SeaWorld's Executive Purge and 6 Other Tourism Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines tourism.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>We are one month away from the second Skift Forum Europe! On April 26, 2018, we're bringing the brightest minds in travel to Berlin. Don't miss your chance to join us in Europe! Announcing the Editorial Program for Skift Forum Europe

>>In a world where actual connection is more important than ever as a technology backlash looms, how can travel brands create more human experiences through addictive shared spaces? What This Tokyo Bookstore Can Teach Travel About the Tech Backlash

>>SeaWorld has said its new marketing campaign is an important step as the operator tries to bring in more visitors and leave its troubles behind. Now that the chief marketer is gone, will the emphasis change? SeaWorld CMO Is Latest to Go in Executive Purge

>>Travel companies were spared the first round of the U.S.-China trade war. But outbound travel to the United States and U.S. hospitality companies could become collateral damage without too much provocation: Tariff Spat Could Chill China-U.S. Travel Even Without a Trade War

>>In some parts of Iceland, odds are you're more likely to meet a tourist than you are a local. The country doesn't want to lose its cool, progressive, and beautiful Nordic edge that's fueling demand. That's why it's successfully worked to promote its offseason and use silly and relatable language in its marketing campaigns: Skift Forum Europe Preview: How Tourism Transformed Iceland’s Economy

>>TUI is using some of the cash it amassed from selling companies such as Hotelbeds to buy a business from ... Hotelbeds. Maybe its taken a bit of time for the management to realize that tours and activities are strategic and a potential growth area: TUI Is Buying a Destination Services Business From Hotelbeds for $136 Million

>>India’s Ola has started operations in two major Australian cities, following hot on the heels of Estonia’s Taxify. The newcomers are exploiting opportunities unlocked when Uber paved the way for increased competition in a market in the tight grip of taxi operators: India’s Ola Enters Competitive Australian Ground Transport Market