Google’s Advice for Travel Brands: Forget Generic Keywords, AI Can Read Your Photos
Google's travel industry head advises brands to optimize for AI interpretation of images and reviews rather than traditional keyword strategies.
External Articles
Barcelona anti-tourism protesters fire water pistols at visitors
Protesters in Barcelona have sprayed visitors with water as part of a demonstration against mass tourism.
Soaring hotel prices, crackdown on illegal renting to hit Paris 2024 experience
Visitors heading to Paris for next year's Olympics face major accommodation problems amid soaring hotel prices and a crackdown on rentals of tourist apartments.
Philoxenia: The Ancient Roots of Greek Hospitality
The Greek word Philoxenia, literally translated as a “friend to a stranger,” is widely perceived to be synonymous to hospitality.
Why Britain has become the top destination for US ‘bleisure’ invasion
It’s the travel trend that never quite took off. Ever since American trader Ben Hockett made millions during the 2008 global financial crisis by trading online from an Exmouth pub, travel marketers have tried to sell the concept of mixing holidays with work.
Zoom-induced demise of business travel may be greatly exaggerated
It was suspected after the economy initially adjusted to the changes wrought by the pandemic that the future for business travel may be gloomy. In the brave new world of technology-led interaction, the thinking went, why would business people waste resources by jumping on a flight to meet each other when efficient dealmaking was but a Zoom call away?
Travolution European Summit 2021: Full coverage
The 2021 Travolution European Summit brought together senior speakers from leading brands within and outside of travel and more than 400 senior industry delegates to discuss how technology can underpin efforts to Build Back Better.
Spanish hotel booking app to show working conditions of staff
Tourists booking a hotel in Spain will soon be able to choose not only one with the best views or the biggest pool, but also one where the staff enjoy decent working conditions.
Spanish Hoteliers Upbeat As COVID-19 Restrictions Ease
Hotels across Spain are reopening as the vital summer season gets underway, fueled by an easing of domestic and international travel restrictions and increasing vaccination levels.
Holiday Inn Owner Sees Busy U.S. Summer As Demand Returns
Holiday Inn owner IHG (IHG.L) said on Friday demand was coming back strongly and forecast a busy U.S. summer season as travellers take advantage of an easing of coronavirus lockdowns.
London hotels team up to encourage bookings
As hotels gear up to reopen on May 17, a collection of properties in London has teamed up to offer discounted stays and "value-added packages" to encourage bookings in the capital.
German Hoteliers Demand Compensation From booking.com
The association justifies its commitment to help hoteliers to their rights in court. Since 2004 at the latest, the booking portal has applied best-price clauses with which it prohibited affiliated hotels from offering rooms at lower rates through any other distribution channel. With these clauses, Booking.com shielded its business model against any competition in violation of antitrust law, which ultimately allowed the company to collect booking commissions of up to 50% of the room rate from hoteliers.
UK Travel sector faces ‘uphill battle’ to regain pre-Covid consumer confidence
Customer satisfaction levels across the travel sector have fallen to the lowest level in more than a decade as companies struggled to confront the Covid-19 crisis.
Cruise ship 2.0: setting sail into the new normal
Italians are warm people but we have put aside, for a while, the handshakes and hugs that are our dearest habits. We are on the MSC Grandiosa, the major first cruise ship to depart since lockdown began in Europe.
UK hoteliers rethink relationships with ‘silent’ OTAs
Hoteliers say one channel has been almost completely absent during the COVID-19 pandemic—online travel agencies.
France Launches $19 Billion Bailout for Ravaged Tourism Sector
France on Thursday announced measures worth 18 billion euros ($19 billion) to support its tourism sector, which has been hammered by the coronavirus crisis and resulting shutdown in beaches, leisure attractions and hotels.
France to Build Online Platform to Rival Airbnb, Booking.com
The French government will join forces with the tourism industry to build an Internet site aimed winning back customers from U.S. online travel giants such as Airbnb Inc. and Booking Holdings Inc.
Booking.com’s Call for Help Draws Dutch Outcry, Policy Rethink
The Dutch government plans to tighten the rules for businesses claiming coronavirus relief after one of the nation's most successful tech companies was accused of seeking state aid while paying billions of dollars to shareholders.
Booking.com applies for help to pay salaries, is grateful for support
Hotel website Booking.com, until recently one of the most profitable companies in the Netherlands, has asked for government support as the number of bookings plunges to 15% of those of a year ago, according to the Volkskrant and the Financieele Dagblad. The company has asked for help to pay its 5,500 workers in the Netherlands and 48 customer service staff who were still in their probationary period have been let go as the impact of coronavirus on tourism continues to bite, the Volkskrant said. The company is a major employer in Amsterdam with a IT workforce comprising 80 different nationalities. According to the VK, the average salary at the Dutch operation is €47,000 a year.
UK Airlines Demand Tax Breaks After Government Rules Out Financial Support
A representative body for airlines based in Britain has written to its transport minister seeking industry-specific tax and air traffic fee holidays to help survive a coronavirus pandemic that has brought air travel to a standstill.