Top 5: the top stories and tips you may have missed in January

With the first month of 2016 drawing to a close, we look back at the stories that generated interest…

…and yes, it’s going to be another busy year.

1. The new media boys on the online travel bloc

Behind the scenes, two companies - South Africa's Naspers and Germany's ProSiebenSat1 - are making quiet, yet significant, moves in online travel. In this story Sally White takes a look at how they are doing it. Naspers, led by billionaire chairman Koos Bekker, is scouring the globe (with a strong focus on Asia) for new internet acquisitions that will capitalise on the switch by consumers to smart devices for shopping, banking and other services – and, yes, that includes travel. Meanwhile, ProSiebenSat.1 Group, one of the largest independent media corporations in Europe, is also making low-profile travel moves. Don’t miss this most read story of the month – it’s packed with insights.

2. The rise of the multi-modal traveller and a new breed of metasearch

Metasearch has been growing but with the rise of alternative accommodation and ways to travel, that are also often cheaper than traditional means, a new breed has emerged - one that allows travellers to compare, based on journey times and price, a range of different ways to travel. This story considers emerging trends in the multimodal meta landscape, as well as an interview with the CEO of French-based Kelbillet, which launched Gopili, its European arm, in January last year.

3. Consolidation, co-opetition and context: the 3Cs that will shape 2016

The headline of this story says it all. Yes it’s a story about what to expect in the coming months. Of course it doesn’t cover everything but points to some likely trends that will shape the world of travel in 2016. Yes, we expect more consolidation in the sector but we will also see more strategic alliances. What matters most will be keeping the customer happy – and so context will be important, driven by the ability to analyse relevant data with right technology.

4. How American Airlines is taking a more ‘spirited’ approach to fare charging

With the rise of budget and ultra-low cost carriers how do the bigger fry compete, is the question that guest columnist  gets to grips with in this piece. He takes a closer look at American Airlines’ approach, which some commentators have accused of being too aggressive. What American is doing, writes Bacon, is ‘matching’ selectively and prudently – an approach he explores in more detail.

5. Skyscanner makes it to the ‘unicorn’ club

It was a good to the start to the year for Skyscanner who has made it to exclusive tech ‘unicorn’ club for $1billion-plus companies. Now the firm is going for a funding round and has investors lining up. It’s easy to see why – the metasearch firm has seen high double-digit growth rates for some years now, and has been profitable since 2009. First a flight metasearch player, it quickly expanded into other products including hotels and car hire. The numbers look convincing and with sights set on further international expansion, this is certainly one to watch.

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