“[But another challenge for hip hotels is overcoming the short shelf life of any trend.] Being hip is catching the right vibe and the right wave at the right time, and then making sure you stay ahead of changing tastes, ... If you're hip today in 2005, then how do you stay hip in 2007?”
“This is a crowded and brutal market that makes the NHL look like the opera. It also lacks customer loyalty. Our research shows that only 4 in 10 consumers who use online travel sites say they routinely go to the same site.”
“Online travel in 2004 will represent only about 15 percent of the industry's total revenue for the year. So there's huge upside to grow. The fierce competition now is about building the brand.”
“By allowing Delta to merge with Continental or Northwest, we would have three extremely large airlines accounting for 75 percent of market. But it would be harder for American and United to dominate Delta if Delta were to merge.”
“There is very little overlap but the biggest challenge would be rationalizing flights in and out of Cincinnati and Detroit. What Northwest really brings is immediate access to the Pacific Rim.”
