Hong Kong Eases Travel Curbs and More Top Stories This Week

Throughout the week we are posting original stories night and day covering news and travel trends, including on the impact of coronavirus. Every weekend we will offer you a chance to read the most essential stories again in case you missed them earlier.

Hong Kong to Lift Travel Ban for 9 Countries in April: The resumption of flights may be a step in the right direction. However, it remains to be seen if Hong Kong will prioritize the reopening of the border with the Mainland over opening the international border.

Ukraine War Delays Approved Travel With Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine: The review process by world health officials of the Russian jabs was postponed by the war, so travelers are requesting to get vaccinated with approved brands. Other destinations with fewer stringent health requirements are managing to seize the moment.

Vacasa CEO Reengages a Supply Strategy He Used at OpenTable: Does Vacasa’s technology and scale really give it a defensible position in North America? Moats are so overrated.

Global Travelers Plan to Splurge on Family and Impact Vacations: Conscious travel and family trips are set to bounce back in a bigger way this year. But will consumer intentions to spend more this year stick if the war in Ukraine and its global impacts persist?

Hotels Get Creative With Experiences to Fill Void During Shoulder Seasons: Repurposing unused square footage to up the ante on experiential travel can give hotels the boost they need — especially during the off-season.

Poland’s Tourism Marketers Caught in Grip of Uncertainty Over Nearby War: No doubt a huge challenge facing tourism marketers in Europe — the inability to predict the outcome or end of Russia’s war on Ukraine, as well as how to hit the right notes amid human loss and devastation close to home.

Wyndham to Create Economy Extended-Stay Brand: Expect other big hotel companies to add more economy extended-stay brands. They’ll wager that a business model that reduces labor costs will have staying power for the long-term.

Bookaway Buys Argentina’s Plataforma 10 in Intercity Bus Booking Rollup: Intercity bus booking may not be glamorous, but there could be a lot of opportunity in helping the multi-billion-dollar sector go online.

Asia’s Travel Recovery Could Look Like This: With Asian destinations learning to live with the virus, recovery doesn’t seem as elusive. A new Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) report goes to great lengths to explore how that recovery could play out.

Europe’s Tourism Demand Holds Steady But Ukraine War Anxieties Loom: No doubt a huge challenge facing tourism marketers in Europe — the inability to predict the outcome or end of Russia’s war on Ukraine, as well as how to hit the right notes amid human loss and devastation close to home.