Skift Take

In Skift's top stories this week, millennials spark American Express Travel's growth, hotels turn to mocktails to attract increasingly health-conscious guests, and a new low-cost airline launches in Sri Lanka.

American Express Travel Is Right on Point for Certain Millennial Travelers: The American Express Travel website and mobile experience won’t win user experience awards. But it may have something better for cardmembers — private fares, other negotiated deals, perks and points redemption.

Hong Kong’s Restart Prompts Warnings Over Rising Corporate Travel Costs: Experts on the ground in both Hong Kong and Singapore already report booking spikes and surges in airfares and hotel rates. The message is to start laying the groundwork for when China eventually eases its own travel policies.

Costa Rica Offers Lessons in Converting Short-Term Tourists to Digital Nomads: Expect more destinations to develop marketing strategies to convince tourists to stick around much longer — as digital nomads.

Hotels Raise the Bar on Mocktails With Eye on Health-Conscious Travelers: Hotel brands increasingly showcasing non-alcoholic drinks is a major shift considering hotels have long viewed alcohol as a significant revenue producer. But the growing emphasis on healthier travel has steered them toward a major opportunity to increase profits.

Middle East Destinations Are Going Hollywood to Build Brand Images: Wooing spoilt-for-choice travelers to visit a particular destination may be an uphill task, but the road gets much smoother if you have a celebrity vouching for its wonders.

Traveloka Shuts Down Pandemic Business Launches to Refocus on Travel: Having weathered the Covid storm, Traveloka is back to doing what it believes it does best — selling travel.

Full Video: Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano at Skift Global Forum 2022: Although Marriott’s Anthony Capuano is adamant that the world’s largest hotel company won’t rest on its laurels, watch him explain why a major merger and acquisition deal isn’t on the horizon for Marriott.

Full Video: Hopper CEO at Skift Global Forum 2022: Carrot cash. Loot boxes. Bunnies. What’s going on inside the mind of Frederic Lalonde? You’re about to find out.

Sonesta Bets on Smaller Biz Group Meetings With New Loyalty Scheme: The fast-growing hotelier has launched a loyalty program called “Business Pass” with a focus on micro-events. The sticking point is only about a fifth of Sonesta’s portfolio is onboard.

New Sri Lanka Low-Cost Airline Will Compete Against the National Carrier: Will Peter Hill pull off a SriLankan Airlines with FitsAir? No pressure for this returning aviation veteran.

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Tags: american express, american express travel, corporate travel, food and drink, hong kong, middle east, millennials, top stories, Traveloka

Photo credit: An American Express has grown to become the sixth largest travel agency in the U.S. Mattes / Wikimedia Commons

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