Sunday, May 30, 2004
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Wired 12.06: The Wired 40
Wired 12.06: The Wired 40: "
21. InterActiveCorp
LITTLE SHOP OF DILLER'S
Last year: 29
By adding dotcom survivors like Expedia and Match.com to core holdings like Ticketmaster and Home Shopping Network, Barry Diller turned InterActiveCorp (formerly USA Interactive) into a mosaic of consumer indulgences. Diller is strong where Amazon isn't: travel, events, dating, and real estate. That makes a solid foundation for a growing ecommerce empire.
Done: Hotels.com, Hotwire.com, and Lending Tree are the newest gems in Diller's collection.
To do: The quickest way to profits is the shortest path to sales. InterActiveCorp needs to put one-click shopping on TV."
23. WPP Group
ADDING IT UP
Last year: 33
CEO Martin Sorrell wants you to take things personally. He's pushing for personalized marketing - mobile, interactive, and direct - instead of traditional ads, which are about as personal as a hug from Dick Cheney. But Sorrell knows that each of the 102 countries where advertising behemoth WPP operates needs to be spoken to in its own special way. The world may soon be hanging on WPP's every word.
Done: The purchase of British agency Cordiant Communications gave WPP a firm foothold in Asia.
To do: Tomorrow's corporate giants in China, India, and Mexico need a global voice today.
34. Ryanair
WING COMMANDER
Last year: 30
In eight years, Dublin-based Ryanair has built a no-frills airline that shuttles 22 million skinflints a year to more than 75 European cities, buffeting the Continent's complacent airline industry. The company keeps costs low by focusing on second-string airports and selling tickets on the Web, completing 95 percent of sales online. Ryanair is now the Internet's favorite way to fly.
Done: No reclining seats. No head rests. No window blinds. Ryanair's cost-cutting has been ruthless.
To do: The carrier has a golden opportunity to extend the budget-airline business to developing countries with a growing middle class.
21. InterActiveCorp
LITTLE SHOP OF DILLER'S
Last year: 29
By adding dotcom survivors like Expedia and Match.com to core holdings like Ticketmaster and Home Shopping Network, Barry Diller turned InterActiveCorp (formerly USA Interactive) into a mosaic of consumer indulgences. Diller is strong where Amazon isn't: travel, events, dating, and real estate. That makes a solid foundation for a growing ecommerce empire.
Done: Hotels.com, Hotwire.com, and Lending Tree are the newest gems in Diller's collection.
To do: The quickest way to profits is the shortest path to sales. InterActiveCorp needs to put one-click shopping on TV."
23. WPP Group
ADDING IT UP
Last year: 33
CEO Martin Sorrell wants you to take things personally. He's pushing for personalized marketing - mobile, interactive, and direct - instead of traditional ads, which are about as personal as a hug from Dick Cheney. But Sorrell knows that each of the 102 countries where advertising behemoth WPP operates needs to be spoken to in its own special way. The world may soon be hanging on WPP's every word.
Done: The purchase of British agency Cordiant Communications gave WPP a firm foothold in Asia.
To do: Tomorrow's corporate giants in China, India, and Mexico need a global voice today.
34. Ryanair
WING COMMANDER
Last year: 30
In eight years, Dublin-based Ryanair has built a no-frills airline that shuttles 22 million skinflints a year to more than 75 European cities, buffeting the Continent's complacent airline industry. The company keeps costs low by focusing on second-string airports and selling tickets on the Web, completing 95 percent of sales online. Ryanair is now the Internet's favorite way to fly.
Done: No reclining seats. No head rests. No window blinds. Ryanair's cost-cutting has been ruthless.
To do: The carrier has a golden opportunity to extend the budget-airline business to developing countries with a growing middle class.
Thomsonfly.com - A new way of seeing Europe... from Coventry Airport - Company
Thomsonfly.com : "Fight is won for Flights to the sun" Coventry Airport has won its court case against Warwick District Council over the use of its interim passenger facility. Customers can now have full confidence in Thomsonfly.com's long term future at Coventry Airport
Online travel sales continues to grow - TW Crossroads
TW Crossroads: "Among active business travelers during the previous 12 months, four in five (80%) went online to reserve hotel accommodations, while seven in 10 (68%) went online to book an airline reservation. Just about half (45%) went online to arrange a car rental. The story is similar for active leisure travelers..."
Search refinements TW Crossroads - competing USA travel directory
TW Crossroads: " Rentalo.com, an Internet search engine focusing on nonstandard accommodations, rolled out an upgrade that allows for more specific and quicker searches.
With new 'sort-by' and 'filter-by' options, the user -- after selecting the destination -- can search by price, size of property, name and type of facility [house vs. apartment etc.]. Rentalo said searchers can hone in further, to sort by amenities, such as cell phones, DVDs, Web access, pet-friendliness, handicapped accessibility, local transportation, pool, Jacuzzi, sports and attractions."
With new 'sort-by' and 'filter-by' options, the user -- after selecting the destination -- can search by price, size of property, name and type of facility [house vs. apartment etc.]. Rentalo said searchers can hone in further, to sort by amenities, such as cell phones, DVDs, Web access, pet-friendliness, handicapped accessibility, local transportation, pool, Jacuzzi, sports and attractions."
"simpler is better" TW Crossroads
TW Crossroads: "Orbitz streamlined its homepage, partitioning it into two areas -- one for people who know when and where they want to travel, and another for those who prefer to browse deals and vacation ideas...
Travelocity kicked off the recent "simpler is better" theme for online agencies in March when the company simplified its homepage. Cheap Tickets also cleaned up the clutter when redesigning its site last week."
Travelocity kicked off the recent "simpler is better" theme for online agencies in March when the company simplified its homepage. Cheap Tickets also cleaned up the clutter when redesigning its site last week."
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
NewsBriefs
Not strictly travel industry but given possibilty of Yahoo & Google being major competitors worth noting their moves... even though IMHO using MSN messenger does not sticky me to any other MSN service....NewsBriefs: "Yahoo! Issues IM Update" Yahoo! released a major re-launch of its instant messaging (IM) application on Monday. Among the new features integrated into the real-time communication program are customizable "avatars," increased ability to play games against other users and easier photo or information sharing. Yahoo Messenger is currently the second most popular IM application, behind AOL Instant Messenger but ahead of Microsoft Messenger; all three companies have issued major updates to their product in recent months.
Review of Flight "Scanners" Sun Telegraph
Telegraph | Travel | Nick Trend's consumer report: Finding flights online takes off: "
Flightmapping.com
Skyscanner.net
Traveljungle.co.uk
Travelsupermarket.com
Flitesite.co.uk"
Interesting one at the bottom of the list:
FLITE SITE
This small two-man operation claims to be the first to break into the market (it has been going for more than two years). It's a slick site with some very good map-based graphics. However, only fare searches for EasyJet are working at the moment. The site's owner, Ian Bailey, says he needs more investment to expand.
Verdict
Could be useful, but not yet fully operational.
Flightmapping.com
Skyscanner.net
Traveljungle.co.uk
Travelsupermarket.com
Flitesite.co.uk"
Interesting one at the bottom of the list:
FLITE SITE
This small two-man operation claims to be the first to break into the market (it has been going for more than two years). It's a slick site with some very good map-based graphics. However, only fare searches for EasyJet are working at the moment. The site's owner, Ian Bailey, says he needs more investment to expand.
Verdict
Could be useful, but not yet fully operational.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Guest comment: What is happening with domestic tourism? - 24-May-04.
Guest comment: What is happening with domestic tourism? - 24-May-04.: "the Government’s long awaited Tourism Prospectus has been slipped out very quietly, and was still not available publicly available...the document only covers marketing, etourism, data, quality and skills and doesn’t explain why the current structure of the tourism industry is such a shambles nor what the government plans to do about it...
the domestic tourism industry needs to find a champion who will persuade the Government that tourism is an important activity, requiring more funding, more permanent government responsibility and a structure that can facilitate industry engagement from a grassroots level."
Anyone have a tame politico in their sights who would take up this gauntlet & promote totaltravel?
the domestic tourism industry needs to find a champion who will persuade the Government that tourism is an important activity, requiring more funding, more permanent government responsibility and a structure that can facilitate industry engagement from a grassroots level."
Anyone have a tame politico in their sights who would take up this gauntlet & promote totaltravel?
Traditional airlines are making progress online in their battle with 'no-frills' rivals
Features: "Traditional airlines are making progress online in their battle with 'no-frills' rivals, according to new research.
Hitwise data for the top 10 no-frills airline websites reveals that visits by UK consumers have increased by 12.5% over the past year. However, the broader Commercial Airlines sector, which includes both traditional and no-frills carriers, has outpaced this growth, with an increase of 19.4% year on year.
The difference in growth is attributable, the company says, to the ever-increasing competition for direct bookings online. In the past 12 months, Hitwise added 44 websites to its Commercial Airlines sector, a 27% growth in the number of websites compared with last year.
By studying the online customer acquisition strategies and business models of the likes of easyJet and Ryanair, companies such as British Airways look to be making up some lost ground. With visits to the online travel industry growing another 27% in the past 12 months, consumers are clearly responding to the flexibility and price transparency that the Internet brings to their travel plans."
In terms of the most popular no-frills airlines, easyJet (www.easyjet.com) is the market leader, accounting for over a third of all visits to the custom sector, followed by Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), which receives a quarter of visits, and BMI Baby (www.bmibaby.com), which saw one in 10 visits to the custom sector.
Hitwise Search Terms shows that for the Commercial Airlines sector, of the top 15 most searched for keywords, over 70% were for no-frills airlines. British Airways is the third most searched for airline brand."
Visit site for charts
Hitwise data for the top 10 no-frills airline websites reveals that visits by UK consumers have increased by 12.5% over the past year. However, the broader Commercial Airlines sector, which includes both traditional and no-frills carriers, has outpaced this growth, with an increase of 19.4% year on year.
The difference in growth is attributable, the company says, to the ever-increasing competition for direct bookings online. In the past 12 months, Hitwise added 44 websites to its Commercial Airlines sector, a 27% growth in the number of websites compared with last year.
By studying the online customer acquisition strategies and business models of the likes of easyJet and Ryanair, companies such as British Airways look to be making up some lost ground. With visits to the online travel industry growing another 27% in the past 12 months, consumers are clearly responding to the flexibility and price transparency that the Internet brings to their travel plans."
In terms of the most popular no-frills airlines, easyJet (www.easyjet.com) is the market leader, accounting for over a third of all visits to the custom sector, followed by Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), which receives a quarter of visits, and BMI Baby (www.bmibaby.com), which saw one in 10 visits to the custom sector.
Hitwise Search Terms shows that for the Commercial Airlines sector, of the top 15 most searched for keywords, over 70% were for no-frills airlines. British Airways is the third most searched for airline brand."
Visit site for charts
Sunday, May 23, 2004
No-frills boom spawns new type of guide book - 20-May-04.
No-frills boom spawns new type of guide book - 20-May-04.:
Rough Guides is launching a new range of guide books to cater for the booming short breaks market...
The first six Directions guides, launched on Thursday 27 May, are Athens, Lisbon, London, Paris, San Francisco and Venice. A further six guides will launch in August for Amsterdam, New York, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Marrakesh and Tenerife and La Gomera. More are scheduled for next year.
The guides contain more pictures and colourful maps as well as a CD that contains the entire guide in pdf format. They cost £6.99 and are sold in bookshops and online through websites like Amazon."
Rough Guides is launching a new range of guide books to cater for the booming short breaks market...
The first six Directions guides, launched on Thursday 27 May, are Athens, Lisbon, London, Paris, San Francisco and Venice. A further six guides will launch in August for Amsterdam, New York, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Marrakesh and Tenerife and La Gomera. More are scheduled for next year.
The guides contain more pictures and colourful maps as well as a CD that contains the entire guide in pdf format. They cost £6.99 and are sold in bookshops and online through websites like Amazon."
New low fares airline launches from Kent - 20-May-04.
New low fares airline launches from Kent - 20-May-04.: "Irish budget carrier EUjet has confirmed a raft of new routes from Kent International Airport."
Hospitality Net - Industry News - No frills on a cheap night - EasyHotel to offer 'capsule' rooms in London for just ?D5 a night
Hospitality Net - Industry News - No frills on a cheap night - EasyHotel to offer 'capsule' rooms in London for just ?D5 a night: "No frills on a cheap night - EasyHotel to offer 'capsule' rooms in London for just ?D5 a night"
Monday, May 17, 2004
The Webby Awards: 2004 Nominees & Winners
The Webby Awards: 2004 Nominees & Winners: "
Webby award winner: IgoUgo www.igougo.com
People's voice winner: Lonely Planet Online www.lonelyplanet.com
Nominees:
Fodors.com http://www.fodors.com
IgoUgo http://www.igougo.com
LonelyPlanet.com http://www.lonelyplanet.com
LuxuryLink.com http://www.luxurylink.com
Pure NZ http://www.newzealand.com "
Webby award winner: IgoUgo www.igougo.com
People's voice winner: Lonely Planet Online www.lonelyplanet.com
Nominees:
Fodors.com http://www.fodors.com
IgoUgo http://www.igougo.com
LonelyPlanet.com http://www.lonelyplanet.com
LuxuryLink.com http://www.luxurylink.com
Pure NZ http://www.newzealand.com "
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Cendant forms partner marketing unit
Cendant forms partner marketing unit: "The Travel Distribution Services (TDS) Division within Cendant Corporation has formed a new global Partner Marketing team."
BBC NEWS | Magazine | The DIY travel guide
BBC NEWS | Magazine | The DIY travel guide: "The internet has changed the way we go on holiday. And now it offers holidaymakers the chance to become contributors to electronic travel guides. "
Travel Execs Get A Glimpse Of Their Future
Web Services Pipeline | News | Travel Execs Get A Glimpse Of Their Future: "Travel Execs Get A Glimpse Of Their Future "
Travel Execs Get A Glimpse Of Their Future
Web Services Pipeline | News | Travel Execs Get A Glimpse Of Their Future: "Travel Execs Get A Glimpse Of Their Future "
Interactive having problems with operators
MSN Money - TheStreet.com: "Travel-site operator faces hotel mutiny"
Interactive having problems with operators
MSN Money - TheStreet.com: "Travel-site operator faces hotel mutiny"
Brand Republic
Brand Republic: "Visits to travel-related websites have increased by over a quarter in the last 12 months with the future outlook looking buoyant as more and more consumers turn to the web to organise their travel, according to Hitwise. "
Loyalty is about relationships, not transactions
Loyalty is about relationships, not transactions: "- Continuous monitoring of all customer data enables companies to shift to a subscription-based model and transform themselves into truly customer-focused organisations. Most companies do not have the strategic, technological and analytical expertise to make the transition on their own, and will need a partner to support the transition through marketing strategy and analytics. "
Friday, May 14, 2004
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
England Travel | Guide to travelling England | Travellerspoint
TravelMole announces 2004 web awards winner online agency cat: England Travel | Guide to travelling England | Travellerspoint: "Online Travel Guide > England"
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Thursday, May 06, 2004
Consumers' Travel Plans Include Visit to Net
Consumers' Travel Plans Include Visit to Net: "Consumers in the US are increasingly using the Internet to plan trips, and the number of people using the Web to actually book their trips is growing at an even faster rate."
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis: "Despite recent reports that intensifying fare wars and mounting competition have put pressure on the airline industry, the latest figures from Hitwise provide an extremely positive outlook for the online travel market in the UK." Online Travel Sector up 27% in 12 Months
Hitwise today reports that visits to travel related websites have increased by over a quarter in the 12 months to April 2004, reflecting the continued strength of this sector online.
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis: "Low cost carrier EasyJet sent its share price into a tailspin yesterday after it warned it was suffering the impact of fierce competition from full service airlines and budget start-ups."
Hitwise today reports that visits to travel related websites have increased by over a quarter in the 12 months to April 2004, reflecting the continued strength of this sector online.
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis: "Low cost carrier EasyJet sent its share price into a tailspin yesterday after it warned it was suffering the impact of fierce competition from full service airlines and budget start-ups."
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Web Awards 2004
Web Awards 2004:
"Web-based Technology
* http://www.skyscanner.net
* http://www.gazetteers.com
* http://www.netizen.co.uk
* http://www.hotels-direct-uk.com
Online-only Agency
* http://www.travelocity.co.uk
* http://www.travellerspoint.com
* http://www.opodo.co.uk
* http://www.experiencenz.com"
See link for further cats...
"Web-based Technology
* http://www.skyscanner.net
* http://www.gazetteers.com
* http://www.netizen.co.uk
* http://www.hotels-direct-uk.com
Online-only Agency
* http://www.travelocity.co.uk
* http://www.travellerspoint.com
* http://www.opodo.co.uk
* http://www.experiencenz.com"
See link for further cats...
DMNews.com | News | Article
DMNews.com | News | Article: "SideStep Moves Straight Into the Online Travel Battle"
SideStep Inc., a travel search engine, is sharpening its positioning and awareness efforts to compete better with more aggressive online travel agencies like Travelocity and Expedia. After narrowing 225 prospective tag lines to eight, the company soon will dump the current generic-sounding tag line, "The travel search engine," in favor of "The traveler's search engine." "The change seems slight -- the addition of four extra characters," said Phil Carpenter, vice president of corporate marketing at SideStep. "But the difference in interpretation was dramatic. "Consumers saw this line, and SideStep, as a product designed for them, a service they felt they owned," he said.
Cheap Airline Tickets, Discount Hotels, Travel Deals - SideStep: "Find travel deals from dozens of sites � with one search!
Search dozens of sites at once for flight, hotel, and rental car bargains
Automatically compare prices side-by-side with sites like Expedia and Travelocity.
Discover deals from travel providers that other sites miss like JetBlue"
SideStep Inc., a travel search engine, is sharpening its positioning and awareness efforts to compete better with more aggressive online travel agencies like Travelocity and Expedia. After narrowing 225 prospective tag lines to eight, the company soon will dump the current generic-sounding tag line, "The travel search engine," in favor of "The traveler's search engine." "The change seems slight -- the addition of four extra characters," said Phil Carpenter, vice president of corporate marketing at SideStep. "But the difference in interpretation was dramatic. "Consumers saw this line, and SideStep, as a product designed for them, a service they felt they owned," he said.
Cheap Airline Tickets, Discount Hotels, Travel Deals - SideStep: "Find travel deals from dozens of sites � with one search!
Search dozens of sites at once for flight, hotel, and rental car bargains
Automatically compare prices side-by-side with sites like Expedia and Travelocity.
Discover deals from travel providers that other sites miss like JetBlue"
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis
This is applicable to all three blog topics......Bad news for "landing pages, doorways whatever you call them...
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis: "The world's largest hotel chain has been accused of misleading customers searching for hotels by setting up dozens of websites that look like independent travel agents but, in reality, direct customers to its own products. (5/4/2004)"
Telegraph | News | Top hotel 'is behind misleading internet sites': "Customers visiting the sites are invited to look for hotels in their city of choice. Those who do so might think that they are carrying out a comprehensive search of all available accommodation, as can be done on genuinely independent travel websites. In fact, all inquiries are directed to InterContinental's own named search facility and the only results given to the customer are hotels belonging to the group.
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said that its lawyers had looked at the sites, which InterContinental calls 'destination portals', and concluded that they were 'pretty misleading'.
A spokesman said: 'If you were a consumer you would think that it was a generic website. We would always advocate complete transparency which this does not appear to have. It does not say InterContinental anywhere on the top of the screen.'He suggested that the issue might be pursued by the Office of Fair Trading. Last night a spokesman for the OFT said that it would examine the sites."
Peter Gowers, the executive vice-president of global brand services for the hotelier, said: "I don't think it is misleading. I think it is very clear and we guard our reputation for trust and confidence as tightly as we can and we think these sites are absolutely in line with that reputation.
"We find that customers who are searching on the web do it in a number of ways. Some put in the name of the hotel, some the name and location and some just the destination. We have to find a way to reach people who just search by destination.
If you look you will see that not only does it have the usual source information at the bottom but right next to the search button it says 'powered by InterContinental Hotels'.
In fact, of the 10 sites viewed by The Sunday Telegraph, only one site, dealson-hotels.com, said "powered by InterContinental" next to the search button.
When this was pointed out to Mr Gowers he said: "It may be as the sites get rotated it hasn't come up on all of them. I'm not that familiar with all the sites. We take our reputation as the hotel company you can trust very seriously.
The competition for hotels to draw in customers on the internet has become fierce in recent months. The move by InterContinental is being seen within the industry as an attempt to circumvent the independent hotel search sites that buy cheap rooms from the hoteliers before selling them on to customers with a 20-30 per cent mark-up added on.
Last week the hotel chain threatened to stop offering its rooms through the sites unless they improved their operating terms. Its rival Hilton has, meanwhile, pledged to pay $50 (£28.20) to anyone able to book rooms cheaper at independent sites rather than through the company itself."
eyefortravel.com - Travel Distribution News, Events and Analysis: "The world's largest hotel chain has been accused of misleading customers searching for hotels by setting up dozens of websites that look like independent travel agents but, in reality, direct customers to its own products. (5/4/2004)"
Telegraph | News | Top hotel 'is behind misleading internet sites': "Customers visiting the sites are invited to look for hotels in their city of choice. Those who do so might think that they are carrying out a comprehensive search of all available accommodation, as can be done on genuinely independent travel websites. In fact, all inquiries are directed to InterContinental's own named search facility and the only results given to the customer are hotels belonging to the group.
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said that its lawyers had looked at the sites, which InterContinental calls 'destination portals', and concluded that they were 'pretty misleading'.
A spokesman said: 'If you were a consumer you would think that it was a generic website. We would always advocate complete transparency which this does not appear to have. It does not say InterContinental anywhere on the top of the screen.'He suggested that the issue might be pursued by the Office of Fair Trading. Last night a spokesman for the OFT said that it would examine the sites."
Peter Gowers, the executive vice-president of global brand services for the hotelier, said: "I don't think it is misleading. I think it is very clear and we guard our reputation for trust and confidence as tightly as we can and we think these sites are absolutely in line with that reputation.
"We find that customers who are searching on the web do it in a number of ways. Some put in the name of the hotel, some the name and location and some just the destination. We have to find a way to reach people who just search by destination.
If you look you will see that not only does it have the usual source information at the bottom but right next to the search button it says 'powered by InterContinental Hotels'.
In fact, of the 10 sites viewed by The Sunday Telegraph, only one site, dealson-hotels.com, said "powered by InterContinental" next to the search button.
When this was pointed out to Mr Gowers he said: "It may be as the sites get rotated it hasn't come up on all of them. I'm not that familiar with all the sites. We take our reputation as the hotel company you can trust very seriously.
The competition for hotels to draw in customers on the internet has become fierce in recent months. The move by InterContinental is being seen within the industry as an attempt to circumvent the independent hotel search sites that buy cheap rooms from the hoteliers before selling them on to customers with a 20-30 per cent mark-up added on.
Last week the hotel chain threatened to stop offering its rooms through the sites unless they improved their operating terms. Its rival Hilton has, meanwhile, pledged to pay $50 (£28.20) to anyone able to book rooms cheaper at independent sites rather than through the company itself."
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