Hilton CEO on Building Vs. Buying

Skift Take

Listen to Chris Nassetta, CEO of Hilton, in conversation with Skift's Rafat Ali.

Skift Podcast

Compelling discussions with travel industry leaders and creatives who are helping to shape the future of travel.

Skift founder Rafat Ali interviewed Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta via hologram Wednesday at Skift Global Forum East in Dubai. Nassetta said Hilton expects to organically develop its own new brands rather than chase costly acquisitions in part because “we don’t want to have to fix other people’s problems.”

He said Hilton’s brand portfolio more than doubled to 19 in the 15 years Nassetta has been at Hilton and they are all successful, although some are “a little bit early in gestation.”

“We have designed these in a modern context around exactly what customers want and we built it out of the dust,” Nassetta said. “We built it with our own blood, sweat and tears rather than paying a big price. It’s been great for our shareholders, infinite yields effectively by creating these, and creating brands that really resonate with our customer base.”

Up Next

Experiences

How Travel Brands Can Seize the ‘Q5’ Opportunity on TikTok

Driven by increased spending on experiences and the digital habits of younger audiences, TikTok has emerged as a key platform for inspiring and shaping travel decisions. Leveraging the platform’s reach early in the year presents a unique opportunity for travel brands to connect with eager travelers.

TikTok for Business + Skift | 1 month ago

Generation Next: The Women Driving India’s Travel Revolution

From bolstering local economies to championing sustainable practices, these women innovators are forging a travel movement that’s both inclusive and impactful.

Bulbul Dhawan and Peden Doma Bhutia | 7 hours ago

Podcasts

Airbnb's New Experiences, Southwest's Big Change and Lufthansa's Emissions Challenges

On today’s podcast we look at Airbnb’s relaunched experiences, Southwest’s new baggage fees, and Lufthansa’s emissions challenges.

Rashaad Jorden | 8 hours ago

An Embraer E190-E2 jet operated by Scoot.

Airlines

This Airline Is Tapping Into India’s Growing Love for Sports and Events-Led Tourism

While Indian carriers have a strong hold in the Indian market, Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot is counting on its robust network primarily in the Southeast Asian market and Indians' love for unique experiences to drive growth.

Bulbul Dhawan | 9 hours ago

Tour Operators

Airbnb Experiences: New Details Point to Direct Competition with Viator and GetYourGuide

Experiences has traditionally been a low-margin business so Airbnb was never going to make a go of it tethered to a niche offering. The challenge in going mainstream is to maintain some differentiation from rivals.

Dennis Schaal | 15 hours ago