Biggest Innovators in Travel and Hospitality: Summer 2025
Photo Credit: The library of the Casa Polanco, a family run property in Mexico City. Casa Polanco
Skift Take
The bar is higher than ever. Analog feelings, sensory experiences, and things that have stood the test of hundreds of years have become all the more appealing.
We're back with another half-yearly check-in on the experiences, people, and standout moments powering travel and hospitality. I'm pleased to say the bar has been raised significantly, with entrepreneurial energy driving innovation while family-owned properties and experiences continue making their strong case for travelers' spending.
Of note, I'm tracking a movement toward more sensory experiences for travelers: think of getting off the regimented route of the safari truck to instead track a rhino on foot, or integrating local herbal remedies into spas in lieu of big-ticket lotions and potions owned by conglomerates. As we're inundated with technology and AI slop, it turns out that analog feelings, experiences, and things that have stood the test of hundreds of years become all the more appealing.
Another trend to note: zigging when everyone else is zagging. As the usual suspects like the South of France and Amalfi Coast become log-jammed with tourists, what ar
