News & Stories

Amsterdam/Bethesda. After Hilton in 2015, Hyatt, Trump Hotels and even IHG last year, Marriott is the latest victim of a severe data breach. The largest data breach that ever occurred in the hospitality world and the second biggest in history of all industries combined, could cost Marriott not only a lot of money, but also the trust of their members.

Munich. The guest platform TrustYou presented its new live chat channel, which is part of TrustYou's guest messaging tool. The live chat helps hotels to respond to inquiries in real time and turn more website visitors into direct bookings. Also the communication with the guests on site shall be enhanced.

Geneva. Digital technologies and in particular, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing, and Blockchain, already affect trade costs, the nature of what is traded and the composition of trade. A new report from the World Trade Organization focuses on the ongoing change in a 25-trillion-dollar market.

Rockville. Choice Hotels International is making booking a hotel room directly easier – by enabling Book on Google. This is a new direct booking option that allows Choice Hotels' guests to seamlessly search, select, and reserve hotel rooms at its branded properties in the United States.

Milan. The increasing dynamism from the hospitality segment contributes to the rise of the Italian digital travel market, although the majority of online direct sales is still transport services. Only a small percentage of online visitors concludes its transactions.

Shanghai. Ctrip's ambition to become a global player in the tourism industry and a one-stop shop travel platform for its Chinese and international users could soon become a reality. Now the OTA is moving into hotel operations, launching its own hotel group.

Palma de Mallorca. Google Hotel Ads already represents 65% of the hotel reservations that metasearch engines take. Generally, 12% of hotel reservations are made through metasearch engines and they assist 25% to other channels.

Amsterdam. Booking.com will be the accommodation booking engine on the Air France app and website. Both companies have recently come to an agreement, leaving AccorHotels in the starting blocks. The hotel company was considering buying stakes in Air France recently to enhance synergies but finally dropped the idea. Is it time for regrets?

Needham, Va.. Is TripAdvisor becoming a form of Facebook for travel? The review platform is now placing the community at the center of its new product. It will offer a personalized travel feed to its members and more. The platform already influences 10.3% of travel global expenditure according to Oxford Economics.

Rockville. Choice Hotels is launching a new virtual payment solution to ease corporate travelers' experiences when checking in and out of their hotels. For Choice franchisees, it means faster payment processes and higher cash flow. Rolled out in the US, the solution is not yet available in Europe.