Good Sunday evening from Seattle . . . Our weekly Online Travel Update for the week ending Friday, June 20, 2023, is below. Given summer’s official arrival this past Friday, it should be no surprise that the past week was a relatively quiet week for online travel. Enjoy.
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- Google Hotels Feeling the Pressure. One of the most interesting stories this past week came from Skift. Facing the effects of recent DMA mandated changes and its own AI initiatives, Google’s metasearch engine, Google Hotels, may be struggling – at least a little. And while Google may be struggling to find its footing, other industry players – Expedia, Trivago and TripAdvisor (and newcomer, Super.com) – are taking advantage. With so many changes afoot in the industry, I question how anyone is able to do a long-term distribution deal these days (let alone decide on a long-term distribution strategy). Definitely an interesting time to be part of the industry.
Have a great week everyone.