Russian Investigators Looking into Booking.com’s Practices -
(“Russian competition watchdog opens investigation into Booking.com,” Reuters on Dec. 30, 2020)
On Monday, December 30, Russia’s Federal Anti-Monopoly...more
2/3/2020
/ AirBnB ,
Anti-Monopoly ,
Bodily Injury ,
Booking.com ,
Fees ,
Google ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Russia ,
Third-Party Liability ,
Travelers ,
TripAdvisor
This week’s Update features a number of stories on growing online travel platforms – including the launch of an entirely new travel application and the possible resurrection of an old familiar travel application....more
With 2020 now upon us and 2019 in the rearview mirror, I thought this would be a good time to take a look back at the stories (and the themes that the stories represent) we covered in 2019 that I believe will have the largest...more
1/7/2020
/ AirBnB ,
Amazon ,
Booking.com ,
Expedia ,
Google ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Hotels ,
Marriott ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Rental Property ,
Short-Term Lease ,
Travelers ,
Vacation Rentals ,
Wholesale
Our holiday-abbreviated OTA & Travel Distribution Update is below. Happy Holidays....more
12/31/2019
/ Booking.com ,
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) ,
Consumer Privacy Rights ,
Customer-Loyalty Programs ,
Data Privacy ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Expedia ,
Google ,
Governor Brown ,
Hotels ,
New Legislation ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Travelers
South Korean Competition Authority Takes a Hard Look at Parity -
(“Comment: Use by online-travel agencies of MFN clauses under study by South Korean antitrust watchdog,” MLex Insight on Dec 5, 2019)
South Korea’s Fair...more
12/23/2019
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Booking.com ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Expedia ,
Fair Trade Commissions ,
Hotels ,
Online Platforms ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Price Transparency ,
Rate Parity Agreement ,
South Korea ,
Travelers ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
It should come as no surprise that stories detailing the unexpected resignations of Expedia’s top two senior executives are featured prominently in this week’s Update. Rather than just recirculating the usual industry...more
Need a Recipe? Ask Airbnb -
(“Introducing ’Cooking‘ on Airbnb Experiences,” Hospitality Net - Latest Industry News on Nov 26, 2019) -
Last Monday, Airbnb introduced “Cooking” on Airbnb Experiences. The new category of...more
Startup Seeks to Turn Traditional Group Booking Upside Down -
(“Booking Startup Stayker Makes Room Blocks Less Risky for Planners,” Skift Travel News on Nov 20, 2019)
Launched last Thursday, Stayker seeks to disrupt...more
11/27/2019
/ AirBnB ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Booking.com ,
Customer-Loyalty Programs ,
Google ,
Hotels ,
Mobile Apps ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Startups ,
Travelers ,
Vacation Rentals
Vrbo Repositions Itself -
(“Expedia’s Vrbo to Reposition Itself Beyond Vacation Rentals as a Family Travel Business,” Skift Travel News on Nov 14, 2019)
Fresh from its disappointing third-quarter financial results,...more
Algorithms Under EU Scrutiny -
(“Algorithms might raise collusion concerns, Franco-German study says,” MLex Insight on Nov 8, 2019)
As many of you probably already know, algorithms are the heart and soul of most online...more
11/19/2019
/ Algorithms ,
Antitrust Division ,
Booking.com ,
Competition ,
Expedia ,
Google ,
Hotels ,
Joint Venture ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Partnerships ,
Trademarks ,
Travelers ,
TripAdvisor
Indian Online Travel Agent Joins Ranks of Those Being Investigated for Potential Consumer Abuses -
(“MakeMyTrip faces battery of allegations of unfair business practices following merger,” MLex Market Insight on Nov 1,...more
Japanese distributor Rakuten leads off this week’s Update with a story detailing the circumstances leading to the distributor’s recent commitment to abandon all contractual parity requirements. Enjoy....more
11/4/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Airlines ,
Booking.com ,
Customer-Loyalty Programs ,
Financial Analysts ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Rate Parity Agreement ,
Rental Property ,
Short-Term Lease ,
Travelers ,
Vacation Rentals ,
Wyndham
This week’s OTA Update leads off with stories about two of the largest OTAs seeking to diversify their offerings through the addition of flights. As each of these travel platforms continues to evolve and seek to add more...more
10/28/2019
/ AirBnB ,
Booking.com ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Hotels ,
Marriott ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Public Comment ,
Rental Property ,
Tourism ,
Vacation Rentals
This week’s OTA & Travel Distribution Update features a number of stories on recent changes at Google with regard to the way in which it displays vacation rentals and the market’s response to those changes. Enjoy....more
...As for the Update, it was a relatively quiet week on the distribution front as opinions and viewpoints regarding the recently announced Expedia/Marriott agreement continue to roll in. What this agreement might ultimately...more
10/15/2019
/ Airlines ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
Digital Currency ,
E-Commerce ,
Expedia ,
Fees ,
Hotels ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Marriott ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Pricing ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Rate Parity Agreement ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Singapore ,
Startups ,
Travelers ,
Unfair Competition
Consumer protection concerns are a re-occurring theme in this week’s Update.
Proposed Legislation Targets Resort Fees -
("House Bill Would Halt Undisclosed Resort Fees," Benzinga.com on Sep 27, 2019)
This past...more
10/7/2019
/ Booking.com ,
Expedia ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fees ,
FTC Act ,
Hotels ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Property Owners ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Travelers ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Websites
This week’s Update is by far one of the most substantive Updates we’ve had in some time. Enjoy....more
9/26/2019
/ Expedia ,
Fake Reviews ,
Hidden Fees ,
Hotels ,
Marriott ,
Mobile Apps ,
Online Reviews ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Travelers ,
TripAdvisor ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Websites ,
Wholesale
A good mix of stories in this week’s Update, including another name change for one of the largest OTAs. Enjoy....more
9/23/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Airlines ,
Appeals ,
Customer-Loyalty Programs ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Failure To Disclose ,
Hotels ,
Misleading Impressions ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Partnerships ,
Ticket Pricing ,
Travelers ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
Fall has definitely arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. This week’s OTA & Travel Distribution Update is below and features stories on TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Vacasa and the soon-to-be-effective, Strong Customer...more
9/16/2019
/ Booking.com ,
Fake Reviews ,
Google ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Hotels ,
National Competent Authorities (NCA) ,
Online Reviews ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Partnerships ,
Rental Property ,
Tourism ,
Travelers ,
TripAdvisor ,
Vacation Rentals
Ettsa demands Europe-wide harmonisation of hotel booking rules -
Travel Weekly (UK) - News on Aug 30, 2019 -
The European technology and Travel Services Association (Ettsa) has demanded EU regulators enforce tighter...more
With summer coming to an end, I anticipate a healthy dose of Update worthy items in the weeks ahead....more
Sabre Likely to Face Anti-Trust Challenge -
("DOJ Poised to Sue to Block Sabre’s Deal for Farelogix," Bloomberg News on Aug 16, 2019)
Following up on a story we featured back in April...According to reports coming out...more
This week’s Update features a story on relative newcomer to third party distribution (Southwest Airlines) and includes, yet again, another update on the on-again/off-again saga of Booking.com commissions. Enjoy....more
8/19/2019
/ Airlines ,
Booking.com ,
Customer-Loyalty Programs ,
Fees ,
Hotels ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Retail Installment Sales Contracts ,
Sales Commissions ,
Travelers ,
TripAdvisor
This week’s Update features a wide variety of stories, including an update on our own Northwest-based short-term rental management company, Vacasa, which is growing by leaps and bounds. Enjoy....more
8/12/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Anticompetitive Behavior ,
Booking.com ,
Capital Raising ,
European Commission ,
Hotels ,
International Travel ,
Joint Venture ,
Mergers ,
Online Travel Vendors ,
Rental Property ,
Startups ,
Vacation Rentals
This past week was relatively quiet in the distribution world as evidenced by the few stories below. Enjoy....more