News & Stories

Vienna/Munich. Google is dominating the digital world increasingly stronger. New distribution and marketing channels are revolutionising the hotel industry, they are faced with new challenges – they are put under pressure. Now, in time for the Christmas business, "Google Glass", stands before market launch: A display is integrated into these "glasses" that should deliver digital information to the sphere of the traveller through "Augmented Reality". The glasses combine numerous functions and features on a mini-surface: In addition to a phone and camera, it offers an Internet connection including GPS. And one can even ask it questions. A seemingly eerie novelty. Is it important to the hotel industry?

Moscow/Vienna. Different markets, different customs: This is also valid for digital lives. While in the west, Google and Facebook are the undisputed market leaders in their areas, the new companies that can already refer to considerable user's figures urge onto the market in Russia. Badoo is one of the suppliers – half social network and half dating service that by now, has fetched nearly 160 million users worldwide, three million of which are in Germany.

Vienna (March 8, 2013). The discussion in marketing and distribution surrounding the "right" price is industry-wide. And all the more around the right strategy. The well-known Austrian adviser, Dr. Manfred Kohl, founder of the international tourism consulting firm, Kohl & Partner, with its headquarters in Villach, mixes with this subject. He presented his new book on pricing strategies at the ITB. Among other things within it, he says that the price itself can be strongly guided through emotional components. Our Austria correspondent, Fred Fettner, spoke with him.

Paris. During its annual results press conference held Wednesday in Paris, Accor CEO Denis Hennequin made it clear regarding what the group distribution system should look like in the near future.

Vienna/Berlin. Whether at hotelier conventions in Vienna, the eTourism Day in Innsbruck or the German Hotel Convention in Berlin: The dependence of the hotel industry on Google & Co is vehemently discussed throughout. A comprehensive study on solution models for Austria's eTourism is expected for May. But in Germany, there are only discussions that turn in circles and weak tips that demonstrate how over-strained the industry is.

Berlin. Following JustBook and HRS, an American App supplier has now started up with Last Minute offers on the German-speaking markets since Monday: HotelTonight. The competition is cool, but a revenue manager explained why the new tops the others.

Bern. The Swiss Competition Commission launched a cartel probe on Wednesday of this week against the online booking portals booking.com, HRS and Expedia. HRS is likely to be quite practised in arguing against such allegations: In Germany, the company has already attracted the attention of the Federal Cartel Office.

Duesseldorf. Many German businesses use social media actively in their daily businesses. While three quarters still expected increasing budgets in this sector last year, only every second advertising business currently expects increasing social media budgets.

Cologne. Two days ago, on Wednesday of this week, online distributor HRS introduced a new search algorithm. It should indicate the hotels that best fulfill the customer preferences. The test on the website was rather frustrating.

Paris. Fed up with OTA’s constant pressure on commissions and behaviour, Choice Hotels has decided to take action.