1. Travelocity releases memorial day booking barometer
2. Visitors to the Olympics forced to gamble as accommodation prices continue to fluctuate
3. Corsair selects IFE as in-flight entertainment service
4. Green Motion announces a distribution agreement with Sabre Travel Network
5. Travel & Tourism larger than automotive manufacturing industry
6. Qatar Airways focusses on building in-flight entertainment solution
7. JetBlue in Codeshare with Japan Airlines
8. Captain Gopinath secures NOC from government to start new airline
9. IndiGo, JetAirways pull inventory from MakeMyTrip
10. Government approves $300 Rs Air India bailout

1. Lonely Planet unveils country guide app for iPhone
2. TripAdvisor displays reviews and opinions of friends of friends in Facebook
3. Travelzoo planning to sell itself: Report
4. First quarter air ticket sales by US travel agents – 6% ahead of last year
5. REBEL travel corporation launches social profile management solution for hospitality industry
6. Global airline capacity grows for 11th consecutive month
7. STAJets enters joint venture with Elite Aviation
8. Star Alliance to rely on Lufthansa’s global data network for another 5 years
9. Room77 adds loyalty points and AAA special rates, senior rates to its search results
10. Air India to get $5.3 billion boost, FDI in airlines postponed

1. OpenTravel to host free Personalization and Semantic Technologies seminar – April 18 2012
2. Windstar Cruises launches 2013 collection (sailings)
3. Virgin Holidays launch “Branson” currency
4. Russia visitor arrivals set to climb
5. American Airlines and Japan Airlines roll out joint promotion
6. Sahara India set to acquire 85% stake in Dream Downtown
7. Govt to soon decide on FDI by foreign airlines
8. Medical tourism at Hyderabad increases at 20% per annum
9. TUI launches Russian charter carrier MetroJet
10. Expedia overhauls hotel reviews

1. Indonesia’s Mandala Airlines restores operations
2. Boeing’s first quarter (2012) deliveries spike 32%
3. Google brings alerts for the London underground to G Maps
4. After Expedia, TripAdvisor files EU complaint against Google
5. Hospitality CEOs to discuss international travel to the US
6. Boeing 747-8 approved to service 200 airports globally
7. Booming hotel sector in South Africa
8. Viator launches shore excursion website
9. JetAirways hikes charges for re-booking, cancellation by Rs 200
10. Kerala to setup Hovercraft, seaplane network to boost backwater tourism

1. Egyptian Hotel Industry Shows Signs of Recovery
2. Starwood’s Aloft aims to open 70th hotel by 2013
3. Wyndham’s focus shifts outside US
4. Kalanidhi Maran picks up an additional 5% stake in Spice Jet
5. The Trump Organization to focus on luxury hospitality projects in India
6. Qatar Airways partners with Hertz for Middle East car rental deal
7. Asia Pacific airports recorded 5.7% increase in 2011 passenger traffic
8. Cruise Shipping Miami 2012 closes with record setting numbers
9. Boeing to open aerospace research and technology center in Brazil
10. Fedex to buy Polish courier company Opex

1. Interstate Hotels & Resorts expands its India portfolio to 13 hotels
2. Wyndham launches initiatives to drive direct business to hotels
3. Direct ATF import may result in logistics ordeal for SpiceJet
4. Air India planning dynamic fare system that syncs with fuel price
5. Norwegian reports solid passenger figures, RASK growth and higher load factor
6. HomeAway solidifies market leadership in Spain
7. PATA launches Mobile Travel Data Platform
8. Maritz Travel Acquires Experient
9. Travelport fights for room in changing world of hotel distribution
10. Allegiant Air starts charging for use of overhead bins

** Kuoni India gets Sabre Red

** British travellers charged 186 m pounds excess baggage fees

** Thomas Cook signs contract with Anite’s reservation system

** Egencia acquires Via Travel (this is not via.com)

** TripAdvisor unveils $1.5 m creative challenge

** ClearTrip unveils one click flight booking

** Top Chinese destinations post impressive room night growth numbers in 2011

** US Airways plans major Wi-Fi rollout (in partnership with GoGo, In-flight services company)

** Flash sale sites (Groupon, Living Social etc) lose popularity with Hoteliers

** Buuteeq launches 360 degree analytic solution for Hotels

Major headlines from August 3 – August 5:

• Corporate Travel in U.S to decline 15% in 2009: A PhocusWright report. Total U.S. travel market is projected to decline only 11% in 2009, dipping below 2006 levels. Corporate travel has historically comprised approximately 40% of the total travel market in U.S.
• Flight searches to warmer places (UK to Spain, France and other hot destinations) up 26% in August: Skyscanner reports.
• US luxury hotels spa revenue declined 13%: From US$136.79 in June 2008 to US$120.88 in June 2009. US luxury hotels spa salon revenue declined 18 %: From US$61.87 in June 2008 to US$52.43 in June 2009.