Danielle Hyams

In digital news this week, Google is so omnipresent that even a small tweak to the way that its searches work can have an impact on the rest of the travel industry. Plus, Skift talks with Booking.com's new chief marketing officer about his hopes for the company.

Hyatt Hotels had a strong year in 2019, so the story it had to tell on Thursday wasn't all dreary. The problem is that shareholders and guests hate uncertainty. And so far the travel industry faces nothing but uncertainty, left beholden to how the coronavirus crisis evolves.

Choice Hotels had a strong year with lots of growth in 2019. The company is focused on bulking up its extended-stay portfolio to continue the trend in 2020 as corporate travelers look increasingly for more creative options.

This week in airline news, after years being unaligned, Alaska Airlines is joining Oneworld. The carrier is also ramping up its codesharing agreement with American Airlines to include international flights, potentially posing real competition for some of Delta's routes. Plus, with Air Italy's closure, yet another European airline bites the dust.

This week in digital news, Expedia Chairman Barry Diller led an eventful earnings call during which he tore into the company's work-life balance and bloat, but also admitted he was just beginning to understand the business. Plus, Skift Research explores Google's far-reaching impact on the travel industry.

This week in hospitality news, the far-reaching impact of coronavirus on the industry is becoming clearer, with Hilton CEO predicting business to be affected for up to a year after closing hundreds of hotels in China. Plus, Vacasa's CEO steps aside as company looks to go public.

After HMSHost severed its exclusivity agreement to operate Starbucks airport locations, OTG hospitality group quickly stepped in to fill the void. OTG is well-known for its use of tech to make the airport dining experience more efficient. Let's hope it finds a way to eliminate those long Starbucks lines.

This week in digital news, Google's dominance in the online booking realm is creating an environment where competing travel retailers gravitate toward tactics that pressure consumers into making purchases as opposed to building brand loyalty. Plus, how being a controlled shareholder company has caused problems at Tripadvisor.

This week in hospitality news, Oyo played by India's rules until it couldn't anymore. Now the company is scaling back amid media scrutiny, bad reviews, and growing losses. Plus, a new study shows that the surge in short-term rental offerings is putting pressure on the ability of hotels to raise rates.

This week in aviation news, AirAsia's iconic CEO Tony Fernandes steps aside for now while officials look into allegations that he accepted a bribe from Airbus in exchange for a major order. Plus, JetBlue founder unveils details about his new airline. He's calling it Breeze.