Senior Buddy System and 9 Other Tourism Trends This Week

>>Senior travel is a lucrative and growing segment, but many seniors stay home because they don’t want to go solo. A travel advisor’s new matching site for seniors may be a modest solution: Travel Specialist Develops a Buddy System for Seniors on Vacation

>>Even in 2018, many travel companies still hesitate to engage people of color through marketing. Those companies, which are leaving money on the table, could take a cue from Visit Philadelphia's long-running video series featuring a member of The Roots: Philly Tourism Board Builds on Its Success Attracting Black Tourists

>>Europeans did more outbound international travel this year than last year. The pace of growth was not as robust as in the past, however. Experts forecast a similar modest growth rate for 2019: Europeans Traveled Abroad More in 2018 But the Pace Slowed

>>Business travelers and commuters may be Amtrak's bread and butter, but many leisure travelers have decades of warm feelings for its sleeper cars, and the old-fashioned hospitality they afford: Amtrak Sleeper Car Attendant Brings Old-Fashioned Hospitality to the Rails

>>While many destinations are upping their sustainability game, a few are actually actively promoting it as a way to attract higher-end visitors. Monaco and Slovenia are trying to prove that selling green will positively color tourism perceptions ... and revenue: Destinations Push Green Credentials to Entice Luxury Travelers

>>Tourism providers can make big claims about their sustainability credentials, but is anyone really listening? Green Tourism Sees Greater Opportunity at the High End

>>There’s no denying SoulCycle has a huge competitor on its heels. Whether Peloton has surged past the studio-class brand is still unclear. Regardless, SoulCycle needs to find a way to regroup — and fast — if it wants to remain the leader in the stationary cycling space: Peloton Vs. SoulCycle: The Battle Heats Up

>>Personal experience counts when it comes to encouraging young black South Africans to pack their suitcases and discover their own country, say the co-founders of Johannesburg-based Traveling Cheapskates. The co-founders build trips that they'd like to take, too, and feel like they intimately understand their customers: Young Black South African Agents Inspire Their Peers to Travel

>>Whether it's an appeal to young black South Africans or seniors who fear paying a single supplement, travel advisors who know the particular needs of their own peer groups can have a built-in advantage: Travel Advisor Innovation Report: South African Agents Build Trips for the Untraveled

>>The third installment of Skift Forum Europe continues our laser focus on examining Europe as a bellwether for leading trends in global travel. Join us April 30 in London as we Define the Future of Responsible Travel: Skift Forum Europe: Latest Program Announcements