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A break from the accommodation mega-sites

🏡 On January 15, 2025, travelers seeking alternatives to Airbnb and Booking.com have new options. Fairbnb, launched in Venice, lists local accommodations and donates 50% of booking commissions to community projects. Socialbnb from Cologne, Germany, connects travelers with rooms offered by social and environmental initiatives. Ecobnb showcases around 3,000 sustainable accommodations across 55 countries, requiring adherence to 10 eco-friendly criteria. These platforms aim to benefit local communities and promote sustainability in tourism.
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2024 in business travel

💲 Corporate Traveler's 2024 Year in Review reported a 9% increase in business travel for small and midsize businesses in 2023, with 625,000 trips analyzed. Domestic flights made up 80% of bookings, totaling 1 billion miles, alongside a 4% reduction in costs. Delta introduced a frequent flyer program in August. Hyatt saw record revenue in October due to a surge in business travel. The WTTC forecasts business travel to contribute $1.5 trillion in 2023, a 6.2% rise from pre-pandemic levels.
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Chinese travel agents see full outbound recovery by 2025

🌍 China's outbound tourism is set to fully recover by 2025, with optimism driven by new sales channels and evolving traveler expectations. Over half of the industry expects recovery by end-2025. "Silver travelers" seek comfort and personalized experiences. Social media like Douyin and Xiaohongshu impact travel marketing. East and South China are top outbound markets, with expected increased spend in the next three years. Full details at Dragon Trail's Chinese Outbound Travel Trade Survey.
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HBX Group poised to launch €1bn IPO

🏦 HBX Group, a Spanish travel technology company, is set to launch a €1 billion IPO soon. They've been preparing for over a year and may file their IPO application as early as this week, potentially listing on the Madrid Stock Exchange with backing from Cinven, EQT, and CPP Investments. HBX's brands include Hotelbeds, and the IPO preparations were reported by Reuters on Jan 14, 2025.
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The new customer loyalty

🏖 On Jan 14, 2025, at The Phocuswright Conference, AirAsia MOVE, Capital One, and Hilton executives highlighted the shift in traveler expectations towards more emotional and experiential connections, surpassing mere transactions. Hilton's Vice President, Oral Muir, advocated for "emotional currency" through personalized services to foster loyalty and encourage family repeats. The panel collectively recognized the importance of understanding customer behavior to deliver lasting value.
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OTAs caught overcharging travelers from Bay Area

🏨 On Jan 14, 2025, SFGATE reported an investigation revealing booking sites like Expedia and Booking.com charging San Franciscans up to $500 more for hotel rooms. A room at Manhattan's Public Hotel was $829 for San Francisco users while Phoenix and Kansas City travelers saw $318. The price disparity is based on IP addresses, with a VPN potentially saving hundreds. Legal yet hidden price discrimination depends on location, not incognito mode.
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Amex GBT criticizes DOJ timing in CWT acquisition lawsuit

📌 On Jan 14, 2025, the DOJ filed a lawsuit in New York aiming to block Amex GBT's $570 million acquisition of CWT, citing concerns over potential price hikes, limited choices for clients, and stifled innovation. The deal would merge the two largest travel management companies. The DOJ's action challenged Amex GBT's fifth competitor acquisition since 2018. Large corporations depend on these "mega" companies for extensive global travel services. Amex GBT criticized the DOJ's timing, suggesting the Biden administration might not intervene after the Trump administration's term.
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Hotel experts on speed and data

📈 On Jan 14, 2025, advancements in hotel revenue management were highlighted, revealing how AI enables hotels to adjust pricing strategies in real-time by recognizing local events like conventions or concerts. Sonesta International’s Chief Commercial Officer, Garine Ferejian-Mayo, acknowledged the untapped potential of AI. Sebastien Leitner from Cloudbeds discussed their AI-powered solution that integrates revenue management, digital marketing, and guest experience, underscoring a test-and-learn approach driven by data from social media and the travel ecosystem.
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Bots now account for 44.5% of Internet traffic in the travel industry

🚀 On Jan 14, 2025, the 2024 Bad Bot Report indicated a surge in malicious bot activity in the travel and airline industry, with only 51.1% of internet traffic being human. Compared to 37% last year, 66.1% of these bots are now using advanced evasion techniques. These bots cause issues like fare scraping, seat spinning, and brute-force attacks on loyalty accounts, affecting revenue, metrics, customer satisfaction, and costs.
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TikTok launches new travel-focused ad product for brands

🌍 On January 13, 2025, TikTok unveiled its new e-commerce product for travel brands at the Skift Megatrends event in London. The product, named Travel Ads or Catalogue Ads for Travel, targets TikTok users with travel booking intentions. Initially in a testing phase with select brands, TikTok's Head of Travel, Hannah Bennett, announced plans for future wider availability, aiming to bridge brands with potential travelers on the platform.
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