COVID-19.
TheHotelsNetwork published COVID-19 in Hospitality guide, updated daily with the latest available data and accessible here.
In line with airlines and hotels, even OTAs and GDSs are now asking support from the European Commission. EU Travel Tech, the group, lobbying on behalf of major OTAs (such as Expedia and Booking), metasearch engines, and GDS, stated that “it is of utmost importance that the European Commission and member states include exceptional measures to assist the whole industry."
Sabre is cutting $200M. Similar news for Amadeus, adopting a “set of measures to protect its liquidity,” by cutting €300M in costs, Booking Holdings temporarily froze hiring, internal company events, non-essential business travels, and reduced marketing investments.
Travel Weekly published “Supplier Cancellation, Change Policies & Refunds,” an extensive directory, providing direct links to suppliers’ latest travel cancellation, change and refund policies. The list can be accessed here.
Le Bijou Hotel & Resort, in Switzerland, took things to the next level, by advertising “Quarantine Apartments.” Marketing genius or plain bad taste?
Vision.
Summit, the world’s fastest computer, is helping to find candidate drugs to fight the coronavirus epidemic. Thanks to the supercomputer, created by IBM, researchers simulated how 8,000 different molecules would interact with the virus, identifying 77 candidates that can now be tested in trials. IBM’ Summit runs at 0.2 exaflops and can simulate a supernova explosion in about two months.
Finance.
Equity firm Certares Management purchased $325 million in Liberty Tripadvisor stocks, becoming a strategic investor. Certares founder, Greg O’Hara, is to become Vice Chairman of Liberty Tripadvisor.
$1.1M in fundings for the rebooking app, Pruvo, led by Spanish VC 4Founders. Based on the current situation with cancellations, this is not really unexpected.
Tech.
IBM is taking Airbnb to court for the unauthorized use of proprietary e-commerce technologies. In the past, the tech giant successfully took both Twitter and Groupon to court and, both times, shortly before their respective IPOs…
Hotel.
Tripadvisor is trying to sell its vacation rentals brands on one side while, on the other, OYO wants to expand its alternative accommodation coverage.