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How does a stronger U.S. dollar affect online travel trends?

📌 On Feb 10, 2025, online travel firms anticipate a 2-3% decrease in gross bookings and revenue due to a strong U.S. dollar. Investors, foreseeing FX impacts, are now focusing on execution strategies and product development. Booking Holdings, with its substantial European market, may experience the most significant hit. However, the sector remains robust, with steady travel demand. Booking Holdings is promoting its "Connected Trip" initiative, Airbnb expands in emerging markets, and Expedia's Vrbo platform achieved 14.5% YoY growth in Q4 gross bookings.
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Rand Fishkin on LinkedIn: We know people are using AI tools. We know how LLMs work. We know how to… | 310 comments

📊 According to a recent article, Stephen Wolfram's work reveals how ChatGPT operates based on words that frequently follow each other on the Internet, using digitized books and a large corpus of language. The algorithm also employs processes to ensure sentence structure and coherence. The author mentions that despite knowing how to influence ChatGPT and similar AI systems, few people actively engage in the necessary public relations work to enhance their brand's presence in AI search results. The author's own bio page, containing the phrase "Spark Toro, makers of fine audience research software," is cited as an example demonstrating how strategic repetition of specific phrases across the web can influence AI-driven visibility. This insight is underscored by the increase in searches for how to appear in AI results over the past years, indicating a growing interest yet a lack of action in leveraging these systems.
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The UX Techniques That Make You Settle for Higher-Priced Flights

🛫 Booking flights might seem straightforward, but hidden costs during checkout and deceptive design often inflate the price. The article criticizes practices like encouraging customers to pay extra for non-essential "upgrades" such as SMS notifications costing £2.90. It explores how brands build value over multiple sessions, affecting customer loyalty and shopping behavior. Conversion rates on mobile are low at 0.7%. The piece also discusses the importance of interfaces in conveying value, noting that AI solutions like ChatGPT may suggest flights that are at least 10% more expensive than direct options. Upcoming chapters will delve into retention, overcharging in checkouts, and how to secure better deals.
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Booking.com’s sustainability experiment

🌳 Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel at Destination Europe event in Brussels on Feb 7, 2025, notes travelers choose price over sustainability; Booking.com integrates energy-efficient lighting, yet global emission reduction is inconsistent. EU devises new tourism strategy with climate policies; Sustainable Tourism Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas calls for industry unity in responsible tourism.
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Top 10 PMS trends for 2025

📈 On Feb 7, 2025, AI-driven automation began transforming property management, enhancing efficiency by managing guest communications and optimizing pricing. The emerging trends include all-in-one platforms for cost reduction, mobile-first management for remote operations, dynamic pricing supervised by human insight, seamless channel connectivity to prevent overbooking, and scalability via cloud-based solutions for growth. Advanced reporting tools and integrated guest communication systems are also crucial for improved decision-making and guest experiences. Learn more at eviivo.
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Expedia had ‘a solid year with a strong finish’

💸 On Feb 7, 2025, Expedia Group reported a 10% increase in Q4 revenue to $3.1 billion, with full-year gross bookings at $111 billion, up 7%. B2B revenue surged by 21%, and advertising revenue by 25%. The company added over one million new Vrbo units. International demand, particularly in APAC, outpaced U.S. growth. Expedia is harnessing AI for traveler experiences and eyeing continued investment in tech and operational efficiency for 2025.
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Hilton optimistic after strong 2024 performance

🏨 Hilton reported a 3.5% Q4 and 2.7% full year RevPAR increase for 2024. U.S. Q4 RevPAR rose 2.9%, with a cautious 2025 outlook. In 2024, Hilton opened a record number of rooms, with luxury and lifestyle hotels as half of the new openings. Conversion properties accounted for 45% of openings; construction starts increased by 10% from 2023. Hilton anticipates a 6%-7% net unit growth in 2025, buoyed by post-election economic optimism.
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AI-driven personalization in hospitality

🏨 In 2025, hotels harness AI for personalized guest experiences. AI is essential for scale personalization and staying competitive with evolving guest expectations. Key strategies include optimizing websites for AI indexing, utilizing AI-driven audience segmentation on social media, and implementing AI-powered messaging agents for real-time communication and bookings. Failure to integrate AI risks falling behind in the hospitality industry. Read more on [Hospitality.Net](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4125716.html).
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