As 2015 draws to a close, we ask a few of our industry leaders for what they felt was most over-hyped in the year that was, their prediction for 2016 and for good measure, we asked them their one wish for WIT.
John Kim, Chief Product Officer, Expedia Inc
1. Most over-hyped trend in 2015
Self driving car received a lot of attention but this tech is years away from impacting our everyday lives
2. Biggest trend to watch in 2016
Virtual reality was a big theme in 2015 but will receive more attention next year as content players invest
3. The one thing most companies will get wrong in 2016
Companies that try to predict what the next big trend is or isn’t will find themselves vulnerable
4. The one big opportunity for 2016
Programmatic advertising will drive returns for companies that understand how to invest in this emerging media space
5. One thing you’d like to see WIT do in 2016
I’d like to see WIT be more integrated with Phocuswright. Asia is a strategic pillar for all travel companies
Bobby Healy, CTO, CarTrawler
1. Most over-hyped trend of 2015
Everything by Apple.
2. Biggest trend to watch in 2016
Biting regulation of Google (I hope)
3. The one thing most companies will get wrong in 2016
Get the balance wrong between customer service/product and customer acquisition. Short tenure customers
4. The one big opportunity for 2016
Realtime ride aggregation.
5. One thing you’d like to see WIT do in 2016
Have inexplicable short term memory loss during WIT in Dublin.
Steven Greenaway, Chief Commercial Officer, Scoot
1. Most over-hyped trend of 2015
“Big-Data”
2. Biggest trend to watch in 2016
How much money companies waste on Big Data projects.
3. The one thing most companies will get wrong in 2016
“Big Data”
4. The one big opportunity for 2016
Data into $$$
5. One thing you’d like to see WIT do in 2016
Tangible outcomes from data.
Romain Rolleau, Senior VP E-Commerce & Digital Services, Accor Hotels
1. Most over-hyped trend of 2015
Market size and market cap for private rentals business
2. Biggest trend to watch in 2016
Consolidation
3. The one thing most companies will get wrong in 2016
Mobile first thinking
4. The one big opportunity for 2016
Mobile first real approach
5. One thing you’d like to see WIT do in 2016
Disruption in conflicting discussions.
Rod Cuthbert, CEO, Rome2Rio
1. Most over-hyped trend of 2015
Tours and activities. It’s a good category, but it’s unlikely to grow at the rate the 2015 activity might suggest.
2. Biggest trend to watch in 2016
Ground transportation is just kicking into gear. The big players are starting to wake up to the potential (eg the Expedia/SilverRail deal) to tap into a whole new and huge set of travellers.
3. The one thing most companies will get wrong in 2016
Continuing to believe there’s a straight line connection between fund raising and success. A bad idea plus $50 million is still a bad idea.
4. One thing you’d like to see WIT do in 2016
Hmmm. Just keep doing what you’re doing. It’s different, it’s good, and it’s fun.