21st August 2024: Here are some of the stories that caught our attention over the week.
Travel isn’t dead. It’s just taking a vacation: This CNN article talks about CEOs of some of the biggest US hotel and travel companies sounding like doomsayers with warnings about the declining health of consumers and their waning appetite for travel. “We are seeing shorter booking lead times globally and some signs of slowing demand from US guests,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on the company’s earnings call last week. Hilton’s CEO Chris Nassetta cautioned that coming out of the pandemic when consumers were flushed with savings, they now have “less disposable income and capacity to do anything, including travel,” he said on the company’s earnings call last week.
Real-World Examples of AI’s Influence on Travel and Tourism: An insight into how AI is revolutionizing the hospitality and travel industries, with examples discussed at a recent BAE event. Examples include companies integrating AI into Corporate Strategy, AI-Driven Automated Hyper-Personalisation, use of AI Co-Pilot for Travel Companies etc. A related case study also provides some great examples.
Want better customer service when you travel? You must be joking: Airlines, car rentals and hotels all scored 77 out of 100, which is a C+, on the authoritative American Customer Service Index (ACSI doesn’t rate credit cards, supposedly an indispensable travel tool, but if it did, they’d probably rate even lower.) The best way to voice your disapproval of ridiculous fees, carelessly outsourced call centers, and outrageously high prices is to stop doing business with a company. And tell a friend. It may be the only way to turn this unfortunate trend around.
Sonder writes new chapter with Marriott licensing deal, new funding: Short-term rental specialist Sonder Holdings has sealed a deal for more than 9,000 of its units to join the Marriott International portfolio by the end of this year. Sonder will also have access to $146 million to enable profitable growth as well as help with the integration of its properties into the Marriott system.
Airlines’ drive for NDC ‘a Trojan Horse’ for direct sales?: Travel technology company Travelport has suggested the new distribution capability (NDC) technology pursued by leading Iata members is “a Trojan Horse” for driving sales direct to consumers. A Travelport report entitled ‘Modern Retailing’ claims “the current state of NDC” has made shopping for flights through intermediaries “more complicated” and “more cumbersome” and is “in conflict with price transparency”.
