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Online Travel News

These articles delve into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies that are shaping the online booking landscape, ensuring that industry insiders stay informed and prepared for change. These stories cover essential topics such as the development of innovative booking platforms, the role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in personalizing travel options, and the impact of mobile technology on customer behavior. Additionally, the news stories highlight the growing importance of user-generated content and reviews in shaping consumer decisions, and the role of social media in the online travel booking ecosystem. Skift’s stories examine the competitive landscape and offer insights into the successes and challenges faced by major online travel agencies (OTAs), startups, and traditional travel companies transitioning to the digital space.

Hotels

Wyndham Vacation Rentals launches new site and starts to rebrand

The new Wyndham Vacation Rentals site offers some modern, e-commerce pizazz. The rebranding to a more widely known brand makes sense, too.

Online Travel

Kayak’s delayed IPO to hit road next week

With better quarterly number this year than last, the story's a bit better than 2011, it will try to sell that growth story.

Online Travel

Hipmunk beats patent troll to court

Patent lawsuits are getting out of hand and a big problem for online travel companies. Hipmunk took the agony out of waiting to be sued.

Online Travel

OTA Yatra may have raised $14.5 million in Series D funding

This should help refill Yatra's coffers, as the investment amount if correct is just a few million shy of what it spent to acquire Travelocity's Travelguru.com last week

Hotels

Hotel goes high-tech with e-Bibles, should remind users thou shalt not steal Kindles

Hotels are an excellent place for people to get hands-on time with new technology and products. The Hotel Indigo should make sure it's getting commission from Amazon.

Media and PR

Video: Review scammers try to blackmail restaurants for freebies

Review websites in the U.S. are protected from lawsuits over fraudulent reviews, but they should clamp down on abusers. Restaurant should turn the tables on patrons and out them in social media.

Media and PR

4 new services that connect visitors with local experiences

CanaryHop, Gidsy, SideTour, and Vayable all have compelling offerings that put the social and local into travel -- and they make money.

Online Travel

TechCrunch article about Triposo is wrong about everything

How can a story about a company successfully raising $3.5 million get so many things wrong? Quick answer: Users haven't favored social approach and there are no successful "friendsourced, social graph-based models" for Triposo or old-school guides to compete with -- the Trippys and Gogobots are pivoting.

Online Travel

Skyscanner: The unhyped Scottish startup that took off

Nice to see an OTA build outside of the U.S. bubble.

Online Travel

New iOS app integrates trusted services to help users pack

Integration of TripIt and its actionable information about the trips you take give this app an instant edge over competitors.