Skift Take

This week in tourism, we decoded all 17 of Thomas Cook's key brands, plus earnings from SeaWorld and Disney.

Tourism News Weekly Roundup

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 trends.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>Thomas Cook, the man, organized his first trip in 1841, and the travel company that bears his name is still going. After a series of mergers and acquisitions the company now has 17 key brands to focus on. Read our take on each: Every One of Thomas Cook’s 17 Brands, Explained

>>SeaWorld is rebounding, with higher attendance and revenue than a year ago. Will it last? And how much free beer will the continued recovery take? Free Beer Is Helping SeaWorld Recapture Some of Its Crowds

>>Disney’s parks and resorts segment got help from domestic parks, where customers spent more to get in, eat, shop, and sleep. With new expansions opening next year, expect that revenue to keep on rising: Disney’s U.S. Parks Got a Boost From Consumers Spending More on Everything

>>Cruise lines keep loading their ships with things for passengers to buy — Starbucks latte and a game of laser tag, anyone? With consumers feeling confident, no one seems to mind spending money on extras. But if the economy takes a turn for the worse, will that change? Norwegian Cruise Line Wants Passengers to Keep Spending More at Sea

>>Many women who saw Girls Trip were inspired by seeing representation of the black travel movement on the big screen. Combine that with the buzz of the longstanding Essence Festival and women’s group travel to New Orleans is up: New Orleans Still Seeing Boost to Women’s Group Travel From Girls Trip Film

>>This must-read introduction is the first excerpt from Skift’s recent digital book For the Long Haul, in celebration of our sixth anniversary: 6 Lessons for Travel on the Long-Haul Business Payoff

>>Rumors of the car rental sector’s demise may have been greatly exaggerated. Fundamentals have improved for Hertz and Avis, while partnerships with ridesharing companies and autonomous vehicle innovators bring potential for sustained growth: Is a Smarter Car Rental Industry Emerging From Its Funk?

>>It’s an old business axiom that 20 percent of customers are responsible for 80 percent of one’s business. Top travel companies are recognizing this is certainly the case in the world of luxury travel agents. That’s why more and more of them are starting to create novel programs for their best sellers: How Luxury Operators Dial Into Top-Producing Agents

>>In certain sub-sectors — luxury and cruise spring to mind — travel agents still play a big part in driving sales. Hoteliers and tour operators know this and are happy to splash the cash in order to get some of their business: The Many Ways Travel Companies Target Luxury Agents

>>Never accused of holding back on what we think, what we have learned and unlearned. My lessons from six years of Skift and eight years exploring the travel industry: The 21 Uncomfortable Truths That I Have Learned About the Travel Industry

>>Just like Ryanair in the airline industry, TUI’s relative strength means that it is able to weather external factors much better than its rivals: Tourism Giant TUI Group Bears Up Under European Heat and Maintains Sunny Outlook

>>One of the biggest challenges for companies is simply getting their travelers to book how they’re supposed to. The problem seems to be getting worse. Useful personalization and a more consumer-friendly experience will go a long way toward changing that: Interview: Bringing a Consumer Experience to Corporate Travel

>>In the first entry of the Skift Future of Business Travel Interview Series, we examined the growing promise of personalization and a more consumer-like experience. Stay tuned for more insights from across the sector in coming weeks: Examining Personalization for Business Travelers

>>The Skift Global Forum 2018 program is set! This year’s topics are fresh, timely, and challenging as ever. Read on for a preview and be sure to check out the full schedule: Session Topics Announced for Skift Global Forum

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Tags: tourism, Travel Trends, trends roundups

Photo credit: Thomas Cook, the man, organized his first trip in 1841, and the travel company that bears his name is still going. Thomas Cook

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