Skift

Episode Notes Marriott International announced on Tuesday that it’s expanding its City Express by Marriott brand into the U.S. and Canada, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.   O’Neill reports the expansion represents Marriott’s foray into the “affordable midscale” category in the two countries. Marriott bought the City Express brand in Mexico in May 2023, and has run properties under the City Express by Marriott brand in the Caribbean and Latin America. The company hasn’t yet revealed how many deals it’s signed for the brand in the U.S. and Canada.  However, one Marriott executive said the company is optimistic about hotel openings in both countries in the near future.  Next, the Routes World 2024 conference featured several heavy hitters of the Middle East’s aviation industry sharing their plans for 2025. Airlines Editor Gordon Smith provides highlights.  Tony Douglas, the CEO of new Saudi carrier Riyadh Air, said the airline is “well advanced” in obtaining its Air Operator Certificate, a key re

Airlines and airports are getting ready for Hurricane Milton, a “potentially catastrophic” storm expected to hit southwest Florida on Wednesday, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Tampa International Airport and Orlando International have announced they plan to suspend operations in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. Several airlines — including American, Delta and United — have issued travel waivers in Florida. Citi analyst Stephen Trent said cancellations from the storm could cause Southwest and Spirit to suffer a major hit to their earnings because of their exposure to Tampa.  Next, new Mandarin Oriental CEO Laurent Kleitman is looking to double the number of properties in the company’s portfolio, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill, who spoke with Kleitman in his first major interview as CEO.  Mandarin Oriental currently manages 41 hotels, but Kleitman says he sees a sweet spot of between 80 and 100 properties for the luxury hotel brand. Kleitman added Mandarin Oriental will focus on key

Episode Notes Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin said the Paris-based hotel group has 47 brands in its portfolio. And the company has plans to add more, writes Middle East Reporter Josh Corder. Bazin said at the Future Hospitality Summit in Dubai that Accor doesn’t have too many brands. He noted in the era of technology, customers have enough resources to discover them all. Bazin also said it’s important that no two brands are the same and that all of them are relevant. As for global growth, Bazin thinks China and India will be the largest markets in the medium- and long-term.  Next, G Adventures launched a new brand this week targeting solo travelers interested in connecting with others on group tours, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  The new brand — called “Solo-ish Adventures” — is geared toward travelers not wanting to wait on others to book a trip or feel like a “third wheel” on group tours. The trips, which will run on average 12 days, will feature activities such as cooking classes and food wa

Episode Notes The global hotel industry has seen some markets thrive this year while some others have struggled, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.  A recent report by CBRE Hotels Research revealed U.S. revenue per available room would grow roughly 1% for the full year. That’s close to a 2 percentage point drop from its forecast in February. O’Neill notes that U.S. urban and airport hotels are set to overperform while those in resort locations will likely underperform relative to their post-pandemic boom.  However, hotels in the United Arab Emirates saw their revenue per available room jump 30% from 2019 levels during the first half of this year. And Saudi Arabian hotels registered a 44% increase during the same period.  Next, Priceline is the first travel company to say it’s incorporating the latest voice tech from OpenAI into its AI chatbot, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.  Users can interact with its AI chatbot Penny by speaking or typing to search for hotels — but not flights

Moxy Hotels, Marriott’s first brand aimed at travelers in their 20s, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill takes a look at how Moxy has looked to stay relevant in the marketplace throughout the years.  O’Neill notes that Moxy doesn’t subscribe to the commonly held premise in the hotel industry that the room is everything. Moxy’s compact rooms have appealed to some Millennials used to cramped urban residences or minimalist lifestyles. In addition, hotel investors and owners have seen the cost advantages of fitting more rooms into smaller footprints.  Moxy was the first Marriott brand without a formal front desk and guests check in at bars. O’Neill writes hotel operators like how Moxy creates bustling social spaces that attract both guests and locals, and that the lively lobbies and bars drive high-profit food and beverage revenue.  Next, Amtrak launched its first major marketing campaign in three years on Tuesday. It’s part of the company’s effort to convince tr

Episode Notes Carnival Corp. said demand for travel to Alaska is “off the charts,” writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. Carnival CEO Josh Weinstein said Alaska has emerged as one of the cruise line’s top destinations in 2024, especially for first-time cruisegoers. Weinstein’s comments came as residents in the state capital Juneau are voting on a measure that would ban large cruise ships from docking in the city on Saturdays and the Fourth of July.  Meanwhile, Carnival is seeing no signs of a consumer spending slowdown – it’s been able to charge higher prices and maintain strong bookings into 2025.   Next, 13 travel startups have raised over $600 million in venture capital over the past two weeks, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. Dawes notes two of this year’s 10 biggest startup fundraises have happened during the same period. Renewable jet fuel production startup Twelve raised $200 million. Twelve also secured $400 million in project equity, which will go toward building production

Episode Notes Hotel companies are trying to figure out how artificial intelligence will impact their businesses. Leaders in the industry aren’t quite sure yet, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill, who attended the Destination AI summit in Washington, D.C.  Jess Petitt, an executive at Hilton, said the number of hotel bookings made using generative AI is minuscule but added the technology would make a huge impact on the industry. However, some experts are skeptical about generative AI significantly changing the balance of power regarding how hotels attract customers. O’Neill writes if hotel companies don’t adequately invest in the technology, they’ll be out-competed technologically.  Next, Mallorca continues to be a tourism hotspot despite recent large-scale protests against mass tourism to the island, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  Mallorca recorded more than 8.5 million overnight hotel stays in August, the highest of any tourist region in Spain. The island also had the highest

Episode Notes Skift is taking another big step to shape the future of travel. We’ve launched Skift Elevate, an initiative that aims to empower underrepresented voices in the industry.  Skift President Carolyn Kremins calls Elevate a movement to drive meaningful, collective action across the travel industry. Its inaugural event took place at the recent Skift Global Forum, where several prominent women in travel addressed topics such as gender equity, leadership development and inclusive workplaces.  Skift’s plans for Elevate include a series of additional events, content initiatives and industry partnerships.  Next, the Ray-Ban Meta AI-powered glasses will have a new feature that could help travelers overcome language barriers — live voice translation, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.  Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the new feature, among other updates, at the Meta Connect developer conference. Zuckerberg said a user wearing the glasses should be able to hear a real-time English translati

Episode Notes Residents of Juneau, Alaska, are set to vote next Tuesday on a measure that would ban large cruise ships from docking in the city on Saturdays and July 4, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  The ban would apply to any large cruise ship with more than 250 passengers. The measure requires a simple majority to pass. Karla Hart, who helped gather enough signatures to put the proposal on the ballot, said overtourism has pushed some fellow residents out of the city.  The initiative comes as Juneau’s popularity as a cruise destination has surged. Habtemariam notes that on some days, 20,000 cruise passengers visit the city. Cruise visitors were responsible for $30 million in direct spending on Saturdays last year.   Next, Elliott Investment Management said on Tuesday it would call for a special meeting at Southwest Airlines as it continues to push for more changes at the carrier, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  Elliott’s push for a special meeting comes two days before Southwe

Episode Notes Concerns have grown in recent weeks about how a potential recession could impact travel. But while the travel industry isn’t recession-proof, it could be recession-resistant, reports Senior Research Analyst Pranavi Agarwal. There are signs of weakness. The Skift Travel 200 Stock Index is up only 3% since the start of the year, and travel executives have noted of a slowdown in demand on recent earnings calls.  But Agarwal writes travel today could be a little more insulated than it has been in the past. Spending on travel is still discretionary, but it is more important to consumers than ever before. She cites travel’s emergence as a more fundamental need coming out of the pandemic as one reason the industry is recession-resistant.     Next, the U.S. hotel industry is bracing for widespread work stoppages as 40,000 hotel workers have contracts that have expired or will expire by year’s end, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.  More than 1,500 San Francisco hotel workers went on strike

Episode Notes Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin said at the Skift Global Forum on Thursday that some of its brands took a hit during its recently completed tech migration, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. But the new CEO said Expedia, which was the least disrupted of its core brands, has done well, with growth in room nights of 20% in the second quarter. Now Gorin is focused on getting more customers for Vrbo. The tech migration could help as Vrbo and Expedia Group’s brands can share inventory more easily. The company has also been adding comparison shopping features and rebuilding its group trip planning feature, among other changes.  Next, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty acknowledged at the Skift Global Forum that she has faced numerous challenges nine months into her tenure, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  Geraghty said she doesn’t see any mergers in JetBlue’s future after the federal government blocked its acquisition of Spirit Airlines. JetBlue is expected to ground several of its air

Episode Notes Airbnb aims to focus on a lot more than short-term rentals. The company has plans to consistently launch new lines of business going forward, including those that may not be geared toward travel, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. CEO Brian Chesky said at the Skift Global Forum on Wednesday he anticipates launching two or three ventures annually that could eventually generate a billion dollars a year in revenue. He acknowledged not all of those ventures will be successful, but added now is the right time for the company to grow beyond the core business.  Chesky also said that stays between 30 and 90 days could represent a huge area of growth for Airbnb, noting that online travel agencies wouldn’t likely provide travelers that opportunity. Next, Las Vegas officials believe the city needs to host more big sporting events to help maintain tourism growth, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.   Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said at the S

Episode Notes Skift Global Forum kicked off in New York City on Tuesday with big news in the U.S. travel industry. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma said U.S. travelers will have the option of renewing their passports online starting on Wednesday, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  Verma told Skift CEO Rafat Ali that the State Department believes half of passport renewals will be done online in the near future. However, Verma acknowledged that the online option wouldn’t necessarily be faster than the in-person process – but said that it would be a better customer experience. The State Department recently tested an online renewal process, which attracted 200,000 participants.  Next, Booking Holdings’ short-term rental business is growing fast as it tries to compete with Airbnb, reports Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. CEO Glenn Fogel told Executive Editor Dennis Schaal during Skift Global Forum that Booking Holdings is now selling two-thirds of the room nights for short-term rentals

Episode Notes Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures are teaming up to create Thayer Investment Partners, an investment platform the two VC firms believe will boost innovation in travel technology, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. The new platform aims to offer a full-service venture capital approach, with plans to invest in business-to-business and consumer startups. Thayer Investment Partners will consider startups in most destinations, with the exception of China, where it lacks expertise.   O’Neill notes the quasi-merger comes as the travel industry grapples with emerging opportunities in AI and the adoption of cloud-native technologies.  Next, major U.S. airlines are optimistic they’ll see strong demand for Europe continue into next summer, but they’re facing headwinds in China. Patrick Quayle, United Airlines’ senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, discussed the carrier’s operations in China with Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Quayle said restrictions on Western

Episode Notes Google Wallet will soon allow users to store a digital version of a U.S. passport, one of the app’s newest travel features, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. Google said on Thursday that the digital passport will work at select TSA checkpoints. The U.S. passport is the first one Google is adding to Wallet, an app the tech giant began rolling out in July 2022. Google also started enabling users to save select U.S. state IDs to Wallet last year. Dawes notes rival Apple has yet to enable users to store digital versions of their passports.  Next, hotel workers in New York City are protesting a bill that would require hotels in the city to meet stricter regulations, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. Intro 991, the so-called “Safe Hotels Act,” would mandate hotels get a new “hotel license” to operate. Local labor unions support the bill because it would bar hotels from using subcontractors for core functions such as housekeeping, front desk and security. Roughly 700 hotels i

Episode Notes A growing number of women are making waves in leadership positions throughout the travel industry, and Skift is featuring 25 of them in our inaugural list, Generation Next: The Women Shaping Travel’s Future. We’re showcasing disruptors and innovators poised to take the industry to new places. We’re highlighting executives such as Standard International CEO Amber Asher, who has helped take the brand global, and Amelia DuLuca, who is playing a leading role in Delta Air Lines’ sustainability efforts. Our list includes leaders in all sectors of the travel industry around the world, such as Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Tourism Princess Haifa.  Next, Airbnb has relaunched the application process for experiences sign-ups after a roughly year-and-a half pause, writes Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.  Airbnb confirmed the relaunch after a LinkedIn user saw a prompt to host an experience. Schaal notes that experiences have been a passion project of CEO Brian Chesky for years. However, the company hasn’t

Episode Notes Rome is considering introducing a reservation system to clamp down on overcrowding at Trevi Fountain, one of the world’s most popular attractions, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. Rome’s Deputy Mayor of Tourism Alessandro Onorato wants to introduce a ticketing reservation system around the fountain to better manage the flow of visitors. Residents of the Italian capital would still be able to visit Trevi Fountain for free, but tourists would have to pay a two euro “symbolic fee.” Revenue would go toward stewards who would help protect the monument.   Rome’s Deputy Mayor of Tourism Alessandro Onorato wants to introduce a ticketing reservation system around the fountain to better manage the flow of visitors. Residents of the Italian capital would still be able to visit Trevi Fountain for free, but tourists would have to pay a two euro “symbolic fee.” Revenue would go toward stewards who would help protect the monument.   Next, Southwest Airlines chair Gary Kelly plans to step down 

Episode Notes Apple revealed more details on Monday about how it’s incorporating generative AI into its latest iPhones. Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes delves into how the new products could help travelers.  The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have been built with a dedicated camera button that can activate a tool to ask AI about visuals. Dawes notes the new iPhone can obtain information such as hours and ratings when pointed at a restaurant. In addition, the iPhone can save details about an event appearing on a flier to its calendar.  However, Dawes reports a demo didn’t show whether the camera works for recognizing landmarks or translating text.  Next, the Greek government has announced two new measures to combat overtourism, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said recently that cruise passengers that step foot on the islands Santorini and Mykonos would be charged around $20 during the peak summer season. Revenue from the cruise fee would be used to mit

Episode Notes The Department of Transportation officially launched a probe on Thursday into whether the loyalty programs of the four largest U.S. airlines are engaging in deceptive or noncompetitive practices, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sent a letter to American, Delta, United and Southwest requesting that they provide records about their loyalty programs. The department said its probe would focus on how frequent flyer programs are impacted by extra fees and hidden pricing as well as reduced competition and choice.  The Transportation Department first announced last November it would investigate the fairness of loyalty programs.  Next, Poland-based online travel agency group eSky is buying tour operator Thomas Cook for roughly $40 million. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill provides takeaways from the deal. O’Neill notes eSky’s acquisition is part of its strategy to expand its package holiday business in Western Europe. ESky expects the deal to incr

Episode Notes Skift has unveiled its Power Rankings, our list of the most influential people in the travel industry. With the help of Skift Research, our editors spent several months establishing a methodology, crunching the numbers and weighing each leader’s influence to create our list of travel’s 30 most powerful people.  Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta takes the top spot on our list. During his time as Hilton CEO, Nassetta has more than doubled Hilton’s global room. Number two is Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, who has helped change how many people travel around the world. And just behind Chesky is United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, the driving force behind the Chicago-based carrier being one of the U.S.’ most profitable airlines.  Next, both Marriott and Hilton recently reached milestones in terms of portfolio growth. What company is leading the hotel growth race though? Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill delves into the matter. Hilton and Accor have seen their property counts increase by at least 6% in the past fi