Booking Holdings to buy HotelsCombined, which will become part of KAYAK
Booking Holdings announced on July 9 it has entered into an agreement to purchase accommodation metasearch site, HotelsCombined.
The acquisition has been approved by HotelsCombined's board of directors and stockholders and is expected to close later this year, subject to regulatory approval. Term [...]
The Wrap: Lufthansa expands its innovation hub digitisation unit to Singapore and Shenzhen
In the news: Lufthansa launches innovation hub in two Asian cities, Softbank invests in handy, FCM and Sabre have new executives
Travel Technology: Lufthansa expands its innovation hub digitisation unit to Singapore and Shenzhen
Strong growth in Lufthansa’s business in Asia has prompted [...]
Game on as LINE enters travel: Key lessons from WIT Japan & North Asia
There we were at WiT Japan & North Asia speaking of the disruption taking place in travel and the day after we wrap up our two-day event comes the news that LINE, Japan’s main messaging app, is getting into travel.
The news release said that LINE Travel “would be a comprehensive travel se [...]
Sabre integrates Booking.com listing into lodging platform, boosts accommodation offerings
Agency customers of Sabre will soon have access to all Booking.com listings, including its alternative lodging listings, through the Sabre Content Services for Lodging, in a new agreement between the two companies.
The new lodging solution, which will officially launch later this year, has also i [...]
The Wrap: Amadeus-Adobe partnership brings improved airline experience to travellers
In the news: Providing a “seamless” travel experience and ensuring customer satisfaction across all touch points of a journey seem to be the focus of many airlines, which are implementing solutions and entering partnership to do just that. Featured - the Amadeus-Adobe tie-up, SITA’s bag tracki [...]
Letter from Tokyo: So who wants to be a Disaster Chef or a Super Chicken?
Last night, I was having dinner at one of the many hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurants in Tokyo that every traveller likes to boast about discovering when I had a culinary epiphany of sorts.
Based on a recommendation from a local (the best kind there is), this one was called Hanawasabi, serving [...]
India’s Cleartrip acquires Flyin, Saudi Arabia’s largest online travel aggregator
Mumbai-based online travel company Cleartrip has bought Flyin, the largest online travel aggregator in Saudi Arabia, marking its first overseas acquisition and strengthening its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but Cleartrip [...]
The Wrap: iClick, Ctrip collaborate to develop marketing solutions for brands targeting China’s outbound market
In the news: More partnerships formed - China’s iClick and Ctrip team up to augument marketing solutions, while Air New Zealand and Magic Leap are developing a virtual reality travel experience
Travel Technology: iClick, Ctrip collaborate to develop marketing solutions for brands targeting Ch [...]
BeMyGuest’s Hit List 1: Things You Ought To Know About Japan’s Tours & Activities
Tours & activities is an interesting space. Other than attracting a lot of attention from investors, it also provides insights into the destinations favoured by travellers, what they like to do while in a destination and how they book these activities and experiences. In this series of columns, [...]
Skyscanner and ForwardKeys partner to deliver richer data
Skyscanner has partnered with ForwardKeys, to now be able to provide additional insights into macro traveller trends through new analytical tools “Travel Willingness” and “Catchment Area” within flight searches.
“These new analytical techniques will combine ForwardKeys’ data science [...]
