The Possible Ramifications of Google’s Breakup and Other Top Stories This Week

Throughout the week we are posting original stories night and day covering news and travel trends, including on the impact of coronavirus. Every weekend we will offer you a chance to read the most essential stories again in case you missed them earlier.

What a Google Breakup Would Mean for Travel: Superapps and connected trips would take a hit if Google were forced to self-immolate. However, competition would flourish if authorities curtail Google bias.

Hotels Designing for Disabilities Must Think Beyond Old Stereotypes: Sometimes there needs to be a carve out in the biggest design trends to take accessibility issues into account.

Big Hotel Brand Interest in All-Inclusive Resorts May Be Overheated: The conventional wisdom of big hotel brands is that buying all-inclusive resorts may be as relaxing as staying at one. But what if big hotel brands are in for a disappointing experience at the buffet bar?

U.S. Travelers More Concerned About Costs Than Covid for First Time Since Pandemic: Americans are now saying that financial factors trump health and safety worries when it comes to travel decision-making. While some are staying home because they can’t afford it, those determined to travel are finding ways to work around higher prices.

Doing Hybrid Events Right Is Hard: Top CES Official: If the last two years have proved anything, it is how difficult producing a hybrid event is, but for CES, being one of the largest events in the world, the demands and expectations are two-fold.

The Definitive Oral History of Short-Term Rentals, Part 2: Airbnb broke things as a startup, but a second generation of executives starting in 2013 knew the maturing business had to start playing by some of the rules. Part II of this oral history details many of these changes, as well as the clash between individual owners and property managers.

Google Parent Picks Phoenix for First Airport Trial for Waymo Driverless Cars: Waymo’s test is a baby step — autonomous vehicles will serve the perimeter of the airport, avoiding the front door of terminals themselves. But it’s the Alphabet unit’s first foray into serving an airport. If it works, the days of driverless cars and profitable ridehailing services will edge closer.

Doha Is Most Searched Destination on 2022 World Cup Interest: As football fans from around the world make a beeline to catch their favorite stars in action, Doha becomes the top trending destination. However, being the most geographically-compact World Cup host comes with its own set of challenges.

Tripadvisor’s New CEO to Get $500,000 Signing Bonus in First Paycheck: Given the challenges that Tripadvisor faces to better monetize its assets and to craft a new strategy, the company needed to woo a new CEO with a decent compensation package, which it did.

Wyndham’s App Update Is Made for Road Trips: Hundreds of thousands of Americans regularly struggle to plan long-distance trips with stops at hotels that are pet friendly or have parking for large trucks. Wyndham’s new tool aims to address this hassle.