Trump Travel Ban 2.0, Wyndham’s New Rewards and Short-Term Rental Dominance

Skift Daily Briefing Podcast

Listen to the day’s top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, March 13. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

In our first story, editors Jade Wilson and Sean O’Neill examine the Trump administration's consideration of new travel restrictions that could impact citizens from up to 43 countries. Internal memos suggest that 11 nations, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, might face full visa bans.

These measures aim to enhance national security by addressing deficiencies in information sharing and vetting processes. Previous travel bans targeted several Muslim-majority countries, faced legal challenges, and were eventually upheld by the Supreme Court. The potential expansion of these restrictions could have significant implications for international travel and the global tourism industry.

Listen to This Podcast

🎧 Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube | RSS

Next up, Hotels reporter Luke Martin writes that Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has launched the Wyndham Rewards Debit Card, targeting Gen Z and Millennials who prefer debit over credit. Developed in partnership with Mastercard and Galileo Financial Technologies, this card allows users to earn Wyndham Rewards points on everyday purchases.

Cardholders also receive benefits such as complimentary Gold level membership and hotel booking discounts. This initiative reflects Wyndham's strategy to engage younger travelers and foster brand loyalty by aligning with their payment preferences.

Lastly, Executive Editor Dennis Schaal looks at the short-term rental market, where major online travel agencies are consolidating their dominance. In 2024, Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia's Vrbo collectively held 71% of the global short-term rental market, up from 53% in 2019.

Airbnb led this growth, increasing its market share from 28% to 44%. Booking.com also saw an uptick, while Vrbo experienced a slight decline. This shift indicates a trend towards consolidation in the short-term rental industry, with smaller agencies' market share decreasing from 47% to 29% over the same period. The growing dominance of these major platforms underscores their expanding influence in the travel accommodation sector.