Tripadvisor’s Possible Sale

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Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, March 7. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

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Episode Notes

Speculation has been rife about what company could be behind the possible sale of Tripadvisor since the news first broke last month that it was in play. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal writes about recent reporting that one possible buyer is private equity firm Apollo Global Management. 

Apollo has expressed interest in a bid , according to Bloomberg. Schaal notes that Apollo’s exploration of any purchase is believed to be in an early phase. 

Tripadvisor has formed an independent committee to vet any offers, which analysts and travel industry insiders believe will come from private equity firms. Tours and activities leader Viator is the fastest-growing in Tripadvisor’s portfolio of brands. In speaking to travel industry insiders, most agreed that buying Tripadvisor and then selling Viator made the most sense.

Next, the alleged rape of a Brazilian tourist in India has raised questions about whether the country is safe for female tourists, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.

Bhutia writes the incident has triggered criticism of India across social media, with one travel executive stating the widespread coverage would hurt the country’s marketing efforts. The CEO of a company organizing backpacking trips in India for a largely female clientele said it would take years to undo the damage. 

However, Chirag Gupta, CEO of online platform Deyor, said he hasn’t received any cancellations despite concerns from international travelers. 

Finally, one travel executive believes artificial intelligence could replace generic top 10 lists and travel guides, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. 

Barry Rogers, the head of Dublin City Tourism Unit, said ChatGPT could enhance tourism marketing. Speaking during a panel discussion at the ITB Berlin travel trade show, Rogers added that AI will be able to give travelers personalized itineraries. The Dublin City Council and OpenAI announced a partnership to develop AI-powered itineraries.