Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Travel Technology

Priceline Says Aloha! to OpenTable and Sayonara! to Competition

Phil Butler

Priceline buying restaurant reservation website OpenTable for $2.6 billion shows the expansion of the hospitality space growing ever more competitive. It was only a matter of time until restaurants became a bigger part of the tourism mix. If ever there were an “all in one” travel company emerging, Priceline may have just bid Sayonara! to its competition.

FIFA World Cup & Brazil’s Painted Streets Via Google Streetview

Phil Butler

With the FIFA World Cup hitting Rio Brazil has become the stage where the world gathers to play out maybe the greatest game in all sport. Soccer (football) carries with it, in these championships, the hopes, and vivid colorful dreams of billions of fans.

The Destiny of Desti – Nokia Win or Loss?

Phil Butler

Nokia has just acquired Desti, supposedly the “smartest travel guide” among all the travel guides in the digital world. The US based, Siri-like trip planning startup, is the Finnish company’s tech ace in the hole, some say, one that will boost that brand’s mobile market. Here’s two sides to the same story.

Thomas Cook PLC Stocks Up on Sale And Shakeup News

Aleksandr Shatskih

Six months into a stent as managing director of Thomas Cook’s UK outfit, Reto Wilhelm returns to Switzerland. Set to resume control of the East-West region, Wilhelm supposedly left UK for personal reasons.

TUI Growth 2014: Real Optimism or Reality Fluff?

Phil Butler

TUI AG, one of the world’s most successful and well known travel tour groups, has just announced their Half Year Financial report. Furthermore, TUI’s CEO, Fritz Joussen now says his company is well positioned for growth. With Europe rapidly becoming a stagnant market over east vs west tensions, just how solid are TUI or any other big tour company’s projections?

Travelers’ Hotel Choices: No Choice At All

Phil Butler

When Google acquired ITA flight software a couple of years back, a group of competitors went ballistic warning of unfair practices by the Internet search and ad giant. Most people back then blew off what FairSearch was contending, this author included. As it turns out, a half dozen court cases won and a lot of water under the hotel search bridge, and potential guests really have no choice at all. Google has rigged the hotel booking game into an ad recommendation one.

Choice Hotels & TripAdvisor Team Up for Mobile Bookings

Aleksandr Shatskih

Choice Hotels just announced being the first hotel chain to partner with TripAdvisor on that company’s new Instant Booking feature. TripAdvisor is currently testing Instant Booking, to empower travelers to complete hotel and other reservations using the TA mobile app and mobile website.

Meta Booking Hybrid Direct Rooms Adds 10 More Languages

Aleksandr Shatskih

Direct Rooms, a leading hybrid meta search entity for hotels, has just announced adding 10 additional languages to their service. According to the company they’re the first ever meta-search engine to offer rooms in Croatian.

Booking.com Releases “Best of Booking’s Best”

Aleksandr Shatskih

Booking.com just revealed their “Best of Booking’s Best” – the accommodations according to some 20 million real, relevant and recent customer reviews. The list provides summer travelers with more insight into the best places to visit and stay in the world.

Thomas Cook Goes to “Go-To” Digital Gurus

Phil Butler

adds digital gurus from around the social/digital web to their advisory board. According to news from TravelMole, hiring marketing guru Remo Masala from Kuoni set the tone for TC’s ongoing upramp into digital.