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Good morning from Skift. It's Wednesday, February 2, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Series: Skift Daily Briefing

Skift Daily Briefing Podcast

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Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at European countries’ efforts to get on the same page when it comes to coronavirus travel restrictions, new research about the changing travel patterns of five major tourism markets, and why coffee solves yet another of life’s problems (this time in boutique hospitality).

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Episode Notes

Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

The European Union had hoped to reach an agreement regarding uniform entry rules to member nations by early 2022. However, that hasn’t occurred yet as its members remain more split than ever on entry guidelines, writes Global Tourism Reporter Lebawit Lily Girma.

The European Council had adopted a recommendation, effective February 1, that European Union members should lift all entry restrictions for travel within the block and base the rules on an individual’s health status instead of the traveler’s country of origin. However, only five European Union members have followed the Council’s recommendations while 26 are still using country or region-based approaches.

Julia Simpson, the president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, is calling on European governments to open borders and remove restrictions, telling Skift that people on the continent are largely positive about travel as summer bookings are currently 80 percent above 2021 levels.

Next, Covid obviously disrupted travel worldwide but it also changed traveler behavior. How exactly? Skift Research’s new survey explains why in five top destinations, reports Vice President of Skift Research Haixia Wang.

Skift Research has released 2022 Travelers: A Multi-Country Survey Report, in which it surveyed travelers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, China and India in December 2021. Respondents answered questions such as what are the biggest changes in travel in the Covid era, will the changes last when the pandemic ends and what will inspire people when they can freely travel again. Wang adds the report will delve into the major components of the global tourism industry — including outbound travel, accommodation and transportation.

We end today with a hotel executive who believes he’s found a way to make his property more appealing to future guests. How so? Contributor Carley Thornell writes that he’s having artisanal coffee delivered to guest rooms.

Tom Sullivan, the general manager of the Blake Hotel in Connecticut, offers what calls a complimentary wake-up to every room in the property in the form of fresh-brewed Cuban-style coffee. Although many guests might find not having a coffee machine in their rooms unappealing, the hotel has been able to limit lobby traffic and reduce in-room use — and maintenance — of coffee machines.

But most importantly, the wake-up call program has earned the Blake Hotel glowing reviews with one visitor calling her time at the property one of the best service experiences of her travel life.

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Tags: coronavirus recovery, europe, european union, hospitality marketing, hotels, politics, skift podcast, wttc

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