This week’s Update again features a number of stories on
fintech and its emerging influence on the travel and lodging
industries. Enjoy.
Hopper Continues Its
Meteoric Rise
(“Hopper Notches First Fintech Deal With an Online Travel
Agency,” October 14, 2021 via Skift Travel News) (subscription
may be required)
Last week, Hopper (online travel app (B2C) and growing provider of
AI-enabled fintech products (B2B) announced its first partnership
with a rival online travel agency, India’s MakeMyTrip. When
implemented, the partnership will allow MakeMyTrip to make use of
Hopper’s predictive tools to better price its existing fare
lock functionality. Should a fare ultimately exceed a
traveler’s locked fare, MakeMyTrip (and not Hopper) will bear
the financial risk. According to Hopper, 70 percent of its revenue
now comes through these types of ancillary products and services
(and not from its travel application). This latest deal comes only
a few months after Hopper’s