Corporate Travel Uncertainty and 13 Other Tourism Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines tourism.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>Come and join Skift for an evening of travel trends to better understand the big forces defining travel in 2017 and beyond. And oh, to get a copy of our beautiful magazine, too! Registration Open: Travel Megatrends 2017 Forecast Event on January 11 in NYC

>>Travel managers know there’s no way to stop direct booking. Now the question is how policies and tech tools evolve to keep track of where business travelers are going and what they’re spending: Direct Booking Pushes Are Causing Complications for Travel Managers

>>Family travelers mostly prefer the upper-class hotel range when traveling, yet when it comes to alternative accommodation they are much more open-minded: What Family Travelers Really Think About Alternative Accommodations

>>The cruise giant fell short of its 2015 goals, and faces an uphill battle to reach its ambitious goals for 2020: Latest Royal Caribbean Sustainability Report Shows Slow Rate of Progress in Cruising

>>Uniworld is making an interesting play to expand the market for river cruising. We’ll be curious to see how the new brand tries to create an experience that appeals to millennials without pandering: Uniworld Is Launching a New Brand to Sell River Cruises to Millennials

>>The BestCities Global Alliance and Dubai Business Events are focusing more on how convention bureaus can collaborate with association conference organizers to create a longer legacy impact: Dubai Business Events CEO on the Future of Meetings in the Knowledge Economy

>>Destinations are determining the need to focus more on the impact and value of meetings on their cities over the long term: Redefining the Value of Business Events — Meetings Innovation Report

>>Chao will likely have a major challenge in managing an infrastructure plan cobbled together from a variety of financial incentives and other mechanisms: DOT Secretary Nominee Adds to Skepticism About Big Spending Plan for Infrastructure

>>Cruise operators are counting on Cuba to stir up new interest in long-established Caribbean sailings. But as Carnival’s CEO said, adding Cuba as a destination may not do much for the bottom line at first: Carnival Corp. CEO Says Cuba Is a ‘Longer Term Play’

>>Travel has been democratized over the past decades; U.S. families now spend $150 billion yearly on travel: Shifting Demographics and the Impact on Family Travel

>>Business travel rolled with a whole lot of punches in 2016. Buckle up for next year: Corporate Travel Executives Reflect on a Year of Uncertainty

>>We’re done with the roller coaster that was 2016 — but whatever the new year brings, at least we’ve had some practice at dealing with the downs: Out With the Old and (Hopefully) in With the New — Corporate Travel Innovation Report

>>Everyone has been talking about video this year and mostly regarding newer platforms and products such as Snapchat, Instagram Stories, and Facebook Live, for example. But YouTube still dominates content marketing: YouTube Travel Videos Still Drive Inspiration for Trip-Planning Tourists

>>This move combines Fathom’s two aims — social impact in the Dominican Republic, culture-focused visits to Cuba — in one trip. Although the experiences in each will be truncated, this could be enough to attract passengers looking for variety rather than a full week in one country: Fathom Is Adding Even More Cuba Stops Early Next Year