Airbnb stories
Independent hotels could win repeat bookings from big chains and OTAs as Cloudbeds and Journey pool loyalty rewards across a shared network.
The combined group would process more than USD $500 billion a year, giving merchants broader cross-border payment tools across 190 markets.
Travellers could now book more of a trip in one app as the platform adds hotels, car hires and World Cup activities.
Consumer and entertainment brands now have a new AI tool as Clouted secured USD $7 million to automate campaign planning, distribution and optimisation.
Shareholders are set to pocket USD $9.50 a share as the business travel group exits public markets, pending approvals.
Independent hotels face tighter margins in 2026 as room revenue falls, distribution costs rise and AI reshapes how guests find and book stays.
OpenAI has appointed Brent Thomas to lead policy in Australia and New Zealand as Canberra tightens AI governance and copyright rules.
Klarna has topped 1 million merchants worldwide as it accelerates into everyday and leisure spending, led by sport, hobby and wellness.
Tetrate launches Built on Envoy, an open source extension hub to speed enterprise adoption of Envoy, especially for AI-heavy workloads.
Sentinel Global rebuilds its AI-driven venture team around GIC veteran Jeremy Kranz and expands Sentinel Labs, targeting a 2026 fundraise.
On-demand laundry platform Laundryheap has expanded into Colombia, Mexico, Malaysia and Scotland, as it accelerates its global rollout.
Language learning platform Preply secures $150 million to boost AI tools and global growth, valuing the business at $1.2 billion.
Adobe has named Lucius DiPhillips CIO, tasking the ex-Airbnb technology chief with driving its global tech operations and AI transformation.
In 2025, hotel bookings shift as travellers favour value and shorter stays, with OTAs like Expedia and Trip.com seeing strong growth amid rising price sensitivity.
Commvault unveils Clumio for Apache Iceberg on AWS, offering air-gapped, Iceberg-aware backups to strengthen AI and analytics data lakehouse security.
Huckleberry, an AI voice platform, revolutionises workplace feedback by enabling quick, accessible 360-degree reviews without HR involvement.
Britain's mid-sized agencies and eCommerce brands are being targeted as Billy Grace enters the market amid tougher ad measurement and privacy rules.
Relying only on paid channels makes B2B tech growth more costly, while brand can boost trust, shorten sales cycles and protect pricing power.
Flawed payment design is costing UK online travel agencies up to GBP £16.5 billion in lost bookings, Ecommpay's new benchmark report warns.
Revolut launches RevPoints in New Zealand, offering uncapped rewards on everyday spending redeemable for travel, airline miles and gift cards.
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