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1. Booking Holdings has reported a 99% net income fall for 2020, compared to the previous year.
2. Trip.com revenue decreased by 49% in 2020.
3. Airbnb revenue decreased by 30% in 2020.
4. The FDA authorized Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. As discussed during the last issue of Digital., Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is only one dose and can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures.
5. According to a J.D. Power survey, one-third of American travelers are eager to travel once they are vaccinated.
6. ITB Berlin 2020 will be completely digital, and it…

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1. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, “this will be a strong summer for travel to Europe — including inbound travel.”
2. The Greek government is considering opening its borders to vaccinated British tourists by May.
3. The FDA confirmed that Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine offers effective protection against severe cases of COVID-19. If approved for use, Johnson & Johnson expects to provide 100 million doses by summer.
4. According to a report by Harri, 29% of hospitality workers do not intend to take the COVID-19 vaccine to maintain…

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1. Marriott CEO, Arne M. Sorenson, passed away on February 15, 2021. In May 2019, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Sorenson recently said he would temporarily reduce his schedule to facilitate more “demanding” treatment for his cancer.
2. Google will pay a €1.1 million fine in France over misleading star ratings for hotels. According to TechCrunch, “Google’s concept of a five-star hotel was not the same as the Atout France version,” and the presentation could be “confusing for consumers.” …

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1. Accor is introducing its digital key, thanks to a partnership with STAYmyway.
2. Agoda launched GoLocal Tonight, to help “hotel and accommodation partners to access these travellers and utilise inventory that would otherwise remain unused. In exchange, Agoda travellers receive further discounts of up to 30% of their accommodation reservations.”
3. Priceline launched “Sponsored Ads” to “increase your property’s visibility and connect you to highly engaged, ready-to-book travelers.” You can advertise here: https://priceline.koddi.com/
4. Wyndham Destinations (spun off from Wyndham Hotels and Resorts) acquired Travel + Leisure for $100 million. …

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1. According to a survey from MMGY Global, 50% of Americans would take the COVID-19 vaccine immediately.
2. During its first day of trading, shares of Airbnb closed at a stunning $144.71, 113% above the initial public offering price of $68.
3. Google launched #hotelinsights, a new tool allowing hotels to “learn where interest for your hotel and your region is highest right now, explore booking trends, and learn about the digital tools you can use to attract new guests and grow your business.” …

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1. Pfizer announced its coronavirus vaccine is more than 90% effective, according to an initial review of Phase III trial data.
2. Booking Holdings’ room nights in Q3 were down 43% YoY, versus 82% YoY in Q2. According to the CEO, Glenn Fogel, however, “it will be very challenging for us to reach profitability in Q4.”
3. A similar trend for Tripadvisor: “Our third-quarter results improved versus the second quarter in the midst of what has been an unprecedented period for our industry, and the world,” said Chief Executive…

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1. Tripadvisor is about to launch its subscription-based business intelligence, called Spotlight, in partnership with OTA Insight. Spotlight will enable hotels to compare rates against those of competitors.
2. Mirai published “Getting the most out of Google Hotel Ads: The Top 15 Check-List”, with “15 best practices that hotels should demand their Google Hotel Ads integration partner to provide.” The guide is accessible, for free, here.
3. After laying off about 12% of its workforce, Expedia announced there will be another round of cuts, even though the number of…

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1. Some good news: Last week, the TSA counted more than 1 million people at U.S. airports for the first time since March 16.
2. On the other hand, according to GlobalData, “with iconic cities across Europe re-introducing lockdown measures, closing bars, pubs and attractions, demand for the city break will be further decimated for the remainder of 2020.”
3. Arte channel published China: The Wuhan Paradox, a video showing how, “After a strict lockdown, social life in Wuhan seems to have returned to normal with busy streets, lively…