to a report by Euromonitor International unveiled at the World Travel Market in London. The boom in Chinese travel will far exceed the US, which will take second place with 159 million outbound trips, followed by Germany with 138.6 million, South China Morning Post reported. The US currently leads the world with an estimated 115.17 million outbound trips this year, followed by Germany with 110.52 million trips.
Affluent Travelers View Hotels as Trusted Travel Partners:
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has released key findings from its second Luxury Insights Report. With a focus on Gateway to Home – Hotels as the Heart of their Communities, this latest volume in a series of ongoing research-led, data-driven reports on luxury travel trends, reveals that affluent travelers perceive hotels and resorts as established authorities and trusted travel guides. The newly commissioned study found that hotels are perceived as pillars in their community, connecting guests, whether from abroad or locally, to the true character of the destination. Luxury travelers view the role of a hotel beyond curating authentic local experiences. It is the combination of destination expertise and recreating the comforts of home that creates this trusted relationship and positions the most desirable hotels in the world at the very heart of the travel experience.
Technology
Hotel Technology Trends – The Face of Hospitality Tech In 2019:
It’s almost the end of another year and it’s been a thrilling one in hospitality. Travel is more popular than ever, technology innovations are on the rise, and as a result, the guest experience is constantly taking turns for the better. New and exciting innovations are being created and released every day and hotel tech that only a few years ago seemed extremely futuristic, is now easily integrated into our day to day lives. The world of technology is constantly changing and always surprising. There are, however, certain trends that impact the course of hospitality and we made sure to keep track of them, in order to help you assess what’s to come. Take a look to learn more about those hotel tech trends that are about to influence and shape the face of travel in 2019! Sneak peek: we’re discussing smart integrations, cloud computing, AI, and much more!
Hoteliers Blend Tech and an Authentic Experience in 3 Guest Segments:
Softscribe Inc., a leading hotel tech PR firm, shows how hoteliers can blend technology and an authentic guest experience to increase loyalty among Millennials, Baby Boomers and Business Travelers. “’What do Millennials want?’ is top-of-mind for hoteliers who want to create loyalty and repeat business with that segment,” said Julie Keyser Squires, Softscribe Inc. CEO. “But there are two other equally important traveler types: Baby Boomers and the Business Travel market.” Squires noted that while an estimated 83.5 million Millennials are the largest generation in the United States, second to 76 million American Baby Boomers, there were 462 million U.S. domestic business trips in 2017. “Each of these demographics uses technology differently,” said Squires. How are hoteliers meeting this demographic challenge? For answers, Softscribe Inc. turned to some of its best-in-class technology clients and their customers.
