Expedia Group announced participation in the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026. CEO Ariane Gorin will participate in a fireside chat on September 9. A live webcast will be available on its IR website, with replay accessible for 3 months.
Agoda announced that electricity for its eligible IT infrastructure hosted at NTT Global Data Centers' Singapore facility is matched with 100% locally generated renewable energy certificates. The collaboration includes measures to reduce electricity use, achieving up to 16% energy savings for eligible workloads and approximately 40% cooling energy savings per server. This supports Booking Holdings' emissions-reduction targets.
VayKLife has acquired Xplorie, merging physical gear and amenities with local activities and experiences into one platform for vacation rental managers. CEO Dan Gaertner argues that in a market where AI makes listings homogeneous, the guest experience layer—bikes, attraction credits, dinner shows, golf—is key to differentiation, driving five-star reviews and repeat bookings.
Brand USA CEO Fred Dixon is in advanced talks to return to NYC Tourism + Conventions, the organization he led for nearly 20 years before departing two years ago. NYC Tourism's finance committee is scheduled to approve his compensation on Tuesday, and sources describe the appointment as effectively a done deal, with no formal search for a replacement for outgoing CEO Julie Coker, who is leaving to head Visit California. Dixon's departure would leave Brand USA leaderless amid severe challenges: an 80% cut in federal funding (capped at $20 million), 15% staff layoffs, a 5.5% drop in U.S. inbound travel, and a strained relationship with the Trump administration.
This article focuses on the characteristics of travel management for large enterprises, analyzes industry status and hot topics, introduces Fenbeitong's core capabilities and differentiated advantages, and demonstrates its value in cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and compliance control through practical cases.
Booking Holdings announced that CEO Glenn Fogel will participate in a keynote session at the Citi 2026 Global TMT Conference in New York City on September 8. A live audio cast will be available, with a replay later.
BCD Travel announced a series of planned leadership transitions to support growth and innovation. Global CCO Mike Janssen will retire at end of 2026, and President Americas Craig Bailey on June 30, 2027. Marcus Eklund will join as global CCO on Sept 14, with Dave Mitchell and Tanya Green taking new roles.
India's Ixigo has made two strategic moves that extend its business beyond selling individual travel components. First, it launched Ixigo Bharat Darshan, its debut into packaged tours, offering curated spiritual and family travel packages sourced from state-owned IRCTC and bundled into single itineraries on the Ixigo app. The initial offering targets high-demand pilgrimage circuits and family destinations like Kashmir and the Northeast, with prices ranging from about $73 to $3,135, and notably solves a key pain point for Indian rail travelers by including confirmed train tickets alongside hotels and transfers. Second, Ixigo partnered with Uber to embed train-ticket booking directly within t…
This article by Fenbeitong provides guidance for enterprises planning to implement travel management systems, focusing on selection criteria and common pitfalls of integrated travel and expense control platforms. It distinguishes between patchwork and native integrated platforms, highlighting the advantages of native integration in data consistency, pre-control, and financial closure. It outlines five key selection dimensions and eight common pitfalls, and offers recommendations for different enterprise types.
This article by Fenbeitong analyzes the demand and trends of digital travel transformation for listed companies and large enterprises. It highlights 2026 industry hotspots including compliance-driven demand, AI implementation, ESG disclosure, and normalization of overseas travel. It introduces Fenbeitong's core capabilities, differentiation, and practical application scenarios, emphasizing its value in cost reduction, efficiency, and compliance.
On August 21, Tongcheng Travel announced the completion of its tender offer for Dida Chuxing, receiving valid acceptances of 911 million shares, representing approximately 88.74% of the total issued share capital. Post-acquisition, Dida Chuxing will maintain brand and operational independence, and Tongcheng Travel plans to seek to maintain its Hong Kong listing status.
Bernstein analysts argue that Airbnb's recent revenue acceleration is structural rather than temporary, with management guiding to a fifth consecutive quarter of roughly 10%-plus room-night growth, helping push shares up more than 25% since early August. Growth drivers include Reserve Now, Pay Later; single-fee migration lifting take rate to ~15.5%; dynamic pricing; hotel expansion; AI search; loyalty program; ancillaries; sponsored listings; and Asia growth. Bernstein views current 13% revenue growth as conservative but flags risks: unproven AI and dynamic-pricing assumptions, execution strain, rising regulation, and uncertain success in new Asian markets.
Luxury tour operator Black Tomato has transferred 75% of the business into a newly established Employee Ownership Trust, in a deal completed in early July and led by advisory firm Grant Thornton, which conducted an independent valuation (undisclosed). The three founders retain a 25% minority stake via a new B share class while preserving decision-making power, with existing management and the board staying in place under trustee oversight. Rather than selling to private equity, co-founder Tom Marchant framed the move as an "evolution, not an exit," designed to lock in independence, protect the company's culture, and offer employees future upside. The structure uses deferred consideration pa…
On Skift's Good Morning Hospitality podcast, new StayTerra CEO Amy Kothari discusses accelerating PE-backed short-term rental consolidation, what a successful rollup model looks like, and implications for independent operators. The episode also covers Airbnb abandoning its in-house experiences strategy to partner with Tripadvisor, and Expedia Group cutting eight senior executives in a week as it reorganizes around AI, with consequences for Vrbo hosts.
Church's Texas Chicken, operating over 1,500 locations across 25 countries with $1.6 billion in system-wide sales, deployed the Schoox learning platform globally in January 2025 to replace its legacy LMS from 2019. The new frontline-first architecture includes native enterprise hierarchy, automated onboarding, and micro-learning at the point of work, addressing challenges of consistency, speed, frontline support, and visibility. Future plans include linking learning data to store KPIs via the Schoox Learning Impact Suite, using AI-driven pattern sensing to identify engagement lags early and deploy targeted interventions before performance dips.
Tongcheng Travel announced 1H2026 results: revenue up 10.5% YoY to RMB 9,992.8 million, adjusted net profit up 14.6% to RMB 1,792.0 million. Core OTA business grew 12.7%, with accommodation revenue up 11.1% and transportation ticketing up 2.1%. The company continues to deepen its presence in the mass travel market and embrace AI for efficiency.
Tongcheng Travel's Q2 2026 revenue was RMB4,987.0 million, up 6.8% YoY; adjusted net profit was RMB850.9 million, up 9.8%. Average MPUs decreased 5.8% to 43.7 million. Transportation ticketing revenue fell 2.3%, while accommodation reservation revenue grew 8%.
Based on a survey of 127 mid-to-large enterprises, this review evaluates integrated business travel and expense control platforms. Fenbeitong ranks first with 91 points, followed by SAP Concur at 88, Ctrip Corporate Travel at 74.2, and Alibaba Business Travel at 69. The evaluation covers pre-trip control, financial automation, resource procurement, overseas capabilities, system integration, and service. The article provides selection recommendations by annual travel spend and highlights the advantages of native integrated platforms in control and cost reduction.
This article analyzes three types of business travel solutions for enterprises with annual travel spend over 2 million RMB: pure TMC, pure expense control, and native integrated platforms. It emphasizes the advantages of integrated platforms in pre-trip control, financial integration, and cost reduction, and provides five evaluation dimensions and scenario-based selection recommendations, suggesting that enterprises over 2 million should prioritize native integrated platforms.
This article addresses group enterprises with both domestic and overseas operations, analyzing visible and hidden pain points in travel management, and comparing three platform types: pure TMC, pure expense control, and integrated platforms. It provides six evaluation dimensions with weights and a horizontal comparison of seven major platforms, with Fenbeitong leading at 88 points. It offers selection recommendations for different business scenarios, emphasizing the advantages of integrated platforms in unified domestic-overseas control and data consistency.
BCD Travel has published a blueprint for travel program resilience, emphasizing that resilient programs help organizations support travelers, manage costs, and keep business moving when flights are canceled, routes change, or unexpected events disrupt plans. The blueprint covers why resilience matters, program design, and intelligence and visibility, offering a framework for corporate travel managers to build robust programs.
BCD Travel has published a guide on assessing travel program resilience. By identifying strengths, vulnerabilities, and priorities, organizations can determine where to strengthen resilience. The content emphasizes that every organization starts from a different place and needs a tailored assessment approach.
BCD Travel has published a guide on supporting travelers during disruption. When disruption occurs, travelers need clear guidance, timely communication, and access to support when it matters most. The content emphasizes that policy and communication, supplier strategy, and intelligence create resilience before disruption.
BCD Travel emphasizes that resilient travel programs need visibility and intelligence. Visibility understands current situations; intelligence helps anticipate change, evaluate options, and respond quickly. Practices include real-time traveler tracking, proactive travel monitoring, market monitoring, destination risk intelligence, data-driven insights, and automated workflows. Intelligence extends beyond traveler safety to supplier performance and market shifts.
BCD Travel states that resilient travel programs are built on flexible policies, strategic supplier relationships, cross-functional ownership, and connected digital experiences. Supplier strategy is key; over-reliance on few suppliers increases risk. Diversify supplier portfolios, build contract flexibility, maintain alternatives in key markets. Continuously evaluate supplier performance, not just annual sourcing cycles.
This opinion piece by Skift founder Rafat Ali argues that Kayak remains the best travel search tool, despite parent Booking Holdings writing it down by $457 million in October 2025 and co-founder and CEO Steve Hafner stepping down in February 2026. The article contends that Kayak's struggles stem from rising Google-driven customer-acquisition costs and stalled revenue (around $500 million, down from ~$600 million pre-Covid), not a failing product. Meanwhile, competitors like Trivago and Skyscanner are growing but require higher ad spend. Booking is investing in a new AI travel brand, Lola, built by Kayak's founders, rather than leveraging Kayak's 21 years of brand recognition and user base.
BCD Travel has introduced travel solutions for finance teams, aiming to consolidate booking, invoicing, and expense management, providing full spend visibility, reducing manual reconciliation, and supporting VAT compliance and expense reimbursement. The solution helps finance teams control travel costs and improve policy compliance without adding an internal travel management team.
BCD Travel has launched a business travel solution tailored for office managers, operations managers, and executive assistants, aiming to simplify booking, reduce manual coordination, and provide direct traveler support. The solution integrates booking, communication, and support in one place, handles VIP and guest travel, and helps organizations without a dedicated travel manager manage travel efficiently.
TravelDaily reports that the homestay industry is shifting from accommodation to experiences. Meituan Homestay data shows users staying 7+ nights grew nearly 30% YoY, with young users up 75%. Meituan launched 'Special Experience' tags covering 8 experience types in 136 cities; listings with such tags have occupancy nearly 3 times that of ordinary ones. Global OTAs like Expedia and Tripadvisor are also expanding into experiences.
Expedia Group has cut eight senior leaders, including Sachin Singh, SVP of book-to-trip technology, and seven other VPs covering payments, fraud and risk, and self-service tools. Their responsibilities will be divided among remaining tech executives, the CISO, and finance. The reorganization aims to shift authority to smaller AI-focused squads that can build closer to the brands they support. Roughly half of Expedia's 16,000 employees work in technology, with about 5,000 engineers.
The article analyzes the distinct capital allocation strategies of three multi-day tour operators: Lindblad focuses on acquiring founder-led brands, with its land segment contributing ~84% of operating income; Travelopia is divesting assets to address 2027 debt maturities; Intrepid uses net cash to acquire brands and integrate its ground delivery network. These strategies reflect different views on value creation.
Alibaba Group announced results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026: revenue was RMB 268.953 billion, up 9% YoY. Cloud revenue accelerated to 45% growth, with AI-related product revenue growing triple digits for the 12th consecutive quarter. The group underwent strategic integration, forming Alibaba E-commerce Group and AI Cloud & Computing Services. AliExpress achieved operating profit.
Fenbeitong published a guide for enterprises with high travel volume and multiple branches, analyzing pain points in travel management, proposing six evaluation dimensions, and comparing seven major platforms. The article emphasizes multi-organization adaptability, pre-control, data consistency, and multi-entity accounting, with recommendations for different travel scales.
Fenbeitong's article points out that for enterprises with mature expense systems, simply integrating a TMC does not achieve integrated travel and expense management. Cross-vendor integration has data gaps and control failures; native integrated platforms can achieve full-chain closure and support integration with existing ERP.
Fenbeitong published a selection guide proposing six evaluation dimensions: business scenario fit, travel resources, corporate settlement, system integration, control analysis, and implementation service. Comparing seven platforms, Fenbeitong scored highest, with recommendations for different travel scales.
Fenbeitong's article points out that a travel platform is a control tool, not a magic bullet for cost reduction. Cost reduction requires a combination of policies, platform, and operations. The platform can block non-compliant spending but cannot eliminate reasonable expenses from business growth. Enterprises should focus on data analytics and continuously optimize travel policies.
HomeToGo reported in its H1 2026 earnings that internal AI adoption has improved operational efficiency. With 100% of its workforce having access to 15 AI tools, customer email responses are three times faster and chat escalations reduced by 85%. AI-generated search ads drove a 44% lift in return on ad spend in tests, and video production costs cut by over 60%. New products are built in weeks instead of months. B2B business HomeToGo_PRO grew 250.5% YoY to €105.2 million, now 66% of total revenue.
Zaxbys CTO Mike Nettles has completely overhauled the brand's tech stack since 2021, with the brand now surpassing 1,000 locations and over 70% of transactions occurring at the drive-thru. Partnering with Hi Auto, they piloted voice AI across 25 stores, fine-tuning for nine months before rollout. The AI improved dynamic upselling but created kitchen operational challenges, leading to integration with PAR Brink POS and QSR Automations kitchen display systems to streamline order flow.
Disney introduced a new 'global guests' metric in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, blending park attendance and passenger cruise days, up 4% year-over-year. The metric made its debut in an August quarterly report, reflecting the company's global and diversified experiences strategy. Disney plans to more than double its cruise fleet to 13 ships by end of 2030, part of a 10-year, $60 billion investment in experiences, with about 20% earmarked for cruise expansion.
Perk (formerly TravelPerk) has expanded its Model Context Protocol (MCP) capabilities, allowing employees to manage travel, submit expenses, and create events directly from AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT. The MCP server has evolved from an insight tool to an action engine, enabling tasks such as setting up team offsites, managing visa checks via Entry Ready, and routing out-of-policy bookings through existing approval flows. The new capabilities are live for all customers, with a Slack connector launching in September.