Weekly Roundup: Travel, Tech and Social Media

Happy Friday! After a short break of website production, we are once again in full swing with our weekly roundup! In case you missed it, here's what made headlines in the hospitality world these past couple of days!

Happy reading and don't forget to check back next week for more articles!

Is Amazon too Late for the Fake Review Crack Down?

Last Friday, the company took its second round of legal action this year against fraudulent reviewers in an effort to prevent degradation of its brand—and, clearly, to keep the consumers coming. This is certainly one way to do it, though notably reactive. The other way, the proactive approach, ensures that only verified reviews—reviews where a purchase has been confirmed, or in the case of travel, where a stay at a hotel has been verified—are published.

Travelers from Asia Pacific Now Lead the World in Leisure Travel

Visa has announced the results of its Global Travel Intentions Study 2015, stating that travellers from the Asia Pacific regions are now leading the world in leisure travel. The Study shows that travellers from the Asia Pacific region took more leisure trips in the past two years than any of the other countries surveyed, with more than eight in 10 (84%) of those in the region having travelled solely for leisure in that time.

Why Hotels Should Focus on Improving Online User Experience to Increase Direct Bookings

The recent announcement that Booking.com was integrating with Tripadvisor’s Instant Booking has been filling our industry news for the last week. This news though should be another wake-up call for hotels to start taking seriously the user experience on their website and online booking process.

Aloft Tries to Speak Millennial With New Emoji Room Service Ordering

“Emojis are ubiquitous right now – everyone I know uses them both in personal and professional communications, so why shouldn’t our guests be able to use them when once they step into our hotels?” says Paige Francis, vice president of global brand management, Starwood’s Specialty Select Brands. “And, frankly, emojis are just fun.”

Sharing-economy Impact Small Compared to OTAs

The sharing economy is a force to be reckoned with, but its impact is still less than that of online travel agencies, according to hotel executives.

How OTAs Get Between You and Your Guests

If you don’t have the right data, you’re continually putting yourself at the mercy of high-cost marketing and distribution channels.