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UPDATE -> Original post was written before Twitter or Foursquare or many other big trends or sites that are now becoming a big part of the social web

"Scaling is hard. Really hard. As we have seen with the recent speed bumps at highfliers like Groupon and Zynga, taking "lean startups" from foundation to creating sustainable, scalable, profitable business models is a very rare and special task. So I'm highlighting a few companies outside of the Google/Amazon/Facebook pantheon that have built large, sustainable, profitable business models at scale."

"These days you don't need any of the above to unlock a hotel room, buy a mojito or snap a vacation photo. All you need is, well - you. At hotels like Alma Barcelona in Spain, a scan of your fingertips opens the door to your room. At Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel in the Mediterranean, you can buy suntan lotion and a sarong with a tap of two fingers. On some Disney Cruise Line ships, facial recognition technology enables onboard photographers to easily group every candid picture they take of you so that you can later browse (read: buy) them."

"Under the theme "Reducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation", The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 assesses 140 economies worldwide based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector. Read the full news release for more information."

"Digital marketing in travel and tourism is quickly developing into much more than another e-commerce channel for companies to manage. Online and mobile interaction is becoming the most frequented and substantive interface between travel companies and consumers (other than the actual hotel, resort, airline, or cruise experience, of course)-and therefore a defining medium for travel brands."

"Like many industries, lodging and leisure is undergoing a digitally driven transformation that is changing how travelers shop for hotels, resorts, and cruises-and the nature of the relationship between brand and consumer. Those companies that can combine strong brands rooted in attractive products with comprehensive digital strategies have the opportunity to build enduring customer relationships. Those that fail to do so risk becoming commodities in the marketplace, with inevitable pressure on margins and profits."

"In the travel industry, pricing has always been a tough job. Overprice an airline seat, hotel room, cruise cabin, or rental car today, and you won't get a second chance to move that unsold unit tomorrow. Set the price too low, and you destroy value by selling out limited inventory too soon. No wonder, then, that the industry boasts some of the most sophisticated pricing capabilities anywhere. But in the era of Big Data, those capabilities are looking increasingly outdated and inadequate."

"CIUDAD DE MEXICO, 20 de febrero de 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoy en día los viajeros globales se decantan más por una experiencia "de casa a casa", de acuerdo con la más reciente investigación a nivel mundial del líder en reservas online, Hoteles.com. Encabezando la lista de amenidades, las prioridades buscadas en los hoteles son internet, bebidas y alimentos, sobre todo una buena taza de café. El resto es sólo extra."

"Quick Take Growth in hotel shoppers and increase in international traffic led to a 20% increase in 2012 revenues and a 23% y-o-y increase in Q4 2012 revenues. Traffic on TripAdvisor increased by 45% y-o-y. We estimate the user base to further expand in the future. More than 30% growth in hotel shoppers led to a 24% y-o-y increase in click-based revenues. With more than 75% growth in traffic, Asia-Pacific was one of the fastest growing markets. Increasing investment in social & mobile platforms increase traffic flow for TripAdvisor."

Infographic

"A pesar de que México es el decimotercer país del mundo con mayor número de visitantes extranjeros y que cada año esta cifra aumenta, el sector se encuentra en retroceso. Aunque parezca paradójico, cada día obtenemos menos por cada peso que invertimos en turismo. Además, de acuerdo con las fuentes más especializadas en el tema, nuestro país ya no figura entre los mejores destinos a visitar."