Opportunities for Travel in the Cloud September 2, 2010 The emergence of cloud computing has not been a high profile breakthrough like the telephone or email. Rather, it has been more of a below-the-radar shift in how the world interacts with technology. While so far only a handful of travel leaders have noticed or leveraged the advantages of the cloud, it has begun to change the way travel...
For months, a small hotel here in Connecticut featured a sign that read “Name your own price – up to 50% off.” The General Manager must either be desperate or a big William Shatner fan. I can understand the consumer’s interest in finding the lowest price, that’s rational economics; but when hoteliers get on board and try to give away rooms, its not revenue management it’s just race-to-the-bottom...
Google's Next Big Travel Play March 26, 2010 Google does not hide the fact that the travel industry is one of their key markets. They continually churn out new innovations that improve travel related search and advertising. Google's action in the sector not only affects their competitor, Bing, it also sets online travel agencies (OTAs) and metasearch companies on alert. Google Travel and...
It’s no secret; customer service in the airline industry is a mess. Travelers are being stranded on the tarmac with nothing but chips and water. Guitars are being broken, and flights are being changed or canceled at a moment’s notice. Airline execs and consumers alike know the challenges faced by the industry and we all know who or what to blame in each instance. This may come as a surprise to...
This is the official iPhone app for PhoCusWright@ITB. This conference within a conference is part of the ITB Berlin Convention and is where the European travel industry gathers to discuss, debate and define the future of e-commerce and innovation’s impact on how consumers search, shop and buy travel. The app includes a conference program, speaker bios, a Berlin city guide and access to the PhoCusWright...
In a recent post, we reviewed Rue La La, the boutique shopping club positioned as a marketing distribution partner for travel and experiences. Over the past year, Rue La La has entered the travel marketing space and made a name for itself promoting high end hotels and destinations to its wealthy (and primarily female) membership. To dig deeper, we interviewed one New York luxury hotel that offered...
If you or your significant other is a big shopper, you have undoubtedly heard about online boutique shopping clubs like Rue La La or Gilt Groupe. These popular sites offer an exciting channel for purchasing stylish apparel and even travel. Rue La La was launched in April 2008 and began offering high end fashion and lifestyle items to members-only clientele. They promote discounted products for a limited...
The mission of airlines and hotel companies is to provide a satisfying and safe travel experience (the ‘how’ of travel). Travelers, on the other hand, are primarily interested in the activities they will participate in when they reach their destination (the ‘why’ and ‘what’). These two paradigms are not so much misaligned as they are symbiotic. This is why the travel industry as a business...
Among the immense volumes of content and entertainment we consume on a daily basis, finding one item that promises to have a lasting impact on our culture is truly a story of a needle in a haystack. In the case of the Avatar blockbuster we are only beginning to see the story unfold. Looking back it’s easy to see the true impact of other movies. Imagine Star Wars’ impact on the technologies we take...