Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce giant, is making ambitious moves to building out Rakuten STAY, a vacation rentals model in which it will own, manage and operate its inventory not just in Japan but worldwide – and its accommodation will be fully powered by services within the Rakuten eco-system.
Hotels still face many challenges, including the ongoing talent shortage and the slow return of large business meetings and events - the bread and butter for many urban properties. However, leisure travelers, especially those taking drive vacations or traveling domestically, and trends in remote work, continue to fuel growth.
Can chatbot plugins bring a new, conversational layer to the decade-old search and booking interface in travel?
I can say from experience, and with solid evidence, that ChatGPT will radically improve sales conversion and customer satisfaction, if implemented correctly. How do I know?
The message is already out. Travel companies have been turning to video-sharing app TikTok to build brand awareness. As the most downloaded app two years in a row, TikTok promises global reach, especially with younger generations of travelers.
How we travel and explore the world is about to change forever. Hoteliers need to take note or risk being left, rather ironically, up in the air.
From AI to Google: 5 Truths for Travel Marketers in 2023
Northeast Asia's travel industry, comprised of four key regional travel markets - South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau - is preparing for a rebound in 2023 with the rebuilding of air connectivity across Asia Pacific markets.
Great insights from Lufthansa Innovation Hub's TNMT on the power of ChatGPT and it's potential for automated travel planning
Building loyalty in travel has been a hair-puller for the industry since the early days of the internet.