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Online Travel Update: Trivago reports a challenging 2020, but expects a positive 2021; Expedia reports disappointing year-end results; ‘Clear’ emerges as new digital health passport leader; unpaid refunds threaten Lastminute.com

February 19, 2021

For readers who have been following our Online Travel Updates since its inception, we thank you for your continued support. In this year of 2021, June will mark our six-year anniversary of publishing these weekly updates dedicated to keeping our readers up-to-date with legal, regulatory, and market and industry trends related to the online travel space. We hope you continue to find them informative and helpful as the online travel industry keeps evolving. This week’s…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Booking.com announces new cancellation and deposit policies; Expedia offers discount rates to all of its travel agency partners; Agoda launches new booking tool; Amazon drops virtual experiences prices

By Greg Duff

February 12, 2021

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Unlike our short Update last week, this week’s edition is filled with several important stories. (“Booking.com changes hotel cancellation and deposit policies,” February 5, 2021 via Hotel Owner) (subscription may be required)Last week, Booking.com announced plans to limit the number and types of cancellation, and advance deposit policies that its platform will support. The change takes effect on April 6, 2021. This is not the first time Booking.com has announced its own approach to cancellations…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Tripadvisor introduces virtual voice tours for Amazon Alexa; Airbnb Experiences continues to face challenges; TripActions succeeds with fresh approach to travel management

By Greg Duff

February 5, 2021

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As evidenced by our list of stories below, it was a relatively quiet week for online travel. (“Tripadvisor creates virtual destination tour via Amazon Alexa,” January 29, 2021 via Phocus Wire)Working with tourism authorities in Abu Dhabi, last week, Tripadvisor launched what it claims to be the first virtual destination voice tour for Amazon Alexa. Users in the United Kingdom can summon the voice tour by asking their Alexa-enabled device “to explore Abu Dhabi.” The…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Expedia dominates early 2021 television advertising; powerhouse technology and health care companies join forces to create vaccination passport; Apple moves forward with controversial privacy requirements

By Greg Duff

January 29, 2021

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This week’s Online Travel Update features updates to a number of stories that we covered previously – online vaccination records, Apple’s privacy policy and the many challenges associated with regulating online platforms’ algorithms. Expedia Dominates Early 2021 Television Advertising (“Vrbo and Expedia Dominate Online Travel TV Advertising in the U.S. So Far in 2021,” January 21, 2021 via Skift Travel News) (subscription may be required)Although overall television advertising spending by OTAs (online travel agencies) is…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Tripadvisor launches beta application to help travelers avoid crowds at public places; Southwest pursues claims against unauthorized OTA; Chinese OTAs actively pursue traditional hotel investments

By Greg Duff

January 22, 2021

This week’s Update contains something for everyone – currencies and payments, infringement claims and acquisitions. Enjoy. Want to Get Away? TripAdvisor Can Help (“Tripadvisor tests tool to aid socially distanced travel,” January 11, 2021 via Phocus Wire)Tripadvisor has recently launched a platform that enables travelers to identify and avoid crowds at businesses and public places. The platform Crowdfree.me, which was created by a team from Tripadvisor, Slack, Amazon Web Services and other technology companies,…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Trump Administration bans Alipay; JetBlue withholds flight information from Fareportal; outdoor booking startup Hipcamp connects landowners with campers

By Greg Duff

January 15, 2021

This week’s Update features a variety of stories (all of which pale in comparison to the tumultuous events last week in Washington, D.C.), including two stories about the recent antitrust claims brought by Fareportal against JetBlue for its refusal to allow Fareportal to distribute JetBlue’s fares and flight content. Enjoy. Trump Administration Bans Alipay (“Trump bars U.S. transactions with eight Chinese apps including Alipay,” January 6, 2021 via Reuters)Citing concerns over Chinese access to certain…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: 2020 Year in Review

By Greg Duff

January 8, 2021

Happy New Year. Our inaugural 2021 Online Travel Update is below. In addition to sharing a new story about Expedia Group, we are once again providing a roundup of some of the major developments and trends that impacted the online travel industry in 2020, including how hotels and other industry members have responded and adapted in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enjoy.…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Agoda adds installment payments, and Expedia scales back its non-core businesses while its competitors press forward

By Greg Duff

December 31, 2020

We end 2020 with a heavy dose of antitrust/competition stories (which is a theme likely to continue into 2021), including updates from Russia, Croatia and the European Union. Those of you with properties in those markets may soon find new opportunities and methods to compete.…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: VResorts launches first virtual reality booking platform; Lufthansa and Sabre settle differences; EU releases anticipated online regulations

By Greg Duff

December 24, 2020

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This week’s Update features a variety of stories – short-term rental, airlines, resort fees and antitrust developments in both the United States and the EU. Enjoy. Say Hello to the First VR Booking Platform(VResorts Launches Virtual Reality Booking Platform, December 15, 2020 via Hotel Business)Gimmick? Maybe. I’ve been quite skeptical of the many purported uses for virtual reality in the travel industry. Singapore-based, VResorts wants us all to think differently. VResorts announced last week the launch of its virtual…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Online Travel Update: Airbnb’s blockbuster IPO arrives with $100 billion valuation; Expedia dismisses launch of Google’s Travel Insights; RVs gain popularity as new mode of accommodation and travel

By Greg Duff

December 18, 2020

Last week’s news headlines were dominated with a major milestone in the short-term rental industry as Airbnb’s long-awaited IPO finally arrived. While many will continue to debate Airbnb’s initial valuation, one thing is clear: Having just raised $3.5 billion in the public markets, Airbnb has formally arrived. It presents formidable competition to the two current online travel behemoths, Expedia Group and Booking Holdings.…

Duff on Hospitality Law

Blog Authors

Online Travel Update: Trivago reports a challenging 2020, but expects a positive 2021; Expedia reports disappointing year-end results; ‘Clear’ emerges as new digital health passport leader; unpaid refunds threaten Lastminute.com

Online Travel Update: Booking.com announces new cancellation and deposit policies; Expedia offers discount rates to all of its travel agency partners; Agoda launches new booking tool; Amazon drops virtual experiences prices

Online Travel Update: Tripadvisor introduces virtual voice tours for Amazon Alexa; Airbnb Experiences continues to face challenges; TripActions succeeds with fresh approach to travel management

Online Travel Update: Expedia dominates early 2021 television advertising; powerhouse technology and health care companies join forces to create vaccination passport; Apple moves forward with controversial privacy requirements

Online Travel Update: Tripadvisor launches beta application to help travelers avoid crowds at public places; Southwest pursues claims against unauthorized OTA; Chinese OTAs actively pursue traditional hotel investments

Online Travel Update: Trump Administration bans Alipay; JetBlue withholds flight information from Fareportal; outdoor booking startup Hipcamp connects landowners with campers

Online Travel Update: 2020 Year in Review

Online Travel Update: Agoda adds installment payments, and Expedia scales back its non-core businesses while its competitors press forward

Online Travel Update: VResorts launches first virtual reality booking platform; Lufthansa and Sabre settle differences; EU releases anticipated online regulations

Online Travel Update: Airbnb’s blockbuster IPO arrives with $100 billion valuation; Expedia dismisses launch of Google’s Travel Insights; RVs gain popularity as new mode of accommodation and travel

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