U.S. Airlines Brace for Massive Thanksgiving

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, November 21. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

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Episode Notes

The U.S. aviation industry is prepping for a record number of flyers to take to the skies for Thanksgiving this year. They’re doing so amid ongoing labor and air traffic controller issues, reports Edward Russell, editor of Skift publication Airline Weekly.

The TSA and U.S. airlines predict 30 million travelers will fly from November 17 to 28. Russell writes this year’s holiday forecast comes while the aviation industry is already straining at the seams. Airlines are still grappling with pilot and air traffic controller shortages, especially in the New York City area. 

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the government is taking steps to limit flight disruptions as much as possible. But he acknowledged some delays and cancellations are outside of anyone’s control, with inclement weather forecast across the U.S. in the coming days. 

Next, a new report reveals that climate change and sustainability issues largely aren’t a priority for U.S. tourism boards, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. 

Only 8% of U.S. tourism boards strongly prioritize tackling climate change and cutting greenhouse gas emissions to zero. That’s according to a survey of more than 300 destination marketers by travel marketing platform Sojern. Meanwhile, 62% of European tourism boards have made climate change a significant priority. 

However, U.S. — as well as Canadian — tourism boards placed much more emphasis on celebrating racial and ethnic diversity in their marketing efforts than their counterparts in Europe.

Finally, Vietnam is poised to offer visa-free entry to Indian nationals, reports Contributor Ashvita Singh in the Skift India Newsletter. 

Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung indicated the country would provide visa-free entry to Indian citizens as well as Chinese nationals. Indian travelers are increasingly looking to visit destinations that don’t require visas. Vietnam would follow in the footsteps of Sri Lanka and Thailand, both of which currently offer visa-free entry to visitors from India.