Chambers of Commerce Compete With Travel Agents

On October 31, 2009

Chambers of Commerce Compete With Travel Agents

You probably have seen them advertised, a trip sponsored by the local chamber of commerce to some place like China, Sweden or Greece. They are seemingly innocuous, but local travel agents say that chambers of commerce shouldn't be their direct competition by sponsoring and selling packaged tours. "Call it infanticide or call it cannibalism, but whatever you call it, the fact that Chambers of Commerce would be selling travel in direct competition with its members is an outrage," Bill Maloney, chief executive of the American Society of Travel Agents, said in a release addressing the issue. "Chambers of Commerce exist to help local members get more business, not to compete with them." In Santa Cruz, Calif. the local chamber is sponsoring a $2,185 eight-day...


On October 31, 2009

Tight Times Are the Right Times to Spend on Innovation

A theme is emerging from the flood of recent corporate earnings reports: Cost cuts are boosting profits. Investors are cheering, but they shouldn't. Even in these tough times, more CEOs should be talking about how they are seeking out investments, developing new technologies and making acquisitions. That's what will set their companies up for a stronger future.


On October 31, 2009

TripAdvisor Expands to China with Kuxun

TripAdvisor.com, part of Expedia Inc., reported Friday that it purchased Kuxun.cn, China's second-largest consumer travel site and hotel and flight search engine. Last April, TripAdvisor also launched Daodao.com in China, a travel review site similar to TripAdvisor. While TripAdvisor operates in 15 different countries, chief executive Steve Kaufer said that China's potential growth and profit make it a unique and attractive market. The company declined to say how much was paid for Kuxun. Expedia Inc., which has been sued by 59 U.S. cities and counties for unpaid hotel taxes and is likely paying out $185 million in a consumer class-action suit, probably sees China as an easy place to do business. At least it's probably a less litigious one. Add that domestic tourism...


On October 30, 2009

Replacing Cars With Bikes? Not So Fast

Paris faces a bumpy road ahead in succeeding with public bicycle rentals: theft and vandalism have already claimed 80 percent of the bikes. If the city fails, the scheme may not have a future.


On October 30, 2009

Netflix May Beat Hulu at its Own Game

Hulu gets all the attention in the Internet TV world, but it's Netflix that folks -- especially those at Hulu -- should be watching. Netflix has less to lose, bigger plans and a proven paid-media model, whereas Hulu has... well, Hulu does have clever ads.


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