A Better Hotel for the Middle Class?

This week IHG took the covers off its new mid-market brand and it certainly Garner-ed (sorry) a lot of interest. IHG thinks it has a winner here for a few reasons, the big one being it’s easy for hotel owners to get on board with. As Sean O’Neill writes in his analysis, “Unlike new-build brands that take time to grow because of construction delays, conversion brands can expand quickly, especially as many independent hotel operators or owners of properties flagged with older brands seek a refresh.”

Read about the new brand, below, and stay up-to-date on all things hotels with our free weekly Future of Lodging newsletter.

This Week’s Headlines

IHG Launches 19th Hotel Brand – the Strategy Behind ‘Garner’
IHG really needs a conversion brand in the mid-market for supply and demand reasons. So this move is smart. Yet Garner falls flat with us as a name.

More: IHG’s New CEO on Launching a New Brand and Making Hotels Profitable

JetBlue-Spirit Airlines Proposed Deal: A Skift Timeline
The proposed JetBlue-Spirit merger has many twists and turns in the last year, and here’s a look at the major developments of a deal that would shake up the airline industry.

We Tried the Travel Plugins on ChatGPT Plus: What Worked, What Didn’t
While the ChatGPT Plus platform is not reliable even when plugged into real-time data from travel websites, the setup bring users another step toward the future of travel planning and booking.

Air India’s Cabin Upgrades Take Shape: How it Plans to Fix Passenger Experience
Air India has opened its checkbook to offer a contemporary experience, one it hopes will dissuade passengers from flying one-stop via the Middle East or Far-East Asia when it is ready with its offering

Skift Travel News Quiz for August 18, 2023
Did you stay on top of the news this week? Test your knowledge in our Friday news quiz.

Air Canada Adds Cancel for Any Reason Feature in Partnership With Hopper
Expedia’s criticisms of Hopper’s fintech products don’t seem to be hurting Hopper’s ability to enter into new partnerships.

Vrbo Reverses Long-Standing Guest Refund Policy in Maui
Vrbo risks a host backlash but is doing the right thing for guests. As opposed to the articulated policies, how this all works out in practice is another matter.

Texas Sues Booking Holdings For Not Disclosing Junk Fees Upfront
This likely won’t be the last lawsuit against online travel companies related to allegedly deceptive fees because Booking Holdings is not the lone party handling fees in this way.

Chinese Tourists Are Ready to Book Trips, But 2019 Levels Are Far Off
While China easing group tour restrictions is a travel industry leap, don’t expect a sudden surge of Chinese tourists. The revival might need a little more time to unfold.

Virtuoso Luxury Sales Spike as Travelers Splurge on Private Experiences
Experience continues to trump price for high-net-worth travelers, whose appetite for luxury travel isn’t slowing down.

Airbnb and Booking Keep the Cash Flowing
We saw during the pandemic how important it was for companies to have plenty of cash and the ability to borrow more. Airbnb and Booking Holdings have ample resources for big things on their to-do lists.

Chart of the Week: Travel Health Index

Global travel declined from June to July, similar to the downward trend we saw this time last year. Hong Kong was the only country with an uptick in Skift’s Travel Health Index. Get the latest numbers.

Listen In

In this episode of the Skift India Podcast, catch Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia in conversation with Santosh Kumar, Country Head, ISC and Indonesia at Booking.com. Tune in as they dive deep into the world of Indian tourism – a true powerhouse in the global tourism landscape.