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KAYAK co-founders launch AI assistant Lola for travel experiences
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: KAYAK co-founders Steve Hafner and Paul English have launched Lola, an AI assistant for travel, dining and experiences backed by Booking Holdings.
EU court upholds veto of Booking’s €1.63bn ETraveli deal
Reading Time: < 1 minuteEurope: Booking Holdings has lost its legal challenge against the European Commission’s decision to block its proposed €1.63 billion acquisition of flight booking company ETraveli Group.
Booking Holdings launches BKNG Ads across Booking.com, Priceline and Agoda
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: Booking Holdings has launched BKNG Ads, a new unified advertising platform bringing together advertising solutions across Booking.com, Priceline and Agoda.
Booking doubles down on AI and connected trip strategy
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel says AI and connected travel experiences will play a central role in the company’s long-term growth strategy as online travel competition intensifies.
ChatGPT launches travel apps with Expedia and Booking.com
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: OpenAI has launched third-party apps within ChatGPT, starting with travel giants Expedia and Booking.com, allowing users to research and book trips directly through the chatbot. The move follows the launch of OpenAI’s new Apps SDK (software development kit), which enables developers to create integrated experiences within ChatGPT. The feature opens ChatGPT’s 800-million-strong user base […]
Expedia Group confirms restructuring and further layoffs
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: Expedia Group has confirmed it is restructuring parts of its organisation, a move that is expected to involve further layoffs.
Booking Holdings’ Hungarian office raided by competition watchdog
Reading Time: < 1 minuteHungary: National competition watchdog GVH raided the Budapest office of Booking Holdings on Wednesday as part of a probe into the online accommodation booking and service market in Hungary.
Travel and hospitality helps earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria
Reading Time: 5 minutesTurkey / Syria: The editorial team at IHM [publisher of ShortTermRentalz] highlight the charitable relief efforts of companies across the travel and hospitality landscape in response to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Travel and hospitality responds to Ukraine crisis
Reading Time: 4 minutesWorldwide: The editorial team at IHM highlight the charitable efforts of travel and hospitality companies in response to the Ukraine invasion.
Booking to repay $110m in Covid aid to governments
Reading Time: 2 minutesNetherlands / US: Online travel agency Booking Holdings has revealed it will repay up to $110 million in coronavirus aid to governments who supported the company during the height of the pandemic. including around $78 million [€64 million] to the Dutch government over an executive pay row. Booking announced it would repay the aid in a […]