Weekly Roundup: Travel, Tech and Social Media

Is August really over? We’re enjoying the last few days of sun here. There’ve been some pretty cool developments like Think with Google’s Travel Dashboard. Before you take off for the weekend, make sure you haven’t missed any industry news in our Travel, Tech, and Social Media Weekly Roundup.

Happy reading!

Think with Google: Travel Dashboard

THINK WITH GOOGLE launches the Travel Dashboard with detailed information about the search habits of online travelers. This info is said to update quarterly, and answers (by city) fundamental questions such as “where are people traveling”, and “from where are people coming”!

ixigo Extends Partnership With TrustYou To Power Its Review Summaries

ixigo, India’s leading mobile travel search marketplace, has extended its partnership with TrustYou. ixigo, which strives to simplify the lives of travelers, will display TrustYou Meta-ReviewsTM in its hotel search, providing its users with summarized information from verified reviews in a simple to read format.

Airbnb Backlash: 8 Reasons Why Hotels Are Still Better

Airbnb is seemingly always in the headlines for one reason or another. Here are some good arguments for why hotels still have value that is unmatched by Airbnb.

How iOS 9 Content Blocking Will Transform the Mobile Web

One of the new major features in iOS 9 will enable “content blockers.” This could potentially change current mobile advertising technics, and limit consumer behavior tracking. Unfortunately, marketers will just have to wait until Apple releases the update to find out the new limitations.

The Most Valuable High Touch Guest Service Channels in the High Tech Digital Age

As a hotel competing in an online market, it is important to make sure resources are properly allocated. Phone and personal contact points remain very important and are the most profitable booking channels. “The direct channel costs 10-15 times less than OTAs and 4- 10 times less than GDS travel agents”

How to Create a Better Comp Set

Most hotels are included in about 5 or 6 competitor hotel’s comp sets and have a similar amount in their own, but they are missing out on valuable information without proper optimization. Included are 5 Tips to maximize how to measure against the competition.

Loyalty Plans Adapt in Reward Me Now Culture

“We live in a time when consumers are conditioned to be loyal … (but are also) seeking experiences, not to be a statistic.” The goal of loyalty programs should be adjusted to focus on customization and simplicity.

Mobile Balance Tips UK Travel Advice Sites

Mobile and desktop platforms are both complimentary and competitive. The balance can tip from one to the other depending on a multitude of influencers. Research shows that mobile traffic is highest among informational sites, including review sites.