Cruises’ Private Destinations, Flattening Food Cultures and Hilton in Asia
Skift Take
Key Points
- Cruise lines are investing in exclusive private destinations to reduce overcrowding and address regional stability issues.
- Tourism is impacting local cuisines, leading to a 'flattening' of food cultures to fit traveler expectations.
- Hilton has expanded rapidly in Asia Pacific, reaching 1,000 hotels due to the growing middle class in China and India.
Summary
Cruise lines are focusing on private destinations to manage overcrowding and ensure regional stability, with major players like Royal Caribbean and Carnival opening new sites. The tourism industry is influencing local food cultures, often simplifying them for travelers, prompting calls for more authentic experiences. Hilton has achieved significant growth in Asia Pacific, reaching 1,000 hotels driven by the region's burgeoning middle class and domestic tourism in China and India.
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Episode Notes
Cruise lines aren’t just looking for revenue sources on board. During earnings calls, CEOs have been sharing their bet on private destinations — beach resorts exclusive to their travelers. Contributor Robert Cole explores why the next few years have a lot in store for these destinations.
Private destinations lessen overcrowding on land while still accommodating millions of guests per year. Cruise companies can also ensure ports suit their needs and dodge concerns that may arise from political or social instability in a region.
Royal Caribbean and Carnival are some of the biggest players: They have new destinations set to open through 2027.
Next, Skift CEO Rafat Ali shares what tourism means for food culture. During his travels, Ali has noticed a “flattening of food cultures,” with certain cuisines being overly simplified to meet traveler expectations.
This can have a ripple effect on the local community, sometimes shaping how residents view their own cultural foods.
The solution? The farm-to-table movement certainly helps — but hotels, airlines and tourism boards need to get in on the conversation, showing visitors diverse, authentic cuisine. For guests, slow travel can also give more time to get to know a destination, including its dishes.
Finally, Hilton reached 1,000 hotels in Asia Pacific — doing so a year earlier than expected — Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia explains.
China and India have booming domestic tourism markets, and Hilton is getting in on the action. The rise of the region’s middle class is a major factor, leading Hilton to pursue both luxury and mid-market offerings. Southeast Asia also has a lot of potential as tourism arrivals grow.
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