Weekly Roundup: Travel, Tech and Social Media
Hello everyone and the happiest of Fridays!
Welcome back to another Weekly Roundup! This week we are going to dive into the newest stories that caught our attention and a few extended posts, reports and technology updates. The travel industry never sleeps, so we made it our mission to keep an eye on everything. Therefore, we want to give you a weekly dose of news and freshly released information.
Enjoy the reading and stay tuned for next week's roundup as well!
Have a lovely weekend!
Industry News
TripAdvisor’s quarterly revenue - lower than expected: TripAdvisor shared their revenue slip, which was hurt by a fall in display advertisements on its websites and a drop in subscription revenue. Their fourth quarter total revenue was $316 million, lower than the expected estimate of $326.5 million.
Google reigns over Facebook when it comes to digital travel ads: Skift estimates Google accounted for 90% of the digital travel advertising market in 2016. This resulted in $12 billion in revenue. Priceline, Expedia and TripAdvisor were the biggest buyers of ad space on Google.
Kayak-Momondo partnership leads to new plans and strategies: Priceline Group, owner of Kayak, recently invested in the Momondo Group. Skift has released this week an in-depth post about what this partnership will bring to the table and how their further plans will affect the tourism sector.
Trends and Insights
Airbnb set on becoming a travel industry giant: Airbnb has taken the travel industry by storm and it’s not planning on stopping now. The company’s expansion strategies include investing further into the luxury tourism, proof being the purchase of Luxury Retreats. Also, Airbnb plans on becoming a flight booker, an itinerary planner and a vacation-home manager.
Travel ban might lead to a slowing global tourism: The Travel council has recently issued a warning against slowing global tourism, since the USA seems to be in danger of returning to post 9/11 travel policies. Statistics show that country’s travel and tourism sector generates over 8% of the GDT. However, it appears that Trump’s travel ban has a big chance of negatively affecting it.
New report provided by Cornell University highlights the value of hotel amenities: Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research released a new report this week, exposing the rising importance of hotel amenities. It is also shown how they can be categorised, in order for hoteliers to boost their client’s satisfaction and loyalty.
5 reasons not to be afraid of direct messaging your guests: In case you missed the first part of our Direct Messaging blog series, make sure to check it out now. You can find a list of reasons why hoteliers should embrace the new technology of direct and instant online communication with their guests, in order to meet all of their expectations.
What do customers want from a loyalty program? Oracle Hospitality conducted a global survey, in order to determine what are the most important features of a loyalty program. This would help hoteliers make the most of a key opportunity, which enhances customer engagement and nurtures relationships.
Technology
Cloud-based PMS - a way of keeping hotels and their guests safe: A recent hotel hacking triggered an alarm in the hospitality industry. When it comes to keeping the guests happy, this definitely includes putting their safety first. Here is what to focus on when opting for a cloud-based PMS.
Mobile marketing opportunities for the travel industry: In the previous weeks, we talked about how the mobile is continuously winning ground in the travel sector. Business need to be prepared to meet the customer’s demands and expectations and many of them rely on their mobile device. Therefore, here are 7 ways of making the most out of the mobile marketing opportunities.
