An eight-year Phocuswright veteran, Ms. Walsh contributes to a range of research efforts as author and editor, with recent publications including In-Destination Events, Attractions & Activities: Europe, U.S. Mobile Travel Report: Market Sizing and Consumer Trends, and U.S. Online Travel Traffic Report. Cathy joined Phocuswright in 2005 to launch The Phocuswright Research Subscription: Technology Edition (now The Innovation Edition). Formerly director, communications, Cathy continues to create marketing content to promote Phocuswright research and events. Cathy gained travel industry expertise as editor of the trade newsletter Travel Distribution Report, where she produced news and analysis on travel distribution and technology. She is a cum laude graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a M.A. in English from North Carolina State University, where her research focused on technology and culture.
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Areas of Research
Cathy's areas of expertise include online consumer technology, social networks, marketing and distribution strategy, and Internet trends, with a particular focus on emerging technologies.
What Google’s Cookie Reversal Means for Travel
Category: Technology Innovation Published: October 2024 Analysts: Cathy Walsh US $295Google's decision to reverse its plan to eliminate third-party cookies from Chrome offers a temporary reprieve for travel advertisers. However, it highlights the growing emphasis on privacy and the need...
How the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) Will Impact Travel
Category: Technology Innovation Published: September 2024 Analysts: Cathy Walsh, Michael ColettaThis research examines the impact of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) on the travel industry, focusing on how regulations targeting online gatekeepers like Booking.com are reshaping competition and...
Europe Travel Market Report 2023-2027
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: May 2024 Analysts: Ralph Merten, Cathy Walsh, Dirk Rogl, Fabian Gonzalez, Karen Burka, Peter O'Connor, Stanislas Feminier US $2,495Travel demand remained strong as ever for the European market in 2023. Achieving an impressive 20% year-over-year growth, the market surpassed 2019 gross bookings. However, persistent inflation and...
From Buzzword to Bottom Line: Keeping Pace With Gen AI in Travel
Category: Technology Innovation Published: May 2024 Analysts: Cathy Walsh, Michael Coletta US $295In 2023, generative AI (GenAI) took center stage in the travel industry, driving efforts to optimize everything from customer interfaces to back-end operations. Leading companies including OpenAI,...
Germany Travel Market Report 2023-2027
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: April 2024 Analysts: Ralph Merten, Cathy Walsh US $795Germany's travel market reclaimed its position as Europe's largest in 2023, with an 18% increase in gross bookings reaching €68 billion, signaling a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Online...