Airbnb puts new spin on experiences with ‘Icons’ launch
For the last several years, every May and November, Airbnb has announced a package of updates and new products related to its core accommodation product, with a focus on offerings to fine-tune the platform for its short-term rental hosts and guests. The 2024 May update, dubbed the “Summer Releas [...]
New Booking.com survey finds travellers feel weary, disillusioned about sustainability
Booking.com has conducted its annual global sustainability survey, and this year’s results indicate travelers have a tinge of weariness and disillusionment about their attitudes and decisions related to sustainable travel.
The online survey was conducted in February and gathered insights from [...]
Online travel giants set new record for marketing spend in ’23
Financial figures from Expedia Group, Booking Holdings, Airbnb and Trip.com Group – four of the largest online travel agencies in the world – show the companies spent a record amount of money to promote their brands and attract customers in 2023, as pent-up demand from the pandemic is stil [...]
Middle East business travel platform Tumodo raises $35M
Tumodo, a Dubai-based startup business travel platform, has raised $35 million in pre-seed funding.
The company said the funding is “co-led by MENA-focused angel investors” and will be used to grow its presence in the United Arab Emirates and to develop its product. And by 2026 it aims to expan [...]
Travel app downloads, time spend on mobile up in 2023
Mobile data and analytics platform Data.ai – formerly App Annie – is out with its latest report on global app downloads, usage and spending, and the findings show a jump in activity for travel brands led by online travel agencies.
According to the “State of Mobile 2024” report, in 2023 [...]
Microsoft and Tripadvisor on what OpenAI’s DevDay product announcements mean for travel
OpenAI has generated quite a bit of buzz this week since announcing several updates and new tools at its first developer conference on Monday.
OpenAI DevDay brought news of GPTs – customized versions of ChatGPT that anyone can create and keep private or share publicly in a soon-to-launch “GPT [...]
Legends wins WiT/Phocuswright Global Startup Pitch
Legends has won the 2023 Phocuswright/WebinTravel Global Startup Pitch event while SquadTrip received the People’s Choice Award.
The competition began in May with more than 120 startups, categorized by region - Asia Pacific, Europe, Americas, Middle East/Africa – and a Wild Card division. [...]
Google, Expedia, Travelport and Wego on AI risks, opportunities
Accuracy – and the risk of hallucinations – are key concerns about responses generated by large language models.
In late November it will be one year since OpenAI launched ChatGPT.
In the months since, figuring out how to use the large language model technology behind it and other generative [...]
Viator accounted for nearly half of TripAdvisor’s revenue in Q2
Viator continues to become a more valuable asset for Tripadvisor.
In the second quarter this year Viator brought in $216 million in revenue – up from $136 million in Q2 2022 – and accounted for 43% of Tripadvisor’s total revenue.
That’s a notable change from one year ago when Viato [...]
GetYourGuide nabs $194M for global expansion, more AI development
TOURS and activities online booking platform GetYourGuide has closed $194 million in equity and credit financing and plans to use the funding to expand in key markets and to accelerate product innovation – including extensive work with generative artificial intelligence.
The financing comes in [...]
